First cast bullet deer

[lovedogs]

Ever since getting back into casting bullets a couple years ago I've been wondering how they'd work on game. My mould for the .45-70 is for a big RN bullet for silhouette competition but the one I use for my .44 pistols drops 240 gr. RNFPGC that I cast from #2 alloy. Here in Mt. we could take a number of deer this year so I set out to take fill one of my WT doe tags with the Contender .44 wearing a Tru-Glo red dot. That turned out to be an excellent outfit for use in the low light of the deep woods. One very windy day I managed to use the wind noise to cover my noisy footsteps in the dry twigs and needles and got up within 30 yds. As she turned to leave I put the shot through her last rib and angled it through her heart and on out the offhand shoulder. As often happens with a heart shot she managed to go 60 yds. before going down. The lead penetrated better than any jacketed I've used and the damage was about the same. It didn't blow up but tore her heart to shreds. I was impressed!

[JDL]

Congratulations! There's a feeling that one has whenever he uses a homemade boolit that's absent when using the golden store bought ones. -JDL

[Bass Ackward]

Contender .44 wearing a Tru-Glo red dot. That turned out to be an excellent outfit for use in the low light of the deep woods.

The lead penetrated better than any jacketed I've used and the damage was about the same. It didn't blow up but tore her heart to shreds. I was impressed!


Lovey,

A 44 kill deer? Naaaa. I always stand behind a tree when I shoot mine in case it bounces back.

Penetration? Are you sure you weren't using jacketed? :grin:

Congratulations on your discovery.

[lovedogs]

Those #2 alloys at 1600 FPS don't bounce back. They either penetrate or splatter, depending on what you hit. Of all the conventional jacketed I've used they've all shedded their jackets and failed to penetrate well. I had one Sierra that the hollow-point filled up with hair and then acted like a solid. It penetrated. But all the rest have blown up. They've always killed okay but failed to penetrate very far. If the shots were broadside they usually exit but if they were diagonal hits they didn't make the trip. The cast bullet I tried this fall made the trip all the way through the deer diagonally, penetrating probably 18 inches or so. The liver was torn almost in two. The heart was mush, much like it would be if it were hit with a high-velocity jacketed bullet. It made a neat quarter-sized exit hole with almost no bloodshot around the wound. Like they say... you could eat right up to the hole. I was well pleased with it's performance. I'd like a little longer shot next time to see how it worked with a little less impact velocity.

[Bass Ackward]

I'd like a little longer shot next time to see how it worked with a little less impact velocity.


Lovey,

It will work just fine down there too. Read my thread just a few below this one. I was only running 1100 fps at the muzzle.