How many cartridges have you shot with the bullet backwards?

Clark · January 23, 2015, 03:12 PM

I did it in 2002 with 303 Savage, trying to use 30-30 brass.
I did it last month with 32 Colt Long, trying to get the bullet nose to act like a heel.
I just did it today with 32-30, wanting to work up higher than my ideal load to see some safety margin, but running out of room with the high bulk modulus H110.

It reminds me of salmon fishing, guys who were drinking put the herring bait on the hooks, backwards, and called it special.

243winxb · January 23, 2015, 03:26 PM

30-30 loading 2-110gr bullets butt to butt. Does that count.

TXAZ · January 23, 2015, 03:35 PM

None (yet)

x500ben · January 23, 2015, 03:51 PM

I have tried 7.62 fmj backwards in 308 but they have not been very accurate. But I have shot hundreds of fmj 's both 7.62 and 303 's in a 30 herrett used for slaughtering buffolo in a slaughter house.

Bart B. · January 23, 2015, 06:12 PM

Couple hundred or more. Reloaded some 30 caliber odds & ends backwards in .30-06 cases then shot them in a Win 70 over a few weekends. Not too accurate and were all loaded about 3 grains under max for their weights.

**44 AMP** · January 23, 2015, 09:34 PM

A few thousand .38 Specials with 148gr HBWC loaded upside down. Fairly extensive testing at velocities from 600fps to about 1000fps. Learned a bit, about what works, and what doesn't.

Never saw the point to loading a rifle bullet backwards. Literally.

Kframe · January 23, 2015, 09:41 PM

Yep, just like 44 AMP, I've loaded the .38 148gr HBWC backwards.
The lead is so soft you actually can get devastating expansion on varmints and wet newspapers at 900fps.
I miked a couple that I dug out, right around an inch and very good weight retention due to the slow speed.

Just for fun I loaded a couple in .357 max loads and they blew apart in wet newspapers and weren't very accurate.

Kframe · January 23, 2015, 09:42 PM

Oh, and I used to load round balls backwards in my wrist rocket, I think.

FrankenMauser · January 24, 2015, 01:05 AM

FMJs in .223 Rem
FMJs in .220 Swift
Odds and ends in .30-06 and .270 Win
All kinds of bullets in .38/.357 and .44 Mag
HBWCs (as "HPWCs") in .32 S&W, .32 H&R, and .327 Federal (Accuracy was horrendous.)

And, it wasn't backwards, but the nose profile didn't do it any favors -- my favorite load in .30 WCF used a .312" 60 gr Hornady XTP. It made potato salad like nothing else. (I use a lot of potatoes as reactive targets.

)

**44 AMP** · January 24, 2015, 12:38 PM

The key to the upside down HBWC is to remember that they are soft lead. And the hollowbase, now the hollow point is going to expand tremendously even at low speeds. High speeds are actually counter productive.

Just shooting them at regular target wadcutter speeds (or even less) works great for a number of things. One load, at about 650fps wouldn't punch through the side of an old refridgerator (and I wouldn't use it as a defense load by choice) but it had almost no recoil and was devastating on skunks and porcupines.

mikld · January 24, 2015, 01:12 PM

My experience with HBWC loaded backwards was a bit different than those above. Most of the time the HP (skirt) would just collapse without expanding. Sometimes the skirt would tear off of the bullet body. Only about 10%-20% of the time did the backwards HBWC mushroom like one might expect and that had to be a straight on shot. Accuracy was poor beyond 10 feet, and terrible at 10 yards, from my 2" .38. Lots of fun though. I now just use a DEWC loaded "hot" for my house guns...

BumbleBug · January 24, 2015, 01:44 PM

I tried it once in a .270 Win without any problems. I just did it because I read about it in a magazine & just wanted to try it. No practical reason or advantage. The ultimate wad-cutter with a boattail(?).....LOL

...bug

rkittine · January 24, 2015, 03:47 PM

When I was commercially reloading, I used to regularly load 148 GR HBWC upside down in 38s and sell them as home defense loads. Open up and hit hard, but will not go through the wall and kill someone in the next room.

Bob

F. Guffey · January 24, 2015, 05:26 PM

Back in WW1 bullets were pulled, turned around and shot, seems there was an advantage to spalding the back side of a metal plate specially if someone was standing behind it.

Then I was told I could shoot the barrel clean with a turned around bullet. And then I told that individual to stay away from me.

F. Guffey

FrankenMauser · January 25, 2015, 01:43 AM

Quote:

The key to the upside down HBWC is to remember that they are soft lead. And the hollowbase, now the hollow point is going to expand tremendously even at low speeds. High speeds are actually counter productive.

Mine were all low to moderate velocity loads (~600-800 fps). Well.... estimated. I never ran any across a chronograph, and I based the .327 Federal loads on .32 H&R data.....

They sure didn't feel or sound hot.

Mike / Tx · January 25, 2015, 11:51 AM

The only ones for me were like mentioned the HBWC;s in my 38 for something to have at the house years ago. I was on the road a LOT then and wanted something that the wife could use that would make an impression on a BG should she need to. I tested them in all sorts of stuff and used the laod that did the best overall. I haven't got a clue as to what charge weight or what the velocity was. I know I was using BE and RD both during this time for the proper way to load them.

My close friend had a friend, (I know that ol friend of a friend thing), but he was shooting bullseye about every weekend. He had both BE and RD loads that you could actually see the bullets in flight with the right light. He said he worked them down until he lodged the bullet and worked back up form there. He had a three ring binder of loads for different revolvers and pistols all of which were hardly moving along at all. They did however post excellent resutls. I got my data from him for my 38 and then later on for my 357. I never shot in competition but made up some wonderful shooting loads.

griz · January 26, 2015, 08:51 AM

The old 22 cal Nosler Solid Base had a generous boat tail. I would load them backwards at reduced velocity in 223 to get a little more of a flat point than cheap FMJs. I carried them for turkey but never got a chance to try them on one. They tested well in wet phone books.

Gunfixr · January 26, 2015, 10:21 AM

There were plenty of answers here, but none matches mine, so here you go. Back in the 80s, when I first started loading, I thought it might be cool to load the 115 gr truncated cone lead 9mm projectiles in backwards, figured it would act like a 38 wadcutter. Used the same powder load.
It did cut clean holes. Not real accurate, sounded like a half load. Didn't cycle the action. Pistol was a p38.
Loaded about a box, never loaded any more.
I've loaded 38 wadcutters backwards, like some others. They shot fine, like others.
Still have that pistol, still have that press.

fishhead1 · January 26, 2015, 10:53 AM

Quote:

A few thousand .38 Specials with 148gr HBWC loaded upside down

Question about this. Do you use the same powder loading with the HBWC upside down as with the same bullet rightside up? Seems like the powder charge would have to change a bit. Just asking.

kostner · January 26, 2015, 11:11 AM

Yep, just like 44 AMP, I've loaded the .38 148gr HBWC backwards. They keyholed and wern't that accurate.

Saint Dennis · January 26, 2015, 01:52 PM

I shoot a lot of DBBWC in .38 and .44. Statistics tells me I've loaded 50% of them backwards......

bangerjim · January 26, 2015, 03:39 PM

Played around with 38SPL and 45LC (cast lead and PC'd by me) backwards. Made WC's I guess. Not extremely accurate, so why bother?

I have molds for WC's so it was a waste of time for me. But I just have to play with "stuff"!

That is the fun of rolling your own rather than buying com-cast or FMJ's in a store.

bangerjim

griz · January 28, 2015, 09:40 AM

Just stumbled across this and thought it fit in well here.

Firing a tracer backwards.

rclark · January 28, 2015, 09:48 AM

Only time is when firelapping my revolvers ... so several 100...

Geezerbiker · January 28, 2015, 04:56 PM

I have a few .30 carbine FMJ bullets that I've loaded backwards in .300 Blackout rounds. I haven't shot them yet but they make a mean looking round. If they shoot well, I'll pick up a box for further testing.

Tony

January 23, 2015, 03:12 PM	#1
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	How many cartridges have you shot with the bullet backwards? I did it in 2002 with 303 Savage, trying to use 30-30 brass. I did it last month with 32 Colt Long, trying to get the bullet nose to act like a heel. I just did it today with 32-30, wanting to work up higher than my ideal load to see some safety margin, but running out of room with the high bulk modulus H110. It reminds me of salmon fishing, guys who were drinking put the herring bait on the hooks, backwards, and called it special. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

January 23, 2015, 03:35 PM	#3
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	None (yet) __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

January 23, 2015, 09:34 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	A few thousand .38 Specials with 148gr HBWC loaded upside down. Fairly extensive testing at velocities from 600fps to about 1000fps. Learned a bit, about what works, and what doesn't. Never saw the point to loading a rifle bullet backwards. Literally. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 23, 2015, 09:41 PM	#7
Kframe Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 1999 Location: MN Posts: 640	Yep, just like 44 AMP, I've loaded the .38 148gr HBWC backwards. The lead is so soft you actually can get devastating expansion on varmints and wet newspapers at 900fps. I miked a couple that I dug out, right around an inch and very good weight retention due to the slow speed. Just for fun I loaded a couple in .357 max loads and they blew apart in wet newspapers and weren't very accurate. __________________ RN - ICU NRA - PATRON LIFE

January 23, 2015, 09:42 PM	#8
Kframe Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 1999 Location: MN Posts: 640	Oh, and I used to load round balls backwards in my wrist rocket, I think. __________________ RN - ICU NRA - PATRON LIFE

January 23, 2015, 03:26 PM	#2
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	30-30 loading 2-110gr bullets butt to butt. Does that count.

January 23, 2015, 03:51 PM	#4
x500ben Junior Member Join Date: December 29, 2014 Location: Great Britain Posts: 9	I have tried 7.62 fmj backwards in 308 but they have not been very accurate. But I have shot hundreds of fmj 's both 7.62 and 303 's in a 30 herrett used for slaughtering buffolo in a slaughter house.

January 23, 2015, 06:12 PM	#5
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Couple hundred or more. Reloaded some 30 caliber odds & ends backwards in .30-06 cases then shot them in a Win 70 over a few weekends. Not too accurate and were all loaded about 3 grains under max for their weights.

January 24, 2015, 01:05 AM	#9
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	FMJs in .223 Rem FMJs in .220 Swift Odds and ends in .30-06 and .270 Win All kinds of bullets in .38/.357 and .44 Mag HBWCs (as "HPWCs") in .32 S&W, .32 H&R, and .327 Federal (Accuracy was horrendous.) And, it wasn't backwards, but the nose profile didn't do it any favors -- my favorite load in .30 WCF used a .312" 60 gr Hornady XTP. It made potato salad like nothing else. (I use a lot of potatoes as reactive targets. ) __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

January 24, 2015, 12:38 PM	#10
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	The key to the upside down HBWC is to remember that they are soft lead. And the hollowbase, now the hollow point is going to expand tremendously even at low speeds. High speeds are actually counter productive. Just shooting them at regular target wadcutter speeds (or even less) works great for a number of things. One load, at about 650fps wouldn't punch through the side of an old refridgerator (and I wouldn't use it as a defense load by choice) but it had almost no recoil and was devastating on skunks and porcupines. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 24, 2015, 01:12 PM	#11
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	My experience with HBWC loaded backwards was a bit different than those above. Most of the time the HP (skirt) would just collapse without expanding. Sometimes the skirt would tear off of the bullet body. Only about 10%-20% of the time did the backwards HBWC mushroom like one might expect and that had to be a straight on shot. Accuracy was poor beyond 10 feet, and terrible at 10 yards, from my 2" .38. Lots of fun though. I now just use a DEWC loaded "hot" for my house guns... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

January 24, 2015, 01:44 PM	#12
BumbleBug Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2013 Location: Near Heart of Texas Posts: 870	Just once I tried it once in a .270 Win without any problems. I just did it because I read about it in a magazine & just wanted to try it. No practical reason or advantage. The ultimate wad-cutter with a boattail(?).....LOL ...bug

January 24, 2015, 03:47 PM	#13
rkittine Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2014 Location: Manhattan & Sag Harbor, N.Y. Posts: 106	When I was commercially reloading, I used to regularly load 148 GR HBWC upside down in 38s and sell them as home defense loads. Open up and hit hard, but will not go through the wall and kill someone in the next room. Bob __________________ Robert Kittine Manhattan & Sag Harbor, N.Y.

January 24, 2015, 05:26 PM	#14
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Back in WW1 bullets were pulled, turned around and shot, seems there was an advantage to spalding the back side of a metal plate specially if someone was standing behind it. Then I was told I could shoot the barrel clean with a turned around bullet. And then I told that individual to stay away from me. F. Guffey

January 25, 2015, 11:51 AM	#16
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	The only ones for me were like mentioned the HBWC;s in my 38 for something to have at the house years ago. I was on the road a LOT then and wanted something that the wife could use that would make an impression on a BG should she need to. I tested them in all sorts of stuff and used the laod that did the best overall. I haven't got a clue as to what charge weight or what the velocity was. I know I was using BE and RD both during this time for the proper way to load them. My close friend had a friend, (I know that ol friend of a friend thing), but he was shooting bullseye about every weekend. He had both BE and RD loads that you could actually see the bullets in flight with the right light. He said he worked them down until he lodged the bullet and worked back up form there. He had a three ring binder of loads for different revolvers and pistols all of which were hardly moving along at all. They did however post excellent resutls. I got my data from him for my 38 and then later on for my 357. I never shot in competition but made up some wonderful shooting loads. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

January 26, 2015, 08:51 AM	#17
griz Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2000 Location: Middle Peninsula, VA Posts: 1,588	The old 22 cal Nosler Solid Base had a generous boat tail. I would load them backwards at reduced velocity in 223 to get a little more of a flat point than cheap FMJs. I carried them for turkey but never got a chance to try them on one. They tested well in wet phone books.

January 26, 2015, 10:21 AM	#18
Gunfixr Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2007 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 360	There were plenty of answers here, but none matches mine, so here you go. Back in the 80s, when I first started loading, I thought it might be cool to load the 115 gr truncated cone lead 9mm projectiles in backwards, figured it would act like a 38 wadcutter. Used the same powder load. It did cut clean holes. Not real accurate, sounded like a half load. Didn't cycle the action. Pistol was a p38. Loaded about a box, never loaded any more. I've loaded 38 wadcutters backwards, like some others. They shot fine, like others. Still have that pistol, still have that press.

January 26, 2015, 11:11 AM	#20
kostner Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2007 Location: Kommifornia Posts: 120	Yep, just like 44 AMP, I've loaded the .38 148gr HBWC backwards. They keyholed and wern't that accurate.

January 26, 2015, 01:52 PM	#21
Saint Dennis Member Join Date: March 31, 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 97	I shoot a lot of DBBWC in .38 and .44. Statistics tells me I've loaded 50% of them backwards......

January 26, 2015, 03:39 PM	#22
bangerjim Member Join Date: March 17, 2013 Location: SW Desert Posts: 57	Played around with 38SPL and 45LC (cast lead and PC'd by me) backwards. Made WC's I guess. Not extremely accurate, so why bother? I have molds for WC's so it was a waste of time for me. But I just have to play with "stuff"! That is the fun of rolling your own rather than buying com-cast or FMJ's in a store. bangerjim

January 28, 2015, 09:40 AM	#23
griz Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2000 Location: Middle Peninsula, VA Posts: 1,588	Just stumbled across this and thought it fit in well here. Firing a tracer backwards.

January 28, 2015, 09:48 AM	#24
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,619	Only time is when firelapping my revolvers ... so several 100... __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

January 28, 2015, 04:56 PM	#25
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	I have a few .30 carbine FMJ bullets that I've loaded backwards in .300 Blackout rounds. I haven't shot them yet but they make a mean looking round. If they shoot well, I'll pick up a box for further testing. Tony