30 caliber, 150 grain

[magnumuser]

For the life of me, the internet is nothing but discussions of 150 grain jacketed for deer hunting in all flavors of 30 cliber rifle. But NOTHING for 150 grain cast bullets for hunting. IS there some secret i havent been told?

[Coopaloop86]

My first and personal guess would be that typically you don't push a cast to jacketed velocities so I make up that difference generally with a heavy for caliber projectile. 150 would be pretty light for most any .30 cal. Most all of my 30s are bumping close to 200gr or above.

[Tripplebeards]

I’ve tried ALOT of various 150 grain jacketed bullets hand loaded in my 30-06 over the decades on deer. Most never exited. Most that ran after the shot was always a guessing game to find them becuae most left no blood trails. I went back to 180 grain versions in the same brands and always got an exit regardless if backbone or shoulder was hit. If I ever had to track I always had a blood trail…until this year because I the bullet exit exited at an angle to far back. My shot placement was in the top back (and farther back than I would have liked) oit of my elevated my tree stand. It was a nice buck that was behind me. I twisted my body around backwards to the point the shot was awkward and shouldn’t have been taken. The gun stock wasn’t on my shoulder and I didn’t know it. The recoil from basically holding the gun “freely” caused the scope to hit me in the opposite eye. I had the same thing happen two years ago. You would have think I learned…nope. Got the deer but almost knocked myself out from being scoped. Anyways, It exited low stomach so no blood to follow. Wasn’t a good shot needless to say. Deer made it a 100 yards down the hill and piled up. My fault with a bad shot placement.


So the bullet still exited but no blood since the stomach contents filled the hole. I would assume that’s why caster use heavy projectiles to make sure they get an exit for a two hole blood trail. Also because of “yester year” old time casting from when powder coating and gas checks weren’t used slower velocities kept from leading barrels would be my guess? I can tell you a soft lead hollow point drive cat 2100 fps drops deer consistently quicker for me in .358 than a .358 180 grain speer hot core driven between 2350 to 2450 fps. Imo I’d rather use a heavy for caliber bullet/boolit in any caliber when hunting deer for a better chance of a pass through. I also don’t shoot over a 150 yards. Most shots are under 75 yards and closer to 35 yards.

[Rapier]

The RCBS 150 grain Silhouette bullet has a large flat meplat and works well in cartridges like the 30-30 in a tube magazine, or a single shot with Unique's standard load of 10 grains or with 4227.

[versa-06]

I go along with the heavy for caliber in cast. The 170's and up for the 30 cal rifles. Powder coating has been a great thing getting a bit more velocity, but it's almost impossible with a bullet with a bore riding nose. I've experienced the same with the softer 150 gr jacketed bullets. Never had a Hornady or Remington 150 that didn't pass thru. -06

[Texas by God]

My first cast bullet deer kill was a buck at 60 yards with the Lee C309150F.
Complete penetration; it couldn’t have killed the deer any deader. This was with 25 grs of 3031 so probably around 17-1800 fps.
I’ve since switched to the C309170F and C309200R for my .30 caliber use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tripplebeards]

I go along with the heavy for caliber in cast. The 170's and up for the 30 cal rifles. Powder coating has been a great thing getting a bit more velocity, but it's almost impossible with a bullet with a bore riding nose. I've experienced the same with the softer 150 gr jacketed bullets. Never had a Hornady or Remington 150 that didn't pass thru. -06

The ones I consistently never got pass throughs with were mainly 150 grain Seirras. Especially the boat tail versions. Loads were close to max book loads so im sure that didn't help keep the bullet together. Wqsnr alot of internal damage with them either. Id like to get my hands on some 225 grain .358 seirras. Hear they are the hammer of Thor on deer and don't often exit at 35 whelen velocities. I'm sure deer don't go anywhere with that combo anyways.

[magnumuser]

im just curious as to whats what because a single shot bolt action is no real good use for deer hunting. and as my gun would need to have 150s in the magazine for proper feeding, its crappy.

[Good Cheer]

Thirty caliber is a real small bore for deer hunting, even on briefcase deer.
As heavy as practical and very blunt would be good choices.

I like larger diameters.

[versa-06]

I have grown very fond of 35 cal & up. Not to say that the 30 cal. is not enough, because it is. Killed many, many deer in the past. 35 & up is just my preference for cast with deer & bear. -06

[Friends call me Pac]

I use a 165gr from NOE in my 30.30 and 30.06 rifles. They aren't 150gr but certainly not 200gr either but they have killed every deer I have shot with them.

[dverna]

For the life of me, the internet is nothing but discussions of 150 grain jacketed for deer hunting in all flavors of 30 cliber rifle. But NOTHING for 150 grain cast bullets for hunting. IS there some secret i havent been told?

It is simple. Jacketed bullets provide superior velocity, trajectory, and accuracy.

If hunting where shots over 200 yards may be required, the cast bullet is inferior.

Of course, this is viewed as blasphemy on a cast bullet forum, but it is reality.

[magnumuser]

It is simple. Jacketed bullets provide superior velocity, trajectory, and accuracy.

If hunting where shots over 200 yards may be required, the cast bullet is inferior.

Of course, this is viewed as blasphemy on a cast bullet forum, but it is reality.

you dont understand the proper use of sarcasm, or you are against hunting with cast bullets.

Im tring to figure out why the world of cast bullet has endless troves of hunting with 170+ grain cast bullets in 30 caliber rifles, from 30-30 to 300 magnum. but nothing about the lowly 150 grainers.

[Tripplebeards]

My guess is the “heavy for caliber” cast boolits are longer so there is more boolit contact with the lands to help stabilize them for better accuracy vs a shorter, lighter, boolit.

[35 Rem]

I think the reason why heavier bullets are favored by cast hunters is simple. With alloys soft enough to expand and kill humanely, velocity is limited to about 2,100 to 2,200 ft/sec. Since most any 30 caliber cartridge can easily exceed that with a 150 grain bullet, most people go heavier to increase killing power. An exit hole is always better for blood trails as well as the fact that more blood leaking means a deer drops a lot closer to where you shot it. I haven't really hunted much with my 30-30 but have taken 4 deer with a 32 Special, which is barely larger than 30 caliber. Both bullets I've used weighed 180 grains and velocity is a bit over 2,100 ft/sec,

[magnumuser]

My guess is the “heavy for caliber” cast boolits are longer so there is more boolit contact with the lands to help stabilize them for better accuracy vs a shorter, lighter, boolit.

that harris guy who came up with the load for service rifles using red dot, bullseye, unique, and what other ones.. did indeed mention using 150 grain cast bullets in competition, not 200 yard ranges but if its accurate enough for 1-200 yards... it should be able to have correct impact down range on a deer.

[TCLouis]

I do not see any mention of the 311440 or copies thereof.
Anyone using them?

[versa-06]

Most any rifle will shoot out to 200 yds. But the penetration & accuracy needed to drop a deer cleanly may not be in the mix. A 223 with a 45 grain bullet will easily shoot 200 yds but I would not want to call it my deer load. But that is my take, your mileage may vary. -06

[versa-06]

P.S. I realize you are speaking of a 150 grain bullet. But in my experiences heavy bullets deliver more impact, penetration, & expansion capabilities than lighter ones.

[quilbilly]

My .45 muzzleloader using a 132 gr PRB seems to drop deer (even larger mule deer) with dispatch at a terminal velocity of 1000 fps not to mention my 7mm TCU carbine with its 135 gr. boolits at an MV of 1800 when I occasionally hunt modern rifle. Of course, even on clearcuts around here, shots of over 130 yards are rarely necessary. When I did my terminal ballistics tests years ago on my 30/30 with 150 gr Lee RFGC boolits started at 1600 fps into soaked, compressed phone books 40 yards away, I got well over 21" of penetration with 2x+ expansion and 95% weight retention. From those tests in that hard media, I concluded that I was easily good to 150 yards on our local black tail deer.