Bullet Modification Question?

[Deleted]

Many on this board have modified hollowpoint bullets by pointing them up or filling the open cavity of the hollowpoint with epoxy, lead shot etc. My question is....By filling the open cavity of a XTP with a lead or steel shot, or epoxy will that make it a tougher bullet. Would the bullet have increased penetration or hold together better? In my Savage and SMI I like the way the .40, 200gn XTP shoots with a #6 steel shot stuck in the open cavity and was wondering if this would make it a tougher bullet and better on terminal performance end........Any ideas?
Thanks, Zen

[hunter]

A few years back I was using the 300 gr hornady with a steel shot in the hollowpoint cavity
at 2400 fps and had two bad experiences with them. First deer coming straight on at about 30-40 yds and the deer dropped but as I just got reloaded he jumped up and took off.
Tracked him 4-500 yds on to posted ground and stopped. Owner refussed to let us track onto his property so I do not know the outcome.
The other was a small doe same position at 25 -30 yds which also dropped the same way but was not dead so I cut her throat. The wound was massive but just surface and did not penetrate into the chest cavity.
I have since felt that the shot in the bullet cavity made the bullet more explosive.
But I must add that the same bullet without the shot performed better but most shots were in the 100 yard plus range so it could have slowed down with the longer distance.

[edge]

Generally "ballistic tip" bullets open easier and more consistently then open tip bullets.....that has been my observations.

That is with a hard tip, if it were soft lead then it probably does not make much difference.

edge.

[tar12]

I would think it would only hasten the expansion and in no way will it make it tougher.Toughness will come from the thickness of the jacket.

[youp50]

Just a thought... you think one could work harden the guilding metal?

[chuck41]

I think Tar12 is right. We can do things to slow the initial expansion, but the degree of toughness we are pretty much stuck with. Al made some dies to reform the tips of hollow point bullets. I attempted to determine how much help that gave this year, and killed one deer with a 210gr 41cal XTP and attempted to do the same later with the reformed bullet, but never got another shot for the same bullet/load. Guess that will have to wait for next year. Here is pictures reformed XTPs:



This last photo is of .400" XTPs 180gr and 200gr and resized .410" 210gr XTP

They look and shoot well from my gun, but the jury is still out on degree of terminal performance enhancement. The 41Mag 210gr XTP does have a bit thicker jacket than its 200gr 40S&W cousin. That does not appear to me to make much difference in the 80-100 yd shots I have made over the last couple years from my 40.

MV of my loads is about 2700fps and avg range 80 - 120 yds. Kills 'em dead quick, but makes huge entry hole and usually does not exit the animal. I am hopeful that closing that huge hollow point will delay that expansion a bit. Won't kill 'em any deader, but should get a bit better penetration.

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2011 18:26:49 GMT -5 tar12 said:

I would think it would only hasten the expansion and in no way will it make it tougher.Toughness will come from the thickness of the jacket.

Tar....
I totally agree with the thickness of the jacket being key in the toughness of the bullet.... I'm not sure if filling the cavity would hasten the expansion. If we had a .40 cal Barnes Original with the same jacket thickness as the .458 BO that would make for a good bullet. As for now I'm satisfied with the all copper 195 Barnes. Didn't Barnes used to make the BO in .40 caliber?
Zen

[tar12]

I dont know Zen but I will find out and I hope this does not lead to a broken heart! ;D cause I will hold you responsible! ;D