How can I Hollow Point my Lee 1 Oz. Slugs?

[3006mv]

I was wondering if there is a way to modify the mold to get a good centered HP for this slug. Or do I need to make some sort of jig and maybe use a drill press? At least the finished slug has a "key" which I think I could make some sort of jig that will hold that part so it doesn't turn while being drilled. I would rather try to mold one with a hollow though. The lead cools to fast for me too stick something in the pour hole though.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Somebody on castboolits.com does HP mods for people, usually 357 and 45. He drills the mold out and makes a pin that inserts during casting.

 

[Maelstrom]

Drilling the hole is easy. Drilling the hole dead center do the slug doesn't fly erratic, stays on course, and doesn't screw up its spin so it starts tumbling is much harder.

 

[MMCSRET]

Forster makes a hollow pointing tool and kit. Check Midway or maybe Brownells.

 

[ants]

An important component in the stabilization of shotgun slugs is to keep the weight forward. If you do put a hollow point in 10 or 20 of them, be sure to shoot them in comparison to regular slugs. Report your findings back to us here, so we can see how it affects accuracy.

 

[snuffy]

First question is WHY? The hollow point on some factory slugs are there to help sell them, they do not function to help expand the slug. The .729 hole they create is plenty in diameter for a wound channel.

Second, the front of the lee key slug is thin, so any hollow point you could drill would be very shallow, or it would penetrate the web.

Third, since it is a nose pour design, you couldn't put a pin in the base to make a HP. It already has a pin in the base to create the hollow base.

Fifth, as Ants said, if you remove weight from the front of a hollow base slug, you destroy the weight forward, or shuttle cock stabilization if fired from a smooth bored gun.

 

[1858rem]

how about make it a flat point instead of a round point? easier and it wouldnt have a tendency to cut right through, .729 is big but with the round nose it would perform more like a fmj pistol round i think, this calls for not only accuracy testing but water jugs too!

btw i use a centerpunch on my cast .45 255g bullets before i size them, and this helps -some- but my lead is really hard and at 940fps doesnt like to expand much ~.550

 

[fireflyfather]

While snuffy is right on most of his points, I have a bone to pick with thise one:

First question is WHY? The hollow point on some factory slugs are there to help sell them, they do not function to help expand the slug. The .729 hole they create is plenty in diameter for a wound channel.

While I can't imagine needing to put a bigger hole in anything I'd realistically be shooting, my experiments with bowling pins have shown me that the hollowpoint slugs DO open up a bit better than the non-hollowpoint sort. Like, the slug was sticking just barely out of the far end of the bowling pin, and was as flat as a pancacke, and averaged about 4-6mm thick. Tried this more than once.

Pretty impressive expansion.

 

[243winxb]

Lee Key Drive Slug 1 oz

3006mv, Modifying the slug would not work IMO. If the slug is cast with pure lead as per instruction, this will give you plenty of expansion. The slug is nose heavy for a reason, its also larger in diameter. View attachment 404104

 

[LeonCarr]

Load them backwards, and then you have a .729 caliber 437 grain double hollow point rounded base wadcutter .

 

[AgentAdam]

You can't ask for much better expansion from a pure lead Lee Key-Drive slug. If you want any of your pistol moulds hollow pointed(one cavity only), then Buckshot over at castboolits.gunloads.com is your man.