Material to use to Fill Up HP Cavity?

[Steve RA]

Eskimos used/maybe still do .22 Hornets to kill Polar Bears. Get close and shoot in head. Using same tactic bears have been killed with .22 Long Rifle.

[Whoops!]

This might be exactly what the state had in mind. Get as close to the bear as you can and then aim for a small target, it's for the condors.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Whoops!

[HighCountryStalker]

For the purposes the OP mentions which is to decrease expansion thereby increasing penetration you're wasting your time. Without a significant bonding process your not going to accomplish anything except screw up the expansion by making it unpredictable. Possibly, some Marine Epoxy that bonds to metal might minimally slow expansion but the time invested as well as what that might do to accuracy hardly seems worth it.

C'mon, you're in California. What are you planning on running into that a .40 s&w hollow point won't stop?

Bears

Fair enough. So your solution is a .40 s&w with a homemade filled hollow point? If that is your concern then pepper spray would be your best bet. And this isn't some random thought from a field and stream article. For several years my job was to trap and collar Grizzlies. After being caught in a snare you had to elicit a charge from them before you could dart and collar them to make sure they weren't going to wander off drugged (think of the cartoon where the dog runs and hits the end of his chain). We used a variety of backup firearms in case but not one handgun. Have also spent most of my life working remote parts of Alaska and Montana where bear encounters were every day occurrences. The only ones who carry handguns were dudes from out of state or wannabe cowboys to impress dudes from out of state. I still say the OP's intent is a waste of time for the purpose described.

[Alan Meek]

Whats wrong with using a FMJ bullet?

[Religious Shooter]

Whats wrong with using a FMJ bullet?

Because I can't find any .40 FMJ bullets that are lead free. And they have to be lead free.

Maybe in the future I will load my own, but with the current powder scarcity and resulting lack of choice in powders, I've decided to buy factory.

These are what I bought:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/235585/buffalo-bore-ammunition-40-s-and-w-140-grain-barnes-tac-xp-hollow-point-lead-free-box-of-20

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/277500/buffalo-bore-ammunition-40-s-and-w-125-grain-barnes-tac-xp-hollow-point-lead-free-box-of-20

It's claiming 125 @ 1425 fps and 140 @ 1300 fps.

Should be here Friday.

I'd say that plugging up the hole will increase penetration. Partly the reason why denim is used in penetration tests. If denim plugs the hole the bullet won't expand as much and will over penetrate.

I have conventional HP's that I will plug with the high temp vulcanizing silicone and shoot them into paper to see if the plugged bullets penetrate more.

And I'll shoot one of the 125's and one of the 140's into paper to see which load penetrates more. $1.60+ a round. BS.

[TonyK]

No one I know of makes a Full Metal Jacket that is lead free, that's why they call them jackets... It has to wrap around something.

And just so you don't worry about it, the lead free hunting law that California just passed does not take effect until 2019! So you and bullet manufacturers have time.... And since California has quite a few guns I do believe the manufacturers will make something that is legal.

Silicone will be a waste of time on your HP's

[Religious Shooter]

Dude... the law is already in effect in the Condor Zone. It's been in place for several years. Arnie signed that law.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/docs/LeadInformation.pdf

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/

It's been in place since 7/1/2008. So the restriction in the Condor Zone has been in place for at least 5+ years. I live near the Condor Zone.

The new law will expand it to the entire state and will get rid of the rimfire allowance.

If you read the new law, as soon as the powers that be deem it to feasible, they can make it the practice now. The 2019 (or whatever) is a deadline.

As far as the silicone... have you tried it? If denim can make a HP penetrate more, why can't silicone?

[jtaylor996]

if you go the uranium route please make sure tts depleated,

Anyone else really know what depleted uranium means?

I think it's when you remove the pleats from dress pants around the ass area.

[blairmckenzie1]

if its not the weapon you are using for the purpose of taking game it shouldn't matter what kind of ammo you shoot...

[Religious Shooter]

If you go to one of the links above:

If you hunt in this area, you will be required to use nonlead projectiles to hunt big-game and non-game species beginning July 1, 2008. In addition, while hunting these species in this area hunters may not possess any lead projectiles/ammunition and a firearm capable of firing that lead projectile or ammunition.

I bought some JB weld for testing and used it on some regular .40 HP's. Looks and feels good.

[GuildSF4]

Only one sure stop with a handgun on a bear, and normally if you are taking that shot you are too close to the bear.

(Through the mouth into the brain, now you know why it is too close...)