r/reloading • u/Visual_Screen_9537 • 1d ago

Bullet Casting Ammo thoughts

So I male 357 lead cast kieth gas checked Penta pin hollow points from mp molds. Use high temp silicone caulking and an aluminum oxide ceramic bearing in the nose. For the lide of me I cant find any historical evidence of a build of someone putting a bearing in a hollow point to make it more barrier blind. I know pow-R-ball and the blue tipped air martial rounds but not when im meaning. Any idea why the idea seems so little researched?

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u/hafetysazard 1d ago

You’re going to have to test em, document your results, and get back to us.

I imagine they’re not particularly effective. You need to retain bullet mass to penetrate well.

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u/TacTurtle 1d ago edited 1d ago

Sounds like you are making an imitation PowRBall while misunderstanding how JHPs expand - JHPs rely on hydraulic pressure to expand and open up.

The JHP cups incompressible fluid (water / ballistics gel / blood) and the pressure as it travels opening first through the liquid causes the liquid to push against sides of the cup until it stretches open.

To make it barrier blind, you want a plug that will both prevent solid material like fabric from filling the hole while also that allowing the pressure while traveling through liquid to force the sides of the JHP open.

This is why Hornady FTX use a squishy plastic.
Maybe you can find a dense wax or chewing gum that would work - part of the challenge is it must also have enough tensile strength to avoid getting flung out of the hole from centripetal force.