Choosing a boolit

[Blackcat]

Im just not sure where to ask this.
I had surgery on my hand last year and its a bit difficult to shoot the heavier rounds from my .454.
Im trying to design and select a boolit mold and looking into some of the custom molds that were suggested here (thanks btw)
I got a couple of boxes of Hornady XTP in various grains and had a go at finding a size with manageable recoil.
I found that Hornady 240gr XTP MAG is just about right.

Heres the problem... I want to cast a boolit that when loaded has just a little less recoil than the 240 XTP MAG without losing performance and accuracy by loading down. I have looked all over and asked around and its proving somewhat difficult to figure this out.

Q. If I cast a boolit around 240gr can I load it a bit lighter to get slightly less recoil without affecting the performance a whole lot or should I go with a lighter boolit ?

Q. For those full days of shooting at the range what grain would you recommend?

Q. Is Kieth or SWC the best option for target accuracy or should I go with another style boolit ?

Final question for now... Is there a boolit design and load that is generally considered optimal performance in the .454 ?

Thanks again !

[paul h]

What game are you planning to take when you ask about terminal performance? It's hared to say what the optimal performance bullet is for your gun unless you state what you are hunting and at what ranges. If you're looking to take game at 200 yds, I'd go with a 250 gr cast @ 2000 fps. If the game is moose up close and personal, I'd go with 360 gr @ 1200 fps. It all depends on the application.

IMHO, the best cast bullet design for top accuracy over a range of velocities in a hangun is the LBT LFN. Properly designed swc's are good in guns that like them, but I find the LFN is an improvement.

If you want to shoot all day long, get a 357 mag or 38 special. In my 480 I've shot 1000's of 310 gr cast @ 950 fps, and while the load was incredibly accurate and much milder than top end loads, it was not an all day target load. As much as I like the big bores, I'll readily admit that for mild recoil all day shooting, the 35 bore is a much, much better way to go.

[geargnasher]

Im just not sure where to ask this.
I had surgery on my hand last year and its a bit difficult to shoot the heavier rounds from my .454.
Im trying to design and select a boolit mold and looking into some of the custom molds that were suggested here (thanks btw)
I got a couple of boxes of Hornady XTP in various grains and had a go at finding a size with manageable recoil.
I found that Hornady 240gr XTP MAG is just about right.

Heres the problem... I want to cast a boolit that when loaded has just a little less recoil than the 240 XTP MAG without losing performance and accuracy by loading down. I have looked all over and asked around and its proving somewhat difficult to figure this out.

Q. If I cast a boolit around 240gr can I load it a bit lighter to get slightly less recoil without affecting the performance a whole lot or should I go with a lighter boolit ?
A. Depends on your definition of "performance". A heavy boolit launched with slow powder can have a lot more energy downrange than a fast boolit launched with a fast powder. Felt recoil might also be less with a slower, heavier boolit launched with a slow-burning powder.

Q. For those full days of shooting at the range what grain would you recommend?
A. I would go with a .45 Colt boolit, about 250-grains or so, round-flat-nose design with a full-diameter nose base and launch it with Unique at about 800 fps.

Q. Is Kieth or SWC the best option for target accuracy or should I go with another style boolit ?
A. I never got the same accuracy from a SWC as I have with a WFN or RFN. Member 44Man got me to shooting RFN boolits cast pretty hard (against what I normally do) out of water-quenched wheel weights and they outshoot everything else I've tried. For killing loads, a really hard, WFN boolit like LBT is famous for is more deadly and more reliable than a softer, expanding hollow point. For target work, a softer RFN at lower speeds is just fine. WFNs need some velocity to remain stable at long ranges IME, but others with more experience in this department will chime in I'm sure with their experiences.

Final question for now... Is there a boolit design and load that is generally considered optimal performance in the .454 ?
A. Answers to this will vary by individual reloader and gun.
Thanks again !

My advice is to treat it like a .45 Colt at SAA pressures for target, and load it like you mean it for hunting. Get yourself a padded shooting glove for the heavies to help reduce injury to your hand.

Gear