so what is you accuracy

[white eagle]

standard,limit ,goal,wish or what ever you call it for a hunting boolit ?
we are talking cast and for the gun of your choice .
if you shoot more than one cal is the standard the same ??
I like my rifles to shoot at or around and 1.00" at 100 yds.
kind of a set standard I have for hunting big game,for smaller game,predators my standard is below an inch my last group with my 220 swift A.I.was .770 and that is large but the velocity is around 4300 fps(guess)so I will take it and the load shows promise whereby I may have opened that group with a flyer
so what say ye'
I am having a dickens of a time to be consistent at my goal with cast and may beginning to think that is all the better it gets :Fire:

[frankenfab]

I just raised my standard from 1.5"@100 to 1" myself. That's just for jacketed stuff at the moment.

I like the zippy little catridges also, and I WANT my .22 centefires to shoot .5 MOA. My CZ 550 American would do it with plain old Remington ammo. Should have never sold that gun.

I would consider that a "laser beam". I think 4300 FPS is approaching the limits of the construction of all but the best projectiles, though.

[white eagle]

nice little round holes
and small groups
bullets holding together
I had a 19-223 from James Calhoon that was a screamer too
very very accurate like you I sold it and am still kicking myself for it

[Wolfer]

I like my guns to shoot as good as I can get them to. That being said I like 1/2 moa from my 223s out to 300 yes or so. But I also know that in the field I can't shoot as good as off a bench. My Elk rifle doesn't need to shoot any better than 1 1/2 moa
although it usually does. When deer hunting with a handgun however far I can hold all my shots on an 8" paper plate I limit my deer shooting to half that distance. I have found its a lot harder to properly place a bullet on a critter than it is on a target.

[RugerFan]

For hunting big game with cast boolits I primarily use .30 & .35 cal scoped rifles. My goal is MOA @ 2000 FPS. I usually am able to achieve that or very close, but did have a cranky .303 Brit that would open up groups above 1750 FPS. Need some more experimentation with that one. Next summer I will be trying to crank my 35 Whelen up to 2500ish FPS for the bigger critters up here.

[TXGunNut]

I think 1.5 MOA isn't too much to ask from a scoped production bolt rifle and j-boolits. I can generally figure out how to make it do better, but not always. New to CB shooting & hunting but I feel 2-2.5 MOA is acceptable for my leverguns as I limit myself to 125 yds or so. I don't feel sub-MOA groups are useful for my style of big game hunting, if my rifle will consistently fire 3 MOA groups and I keep my range reasonable I have only myself to blame for a miss or sloppy hit. I feel terminal performance is more important than sub-moa groups. I don't hunt beanfields or antelope or sheep, but if I did I'd bring an MOA rifle and a premium bullet or preferably, boolit.

[white eagle]

by the sounds of some of the responses I am asking a bunch out of cast boolits
maybe better off if "I" stay with J-bullets for my accuracy needs with rifles
or limit the velocity of my cast projectiles to more or less handgun speeds

[Crawdaddy]

It depends on rifle and bullet for me.
My 300 wm with j word bullets I want sub minute of angle. I havent used cast yet with this rifle. My longest shot thus far has been 250 yards. Would probably push to 350


Muzzleloader 2 inches at 100 yards is acceptable for me and 150 is my limit

450 marlin and 458 wm same as muzzleloader.

220 swift I want 1/2 minute of angle but have not shot cast yet. I casted up a bunch of Bator rounds but am just starting to play with them in an AR and mini 14.

44 mag pistol I want to be minute of pie plate at 50 or so yards
44 mag rifle minute of pie plate at 100 yards with 100 being the limit.

Just my two pennies worth.

[MBTcustom]

I am always in pursuit of a rifle that will shoot 20 cast boolits through a single hole at 100 yards. While I am waiting for that magic combo, I have had to settle for 1.5MOA.
I am getting into building bolt action rifles though, and I think I may be creeping up on a likely candidate for a sub MOA rifle with the last one that I built. I know that sub MOA is possible, but only for the most discriminating and skilled cast booliteers.
I find that for normal, realistic hunting, 2MOA is plenty for most situations if I were to be perfectly honest with myself. Although, I am loathe to accept such accuracy out of any rifle.
I truly believe that if I had the time, ten boolit molds, 3 primers, and 10 different powders for each rifle I own, I could work each one into a corner and get it to deliver superb accuracy for me. However, for the moment, buying a pound of powder is a rare and gleeful occasion and therefore usually ends up with me selecting one that I am already familiar with. Buying a new mold is a huge undertaking properly adorned with suspense and careful planning.
This means that I mess with seating depth, charge weight, alloy, and lube more than any other variables, and there is only so much that can be done with those four things.
In order to work up a truly accurate cast boolit load, one must be willing to experiment with some of the more expensive variables, but most of us are doing this to save money so its realy a catch 22 situation.

[Larry Gibson]

For big game; If I can consistently put the bullet within 3" of the point of aim at the maximum range I will shoot using a cast bullet. The maximum range is determined by the accuracy potential of me, the load and cartridge along with the remaining velocity/energy/terminal performance that can be expected with the firearm/cartridge in use.

Obviously then "moa" or a "so and so" sized shot group are meaningless. My "maximum" means I can effectively take deer, antelope, elk or even coyotes out to 250 yards with some of my scope sighted cast bullet rifles (one rifle to 300 yards). My "maximum" also holds me to right at 75 yards with my iron sighted handguns/revolvers when shooting off hand, 50 yards with some of them. Other rifles with reciever sights and handguns with scopes or red dot sights fall in between.

For larger varmints such as rock chucks, rabbits, coyotes and the larger squirrels with rifles shooting cast bullets I like to have 1.5 moa capability. For small ground squirrels like the Beldings I strive for moa with cast bullets.

Larry Gibson

[Blammer]

1-2 inches at 100 yds consistently for my cast boolit rifles for hunting. Any caliber I use. 7mm, 30, 35, 8mm, 44cal.

[canyon-ghost]

My goal is to get around 1" at 100, but I want that from the bench and to be able to shoot it offhand. If all I wanted was one small group on paper, I'd be easily satisfied. I want to shoot well enough offhand to make those lead boolits COUNT!

My main bullet design is flat nosed, gas checked. I want them all weighed the same and using a gas check to further the velocity.

I don't expect anyone else to want to do that with several calibers but, I think there are guys that do.

[Sonnypie]

I don't hunt game anymore myself.
But in my day, I could not miss.
Longest kill was a deer beyond 500 yards. Wyoming was like that, you had to be able to make the shot at any range.
I had a lot of very successful years with one load.
30-06, 110g Sierra (SP,RN,HP) 47.5g of IMR 4895, touched off with a CCI LR primer.
Now I bang steel to 400 yards, and poke holes in paper at 100 yards over a chronograph.
Cast boolits just ain't what a jacketed bullet is for speed.
But for somebody that wants to have fun crafting his own ammo, trying a bunch of different loads, at a bunch of different ranges... hard to beat casting your own slugs!

I was with a guy I worked with one huntin season where he stalked a Pronghorn Antelope and shot it with a 45 caliber muzzle loader, from about 75 yards. It was a good shot, but just a 45 caliber hole through it.
Yeah, the goat died, eventually. But I wasn't what I'd call a clean kill.

I always tried to make death like a light switch. Click- it's off. I felt I owed my target that much. Besides, adrenalin-ized meat is a damned mess to deal with.
If I needed to shoot zombies, I'd shoot them with anything and not care.
But animals I have a heart for. So I did my very best to make every one as instant as I could.

[popper]

Try to get this @ 100 from my 336 30-30. Circled is LC 170 FN from bags, lower is SCarolina 165 FN sitting off-hand @ 50. Yea, somebody put a 243 hole in my target and the flier is mine.

[MT Gianni]

It varies by gun and sights. Hunting I am happy with under 2" @ 100 yards. For target I like under 1" on my best day.

[largom]

My goal is 1 in. at 100 yds. with every gun I own with cast or jacketed. My 22 cal. all shoot 1/2 in. with jacketed, still trying with cast. With 30 cal. and above I will not settle for any load over 1 1/2 in. @ 100 yds. Rifles only.

Larry

[white eagle]

first I must say some of you all have some very deep thoughts
and an extraordinary vocabulary :lovebooli
me I just love to shoot small groups making the best ammo I can
basically for the very reason Ol -Sonnypie stated/
"I always tried to make death like a light switch. Click- it's off. I felt I owed my target that much. Besides, adrenalin-ized meat is a damned mess to deal with.
If I needed to shoot zombies, I'd shoot them with anything and not care.
But animals I have a heart for. So I did my very best to make every one as instant as I could. "
that being said my problem with cast is in the mechanics somewhere
I get a real good group going then flyer and I mean flyer 4-5" in some cases beyond its partners
I do believe that my gas checks may be sailing away throwing the projectile off target hard to say for sure

[Love Life]

Pistol-8 inch pie plate at 75 yards

rifle- 5 inch pie plate from 100 out to however far I plan to shoot.

[44 flattop]

I'm guessing we are talking about only cast boolits here since that is where we are.....:smile:

I hunt mostly deer and elk with the occasional bear thrown in and hunt with two basic calibers, the 38-55 and .44 mag.

From the .38-55 I am always looking for that 1" group which rarely happens. But it consistantly puts three round at 1 1/2" at 100 yards. Since 200 yards is about as long as I stretch it, 1.5" is fine.

From my .44 rifles I am always looking for sub 2" groups, but for five shots at 100 yards. That is rare as most of my Marlin Cowboys stay about 2"-2 1/2" at 100 yards. That is fine however as my longest shots rarely exceed 125 yards.

My .44 revolvers get a bit more of a break, I like around 3" at 50 yards. My guns/loads will usually do better but my eyes are getting old and it just becomes tougher each year.

44

[MBTcustom]

44 flattop, just curious why the looser requirments for the .44? Is that the rifle, or the hunting situation that dictates the looser groups?

[44 flattop]

Two reasons, goodsteel.

First, it is a much shorter range cartridge so I just don't need it to be much more accurate. Even 2 1/2" at 100 yards will still shoot the head off a grouse at 25 yards every time.

Second, though I did have one load with an older .44 Winchester Trapper that would consistantly group under 2" and sometimes approach 1", with my Marlins I just can't get them to shoot quite as well as the .38-55. Not sure why as I shoot and experiment with many thousands of rounds per year. I keep working but so far just can't get five shots with the .44's to shoot as well as three shots with the .38-55.

I reckon maybe the next time I get some nice days maybe I'll do some three shot work with a few of the .44's and see how tight I can get them!

44

[reloader28]

When it gets right down to it, if you can hit a paper plate at whatever range your hunting, its good to go. Thats what I keep reminding myself anyway.

My 30-06 shoots cast 1 1/2"@100.
Two 243's shoot cast 3/4"@100.
These are all 1/2"@100 with jacketed bullets.

My 44 rifle overlaps the holes at 50yds with 250gr SWC at 1660fps if I can do my part with open sights. Never shot jacketed thru it.

My 30-30's will shoot 2-3"@100 with open sights, but my friends scoped gun likes the same loads and shoots 1"@100. I dont shoot jacketed loads thru mine anymore, but they shot about the same.

My 357mag pistol will shoot 6-165gr FN into 1 1/8"@15yds.
My 380 will put 2 clips into 2 1/8"@15yds. These are both on a rest, but for me that is VERY good. 44 mag and 45acp aint as good yet.

I'm still working on the 22 cal cast stuff.

Even if I dont get terrible great results with certain calibers, shooting my own boolits makes it all worthwhile. I got bored with jacketed loads and am having an absolute ball making my own boolits. 99% of what I shoot is cast. There is no better feeling on the planet than making a kill with your own boolits or lead shot.:cbpour:

[bigted]

im not the best shot in the world and my eyes are going to the dogs but im gonna blast out a song here for ya. it may be bitter to swallow but here it is anyway...

i shoot my guns into an inch all the time at 100 yards. if i cant get the 1 inch groups then i stay with it till i get it. my last rifle took me 1 and 1/2 years to get to that point but now it is a consistant shooter into the 1 inch group at the 100 yards. one of my new rifles took just three minutes to shoot into my self imposed 1 inch group. now the kcker for all.......these rifles are all what i consider big bore. 38-55 is the smallest bore in the group of shooters. .......and here is the best kicker of all....it is all shot with black powder in cartridge guns. my winchester hi-wall 45-70 [miroku made] took the three minutes and my browning bprc 45-70 took the 1 and 1/2 years to get there. ive got a 458 win mag that is a 'built' gun from a ruger bolt that will consistantly cut clover liefs at 50 yards with reduced loads.

none of my loads go faster then 1600 fps for velocity. they all shoot 400ish boolits except the 38 which shoots a 300ish boolit at around 1350 fps speed. animals dont know the difference between 2000+ velocity and the sluggish like 1100 fps velocitys and the moose i eat is always sweet with none of the terrible tasting adreniline filled meat from an animal taking a prolonged time to go feet up.

i know my style of shooting is not for everybody....... but when it comes to accuracy i can tell ya that faster is not always better. my style is fun to shoot and easy on me and my guns all the time.......and before the groaning starts i can assure you that the real black powder is so easy to clean up after its insane......my slobbers on a patch do the trick at the range and my milk jug contains the cases till i can clean em before i reload them with more marvelouse black powder. i oil my rifles and handguns with remington spray oil to ensure that no rust or muck begins anywhere and ive got guns that have been over a year from the last time i shot em with the black and i peer into em from time to time to ensure my investment is safe.

as for hunting style accuracy i would and have been satisfied with 2.5 inch to 4 inch groups at 100 yards and you can believe me that this is plenty good enough to drop al humpy in his/her tracks with 1 shot into the noggin. i dont have to worrie bout that tho as i never stop load development till i get my minumum groups for my shooting.

keep trying fellers and when you think there is no better accuracy then go back a few years to a forgotten era and be startled with their success and results with a forgotten powder and cast boolits.

[marshall623]

I'm going to do some bench work, but I did shoot this group a couple of years ago when trying out 4759 /w 130 soup cans in my Contender 14" 7-30 Waters
http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv151/marshall623/Timpic007-1.jpg

[white eagle]

trouble with the if you can hit a paper plate idea the way I see it is
if I have a trophy buck standing out at between 150-200 yds and the only shot
is 4" between a pair of birch trees I guess I may as well put the gun down and cry
not knowing what that boolit will group consistently @ 100 yds makes that shot a touch
easier to swallow
I am not saying that the p/p idea is bad just not precise enough for that type of shot

[MBTcustom]

The good news is that at 200 yards, the trophy buck is not aware of your presence. This gives you the advantage of being able to get up on him at another time and another place. Sure it would be great fun to bust him where you see him, but its not the only way. If I only had a shot 4" wide between two trees, I would pass on it unless I was sure that I could hold a much smaller group than 4", more like two inches, and that is almost an impossiblility with CLB.
In my mind, cast lead boolits are projectiles used by medium to close range hunters.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy sending one out and smakin 'em at long distance just as much as the next guy, but have a special tool for that purpose, a 300winmag loaded with sierra gamkings doing 3200FPS and a nice little 1" group at 200 yards. Blew the heart out of one from 320yards away year before last using that exact setup. But cast lead is no good at those distances, and the 300winy is no good at 20 yards. Therefore I tailor the tool to the job. Using cast lead for long distance hunting is like using a G.I. trench tool to dig a basement cellar. Sure you can do it maybe if you had one custom made out of D2 tool steel but what have you realy proved?
All that being said, to get a rifle and boolit combo that would allow realy long distance shooting like Quigley down under, is a wonderful idea and I hope like crazy that I can get there some day.
By the way, white eagle, what are you able to do with your boolits? I dont mean to be poopooing extreme accuracy if you are able to do better. The best I ever did was an inch at 100. Are you saying that you have been able to get better? Whats the best you ever did?

[white eagle]

no I strive for consistent 1-1.5" with cast
its there I just aint found it
I have no need for close quarters rifle,I have a pistol for that
what good is a rifle that will only shoot 100 yds.....not me
If I cant make it happen I will stick with jacketed in rifles
maybe I am chasing a accuracy ghost with cast in rifles in the first place
to answer your question in regard to MY boolits I can't do squat that is why the thread
I want to see what everyone else is doing

[TXGunNut]

I understand the quest for MOA and long-distance performance, white eagle. OTOH I have taken very few deer or hogs over 100 yds. It's like that in most of TX, I know some of you have to take longer shots. I can, but I don't.
Let's put it another way. Last week on a management hunt I killed two deer, one mature spike with a spankin' new Super Grade M70 30-06 and a sub-MOA load using a Hornady spire point j-bullet and a nice doe with a 45-70 Guide Gun using my recently cast RD boolits that are good for 2 MOA (at the moment). Both were killed at 70 yds. Guess which kill I'm prouder of?

[Love Life]

I would just wait for a clear shot like Goodsteel said. I shoot boolits from pistol. My rifles eat J-words.

[mstarling]

I like to get an inch at 100 yards as a good working minimum for bolt rifles. 2" at 100 is more than adequate for double rifles ... one usually doesn't use an iron sighted .470 NE DR at 100 yards or more :shock: )

This target has two groups. The one in the center of the diamond is 400 gr cast GC WW bullets lubed w Carnauba Red from a 22" FN Mauser bolt rifle chambered for .376 Aagard (which is a .376/.416 Steyr Improved).

http://www.mstarling.com/Album/416_grp_030210.jpg

The group at the top of the diamond is from an 18" 6.8 SPC II rifle with 110 gr Sierra Pro Hunters. Group size is 0.384".

In each case the "extra" hole in the target is the round fired to determine the last scope movement before the group.

[MBTcustom]

:shock: wow. That's some darn good shootin/reloadin/castin and a nice rifle too! So it is possible!!!

[canyon-ghost]

:coffeecom I'm amazed at you gentlemen! I started shooting Hunter's Pistol on an NRA range ten years back.

This is a 10" barrel on a TC with rifle scope, Leupold VXII 4-12AO from sandbags to 100 meters.

It's not only possible, you can do it with a handgun! The 32-20 WCF is easy to work with.
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/3rdshooter/32-20WCF005800x600.jpg

[fishnbob]

no I strive for consistent 1-1.5" with cast
its there I just aint found it
I have no need for close quarters rifle,I have a pistol for that
what good is a rifle that will only shoot 100 yds.....not me
If I cant make it happen I will stick with jacketed in rifles
maybe I am chasing a accuracy ghost with cast in rifles in the first place
to answer your question in regard to MY boolits I can't do squat that is why the thread
I want to see what everyone else is doing

That sounds like I wrote it David. My sentiments exactly. If I need to knock the eyeball out of something within my sight, I have rifles loaded with J bullets to do it with. I am trying to cast & develop loads for 3 rifles to have in case I can't get J bullets at some point in the future. It ain't easy. My cast boolits vary in weight too much to be but so accurate and I'm working with that. My mold cavities vary in dimension & weight, so I gotta fix that. Chamber sizes aren't accepting some castings seated at a proper length, and I'm dealing with that. My next move is to pick one cartridge & one rifle and make it work with CB's instead of jumping from one to another and not following through on the data or info that I have accumulated.
I really don't have a problem with accuracy on the J stuff. 17's cut the same hole @ 100 yds as does the .204, 22-250, 6MM and 270. My .223's are a little suspect at .75 to 1" but I don't like the wimpy barrel on the Browning A Bolt. I haven't seen one of those shoot real good in the last 5 years that I have been tinkering with them. I have no problem casting any of my pistols and getting accuracy but rifles are another thing. I really want to get consistient cast rounds for my 6.5 SM and my 30/30's and my .35 rem but it ain't happening easily. My 6.5 shoots 1/2 moa J bullets and around 6" to 7" moa cast. The .35 is 2" moa w/J bullets and off an 8" paper plate with cast.:veryconfu

[TXGunNut]

My next move is to pick one cartridge & one rifle and make it work with CB's instead of jumping from one to another and not following through on the data or info that I have accumulated.-fishnbob




Good plan, pretty sure that's what I'll do as well. Before this season's hunting trips I was trying to develop CB hunting loads for three different rifles and neglected to keep good notes. Somehow I came up with a useable load for one rifle (and used it to good effect!) but that was probably just lucky. Now the freezer's full, pressure's off. [smilie=w: I think I'll tweak that load a bit more and move on to another one. That way I can focus on one rifle, one set of dies, one or two moulds. Good plan, fishnbob.

[44 flattop]

It's not only possible, you can do it with a handgun!
Agreed!

I have a T/C in .358JDJ that will keep the RCBS35-200 inside 1 1/4" all day at 100 yards.

I have a T/C in .35 Rem that will do the same thing with the same bullet.

I also have a T/C in 444 Marlin that will keep the 429640 right at 1" at 1900fps!

But I 'used' to have a T/C in a 10" 30-30 that would keep five shots inside 3/4" at 100 yards using the 311041 but let it get traded in a weak moment...:mad: Gotta find me another one like that someday....

44

[Cornfused]

1st - Target shooter or hunter? Too many target shooters go hunting - 6 inch group on deer or bigger animals at 100 yards is fine.

2nd - sights and gun. With round ball and open sights I NEVER shoot at an animal beyond about 50-60 yards; 2x7 variable and modern ammo extends that considerably, but good sense and humane hunting should limit ranges considerably.

[captaint]

A little personal experience. In 35 years of deer hunting in Pa., I have had ONE opportunity for a shot at over 100 yards. Unless you sit by a big field, you just don't get many chances for longer shots. I have plenty of scoped rifles that will shoot J bullets under an inch. Truth is, I don't often need them, for deer hunting, anyway.

Having said that, rifles that WON'T shoot well, I don't find very interesting. I have only cast and loaded for one rifle. A Win High Wall in 38-55. That one will put three inside an inch at 100. One of these days, as big as that rifle is, I'm going to take it deer hunting and take a deer with it. Better practice my open sight shooting in the mean time..... enjoy Mike

[white eagle]

my longest shot to date was 175 yds in the woods
most of my shots are at whitetails that are in valleys
through brush and into very small openings
I mainly sit on the ridges and watch for them moving about and wait for a shot opportunity
lots of varying distances and no open field shooting
I need a rifle that will deliver and I want it to deliver cast

[Chief RID]

We still talk about this one. Kinda graphic but real. We hunt over bait and at dark we shoot to drop them right there. I like behind the ear but this one was for the eye. It ended up in one eye and out the other. DRT. Of coarse the fellow called the shot.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
Most rifles can get 2" with cast, some rifles 1" at 100yds. with cast.
My 7MM/06 & 7MM Mag will get 2"on a good day. The 444 Marlin I once owned did the 1". WITH J BULLETS 3/4", MUCH EASIER TO DO,with the 7MM's
Some pistols will do 2" cast or j bullet at 50yds. On a very good day.
Yeah I am just not as good as 44Man, but I keep trying. :Fire::Fire:

[barrabruce]

I only cast for 0ne gun.
30-30
With plain cast light load Iv'e got 5 in a clover leaf at 100yrds. But I usually only get all inside an easy inch.10 or so.

Me paper patch with selected stuff can get to a tad over 1 inch at 100.

But being lazy I can put most if not all in an 1 1/2 or a tad larger using just a scoop of powder and resonable looking cast and wrapped bullets. They aint going more than 1800-1900 fps.
Somewhere in the comfortable burning range of the powder..so it don't matter much if I'm a couple of grannuals out either way.

Least they are consistent. easy to do and no great dramas.

I may use them one day to hunt pigs or such but I suspect most shot to be with in 100yrds anyways.
150 tops. I can carry a few selected and pampered rounds for the longer shots if I need them.

Barra


I

[Cornfused]

We still talk about this one. Kinda graphic but real. We hunt over bait and at dark we shoot to drop them right there. I like behind the ear but this one was for the eye. It ended up in one eye and out the other. DRT. Of coarse the fellow called the shot.
-------

Well ......

That is not necessarily a lethal hit, sort of like blowing off a jaw bone.

Behind the ear is better.

[lister]

My 3030 rifle with a lyman 66 aperture shoots consistently 1 in at 100 yds with cast boolits, best ever group was .75in. Till I got the lyman, my best group was 3 in. It's my main hunting rifle now.

[leadman]

Here in Az. a person may wait years to draw a tag for big game. I'm on 17 years with no antelope permit. I do get drawn for cow elk hunts consistently so do get to go hunting.
We we get to hunt we normally have 5 to 7 days to do the job so I use mostly jacketed. I do carry cast if I am stalking the junipers or sitting on water holes.
That said my jacketed are good all the way to 600 yards with the farthest shot at 472 yards.
So sub- moa from the jacketed.
I do have a couple of bolt guns that will shoot sub-moa with cast consistently. My left hand Savage 30-06 with 314299 will do sub-moa at 2,600 fps but find it difficult for me to make the decision to carry it.
With my Contender 22K Hornet carbine it makes no difference if I am carrying cast or jacketed as the accuracy and range are almost identical. I limit most shots to 175 yards or shorter with this.
My Pedersoli Rolling Block in 40-65 is very accurate and have sat at water holes with it but so far no shots. It has taken a few varmints out to about 200 yards. Knowing the range is critical
as a 400gr boolit at 1,300 fps has a rainbow trajectory.

Under normal range condition with a gusty breeze of 5 to 15 mph I am satisfied with moa at 200 yards with cast. This includes the flier because I have a hard time reading the wind.

[41mag]

Well for now all I am casting for is my revolvers. I started out with the 454 and now am working with my 45 Colt. With either this is what I am looking for in an off hand shot group at 50 yards,

45 Colt,
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f285/41nag/Shooting/Cast%20Boolit%20Loading%20and%20Shooting/Group1.jpg

Raging Bull in 454,
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f285/41nag/Shooting/Cast%20Boolit%20Loading%20and%20Shooting/P1010249.jpg

These two groups were from 25yds, but they were also only the first loads I shot using my own cast boolits a few months ago. I have now actually worked up a couple of loads for each which will do this and better from a rest, now to work on me. I know for a fact I can do it using J-words, so if I can't get it with cast there is an issue somewhere. So far I haven't been disappointed, but I still have half a dozen or so more revolvers to work with. We'll see......

Once I get the handguns up and running, theeennnn I will start playin with a couple of rifles.

[canyon-ghost]

Good Shooting, Mike! Revolvers are a world all their own, like mine a lot.

[RidgerunnerAk]

Depends. My 1849-vintage Springfield mod 1842 smooth bore .69 cal musket with no rear sight will shoot inside of 10" at 100yds with .678" round balls, which excites the hell out of me... plenty good for a moose for this boy. My vintage Winchester High wall .45-90 shoots inside 3" at 200yds using 400gr bullets, which it shouldn't do in theory. I'm gong to try the 385gr bullets this year and see if I can tighten it up and make it a reliable 500 yd moose and caribou killer. I once shot a caribou at 250 yds with my 1886 Winchester .45-90 using 325gr CB's. Two shots hit the heart within 1.5" of each other. I was impressed. Both Winchesters sport original Lyman tang sights.

[outdoorfan]

When I had the 30-06, I couldn't get the fliers to go away at the speeds I like to shoot at (2300 fps+). Now that I shoot the 35 Whelen, I get great accuracy. This is a 5-shot group at 375 yards, shot from my elevated deer stand. 4 1/16 inches ctc. 250 grainer at 2350 fps. 2 deer that were both dropped at 290 yards tell me the load is pretty consistent. Boolit drop is another issue! :roll: