Jacketed vs cast for large game.

[skeettx]

AMEN
I hunt game, I do not snipe game
Mike

[cwlongshot]

Good read guys!

For my kind of hunting here in the NE. Its under 200yards and Cast bullets are very appropraite. I have used them for years in my hand guns but only sporatically in my rifles.

This year I plan to be 100% CAST BULLET on game.

We will see...

CW

[quilbilly]

I have found I get quicker kills with cast. This may be because of the wide meplat, more than anything else.

At ranges under 150 yards, I totally agree from my experiences hunting coastal Roosevelt elk with muzzleloaders. My kills went so quickly that when I occasionally hunted with a modern firearm (once with a 348 and later replaced with a 444) I slowed even the jacketed boolits down to be more comparable to my muzzleloaders. In the "jungles" of the coastal Pac. NW, even a well hit elk doesn't have to go far before he/she can be lost. On one occasion, when I mistakenly shot the lead herd cow (I was alone and wanted something smaller) from 50 yards with a 50 cal. muzzleloader loaded with a sabot holding a 265 gr. 429 SWC at an MV of 1700. When struck the 500# cow was lifted completely off the ground with hooves rotating skyward. Big, slow cast boolits have a lot of "slap-down" authority for up close hunting.

[dverna]

Many people take pride in harvesting game using handloaded ammunition. Using cast bullets they made adds to that pride.

As it should. It takes more effort to get an accurate cast bullet and one that will do the job....especially as range increases.

I do not hunt much, so it is less expensive and easier to use jacketed bullets. After adding the cost of a good mold, sizer, gas checks, and cost of testing loads and lubes, I can buy a lifetime supply of jacketed hunting bullets. Plus, I like knowing I can take a 300 yard shot accurately.

But the .30/30 would do well with cast bullets. Good advice from the previous posters.

[MT Chambers]

For cals. that rely on bullet dia., frontal width, and bullet weight, cast bullets have it all over jacketed. For high vel. long range shooting, jacketed are usually used but I am not that kind of hunter as I am concerned about wounding game.

[GregLaROCHE]

Boolit alloy makes a big difference. If I were hunting deer with my .45-70, I would be shooting close to pure lead with the original .45-70 government load. That would conserve as much meat as possible.

On the other hand if I were carrying it for brown Bear protection, I would be using a very high BHN boolit with a big charge behind it, to be sure to get the deep penetration needed.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate all the comments on this subject.

Let's say a 30-30 170 grain jacketed vs a 31141 from acww+Sn, Both at 2000 FPS and range of 100 yards. Are there any advantages to either over the other or is it a wash?

[Time Killer]

In my experience I have killed most of my large game with shots of less than 100 yards. At that distance it is simply a matter of choice of what you want to shoot and your confidence in the load. If I am hunting close to home I have become fond of my Lead and swagged projectiles. If I was going out of state to another location that I was not familiar with and hunting game that may require up to 350 yard shot. I am going to take a gun and hand loaded and tuned J word I have confidence in. I am not saying that a lead or swagged projectile could not make this shot as many have done it in the past. I would just be considering that I would only be on this hunt for a week or so and It would just be easier to make sure my load and gun was tuned in with the J word upon arrival. Allowing me to make a shot with confidence in that situation.

[Tripplebeards]

I would say as far as you can shoot them accurately.

[quilbilly]

I appreciate all the comments on this subject.

Let's say a 30-30 170 grain jacketed vs a 31141 from acww+Sn, Both at 2000 FPS and range of 100 yards. Are there any advantages to either over the other or is it a wash?

Both will do the job nicely but I would chose the 311041 if I was in heavy cover. I assume you are after deer so you don't really need that 2000fps from my experience with the 311041. An MV of 1600-1650 will do famously especially if you create a slightly softer alloy making the load more fun to shoot year around. On the other hand, a jacketed projectile might require the higher velocity to perform properly. In my own terminal ballistic tests at 40 yards, I came to the conclusion that with the right alloy CB, all you really need for excellent performance deer from a 30 cal. is a terminal velocity of about 1,100 fps to deposit maximum energy on target with usually an exit hole for bleeding.