why the reluctance to use hard cast lead projectiles

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
I,ve been casting and shooting bullets for most of .35-45-58 caliber rifles for 5 decades,
if properly done and loaded for a velocity range that's appropriate,
there's been excellent results, in fact in many cases I find I have a difficult time duplicating both velocity and accuracy with jacketed bullets.
you must select both a mold design matching the application and cast the bullets from the correct alloy at the correct temperature range.
related info youll want to read
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...you-cast-and-hunt-with-bullets-you-made.6802/

So, why is there the reluctance of a good many people to try cast projectiles ? now I can understand many guys don,t want to get into casting, for various reasons.
but there's certainly a wide selection of commercially available options.
once you find out the ease of use of those cast bullets,and the potential reduction in cost I can,t see why its not a more popular option.
most wheel weight lead already has some antimony and calcium , adding about 3%-5% tin helps a great deal to get molds to fill out and bullets to not lead the bore and hold together,well and expand in a controlled manor on impact. I try to use 3%-to-5% tin as its makes the best bullets in my experience but I will point out that adding more than 5% tin is a total waste of tin as it seems to do nothing more,beneficial, in fact the benefits of more than 3%-up to 5% TIN while noticeable are minimal compared to the first 3%-4% tin, added too the bullet alloy benefits
about 35 years ago I had purchased a marlin 45/70 and at that time I decided to get into casting bullets for that rifle. Id been casting for about 10 years prior, but just for hand gun ammo, as at that time I had heard that velocity's over about 1300fps would not work with cast projectiles. but after doing some research and some experimentation, I soon found I could load 350 grain cast/gas-checked slugs in my 45/70 to be very accurate at up to 1800 plus fps, if I sized and lubed the bullets correctly, and the last bit of doubt fell,
when I shot my first elk, with a 45/70 with a 400 grain hard cast bullet and he dropped instantly. but keep in mind where you hit any big game animal has a huge effect on the lethality and how far an animal is likely to travel after its hit.
(busting both shoulders wastes a good deal of meat but its also very effective in limiting mobility)
(heart and lung shots don,t waste much meat but will generally result in a frantic rush too exit the area, that of course won,t generally exceed 40-70 yards, if your using a properly loaded 45 caliber or larger rifle, and cast bullets within the effective range limitations)
bloodd.jpg

I later found that the 350 grain weight cast 45/70 bullets worked even better, for deer and hogs, as they penetrate almost as well , as the hard cast 400 grain, bullets, but are a bit more accurate and shoot a bit flatter.(I still use the 400 grain hard cast designs for most hunts for ELK)
if you really want to maximize any large bore revolvers lethality you'll most likely want to order a custom bullet mold, too produce an exceptionally effective hard cast gas check bullet design, luckily mountain molds will work with you to produce most of the bullet molds you might want if you can,t find a commercially available design you like, the key is maximizing penetration and having a 80%-85% wide melplat (flat nose) to maximize the tissue destruction,in a gas check design, that keeps the bore clean, in a weight that you can push to at least 1300 fps, the bullet below is decent in a 44 mag , where 1370 fps is not hard to reach, and almost perfect for hunting ammo in a 445 DWSP where it can easily be pushed to over 1570 fps in a 10" barrel revolver, using max safe charges of H110 powder.
now I got asked why I would spend $100 on a custom mold to cast these and what the advantage would be over a $30 LEE 310 grain mold, and truthfully the difference is not huge, but the mountain mold does seem to be consistently a bit more accurate.
displace.jpg

sitetar.jpg

in most cases its to your advantage to sight a hunting rifle or revolver in 2"-3" high at 100 yards
many people won,t look at the posted ballistics of a large bore revolver and be impressed as the paper ballistics in many cases are not all that much more than a typical deer rifle , like a 30/30 but both the larger caliber (diameter) and mass (WEIGHT) have a very noticeable effect on improved performance , especially at ranges under about 150 yards IF you can place shots precisely

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/new-reloading-manuals.2379/#post-56752

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...er-458-diameter-405-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

bullet stability and twist rates
http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmstab-5.1.cgi

ballistic calculator
http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator

these calculators can be really handy
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Heh, I got a buddy of mine, the fella who runs the best damn garage in Belgium, who occasionally wraps my rims in rubber. He also balances, of course - and keeps the weights he removes in a bucket.

I asked him, and you guessed it, he melts it down and casts his own balls for black powder... :mrgreen:
 
At least to me the HUGE advantage in using a 45/70 or 450 marlin comes with the intended use, velocity range it operates at and the fact that a hand cast, hand loaded projectile performs nearly perfectly and will allow you to hunt at far lower cost for ammo yet still have a very VERY effective gun that will easily allow 200 yard or a bit further, kills on game for far lower cost, plus the satisfaction you get from owning a rifle that shoots very accurately with cast projectiles you can push to near the design limitations.
I think you'll find as I have that a 4%-5% tin added to wheel weights makes a very noticeable difference in the appearance and the ability of the bullets to rivet yet remain relatively intact after expanding on impact.
you will also find dropping them into a 7 gallon bucket of water filled about 7/8 full tends to make a better quality bullet , I generally cast about 10lbs-20lbs of bullets at a time then pour out the water and spread the bullets out on a beach towel, separate the few culls and bits of casting scrap that you always get and then dry the bullets and lube size them.
458-355-gc.jpg


great for a 45/70 or 450 marlin but not for a pistol.
https://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/49
4570bul1.jpg

4570bul2.jpg

4570bul3.jpg

it should not take a genius too understand that in a repeater like a marlin or BLR the over all cartridge length must be close to a standard designed length to function reliably regardless of the projectile weight, selected, thus longer projectiles will extend a great deal deeper into the case taking up valuable propellant space, the trade-off tends to make it very difficult in the limited case capacity of the 45/70 and 450 marlin. too efficiently push bullets much over about 430 grains to velocities, at the safe limits in pressure, that provide both reasonably flat trajectory and high retained energy

http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...you-cast-and-hunt-with-bullets-you-made.6802/

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...tary-surplus-steel-coal-bucket-used?a=2130411

I found this bullet to be especially accurate in my marlin 45/70 over 45 grains of IMR 4198, Im not sure what velocity youll get in your rifle but cast from 95% wheel weights and 5% tin,well lubed its accurate,and it shoots thru deer,hogs and elk , holds tight groups,and generally works real well with expected results..very dead game.
you might not feel the same, but the ability to fabricate 200-500 projectiles at home on a few hours notice is a big plus in my opinion.
I got asked WHY are you not using a heavier cast bullet?
Ive got molds for that NEI 350 grain,and several various brands of molds for 405 grain, 450 grain,535 grain .458 molds and Ive tried them all,in my 458 win, 458 lott and 450 marlin in addition to my browning single shot falling block, but at some point I think a reasonable route to take is to ask yourself,



"is this cast bullet,accurate enough and will it do its intended job well under almost any likely condition, at any reasonable range on the game I hunt?"
the 350 and 405 grain bullets are the only ones short enough to function and still provide higher velocity's in my 450 marlin BLR and the marlin 45/70 lever action I recently sold to buy the BLR, and yes even the cast gas check 350 grain has amazing penetration, on elk and deer in fact Ive yet to recover one, nor has anyone else I remember using one, and I load for many of the guys I hunt with.
many guys don,t fully appreciate how lethal a larger bore revolver can be,when its pushing a serious chunk of lead at ranges under about 120 yards or so,
in well practiced hands of a competent shot. a 44 mag with a 310 grain hard cast bullet has rarely in my experienced failed to drop game with a well placed shot.
now a 300 grain hollow point jacketed bullet in a 44 mag seems to expand better and produce more shock,
and thats what the guy in the video stated he used, but for 4 decades Ive used the hard cast gas check 300-310 grain bullets
with excellent very predictable results, you may not get quite as impressive knock downs, with hard cast and a few deer and hogs will make a short run,
but the majority , if you place shots well, drop very rapidly after bullet impact. and you almost always get exit wounds with hard cast bullets

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/680467/hornady-gas-checks-box-of-1000

https://www.sagesoutdoors.com/44-caliber-017-copper-gas-checks/

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...0-diameter-300-grain-semi-wadcutter-gas-check
BTW if you own a 500 S&W these guys have gas checks
mid south and mid way don,t always carry 500 gas checks
https://www.sagesoutdoors.com/500-s-w-caliber-gator-gas-checks/

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/defau ... fle&Source

358-171-gc.jpg

you might want to think of using that 357 mag carbine as something similar to archery, in that the effective range is a bit limited and the effects of a good hit are not always instantly obvious BTW THOSE ARE GOOD GUNS AND I DON.T KNOW ANYONE THAT OWNS ONE THAT DOESN,T LOVE IT, you just need to accepts its limitations but youll love the low cost to feed it and minimal recoil and good accuracy

this nei design works well in my brother in laws marlin 357 mag carbine
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
357ht.jpg

these two very similar hard cast bullet, designs work very effectively in both most 357 mag revolvers and the marlin 357 mag carbines
the roughly 175 grain weight , fairly large melplat (frontal flat nose) allows them to penetrate well and leave a significant area of tissue destroyed


my brother-in-laws used these bullets cast from 95% ww and 5% pure tin in his 357 marlin for decades loaded over 9.3 grains of blue dot and seated out to the longest length that will function, they are good killers when placed correctly.
both 2400 and H110 powders also work very well, with these bullets
USE A 95% WW and 5% pure tin alloy lead to get good penetration and some expansion,

youll save a great deal of money, and put far lower wear on the rifling using a good cast gas check bullet , and the deer are just as dead if the shots placed correctly, keep in mind its NOT going to drop them in there tracks nearly every time like a 270 win or a 30/06 but its also 100% lethal and the deer rarely get far either, my brother-in-law loves the minimal recoil and noise.
http://www.neihandtools.com/ (decent quality but slow)

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/bullmol1.html (dirt cheap but fair/good quality)

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/ (decent quality iron molds . moderately priced)



http://www.huntingtons.com/bulletmoulds.html (decent quality iron molds . moderately priced slow to deliver and not everything advertised is available)

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/MoldMo ... tation.pdf

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

deer-anatomya.jpg

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun


If you start casting bullets regularly youll find , as your speed picks up, that you must wait for the SPRUE, or over-fill lead on the molds cut-off plate to change appearance as it cools before you open the mold to allow the bullet to drop out or the bullets deform as they are still semi hard ,the lead alloy doesn,t fully get solid for a few seconds after the mold releases them, in fact that they normally come out of the mold rather soft and easily deformed for the first few seconds,if you cast bullets as rapidly as possible, dropping them on a soft cotton towel reduces the deformed culls , that get damaged while dropping, that might hit previous cast bullets but theres an option that works better. dropping hot cast bullets in water quench both cools and reduces the impact velocity as they reach the bottom of a bucket youll use but Ive found the less common and taller 7 gallon buckets with both a taller column of water and greater mass seems to work better than the more typical 5 gallon bucket.
a typical 5 gallon bucket holds about 4 gallons of liquid and the bullets fall thru about 18" of water , the taller 7 gallon bucket adds at least 6"-8" more cooling distance and on larger 300-500 plus grain bullets this seems to help reduce culls)scrap quality bullets cast) and allows you to cast a bit faster.
water quench also tends to make some alloys with tin and antimony harden and work better.

sprue.jpg

sprue1.jpg

sprue2.jpg

sprue3.jpg



http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

7gal3.jpg

the 5 gallon buckets not as effective in my experience as the taller 7 gallon buckets
I would strongly suggest selecting a 6"-10" barrel pistol or revolver for any serious hunting application to maximize velocity and to provide a good longer iron sight radias.
keep in mind only precisely placed hits and a good knowledge, of the games anatomy, will work well, and hard cast bullets of close too ideal weight range , and ideally pushed to about 1350 fps-1700 fps work the best as velocity's much higher tend to reduce penetration, by inducing too rapid expansion.
suggested bullet weights
357 mag= 158 grain-180 grain
41 mag= 220 grain-250 grain
44 mag= 270 grain-320 grain
45 caliber -300 grain-350 grain
480 caliber 350 grain-400 grain
50 caliber 400 grain-480 grain
ideally pistol velocity and the bullet design of the better hunting ,
cast bullets are most effective if the melplat (nose) is flat and the nose diam. is between 75%-85% of the bullet diameter,
accuracy is usually better if its a gas check design and its pushed to a muzzle velocity of at least 1350 fps, but not too exceed about 1700 fps and have a bullet in the .240-.260 sectional density range.
jacketed hollow points should be used only on lighter weight game like deer.
remember the proper hard cast bullet will penetrate very effectively but it won,t expand rapidly, thus a knowledge of the games anatomy and locations of the vital organs is critical to rapid kills.
don,t be surprised if the first few large game animals you shoot run off with little indication they were hit, unless you place shots precisely handgun kills will resemble archery hunting and it will take 30 seconds for the game to bleed out, and in 30 seconds a scared injured deer can travel 200 yards making its recovery difficult.
but place shots precisely and if you used the correct projectile, distances will be much less.
cartpressure.png



http://www.ballistics101.com/357_magnum.php
(while certainly not a power house choice, Or something Id recommend),
in the hands of a skilled hunter I has taken about everything in north America at one time or another)
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...8-diameter-158-grain-semi-wadcutter-gas-check


http://www.ballistics101.com/10mm.php
(not bad for a compact auto pistol used for hunting and with proper hand loads certainly useful)
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=10 mm&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-diameter-200-grain-truncated-cone-bevel-base



http://www.ballistics101.com/41_magnum.php
(great choice if recoil bothers you, provided you hand load )
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=41 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=41-240FR-D.png



http://www.ballistics101.com/44_magnum.php
(without doubt the least expensive and most effective choice for most people)
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
Colorado requires 550 foot pounds at 50 yards. Which the 44 mag has.
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
90858-01.jpg

if you really want to maximize any large bore revolvers lethality you'll most likely want to order a custom bullet mold, to produce an exceptionally effective hard cast gas check bullet design, luckily mountain molds will work with you to produce most of the bullet molds you might want if you can,t find a commercially available design you like, the key is maximizing penetration and having a 80%-85% wide melplat (flat nose) to maximize the tissue destruction,in a gas check design, that keeps the bore clean, in a weight that you can push to at least 1300 fps, the bullet below is decent in a 44 mag , where 1370 fps is not hard to reach, and almost perfect for hunting ammo in a 445 DWSP where it can easily be pushed to over 1570 fps in a 10" barrel revolver, using max safe charges of H110 powder.
now I got asked why I would spend $100 on a custom mold to cast these and what the advantage would be over a $30 LEE 310 grain mold, and truthfully the difference is not huge, but the mountain mold does seem to be consistently a bit more accurate.



https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690858/double-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-300B-D.png

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....llet-mould-number-429650-44-caliber-300-grain



http://www.ballistics101.com/454_casull.php
(great choice if recoil does not bother you, provided you hand load )
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=454 Casull&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-335C-D.png

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...2-diameter-300-grain-semi-wadcutter-gas-check


http://www.ballistics101.com/460_sw.php
(great choice if recoil does not bother you, provided you hand load )
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=460 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-335C-D.png


http://www.ballistics101.com/480_ruger.php
(great choice if recoil does not bother you, provided you hand load )
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=480 Ruger&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690241/double-cavity-mold-476-400-rf-(480-ruger)


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=48-380V-D.png

https://www.rotometals.com/tin-long-bar-form-99-9-pure/

http://www.ballistics101.com/500_sw.php
(great choice if recoil does not bother you, provided you hand load )
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=500 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=


https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690991/double-cavity-mold-c501-440-rf


http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=50-450AG-D.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
7gal3.jpg


does anyone have a source at their work for these 7 gallon
(not the common 5 gallon buckets)
(Id gladly pay a reasonable amount and shipping cost for two-or-three)
if you have some that are getting thrown out after the contents are used up.
as they are not easy to locate around here

heres a link to rather interesting info on the use of heavy cast bullets in the 444 marlin

personally I think both the 45/70 and 450 marlin a superior choices

http://beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/28
 
Last edited:
I'm waiting to get more confident with myself in reloading before advancing. I did do some factory cast lead for my .45 Colt with mixed results. I didn't care for the barrel leading. I wouldn't know what caliber to start with as I have several Deer rifle calibers that I rotate hunting with30/30,30.06, 300Savage, 300Magnum, 7mm08, 8mm,44Magnum,308 I think thats it I don't have any big guns yet
 
every commercially available cast bullet I've ever seen or used,
is, cast from, pathetically soft alloys, and frequently not uniformly sized and almost universally uses a inferior bullet lube.
cast bullets are usually best matched too, and used at, fairly low (for most rifles) velocities, (under about 1900 fps) the 44 mag, and 45 colt revolver, cartridges, are both the exception in your list, of calibers as 1300 fps-1600 fps,with a 300-310 grain bullets is about the reasonable max expected velocity for the 44 mag, a 45 cassul can use a bit heavier 325-350 grain bullet very successfully,
and similar bullet weights in the much lower pressure level, in a 45 colt can be pushed to about 1000 fps in carbines and about 700 fps in revolvers,or a bit more.
you can certainly cast , size and lube 44 caliber bullets and get excellent accuracy with ZERO barrel leading, if you use the info I posted in several threads.
obviously you'll need to cast those 44 caliber 300-grain 310 grain, bullets with the 95% WW alloy and 5% pure tin as previously mentioned and size and lube them to slightly over bore size, (generally .431)
I usually use 21 grains of H110 powder and federal primers in my marlin 44 mag carbine or S&W revolvers, this easily allows you to reach in excess of 1300 fps plus in a decent barrel length.
more than enough to kill hogs and deer at under 150 yards if you shoot accurately.
even at only 700 fps in a colt revolver the 300 hard cast bullet will reliably kill deer with good shot placement at under about 70 yards
IF you were located locally Id be very willing to show you how each step in the process is done correctly and how to load accurate 44 mag ammo

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690858/double-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/44-mag-reload-info.3409/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bullet-lube.4835/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...you-cast-and-hunt-with-bullets-you-made.6802/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/is-there-a-more-durable-lube-sizer.9299/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/casting-alloy-related.2286/
 
Last edited:
yes gas check 300 grain bullets are generally the most accurate as they have the required, bore surface area & length needed, too effectively grab and seal off the powder gases,and hold rifle lands, impart spin without stripping and leading the bore, and the gas check helps eliminate leading

44 mag
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check


45 colt
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45 Colt&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...ll-452-diameter-300-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
 
Grumpy I wish that I did live close to you or someone with some of your knowledge in reloading I sometimes think that I'm the only reloader in Western Pennsylvania. I have learned by making mistakes( no big ones) and have refined my process on what I've learned the hard way so far so good but reloading is like therapy and it is very addictive I started to do just 3 pistol loads to save money now I load for 15 different rounds and need 3 more to catch up to what I need. I keep buying more guns
 
The meplat is the frontal circular flat of a flatnose bullet that first comes into contact with game. The size or diameter of the meplat effects the performance of a cast bullet in a number of important ways. Among these are terminal stability, bullet length and subsequent power generation efficiency, wound channel diameter, rate of incapacitation, aerodynamics, and, in lever-action rifles, magazine safety. We take the view, common to experienced users of large caliber cast bullets, that a large frontal flat or meplat is essential in producing quick and humane kills on big game.

Terminal Stability
Terminal stability refers to a bullet's impact characteristics. Upon impact, a bullet can be expected to penetrate the game animal. However, a bullet's path through game tissue, whether it is straight, deep, or angular, is largely determined by its construction and design characteristics. Primary among those characteristics is the weight carrying capacity of the front of the bullet. Bullets with less weight in the forward half of the bullet, as compared to the rear half, tend to be less terminally stable and tend to exhibit characteristics such as yaw which reduce penetration depth, than bullets that carry similar amounts of weight in the front and rear. Since bullets with wider or broader meplats tend to carry more weight up front than bullets with smaller meplats, they tend to be more terminally stable and, as a consequence, produce deeper and straighter penetration channels. This is most apparent with relatively short bullets such as those used in handguns. The mechanics associated with this are pretty clear. When a bullet carries significantly more weight in the rear than in the front, there is a definite tendency for the rear of the bullet to overtake the front of the bullet upon impact. In other words, the bullet tends to go sideways. This is due to the complete loss of aerodynamic stability that occurs upon impact, and the greater momentum of the rear of the bullet when compared to the lighter front end of a small meplated bullet. This is especially important for those shooting the handgun, since smaller meplats have a relatively greater effect on the front to rear weight-carrying ratio of the bullet, since the bullets are shorter. When the subject turns to rifle bullets, especially the longer bullets that characterize heavy 45-70 bullets, the influence of meplat diameter on the front to rear weight ratios is generally less relevant to terminal stability, since the bullets are longer. Meplat diameter does, however, contribute to bullet length, with wider meplated bullets exhibiting shorter overall length than smaller meplated bullets of the same weight. This is quite relevant to the 45-70, as overall cartridge length is a critical measurement that cannot be exceeded if the cartridge is to chamber properly. Consequently, given a cartridge of a specific length, the cartridge with the shorter bullet possesses less seating depth, and as a result provides more room in the cartridge case for gunpowder. Simply stated, such a bullet can produce more power at the same pressure, or equal power at lower pressure, when compared to a bullet with greater length. Since broader meplated 45-70 bullets tend to be shorter at any given weight, they tend to provide a superior power to pressure ratio.

Wound Channel Diameter
The diameter of the wound channel produced by a proper hard-cast bullet is far more a product of the diameter of the meplat than the diameter of the bullet. This is of critical importance. As a consequence of this, wound channel diameter and the resulting speed of incapacitation can be substantially increased through the use of hard-cast bullets with broad meplats. This is readily observable through wet newspaper penetration testing, or by the careful postmortem examination of big game animals. Interestingly, as can be verified by testing, relatively small increases in meplat diameter produce relatively large increases in wound channel diameter. This is great news, as increased meplat diameter not only contributes to improved terminal stability and power to pressure ratios, it also produces substantially larger wound channels and faster incapacitation. We have observed this in our 44 Magnum and 45-70
plus.gif
production. Interestingly, our 540-grain Hammerhead for the 45-70 produces penetration channels or wound channels that appear to be fully twice the diameter of our 420-grain Hammerhead for the 45-70, yet the difference between the bullets' meplat diameters is only .030-inch. Our 420-grainer sports a meplat diameter of .330-inch and our 540-grainer sports a meplat diameter of .360-inch. What is also clear is that our 420-grainer with its .330-inch meplat produces wound channels substantially larger than those produced by the .300-inch meplat that is all to common to the caliber, and characterized our early efforts in 45-70.

Further considerations
Although broader mepated cast bullets generally produce larger diameter wound channels, sometimes, especially at the relatively high velocities produced by medium weight 45-70 bullets, impact stresses can be great enough to deform the meplat and effect the size and characteristics of the wound channel. Occasionally, when impact occurs at short range into heavy game even the toughest hard-cast bullet will deform at the meplat, reducing its diameter. This is most often observed when the impact occurs at short range into heavy bone, when impact velocity is relatively high. This is one of the primary reasons we offer our very heavy 540-grain Hammerhead, as its extra weight mandates a lower velocity, which tends to protect against significant meplat deformation when engaging the heaviest game. Since game such as buffalo and elephant are invariably shot at short range, logic strongly argues for a heavier bullet at lower velocity. In this way, the major determiners of impact stress, the speed of impact and the toughness of the target, do not tend to overwhelm the strength of the bullet. However, in the great majority of shooting circumstances broad meplated hard-cast bullets, such as our 420-grain Hammerhead, can be depended upon to produce substantially larger wound channels than smaller meplated hard-cast bullets and also provide faster incapacitation. Whereas smaller meplated bullets appear to never produce the large diameter wound channels normally produced by broader meplated bullets, unless they are sufficiently soft to cause expansion, which always limits penetration. This is the primary reason why we have designed our SuperHardCast Hammerheads with the broadest meplats available.

- Randy Garrett
 
notice the heavy hard cast bullets extreme penetration ,penetration that if you place your shots precisely will allow vital organs to be destroyed.
the hard cast bullets design allows much better depth than the jacketed lighter weight expanding bullet designs,a single precisely placed shot and a good knowledge of the games anatomy allows a hand gun hunter to provide truly lethal results, with his chosen weapon.
and notice the much more predictable and strait path the hard cast bullets
 
Last edited:


notice the much improved penetration of the lead alloy hard cast projectiles,
over the rapidly fragmenting hollow point jacketed bullet designs
this is something I see frequently, hollow points have more shock but usually fail to penetrate to even 1/2 the depth of a good hard cast projectile.
a pistol cartridge like a 357 mag or even a 44 mag may not have near the energy of a rifle but it has the ability ,
to shoot clear through large game like elk very easily and destroy vital anatomy if hard cast bullets are used
rough guide to cast bullet selection for hunting use

from my decades of experience , and that of my friends hunting with big bore revolvers, I;d suggest that, cast bullets should have a 70%-90% wide flat melplat (nose)and ideally use a gas check base and be cast from 5% tin and 95% ww alloy and be pushed to
1100 fps-1600 fps
higher velocities than about 1800 fps flatten trajectory and increase energy levels , but they also increase muzzle blast and recoil while not increasing lethality a great deal.
but don,t generally increase penetration over the 1300 fps-1600 fps range, if a well designed bullet in the correct weight range is used made of the correct alloy,
yes accurate shot placement and a good knowledge of the games anatomy, is critical, but ive seen excelent results from similar loaded ammunition.
keep in mind most big bore revolver hunts are completed with game at under 120 yards.
punch a hole clear through the chest of a big game animal and have the vital organs shreaded and game won,t go far regardless of the energy levels

bloodd.jpg

deer-anatomya.jpg

if possible, use a mid weight bullet from the chart below sized about .001 over bore diam. with lots of quality bullet lube in the grooves.
naturally heavier bullets in the ideal range tend to have lower muzzle velocities, so a good compromise would be finding a projectile mid way in that weight range
a good knowledge of a deers or elks anatomy is also mandatory ,
remember an arrow or revolver bullet kills by rapid blood loss and critical organ failure,so accurate hits are mandatory for rapid results
you can,t just slice, or punch holes in random parts of the games anatomy and get rapid kills.
deer-anatomygh.jpg


deershot1.jpg


http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ns-power-accuracy-effective-range-cost.13280/


http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...you-cast-and-hunt-with-bullets-you-made.6802/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ing-a-handgun-for-hunting-hogs-deer-elk.1864/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ectively-handle-a-larger-bore-revolver.12784/


http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-hunting-hogs-deer-elk.1864/page-2#post-56377

suggested bullet weights
357 mag= 158 grain-180 grain
41 mag= 220 grain-250 grain
44 mag= 270 grain-320 grain
45 caliber -300 grain-350 grain
480 caliber 350 grain-400 grain
50 caliber 400 grain-480 grain
ideally pistol velocity and the bullet design of the better hunting ,
cast bullets are most effective if the melplat (nose) is flat ans between 75%-80% of the bullet diameter, its a gas check design and its pushed to a muzzle velocity of at least 1350 fps but not too exceed about 1800 fps and have a bullet in the .240-.260 sectional density range.
jacketed hollow points should be used only on lighter weight game like deer.
remember the proper hard cast bullet will penetrate very effectively but it won,t expand rapidly, thus a knowledge of the games anatomy and locations of the vital organs is critical to rapid kills.
don,t be surprised if the first few large game animals you shoot run off with little indication they were hit, unless you place shots precisely handgun kills will resemble archery hunting and it will take 30 seconds for the game to bleed out, and in 30 seconds a scared injured deer can travel 200 yards making its recovery difficult.
but place shots precisely and if you used the correct projectile, distances will be much less.



http://www.chuckhawks.com/sd.htm

Sectional Density Calculator
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/calculators/php/density.htm

http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/external

bullet stability and twist rates
http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmstab-5.1.cgi

ballistic calculator
http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator


http://mountainmolds.com/
allows custom mold designs

basically you want to select a bullet in the .240-.260 sectional density range
 
Last edited:
Grumpy I just bought a Henry 45 Colt rifle I haven't had it to the farm yet but after I get the barrel seasoned ( I know don't laugh but I do this with every rifle I buy new I'm really not sure if it helps put I do know it sure don't hurt ) but I am going to load up some of the cast bullets I have for the rifle only loads. I just read about loading up 45 Colt loads and for my Henry and my Blackhawk you can get a pretty hot load out of the guns with no harm. Now I don't think I want to hit the max loads they are writing about but I can sure step it up from the loading books I have and I have every one I could find plus a ton of loads out of magazine articles and different articles I have read on gun loading forums like yours. Now I know I wont load anything I see but I thing I have an idea now that what to believe and what not to believe like the info you give I can trust from your experience with reloading I would not think you would steer another person wrong
 
I'VE LOADED THOUSANDS OF 45 lc CARTRIDGES mostly for friends with marlin cowboy carbines and rifles, which are popular plinkers, these are fun guns to shoot so your Henry should be quite similar

http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.44-magnum.html

cartpressure.png

while its no 44 mag, its still able to kill deer out to about 50 to a max of about 100 yards with proper shot placement.
accurate hand loads relied on consistency in the ammo,the 45 lc is not loaded to high pressures like the later design magnums but a hard cast 300 grain gas check bullet still packs a decent punch at limited ranges.
low recoil, low muzzle blast.
UNIQUE is almost ideal as a propellant in this case, but you damn sure better not double load a case which is potentially possiable because unique powder only partly fills the case
this is a very good and less expensive mold

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...ll-452-diameter-300-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

no commercially available cast projectiles I've yet seen have the hardness of a 5% tin.95%WW alloy bullet I've used for decades
don,t confuse load data for hard cast bullets that have lower friction, and can be pushed to higher velocity at lower pressure,than jacketed bullets , data

http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45 Colt&Weight=All&type=Handgun

8 grains of unique, as a starting load for those hard cast 300 grain bullets and a mag fed primer works very well, you could use the lighter weight 255 grain lee bullet if you want less recoil, but theres not much to begin with.
youll only get a bit over 1000 fps out of a carbine but is sized and lubed correctly its very accurate

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45 Colt&Weight=All&type=Handgun


I've never had good results with commercial cast bullets, obviously there has too be many that work ok, but If I was looking for a 255 grain, 45 colt, bullet Id cast these
,lee bullets, a 5% tin.95%WW alloy bullet ,lube and size them and load them over a stiff load of unique.
Id start with 8 grains and work up to 9.4 grains slowly, in 2 tenths of a grain steps, with that 255 grain bullet, too find the best loads with accuracy as the deciding factor.
if you want to order a similar weight bullet the same, basic idea would apply, load the cartridges so the bullet is seated to the longest over all length that will easily function in your pistol or rifle.



https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...lt-long-colt-452-diameter-255-grain-flat-nose
 
Last edited:
I recently got a private e-mail concerning this thread asking me why I preferred larger bore hard cast bullet designs ,in handgun ammo.
while the commercial jacketed hollow point bullets seem to be quite commonly loaded commercially and suggested for hunting use.
the theory that's suggested is that a bullet that does not stay in the games body is wasting all the energy it has retained after it exits and so that's wasted energy.
they also pointed out that the expanding bullet on impact destroys a larger diameter impact area, in the games anatomy.
this is a bit like comparing apples too oranges
Ok, there;s no real way to dispute physics , but lethality and energy dump ,are not the same thing!

I'd simply point out that leaving both an entrance and exit hole,
from the bullet exiting, provides a very noticeably more effective way,
for the game in question to bleed out
,
and exactly where the bullet impacts and what it destroys in the way of vital organs is far more important to results than the total energy on projectile impact!
punch a 44-caliber -50 caliber hole in a vital organs like heart, liver or lungs , or crush the spine and shoulder, and let the projectile exit even with minimal expansion and your game drops in seconds.
remember that hand guns are much more like archery than a high velocity bullet from a rifle in that they kill by destroying internal organs and causing the animal to bleed out,its precise shot placement , and a knowledge of the games anatomy and having practiced enough from field positions to consistently place your shots on the intended target, that's the key to lethality here!
not through a bullet impact generating a hydraulic shock wave
.
there's no doubt that if you fail to take out/destroy the vital internal organs that a large bore handgun tends to be a bit less effective than a similar hit from something like,
a 257 weatherby that might have a much smaller and lighter weight projectile traveling at much higher speeds at impact.
obviously a handgun hunter must use some thought and skill and knowledge of the games anatomy to insure the bullet penetrates through and destroys the intended vital organs.
energy is a poor way to judge lethality.
its not uncommon for a high speed rifle bullet to fragment on impact
and while that may be lethal in the lungs its unlikely to travel deep enough and retain enough energy,
to break larger bones and still penetrate too the vitals beyond if it does.

a large bore revolver projectile impacts at a lower velocity than a typical rifle bullet but it already is ,
at or close to the typical diameter that many common expanding bullets from a deer rifle ,
may reach after it expands, and in many cases it will out-penetrate a rifle.
44 and 45 caliber handguns, in the hands of good shots,
have killed ALL the largest and most dangerous game on the planet, a 44 caliber-the 280 grain to 330 grain range,
a 45 caliber bullet in the 320 grain-350 grain,
range of the proper design can be extremely lethal in trained hands.
to test your bullet alloy a quick test would be to place a bullet you cast on a concrete floor or steel plate and
slam it hard once, with a 3 lb hammer, and really wack it, it should rivet or flatten out expanding and not shatter, or crack, if it rivets out a bit like a mushroom to a bit larger diameter it should work fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aQpVKiCN8


445PP1.jpg

yes there,s noticeably more power available on paper,in the .475-.50 caliber versions but that also comes at the cost of much more recoil and as far as I've seen not a matching commensurate matched increase in lethality.
after all, a properly loaded 44-45 caliber revolve will commonly shoot clear through an elk or bear even when a shoulders destroyed in the process.

bloodd.jpg


heres a 44 mag revolver with 300 grain bullets


linba1.png

linba2.png

linba3.png

linba4.png


if you watch a good many of the related videos you should notice
that most jacketed hollow point bullets expand rapidly and the faster they are pushed and the more energy they have the LESS they tend to penetrate because rapid expansion forces the projectile to expend more energy over a larger surface area , this restricts penetration.
theres zero doubt a 454 casull or 500 S&W packs more energy than a 44 mag, but with the proper hard cast bullet the cast projectile consistently penetrate deeper
theres always a trade off and compromise , between , velocity, expansion and penetration, and accuracy


suggested bullet weights
357 mag= 158 grain-180 grain
41 mag= 220 grain-250 grain
44 mag= 270 grain-320 grain
45 caliber -300 grain-350 grain
480 caliber 350 grain-400 grain
50 caliber 400 grain-480 grain





 
Last edited:
I just wanted to thank you Grumpy,
for opening my eyes to the potential of using cast bullet hand loaded lower velocity ammo,
in a heavier caliber rifle.
I was visiting a local pawn shop a few months back and they had a used Remington 700 bolt action in the rack for sale for $700,(looks nearly identical to this picture)
13669278_2.jpg

I offered the guy $600 and walked out with a rifle that looked almost pristine and un-fired for $630.
I ordered a NEI 350 grain bullet mold

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/here-we-go-again.16003/



458 LOTT

598px-458Lott004.png




458 WIN
458-Win-Mag-600x428.jpg


lets make a few non rifle loonie heads spin ,
now I have not tried this with jacketed bullets but I see no reason it would not work in a similar manor
I have got too point out that if you have a large bore, rifle or revolver that you want to hunt with ,using hard cast gas check bullets,
and you intend to both maximize accuracy,
and reduce or eliminate bore lead deposit's.
(especially if your using hard cast , gas check,
bullets to hunt with, like I've used for decades)
cleaning the bore Of each firearm with a lot of solvent soaked patches,
(old cotton sheets cut into 1"x3" rectangles work ok on most 44-50 caliber revolvers, or rifles )
and a brass bore brush until you have no trace of jacket or lead fouling,
then , after the bores squeaky clean, soaking a couple patches , until they drip, with moly spray and working it back and forth in the bore surface, and repeatedly soaking those patches with moly, to coat the rifling with a good film of moly, then swabbing the bore clean with a solvent patch and dry patch, seems to very noticeably reduce future leading and fouling and in many revolvers.
yes it leaves a darker semi shiny surface in the bore,
as theres a thin micro surface of embedded moly,micro particles,
that might not look as bright, as a polished metal surface ,
but it darn sure seems too form a slick, extra well lubricated ,
and fairly durable protective surface barrier that resists fouling.
this will all but eliminate leading if you use the proper sized and lubed gas checked cast bullets, cast from that 95% wheel weight and 5% pure tin alloy Ive used for decades, even in rifles where the velocity reaches up to about 1800 fps.
I can shoot both my 44 mag caliber revolvers and 44 mag caliber marlin carbine and 450 marlin caliber BLR ,458 LOTT, etc.
with cast bullets, and a solvent soaked patch shows powder residue,
but no leading in the rifling once the bores carefully been pre-treated with a good moly soak down,
(which I repeat on returning home with, each firearm, and after each cleaning after a hunting trip or trip to the local rifle range.)
caliber-jag.jpg

rodgunck.jpg

https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-clean-a-gun-1927314


http://www.engineersedge.com/lubrication/molybdenum_disulfide_characteristics.htm
Moly exists as microscopic hexagonal crystal platelets Several molecules make up one of these platelets. A single molecule of Moly contains two sulfur atoms and one molybdenum atom. Moly platelets are attracted to metal surfaces. This attraction and the force of moving surfaces in contact, rubbing across one another provide the necessary thermochemical reaction necessary for Moly to form an overlapping protective coating like armor on the rifle bore surface, This protective armor coating has a number of properties that are very beneficial for your rifles bore surface


squeeze4.png


The Moly platelets that make up the protective layers on your bore wall surfaces slide across one another very easily. Instead of metal rubbing against metal, you have Moly platelets moving across one another protecting and lubricating the bore to projectile surface contact

This coating effectively fills in the microscopic pores that cover the surface of all micro bore imperfections making them smoother. By filling in the craters and pores Moly improves this seal
nosqueeze.jpeg

This overlapping coating of Moly also gives protection against loading (perpendicular) forces. The high pressures that occur between these moving surfaces that tend to squeeze normal lubricants out.


222645.jpg


molysp2.JPG

molysp1.JPG


http://www.engineersedge.com/lubrication/molybdenum_disulfide_characteristics.htm

If you only lube a few hundred cast bullets a year, Id say buy the commercial lube sticks as its not worth the effort to make up batches of lube
, but if you load thousands of cast bullets, then yes its well worth the effort and you can improve on most commercial lube results, and save some cash making your own lube, but its just not worth the effort or cost of doing it for a few hundred bullets a year, but once your casting bullets in larger batches that easily fill several gallon plastic containers , several times a year ,its a different deal.
If your adding your home brew lube to your bullet sizer, you can either make the effort to force it in in chunks or you can simply heat some to the point its a semi liquid and pour it in and let it cool.
I usually find I don,t have the patients to wait while I melt and let it cool and find I just open the cylinder , force in chunks and use a hair drier to heat it up a bit to make cramming the chunks in a bit easier, the air pockets will be removed as the piston forcing the lube thru the sizer compressed the lube chunks , but Ive also found I can drop a muffin paper full of lube from my supply into a 6 quart aluminum pan I got for $1 at a yard sale that I place on my lead melter while it heats up, and that solves that problem.
and youll be VERY familiar with the process of refilling a lube/sizer once your bullet count is measured in several gallon containers per session.
use of a LUBE SIZER with the correct punch and sizing dies helps consistency and accuracy.
50% bees wax
20% moly axle grease
30% alox works great
then add one 6 oz pack of MOLY powder too each 5 lbs of lube mix, and stir into molten mix
the use of this lube constantly forces a replacement film of moly into the bore surface as the existing moly is depleted though wear and heat

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0157631412


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/183655/lyman-super-moly-superfine-grade-moly-powder-6-oz

moly.jpg

btw if your going to cast bullets wait till the molds clean and hot then lightly spray the mold interior surface with moly spray, as it helps the cast bullets fall easily from the mold and makes casting process faster and more consistent. and spraying the cast bullets with moly spray after they are sized and lubed , and before they are loaded into the cases,certainly seems to reduce barrel fouling

222645.jpg

Ive used that lube in my 44 mag and 45/70, 450 marlin lever action carbines with cast bullets for decades , while I rarely exceed 1800-1900 fps I also get almost ZERO leading in the rifling and very good accuracy




hand loading and bullet casting are hobbies that look to be complicated and expensive but you can save a huge amount on ammo that in some ways is even better than factory ammo plus it allows you to shoot very cheaply.
once you get set up, youll have a very useful, and accurate rifle thats fun to shoot with reduced velocity hand loads.
200 factory loaded 458 win ,cartridges could easily cost more than $1000
a box of only 20 458 WIN, FACTORY LOADED cartridges can cost over $100
this is one reason many 458 win rifles have literally been fired only a couple times, the other is recoil levels that have proven excessively high for many owners who sight in the rifle and decide they can,t or won,t use the rifle.
I've seen several rifles in caliber 458 WIN or 458 LOTT that sold used for less than 2/3 rds of the original cost that had been fired less than 40 times

http://kwk.us/recoil.html

FACTORY AMMO


458j1.png

almost 60 ft lbs for factory full power loads are almost 4 times what a typical 270 win would have and twice what a 12 ga shotgun would have


https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/Gun_Services/Peep_Sights.asp#Weaver
reduced velocity hand loads that stomp deer or hogs

458j2.png
458j2.png


recoil levels similar to a typical 270 win deer rifle!
but with far more knock-down,
a 350 hard cast bullet pushed to about 1500 fps is easily useful out to 120 yards with much lower recoil,
and a cost of easily under $12-$15 or less per box,
I doubt you'll have spent $.70 cents a shot for hand loads, with cast bullets
most factory 458 win ammo costs over $4 a cartridge
so saving over $85 a box on ammo,
and having a much easier rifle to shoot rapidly,
makes owning the 458 win much more reasonable

remember much of the expense going into cast bullet use,
is not required for the following additional calibers,
and while you will need reloading dies,
gas checks and bullet molds ,
things like powder, primers loading manuals lube sizer's,
lead melt furnaces are one time
purchases that quickly pay for

themselves.
Ive used a 458 win using reduced velocity loaded ammo for decades


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...chester-magnum-500-grain-dgx-bonded-box-of-20

now obviously I don,t know how much current tooling you have to make cast bullets,
and yes going into producing cast bullets required some basic equipment purchases,
that may seem to totally negate the reason your looking to make cast bullets, in the first place...lower cost)
the expense to get set up to most people looks too be insanely expensive, but it can rapidly pay for itself.

obviously youll need a few other components and or tools but once your set up you can produce very accurate and,
moderate recoil level ammo for the rifle that will cost less than 1/6-to- 1/4 of what factory ammo costs
youll also need a few other components and,
I'd strongly suggest you use a 95% wheel weight and 5% pure tin casting alloy sized to .459
matching sizing dies, gas checks etc.
http://www.sagesoutdoors.com/458-caliber-gator-gas-checks/
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/227190/hornady-custom-grade-new-dimension-3-die-set
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/639649/lee-modern-reloading-2nd-edition-revised-reloading-manual
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/748241/lyman-lube-and-sizer-die-459-diameter
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/645810/lee-pro-4-20-lb-furnace-110-volt
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...let-sizer-and-lubricator-with-heater-110-volt

related info

416RM1.jpg~original


458lk.jpeg



http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=458 Winchester Magnum&Weight=All&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2012/12/26/soft-loads-for-safari-rifles/
 
Last edited:
as a long term and experienced bullet caster and hand loader, I'd also point out that you are not limited to use of the factory available ammo, and that a properly designed cast bullet can very frequently be used to make a revolver both more pleasant and accurate to shoot and much less expensive.
one of the guys I regularly hunt with purchased a long barrel ruger 44 mag
medium-6590.jpg

very similar to this picture, he had a good deal of trouble using it until I suggested reduced velocity hand loads for practice

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun

he purchased a lighter 225 grain weight bullet mold
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...0-diameter-225-grain-semi-wadcutter-gas-check
and we can make accurate ammo for under 50 cents a cartridge, he loads those over 12.5 grains of blue dot and yes
its still lethal on hogs but that hand loaded ammo has noticeably reduced recoil., and no the bullets don,t always exit
you can calculate the recoil but a 225 grain cast bullet at about 1270 fps has a noticeably reduced recoil compared to a 310 grain at about 1340 fps

http://www.shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php
it should be obvious that you could produce similar reduced power,
but still very effective hand loads in a larger caliber,
like a 480 ruger or 460 S&W or 500 S&W ETC.
if I was starting over, and wanting the best potential in a hunting revolver, and I was a bullet caster and hand loader, you have a myriad of options, I would strongly consider selecting a 7"-10" barrel revolver in 44-to-50 caliber with the 460 S&W , 480 caliber ruger and 500 S&W, caliber revolver, being in my opinion the three best options IF YOU HAND LOAD because the larger caliber bullets can be custom cast in a wide variety of weights and configurations and loaded to a very large range of velocity's, providing a lot of versatility all three options can be loaded down to mild 44 mag power levels or up to considerably more power than a 44 mag can produce giving you a good deal of flexibility
model500-44cal.jpg

stainless481.jpg

carty.jpg

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ment-that-makes-the-hand-gun-effective.14258/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ns-power-accuracy-effective-range-cost.13280/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ing-a-handgun-for-hunting-hogs-deer-elk.1864/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/445-dan-wesson-revolvers.1992/



btw thin strips of florida,wild hog marinated over night in 70%pineapple juice and 30% vinegar,
then coated with your bar-b-que sauce can be grilled over a low flame and result in rather good , slow grilled pork,on sandwiches
 
Last edited:
Back
Top