LEE 310 .430 Cast Bullet Test

[Swamp]

So after reading Ron's extensive bullet testing thread which was amazing (Thanks Ron!), I decided to kinda mimic his test, but with a different trap, with the bullet I cast and hunt with. I used half of my normal weighed charge of T7 (72/2 = 36 grs). Shot was 25 yds into my bullet sand trap. One piece of cardboard, then nothing but sand. Sand is loose, not compacted. I do not know velocity???

Bullet = LEE 310 gr .430 Cast (12/1 Mix) Knurled (Bullet drops at 309 grs with my mix)
Sabot = Harvester Crush Rib (Green)
Gun = TC Omega 50 Cal
Powder = T7 (36 grs Weighed)
Primer = Fed Premium 209MZ

Retrieved bullet is completely mushroomed, with no stalk so to speak. Bullet started out at 309 grs, and ended up at 307.3 grs.

Thoughts?

 

[4stringdude]

That is a remarkable result. That should whack a deer very well.

I really like your trap. What type of sand did you fill with? Sandbox sand?

 

[Swamp]

That is a remarkable result. That should whack a deer very well.

I really like your trap. What type of sand did you fill with? Sandbox sand?

The buck you see in my profile dropped with this bullet.

Yes, bought two bags at Lowes. The trap is simple to use. You roll the box up on its back and the sand falls to the back. Insert a piece of cardboard, and roll the box back down, which the sand moves forward trapping the cardboard inside. When not in use, I screw a piece of ply on the front to keep sand in. Works great!

 

[idahoron]

What is the hardness of your lead?

 

[Deersknot]

I use that exact bullet made from pure lead, and gaschecked/powdercoated in my son's 444 marlin NEF handi rifle at 1800 fps with great accuracy and zero leading. It absolutely flattened the 2 deer shot with it so far. My water jug tests before hunting with it resulted in beautiful mushroomed bullets. I also use it in my inline with the same sabots as you with terrific accuracy. It's a great bullet thats accurate and dependable in everything I have tried it in.

 

[Swamp]

What is the hardness of your lead?

Ron, that I do not know unfortunately! My lead mixture is 12lbs of my pure lead from water pipe, which is very soft, and then I add 1 lb of wheel weight lead. I call it my 12/1 mix. But I do need to find out what the hardness of my mixes are.

 

[Ka'imiloa]

Ron, that I do not know unfortunately! My lead mixture is 12lbs of my pure lead from water pipe, which is very soft, and then I add 1 lb of wheel weight lead. I call it my 12/1 mix. But I do need to find out what the hardness of my mixes are.

Wheelweights have some antimony, to best of my recall, and your mix is definitely harder than 12:1 tin to lead, which itself was considered hard back in the later 1800s, when Winchester was putting out larger bullets at 1:16 alloy. A British
Black Powder Express bullet was considered hard at 1:12, for a velocity around 16-1900 fps. Even Lyman No. 2 alloy is way harder than that.
The Lee Hardness tester has a learning curve, but becomes very useful for testing ingots, bullets, etc. Uses a loading press to imprint bullet precisely. (Cut an ingot a bit tho, don't test the outside of what was cast into ingot form.) Lee has some instructions with tester. I like it.
Aloha, Ka'imiloa

 

[idahoron]

Ron, that I do not know unfortunately! My lead mixture is 12lbs of my pure lead from water pipe, which is very soft, and then I add 1 lb of wheel weight lead. I call it my 12/1 mix. But I do need to find out what the hardness of my mixes are.

I can test that for you if you would like me to.

 

[idahoron]

I have a cabine tree tester.

 

[GBG]

That's my favorite bullet to use with sabots in the Optima pistol. I cast mine from free lead with a BHN of 10 to 11 (tested by idahoron ten years ago). One hundred grains(V) T7-2F will push them to 1550 fps and penetrate 5" to 7" down the heart of pine fire logs.
They don't mushroom 1/3 as much as your pure lead in sand. I'm curious how far the pure lead will penetrate in sand?

 

[snapbang]

Bullet Porn

 

[Swamp]

I can test that for you if you would like me to.

Ron I would really appreciate it if you could test for me? Please let me know! Thank you!

 

[Buttonbuck]

That is cool, I bought a round ball mould for my trapper pistol that would cool to try that one as well and load 44 mag as well

 

[idahoron]

Ron I would really appreciate it if you could test for me? Please let me know! Thank you!

I will send you a private message.