testing bullets

[lead chucker]

I tested some bullets the one on the right is a brinell of 9 and the one on the left is brinell of 11 both shot through 1/2 inch ply wood 10 inch water and then 1/2 inch plywood. They were both about 1780 fps. At 45 yards. It is a 200 gr Lyman 311299. The one on the right now is 185 gr. The one on the left is now 155 gr. the softer one stayed together better. The harder one did penetrate a little better through my bullet catcher and the the second piece of plywood had a smaller hole in it with the harder bullet which tells me the softer bullet did expand going throughout the water before it hit the wood. It was a bigger hole. These bullets have a shallow cup hp. Erik at HP mold service does excellent work. He HP'd it for me. Just thought I would share my results with you.

[lead chucker]

My bad. I can't tell my left from my right. I think it's obvious which one is the softer one.

[michael30.06]

Nice example of a job well done.
Thanks for sharing.

[largom]

The one on the left looks like mine when I shoot thru 4 milk jugs of water with a back-stop of an old suitcase full of rags. My hardness is about 10 with my alloy of 55% lead & 45% WW with a little tin added.

Larry

[x101airborne]

Yes, you mirror my results quite accurately with my 60 pure 40 mixed wheel weights. Only differnece is I havent yet hollow pointed any of my 30 cal molds and I have yet to wet test my NOE 339 240 boolits yet that have about a 1/4 inch deep hollow point, but I am sure they are going to be NASTY.

[375RUGER]

Of course the left one is on the left and the right one is on the right

Quite a difference in just 2 BHN

[lead chucker]

Yes there is a pretty substantial difference. I suppose if I was to do the test again. They would look a little different. I have a seco tester and I'm not sure how accurate it is.

[leadman]

Interesting test. I'm thinking on taking a Rolling Block on an antelope hunt and use cast. I have a 40-65 and a 8 X 58R Danish.
I have the Lyman 170gr Loverin and the Lee 238gr Karabiner. I'm thinking of making up some softpoint boolits for the Karabiner and the 400gr Snover for the 40-65. Don't know how this would work on the 170gr boolit.

Guess I'll have to conduct a similar test to what the OP did here and find out.

[Bob Krack]

Yes there is a pretty substantial difference. I suppose if I was to do the test again. They would look a little different. I have a seco tester and I'm not sure how accurate it is.

Great test and results. My only suggestion would be to do the test with identical boolits of different hardness rather than with a 185 vs 200.

Bob

[375RUGER]

I read it that they were both 200g to start and he listed the final weights after recovery.

[lead chucker]

Yup they were both right at 200 gr. I will test some more when I get a chance. I just waited to see if the harder bullet would have similar expansion. I will next test with a box of water covered with carpet and see what the results are. Recovering one from a deer is tough every one I shot with cast was through and through, they were all with a 310, 44 mag and one with a 265 gr hp. My black bear with the 308 shot clean through. There was no mechanical injury. If I was to hit the shoulder I might have recovered it.