Newb with question

[Dorado]

I've just begun casting boolits for my .357mag to do CAS competitions. This site has already been a big help to me. But, I got to thinking about it and now I've decided to come up with a hunting load. I'd like to know what (in general) would be a versatile round to hunt with. I'll be hunting mostly hog and deer. I'd like to know what weight, design, and mix would be good. Right now I'm just doing pure lead rounds for CAS. Thanks

[canyon-ghost]

I'd recommend wheelweight or harder and a good flatpoint bullet. You'll probably want to go relatively heavy in bullet weight and use some stout charges.

Ron

[Dorado]

Thanks Ron. Now I might be mistaken but aren't WW solid lead? If so wouldn't they be to soft to use as a hunting round especially at higher velocities? What would be a better mix, and how do I use it?

I've been looking at a Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold 358-158-RF. It's a 158gr round nose with a flat point and a Lyman 2-Cavity Bullet Mold #358430 a 195gr round nose.

I'll mostly be shooting them out of a Marlin 1894 with an 18" barrel, and possibly out of my Colt SAA's.

[lwknight]

I think that a mix of 3% antimony and 2% tin with the balance of lead would make awesome hog medicine with long gun or short gun. The tin will make the bullets tough and retain their weight for deep penetration and controlled expansion. The antimony will counteract the age softening of the tin as well as giving enough hardness to hold the riflings in the hottest magnum loads.
You can use 6% antimony but you will get no expansion at all with pistol velocities.
If you are going to use a long gun , the #2 ( 5-5-90 ) would do a great job both for the rifle and on the hog.

Just my thought. Money back guarantee.

[Dorado]

The #2 you mentioned, Is that the Lyman #2. I keep hearing about it. I'm assuming it's a great alloy to use. I may have to order some if its as good as what I'm hearing.
Now on the weights, most of what I find (that I can afford) is 158gr. I have found a 195, 200, and a 245gr. The 195 is made my Lyman and is a reasonable price, the other two are by Saeco and are really expensive (to me) and I cannot afford them. Would a 158gr be enough to take hog and deer? or would it be better for me to wait and invest on the 195 Lyman or one of the Saeco's?

[Boolseye]

Now I might be mistaken but aren't WW solid lead? If so wouldn't they be to soft to use as a hunting round especially at higher velocities?

Stick on wheel weights are more or less pure lead. Clip-ons have antimony and tin in them, and are quite a bit harder.

[RobS]

This will be a good read for you:

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