thompsoncustom Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) As a project I casted up some zinc bullets and now I'm wondering what powder I should start with to see how fast I can push them, max speed is my goal. The bullet is a lee 102gr RD but it only weights 60grs because zinc is so light. I have quickload and a chronograph so testing loads shouldn't be a problem and I'm thinking about getting n310 but if I go with a slighty slower powder do you think i'll gain some FPS? Edited June 1, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I'd think you could use a fast powder, like Clays, start @ about 3.5 grains and work up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 Last year I tired something like 9grs of powerpistol behind it because quickload said it would be just under 1900fps tho I didn't have a chrono at the time I tested penetration with it and AA#2 beat it. I would guess the bullet was long gone before half the powder was burnt. I've been trying mach loads in quickload to see how it predicts the powder will perform. Here's some of the results. OAL 1.080 Clays 4.8grs Chamber pressure max 38782 FPS 1664 Powder burnt 100% OAL 1.080 AA#2 6.75grs Chamber pressure max 38879 FPS 1760 Powder burnt 88.58% OAL 1.080 N310 5.2grs Chamber pressure max 38879 FPS 1728 Powder Burnt 100% OAL 1.080 Nitro 100 5.7grs Chamber pressure max 38709 FPS 1815 Powder burnt 100% Now that I have a chrono I can safely start low and build up loads I'm just wondering if anyone has a idea where the bullet weight and powder burnt meet. Being such a light bullet I want all the powder burnt before it leaves the barrel and quickload is only so-so at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Melting pennies and casting bullets? I like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Do you think the bullet obturates to the barrel like a lead/copper/brass bullet does? If not, you will be getting blow by, burning the barrel as a side issue & also burning up powder without gaining velocity. Might be an interesting experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 (edited) Melting pennies and casting bullets? I like it! Was kind of my thoughts if you run into a SHTF scenario you could probably find pennies. Tho at this time it's illegal to melt pennies or any money so zinc needs to be found other ways like the scrap yard. Do you think the bullet obturates to the barrel like a lead/copper/brass bullet does? If not, you will be getting blow by, burning the barrel as a side issue & also burning up powder without gaining velocity. Might be an interesting experiment. No I don't think so, but would a copper FMJ? The hardness on these things is crazy when shot at the side of my bullet trap they do the below and this was a pretty low speed if I remember right. 1200fps or something in that range I think don't really know but this was from a different mold to the lee TL 124gr and these came in at 80grs. Edited June 2, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Copper fmj bullets do obturate & they do it pretty well. Seems as though the common bullet jackets, especially the ones with lead cores do a good job of sealing the barrel. In the picture, to my untrained eyes, it looks like the bullet is obturating(reshaping to fit the barrel). If the burning powder was blowing past it, I think the rifling marks would not be as distinct. Of course I don't know nuttin' as one guy used to say on here. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 It looks like a really fun project, I'd love to feel the recoil impulse of a super light projectile going REALLY fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 (edited) Well ended up going with bulleye as it had the best data in quickload OAL 1.080 Bulleye 6.88grs Chamber pressure max 38979 FPS 1899 Powder burnt 94.89% hopefully this powder is fast enough so the powder is actually burnt before the bullet is down range. Once I get some more bullets casted up i'll test it over the chrono and report back. This is going to have to take a back set tho, I just got some Hi-tek coating in from Bayuo bullets and will be playing with that here in the near future. Edited June 13, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpnewby Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Bulleye 6.88grs Gulp. Have fun. Be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I'm dying to know how these zinc bullets worked out. Which pistol are you testing them through? compensated? I'm thinking a zinc slug over a case full of HS6 could be a pretty awesome 9 Minor load. Looks like I better add bullet casting to my list of hobbies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) lol been playing around with the Hi tek coating for lead bullets and haven't had time to really cast anymore of these up tho I think I have 3 maybe 5 in the draw i'll be sure to load them and report back. Gun: my glock 17 cuz if it's gonna blow up better the glock than the CZ. I will say that 6.88grs of bulleye doesn't seem that crazy I chronoed 20 102gr bullets the other day with 5.3grs and they average 1344fps tho 1900ish fps is a long ways to go. I see I have 10 to 15 of my 80gr zinc bullets from a mold I don't even have anymore will try to get these loaded to. Edited June 20, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) Little progress but moving forward none the less. Got out the other day and shot 10 of the lee 124gr cast in zinc which weight 80gr loaded 5 to 4.9grs and 5 to 5.1grs and the avg velocity's were 1364fps and 1423fps so about 50fps less than what quickload guessed them at but I wanted to chrono some zinc before I tested the 3 60grs bullets I have. Loaded them to 6.8, 6.9, and 7.0grs of Bullseye! If all goes well I'll probably still fall short of 1900fps but i'll be happy enough if the powder gets burnt before the bullets down range and I can hit 1800fps if the weather will let me I'll test tomm. Edited June 24, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 (edited) Looks like yet another powder that isn't fast enough. They all gave about the same results onyl so much powder was burn before the bullet was out the barrel. Chrono results: 6.8gr=1702fps 6.9=1710fps 7.0=1687fps so before I pick this project back up i'll need a faster powder Edited June 25, 2013 by thompsoncustom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgj3 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Would a magnum primer help ignite/burn the full charge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 A friend has access to some 9mm frangiable custom loads that are 85 grns. I dont know what powder or charge wt but they clock 1461 out of my Keltec PF9, thats a 3.1 barrel. Dont show any pressure but they do turn your palm red. I dont think I will do any more of that.-----------Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 These 60 grains recoiled a lot less then you would have imaged if they recoiled at all I didn't once. Not sure they would have cycled the slide as I was feeding them one by one and using the stock glock recoil spring. The power factor at 1700fps is only 102. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 What have you been using as a backstop for your tests? I keep thinking these would be a great Open minor round but I wonder if they would break up when they hit steel targets or ricochet all over the place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsoncustom Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 The side of my bullet trap which is 1/4 steel or 3/8's I forget but you probably wouldn't want to shoot steel with them as they leave some pretty good dents unless it was some really thick steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Damn! that's what I was worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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