A Huntin' We Will Go

[Lead melter]

OK Mil-Surp totin’ hunters, this one’s for you.

I have decided to hunt the local deer population this fall with cast boolits only. I’ll have 3 different rifles to use; a 45-70 with the Ranch Dog 420 grainer in front of 28 grains XMP-5744, a 30-30 with the Lee 170 grain RN/FP atop 31 grains of Winchester 748, and an M-44 Moisin-Nagant with…????

My plan is to use the Lee C312-185-1R boolit, Gator gas check, sized .316” of an alloy consisting of 5 parts pure lead and 2 parts linotype. This alloy has shown to have enough toughness to hold together [meaning recovered boolits still have nice, clean rifling marks, no smears] to at least 1800fps while allowing some expansion upon impact. Water dropping, tin addition, or other tweaks may come into play as I develop the final load.

Range from shooter to critter will be less than 125 yards, mostly 75 yards or less. These southern deer are not huge. My biggest to date was 183 lbs hanging with hide, entrails, etc. Most are 100-150 lbs.

While I know I have not covered all bases, and there are many factors you may come up with, my question is this: Which powders and loads thereof have any of you used to push the same or similar boolit at 1800-2200fps with acceptable accuracy? By ‘acceptable’ I mean a group no larger than 3-4” at 100 yards. Some may not agree with this level of precision, but it has been my finding that confidence and careful aim result in good shot placement, and good shot placement is more important the raw kinetic energy. The vital area of these deer is about the size of a soccer ball. If I can hit a soccer ball 5 of 5 shots, I will be skinning soon.

Thanks for your time and advice. All ideas or comments are welcome.

[cbrick]

A Huntin' We Will Go

Ok, I'm green with envy, wish I was goin to.

Probably personal preference but it seems to me that on those size of deer at those ranges a 45-70 is a bit over kill. My preference would be the 30-30 and you can easily get 2000 to 2200 fps with it.

Over on the Levergun.com (http://www.levergun.com) site Jim Taylor has numerous loads listed and many articles also, some very good readin.

Rick

[Lead melter]

cbrick,

You hit the overkill topic right on the head.

See, the thing is, I and this NEF Handi have an ongoing battle. This will be the 4th year that I have carried that rifle, and if all goes as it has been, I won't see a blasted thing! If I take anything else, I usually see deer, but not with the Handi in hand. I am determined, though, to keep plodding along 'till Bambi drops to the big boolit. I will not be defeated by an inanimate object!!!!!!

The other two rifles are for when the desperation kicks in that the freezer is getting empty.

I think you get the idea.:twisted:

[MT Gianni]

I see no reason for the 3rd unless "want to" really exceeds the 2nd rifle. Gianni

[missionary5155]

Hey at 75 yds or less I would use my old Navy Zouve and a patched .665 round ball... But with your choices I haul out the 45 and feed then corn munchers a 300 SOFT lead projectile at about 1600 fps and wait till they were close to the tractor trail.

[Junior1942]

My M44 and M38 shot all over the backing board using any cast bullet at a velocity over 1400 fps. I gave up on cast bullet hunting with them. I also hunt with cast only, if I can. The M44 shoots the .308" 220 gr Hornady and the .312" Hornady 174 gr just fine & dandy. My nephew's M44 also shoots the 174 gr Hornady really well.

[jhalcott]

Well gee whiz, I have the 45-70 AND 30-30 in 14" hand guns and they BOTH kill deer very dead at ranges a good bit more than you want. IF your guns shoot 3 to 4" hundred yard groups you should not have any trouble getting your deer. The 7.62x54 Russian is one of the rounds I want to hunt with, just can't afford an Encore pistol and custom barrel .!

[ebner glocken]

My M44 shoots just fine using book data and remington 180 grain core loks. IMR 4064 works great. Never tried them on any game other than steel gongs and flint rocks but see no reason it wouldn't kill you anything deer size at any reasonable range.

Ebner

[d43p]

I've shot a lot of Eastern whitetails with my .338/06 useing 12 grs. of Red Dot, 200gr. wheelweight bullet. Seems to work really well. The mold is a Lee, distances vary, not more than 100 yds.