How fast does it need to go?

[gee-gaw]

Hey Guys,
I would like to know how much velocity do I need with a 31141 from a 30-30 to kill a 150 pound whitetail deer? I've read much but some info appears to be conflicting. Please, would a few of you with experience please chime in. I suspect that 1600 FPS will do it with a double lung shot. But now lets here from you who have," been there, done that"
Thanks in advance for your help,
Wayne

[white eagle]

I have that very mold and I would not hesitate to use that boolit
on any whitetail
I have not shot any deer with it but have seen what cast will do
you are worrying about nothing place the boolit where it belongs and its game on

[kbstenberg]

Last year I took the 1 an only deer I have gotten with the 311041. My load was 12gr.-Unique. This year I also loaded some hunting loads with 14gr.- 2400. Velocity is unknown, but accuracy was plenty good. An all my shots are 50 yards or shorter. My gun is a 1947 Win. 94

[quilbilly]

Last year I did the "wet phone book" test on my 30/30 at 60 yards with the Lee 160 gr RN boolit. With a muzzle velocity of 1550 I got 19" of penetration and the boolit started tumbling at 6" making an absolutely vicious wound channel. You bet the 30/30 will work just fine on deer out to 100 yds and probably a little more.

[richhodg66]

I shot a good sized doe in our early season with that bullet. I cast it from wheel weights with 2 ounces of 95/5 solder to a ten pound pot and loaded it in front of 25 grains of that old BW-36 (burns real close to IMR 3031) . I'm guessing 1800 FPS and the deer was very close (10 yards or so from the tree I was in). Straight through both lungs and knicked the heart on the way through, the deer made it about 20 yards or so before falling over. She bled profusely the whole way, much, much more so than either of the ones I shot in muzzle loader season with .44 SWCs that went all the way through both lungs the same way.

I didn't weigh the doe, but got 41 pounds of meat from her minus the tenderloins and the heart which I didn't weigh. Using the rule of thumb that you yield about one third of the hoof weight in meat, that made her a 120-130 lb deer, not huge for Kansas, but definitely not a fawn.

I think your 1600 FPS will do fine as long as you don't take real long shots and you place it carefully.

[gee-gaw]

Now that's what I call response!!! You guys are the very reason this site is the best! The amount of knowledge, experience, and willingness to share, just boggles my mind! I suspected what you fellows have said, but then I was having some doubts. So should I cast them hard or go for as soft as I can without leading?
Wayne

[richhodg66]

I started with wheel weights because it was easy, but I read an article in my old Lyman manual by C.E. Harris that said WW at 1800 FPS or so gave good results in hunting. When I get time, I'd like try some slightly softer. On the doe I shot, I mentioned that it knicked the heart. I usually eat the heart pretty soon after killing a deer and did this one too. In the process, I ended up with a tiny sliver of lead in my teeth, which I picked out, but I had some concern the bullet may have fractured somewhat (it was an almost point blank shot) and I would think a sofetr alloy may help prevent that.

I've never tried to see how soft I could go without accuracy suffering, and I'm sure it will vary from rifle to rifle and load to load. For my little Savage 340, I've shot quite a few of Wheel Weights, sized to .311 and lubed with standard NRA formula with no problems, maybe I could get 50/50 WW/Pb to do the same.

I'd really like to see if I can get a soft alloy to work with the 311284 and SR4759 load that works so well in my '06. That would be a great deer load I would think.

[OBXPilgrim]

I don't think I'd worry one bit about 1600 fps.

I pushed a 311041 to 1800fps in 30-06 - but it wouldn't have made any difference if it were 30-30 either. It punched right on through - ACWW. And it didn't really "run" off, it kind of skidded.

[Larry Gibson]

Where I hunt the deer run 150 - 200+ lbs and shots can be long. I limit myself to 200 yards max with cast bullets out of rifles. I have used the 311041HP for many years and have killed quite a few deer with it not only out of the 30-30 but other .30 cal cartridges as well. I like to use a softer alloy so expansion is very good without shattering the nose off. I also shortened the HP stem so the HP goes only 1/3 the nose length.

I've found this softer cast 311041HP bullet then expands well at 1450-1500 fps at impact with sufficient penetraion on deer for any shot I will take. Thus I start them out at 2000 - 2100+ fps and the retained velocity at 200 yards meets the criteria. The expanding bullet also will kill quicker that a hard cast one that does not expand.

BTW; a " double lung shot " deer with a hard cast 311041 can go a long ways before it dies. Best to put the bullet throught the heart area and break down at least one leg. The difference in meat damage will be minimal but losing a deer with the double lung shot....and I have.... is a miserable situation and really wastes a lot more meat.........

Larry Gibson