Federal 230gr HST projectile starting point

[Greymatter]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to try to get some more loaded this weekend and get a chance to send them down range. I'm dragging my feet on an online powder purchase, waiting to put a full order in. The local shops only have h110/w296 onhand so I'm going to give H110 an absolutley balls deep testing. Hopefully I find an accuracy node around 39gr ( or max and the projectile not failing), use a little more crimp, hotter primer, and have a load to send over the bayonet. I will definitely say that you know you've fired a rifle after shooting a 30 round session with my current rifle. (6lb 8oz) with just a flashhider. I'm still look looking for 350gr+ pill options

[Bmt85]

Oh forgot to mention, when you don't flare the case mouth, you will probably have trouble seating flat based bullets. Get a VLD chamfer tool. it puts a steeper angle on your chamfer, making it easier to seat bullets. If you do that and it's still kind of hard to start a bullet, bring the ram down, spin the cartridge a bit and try again. do this a couple times if needed. That's what I've found to work best.

Ordering powder online isn't bad until you have to pay for Hazmat. Good thing is, it seems like every few weeks someone has free or inexpensive hazmat fees. I recommend signing up for emails from a few different places. I deal mostly with Midsouth Shooters Supplies because they usually have lower prices. Sometimes they are the same or lower with hazmat, compared to some places that have no hazmat fees.

Get yourself a Ross brake and Limbsaver pad, if you can. Makes a HUGE difference!

For 350gr bullets, get some .458 bullets and resize them.

[MOOSE EARS]

The Ross brake or similar design is a must for 450BM shooting. It really makes a difference in recoil and accuracy.

[Greymatter]

Just sent an email to Ross inquiring about a brake. Hopefully I hear back soon! I'm looking for a kinda bastard thread pitch however @ 5/8x32. IMHO that's a little too much meat off the bone, but the barrel shoots well. I'll need a brake for sure if I start shooting 325gr+ pills.

[Greymatter]

If anyone has 10% or 20% gel at the house, I will gladly send them a sample of projectiles to test this bullet.

[Hoot]

If anyone has 10% or 20% gel at the house, I will gladly send them a sample of projectiles to test this bullet.

For consistency of affordable testing, many of us here use milk jugs in a row, filled with water, taped down to a 2x10, to test expansion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nELiJh4Kg2Y

You can see examples of the results in This Article about the FTX family, if you scroll down toward the bottom of the page.

Hoot

[Greymatter]

Wow Hoot! Setting the standard for a bullet testing! I hope when I finish testing these, I can put it in a format that resembles your work. I'll start saving some jugs

[Hoot]

Wow Hoot! Setting the standard for a bullet testing! I hope when I finish testing these, I can put it in a format that resembles your work. I'll start saving some jugs

Watch for recycling day in you neighborhood or better yet, in a neighborhood that has a lot of children. If you have a pickup or van, you can score enough to last the shooting season, in one day, Obviously, if you have somewhere to store them, rinse them out first and try and save the caps. Duct tape keeps them in alignment as they're detonating.

Hoot

[Greymatter]

Well the jug test was interesting. Vaporized the first and second jug, didn't make it to the third. I'll get some pics up soon. The base and jacket did not separate! The petals disintegrated but the base kept going. 20ft distance.

[Hoot]

Well the jug test was interesting. Vaporized the first and second jug, didn't make it to the third. I'll get some pics up soon. The base and jacket did not separate! The petals disintegrated but the base kept going. 20ft distance.

IMHO, based solely upon your experience, that bullet is not designed for rifle velocities. You would probably have greater penetration with half the velocity as those petals are like diving brakes, causing the velocity to shed as well in only 2 jugs. The lighter 200gr Barnes XPB at rifle velocities, penetrates around 5 jugs before shedding its velocity even though it had with less momentum than the 230gr HST. Admittedly, it is all copper but a cup and core bullet, designed for rifle velocities, will penetrate further. I can't predict how it will behave against CXP2 game but again IMHO, it doesn't look promising if you hit a bone on the way in.

Hoot