35 Whelen bullet test

[303carbine]

I soaked a big stack of newpapers and took them to the range today to do some 35 caliber bullet testing. The rifle used was Remington 700 CDL with a 24 inch tube. The load data was 52 grains of IMR 4064 lit up with Federal LR primers. Bullets were 250 grain RN Hornady's.
The bale of wet newspaper was wrapped tightly with an old phone cord. It measured just over 14 inches thick and set up at the 100 yard range. I wedged it up against the backstop so it would not move as I wanted to retreive a bullet.
I fired one shot down range and hit the bale in the center, I then hoofed it down to get the bullet out and see how much it expanded and I would weigh it when I got back home. I picked up the newspaper and began to bring it back to the shooting bench, about half way back I had a look at the back of it to see an exit hole you could have shoved a beer can through.
The backstop had a fairly hefty hole in it too..............I need more paper.

 

[dumbdawg]

lol did you ever find the bullet

 

[SuperCub]

lol did you ever find the bullet

It's still going.



.

 

[bcsteve]

Yep, you need more newspaper . In my .35 Whelen test, although at about 50', the least amount of penetration was 17" from the 250gr Hornady SP, max penetration was with the 225gr TSX at 20". Keep at it.

 

[303carbine]

bullet test

I am going to have a look at the hobby stores and see if they have lots of plasticene.I will probably have to get about 50 lbs and roll it into a long cylinder to get the required length to shoot into. Bullets could then be removed and the "test" media could be reformed and used again.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

I haven't tried it but I recall an article using a product called Ducseal. I believe that's how it's spelt. We used it in the trade years ago and called it Bear####. Anyway, in the article, a large block of this medium was used, it was shot into with the test round, and then the block of medium was sliced along the bullet path with something like a piano wire. One of the exposed surfaces was then painted and a paper pattern recorded the imprint. With a 'bit' of expirementing, I think it would leave good record of performance for future reference. Actually, I'll have to inquire if it is still used & see if I can acquire some.