First Cast Bullet Deer

[jtaylor1960]

I shot my first deer using cast bullets.I used a 348win. made in 1952 and a bullet I cast myself from a mold I designed on Mountainmolds sight.It is a 250gr. flat nose with a large meplat cast from air cooled wheel weights.The first shot was running away but,made a nice exit wound.A finishing shot through the shoulder stopped on the opposite side just under the hide.The bullet weighed only 96gr.I think I need to go alittle bit harder with my alloy for the speed I am shooting.I am using 47.0 gr. of Varget for about 2000- 2100 fps.I will work to fine tune this ammo for next year.

[Bass Ackward]

I shot my first deer using cast bullets.I used a 348win. made in 1952 and a bullet I cast myself from a mold I designed on Mountainmolds sight.It is a 250gr. flat nose with a large meplat cast from air cooled wheel weights.The first shot was running away but,made a nice exit wound.A finishing shot through the shoulder stopped on the opposite side just under the hide.The bullet weighed only 96gr.I think I need to go alittle bit harder with my alloy for the speed I am shooting.I am using 47.0 gr. of Varget for about 2000- 2100 fps.I will work to fine tune this ammo for next year.


J,

Congratulations. Nice feeling huh?

I don't know if you really want that much hardness increase if you are happy with the accuracy now. I shoot 250, 255 grains 14 BHN at 2250 in 35 caliber and you will NEVER recover a bullet. The answer could be ductility and not hardness.

How much tin are you using now?

[jtaylor1960]

I understand what you are saying.The alloy is too brittle not too hard.I am using straight wheel weights.That should be hard enough.I thought about using a 20 or 30 to 1 and then quenching.I have read that will give hardness but not shatter.Thanks for the input.Jeff Taylor.

[Glen]

Yeah, what Bass said. I would try adding a little tin for more ductility. Also, it sounds like your shoulder shot hit bone, so I would expect to lose some bullet mass on that shot. It sounded like your "going away shot" penetrated just fine.

20-1 or 30-1 will not harden with water quenching -- you need antimony and arsenic for water quenching to make a difference. Water quenching WW alloy, sweetened with a little tin, will give you a much tougher bullet (but it won't expand).

[Bass Ackward]

Jeff,

Brittle is brittle whether you water drop it or not. The problem is that if brittle breaks into a wedge shape, then you only have a wedge to work for you unless you strike something else hard. That's why soft lead works. The bullet heals itself and continues to expand into a working nose form.

Only tin in the equal amounts of antimony content, will make a hard bullet as ductile as it can be. With that being said, I would bet that if you added just 1% tin to your mix, that bullet will hold 80% or more of it's mass. But you will just have to trust me on that because you will never find another to see for yourself.

[Ranch Dog]

jtaylor... nice job! Classic rifle with a real boolit!!

[JDL]

Congrats! I have always admired those '71 Winchesters and it seems to do fine with cast to boot. -JDL