Author Topic: Making a flat point out of a round point. (Read 601 times)

jh45gun · « **on:** November 17, 2004, 02:58:35 AM »

OK I reported about my limited success with the round nose cast 150 grain bullet in 308 during my deer hunt where I shot the buck in the neck. These were in the post "no expansion" and "308 cast does its job" Ok I have a box of these left and deer season starts on Sat.( Regular gun season) I plan on using my muzzle loader using cast REAL bullets. I would like to use the 308 Encore pistol as a back up gun or as a primary if the situation makes that gun a better choice depending on the shot. Since I was not satisfied with the round nose profile and I want to use up this last box of reloads I filed away the tip of the round nose profile to a flat point one. Here are some specifics: using my digital caliper the flat on the nose measures .2100 across the flat. Length went from .9490 for the round nose to .8950 for the flat nose. The difference in length is .054 I do not think I lost that much weight since the area I filed was tapered and there still is some taper left. These went 155 grains with gas check and lube added so I suppose I lost only a few grains by doing this. What do you guys think about this. I figure it should work and be like what they do with 22 bullets making the flat point game bullet. I still plan on from now on loading flat points, but figured this would use up that last box and give me a better bullet. Jim

savageT · « **Reply #1 on:** November 17, 2004, 04:27:25 AM »

Jim,
Why don't you take these flat-nosed bullets to the range and fire them into a box of wet sand/newspapers to check out the expansion properties?
I would also use some of the original round nosed if you have them as "contols". Now if you have a powder scale, weigh up the flat nosed bullets and sort them out by weight (better remove the borebutter lube before weighing them).

Jim

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #2 on:** November 17, 2004, 08:12:29 AM »

JH, may have told you this before, but cast RN are easily made FP, by running them up into a pistol die that has an SWC nose punch. I use the pedestal from a Lee sizer to push them, but you could easily improvise. Lot easier, faster, and more exact than filing.

jh45gun · « **Reply #3 on:** November 17, 2004, 04:26:31 PM »

Lefty thanks for the info but I do not have a pistol die set of any kind on hand. This is the only box I had to do the next time I cast it will be with a flat point bullet configuration. A buddy of mine gave me a Old Ideal mold 311407 mold that I checked my flat point against and they were the same size across. This is the info I found on it. This is a Loverin bullet that is simply a flat nose version of #311467. While the #311467 is a great choice for .30-06, .303, etc. this bullet is a terrific choice for the .30-30 and .307 cartridges as well as any other .30 cal.

Lyman
#311407
Weight: 180 grains
Style: FNGC
Size: .309-311"

I think this should work nicely for all my 30 cal needs. Jim