Oregon Trail Cast Bullets

[dtknowles]

Anyone care to comment on the article in the June issue of Handloader? Does anyone know the author Brian Pearce? Not really a bad article but nothing was mentioned about how these hard gas checked bullets are overkill for many of the loads tested. There as data for .41 mag. .44 mag. .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 mag. Very few of the loads break 1500 fps so I don't see the point in 21-24 BHN and gas checks for most if not all of the loads. It also indicated 2 percent silver in the alloy. I think that must be a typo and maybe should be more like 2 tenths of a percent I would guess. I checked the prices for these bullets and using the .41 cal TrueShot as an example a box of 100 is listed on their site for $31. If it is 2 percent silver then a 100 ct. box of the 265 grain .41 cal bullets would have 530 grains of silver that is more than an ounce of silver. The silver content alone would cost $25 to $30.

If you shoot heavy bullets in these calibers then the load data might be interesting. Does anyone read this magazine?

Tim

[jmort]

I like Handloader and I like Brian Pearce. In fact, it is my favorite magazine and he is my favorite writer. Handloader has been around for a while. Clearly a typo. I believe most/all lead has a similar silver content. I suppose some lead would be "richer" than others.

[JSH]

I read that also. I believe it is some kind of by product of some sort from the mining process ? I have a lot of respect for Brian. Along with quite a few other writers in rifle and handloader.
As to Oregon trail projectiles if you want to call them that. I wouldn't give but scrap price for a ton of them myself.
Once again those things made for the masses are usually pretty generic. Your mileage may vary.
Jeff

[uscra112]

Not to belittle Mr. Pearce personally in any way, but Handloader is now no different from 90% of all enthusiast and trade publications, in that the so-called "editorial content" is little more that advertising by another name. Oregon Trail casts hard boolits, so it was Brian's job to make 'em look good. It's been a long, long time since things were any different.

(Full disclosure: twenty years or so ago I was told by my boss that a major trade magazine was going to do an article on our industry. I was tasked to write that article, casting our company in the best light possible. Which I did, submitting my copy for his approval. The article appeared, not quite word for word, but close, under the byline of the one of the magazine's "feature editors", along with a full page ad for our company. My level of cynicism for these publications has never recovered.)

[dtknowles]

Not to belittle Mr. Pearce personally in any way, but Handloader is now no different from 90% of all enthusiast and trade publications, in that the so-called "editorial content" is little more that advertising by another name. Oregon Trail casts hard boolits, so it was Brian's job to make 'em look good. It's been a long, long time since things were any different.

(Full disclosure: twenty years or so ago I was told by my boss that a major trade magazine was going to do an article on our industry. I was tasked to write that article, casting our company in the best light possible. Which I did, submitting my copy for his approval. The article appeared, not quite word for word, but close, under the byline of the one of the magazine's "feature editors", along with a full page ad for our company. My level of cynicism for these publications has never recovered.)

If you read the magazines knowing what you know then you can adjust for the bias. I feel myself interpreting almost everything I read or hear for the bias of the source. In another hobby a magazine editor answering a question about why there were never any negative reviews in the magazine. He said something like if they tested a product (even one from an advertiser) that was poor or mediocre they would not publish the test but would let the Manufacturer/distributer know about the problems and they would never publish articles praising poor products. He asked for understanding about this editorial practice as if they published negative reviews they would lose advertising and the magazine would fold. If a new product comes out and none of the magazines do articles about it they probably think it is **** or the maker does not advertise with them.

Tim

[1bluehorse]

As to Oregon trail projectiles if you want to call them that. I wouldn't give but scrap price for a ton of them myself.
Once again those things made for the masses are usually pretty generic. Your mileage may vary.
Jeff

Mileage may vary..yes, Bob Munden uses them and seems to do pretty well with them. Surprising to me is as hard a bullet as they are he only pushes them around 750fps and is sorta accurate with them..IIRC Mr. Munden stated on one of his "shows" that his load was 7.4gr. of Unique with the 250gr. Lazer Cast bullet...I've shot em', they were fine, but that was when you could buy 500 for 30 bucks....I don't shoot them anymore.

[JSH]

On his show is the key word. I met Bob two years ago at my club. Visited with him a couple of hours. In that brief time I will say if you supplied him with a product he would do the rest. He was good enough and had enough guns he could make your product work. I saw his reloading stuff on his bus. There were boxes of lose ammo no markings or anything on them. Looked like a half dozen different bullets and designs. Aw they all shoot about the same he says.
Give me guns powder primer and ammo along with alite spending $ and will write you a nice article. TV sure I will mention you there too.
Jeff

[Grump]

Oregon Trails are the only commercial cast bullets I bother with.

Don't know if they are the only ones using a decent lube, the only ones not sizing too small (but they *would* custom size back in the mid-1990s IIRC), or both, but they are the ONLY ones that would not leave my bores looking like an old sewer pipe.

But then again my location and shipping costs in the past kept me from ever trying any other "big" brand like Zero.

I just wish they would sell me unsized bare bullets so I can size and lube them myself. I was a lube snob before I found this site.

They are consistently more accurate in my handguns than Berry's plated (9mm, .38, .40...haven't shot OTB .45s but the Berry's .45s only go like 4 inches at 25 yards out of three different Gov't models).

[Bucking the Tiger]

I have been a fan of Handloader for years and my favorite writer in it is Brian Pearce. He is a big fan of big sixguns and has wrote some great articles:He did one on economy loads years ago and a great one on Elmer Keith's 600 yard 44 Magnum shooting.
Having said that, they do shamelessly promote products in Handloader, but I forgive them. Handloader is the only magazine of its kind and companies selling gun stuff needs sales to stay in business. And of course, the magazine needs ad buyers to stay in business.

[PS Paul]

Like any publication, some articles are good and others, not so much. I like Brian Pearce's writing style. I have shot some of the Lazer Cast .45's and .358's. Super-hard, but worked fine. Our own cast boolits work better!

[Changeling]

It was once a good magazine, now it is just another rag that promotes BS! As for it's writers, you do know they get kick backs from sponsers in various forms don't you (for promoting)! Are do you think all that **** you read is true! Unbelieveable!

If you have questions, ask on this web site! There is basically more expertise/knowledge here than anywhere else in the world on cast bullets.

BTW, silver is often found in various (SMALL) persentages in mined lead.

[warf73]

Before I got my mold for the 45colt I bought said brand of laser cast silver bullets, they shot great (got the right size)but to costly for my tast. Here is from the horses mouth about the NEW SILVER BULLET http://www.laser-cast.com/AboutTrueShot.html


Sophisticated reloaders understand what it takes to create an accurate and
effective load for hunting or competition, and so does Oregon Trail® Bullet
Company. We have introduced the TrueShot® Premium Silver Gas
Checked Bullet line, created to provide the dedicated handloading enthusiast
with a cast bullet worthy of their efforts. Boasting a selection of heavyweight
handgun bullets, and super-hard rifle bullets, TrueShot® delivers
unsurpassable performance, extreme accuracy and unmatched economy!

Oregon Trail® Bullet Company rocked the shooting community several
years ago when they introduced the Laser-Cast® Silver Bullet. Their
exclusive alloy produced bullets harder than the average cast lead bullet.
This breakthrough allowed shooters to push their rounds at a higher velocity
without fear of leading and still protect the barrel from harsh wear.

TrueShot® projectiles will feature the same exceptional alloy and also
provide shooters with a selection of bullet weights previously unavailable in
cast bullets. Thanks to their uniform grain structure, these hard-hitting
heavyweights will give you the awesome penetration that you need. Their
advanced design and flawless consistency make them ideal for any shooting
sport that demands pinpoint accuracy. Here’s the best part, TrueShot®
bullets cost less than half of what comparable jacketed bullets do!

Conveniently packaged in small quantities, TrueShot®’s resilient boxes are
easy to handle and stack. Each box is clearly marked for caliber and bullet
weight. The folks at Oregon Trail® realize that smaller quantities are more
economical, especially when working on load development.

I've never shot these new silver bullets but saddly why would anyone shoot bought cast bullets as they are about the same price as jacketed bullets are now. With the jacketed you dont have to worry about fit, shaving the lead while reloading or the dreaded leaded up bore from undersized boolits.

[Grump]

Wish those guys would also just sell their alloy.

My Dad suspected that Flexible Mining Co. (or whatever the parent company is named) has either high-silver content lead ore, or perhaps high-lead content silver ore, and it's cheaper or more in line with the effort they want to expend to just leave the two metals mixed and add some tin for good casting fill.

Not sure if it was a spike in silver prices or just that there were some easy pickings near the surface, but a local ghost town sprang up for a very brief boom starting about 1875-ish, until the miners were left with silver ore locked a bit too tight in the quartz for the extraction to be economical. Or at least that was the story I heard. But there was an element of silver prices declining.

With Oregon Trail bullets, the fact that they haven't quit casting bullets to devote their efforts to extracting the silver makes me believe that even today's higher silver prices still aren't worth the effort to put the lead on one side of the shop and the silver on the other.

[W.R.Buchanan]

DT KNowles: I actually know Brian Pearce a little. I have talked to him several times at length at the SHOT Shows. And by "At length" I mean 45 minute conversations. Point being he knows me as well.

After talking to him this year I found out just how much this family shoots. For every article he and his sons shoot literally hundreds to thousands of rounds to gather the data they use for the articles. They shoot all year round,,,in Idaho,,, where it was -22F when he left for the SHOT Show this year.

In short this guy and his under 20 year old sons shoot more than all of us combined, and by extension has forgotten more about the subjects of Reloading, cast boolits and guns in general than all of us will ever know.

They are that good! and I don't say that lightly.

He is my favorite gun writer by far, his loading data is more pervasive than you would normally know, since he and his sons do a significant amount of load development for Hornady and others. He has direct access to state of the art ballistic labs and uses them to check his work.

I assure you this man is the salt of the earth, and would never print anything that was known to be untrue. He does have certain perameters he must adhear to when writing articles, and if those articles are about a product it most likely will be conveyed in a positive light. I know for a fact they they use a lot of Oregon Trail boolits simply because he has mentioned them numerous times and they shoot so much they don't have enough time to cast for everything they shoot. I also know he has a serious number of boolit moulds, and they do cast frequently.

I have never seen and article from him about an inferior product. IE: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

I spent a goodly portion of our conversation this year pushing him to publish a book complied from his articles on guns and loading for them, similar to what authors like Mike Venturino and others affiliated with Wolfe Publishing do.

I would buy it in a second.

In closing I would like you all to know he is about 6'-6" and 280lbs and when he talks to you it sounds just like he reads.

He is a genuine person and I consider him to be on the short list of "Them that knows!"

As far as using Oregon Trail Boolits, the reason for using hard boolits with gas checks is to eliminate leading problems that can and will show up in various firearms, none of which the company could anticipate. If you have been here for any length of time you know that every gun has it's own little needs and leading is a problem lots of times. With gas checks leading is never a problem so they've got all the bases covered. Also these boolits would be considered appropriate for big game where the intention is arrow strait penetration with little or no bullet deformation. Whereas this may or may not be achieved with plain based boolits of softer composition, it will damn sure be achived with the boolits the article is about.

From a business standpoint this is a good thing since one size fits all.

As far as the silver content, that probably is a typo, and nobody is totally imune from that issue.

I would also add that he doesn't have an internet connection, if you can believe that. He is aware of CastBoolits.com but has never been here, and he is aware because I told him about the site at the SHOT Show 3 years ago.. :mrgreen:

Randy

[onceabull]

It's more than a little amusing to read the xxxx thrown at Gunwriters on the internet sites for taking cumshaw, considering the # of posters angling to profit from touting "X" .or dissing "Y".. Onceabull

[uscra112]

It's more than a little amusing to read the xxxx thrown at Gunwriters on the internet sites for taking cumshaw, considering the # of posters angling to profit from touting "X" .or dissing "Y".. Onceabull

Care to cite some examples? I can't think of any offhand.

[uscra112]

As far as using Oregon Trail Boolits, the reason for using hard boolits with gas checks is to eliminate leading problems that can and will show up in various firearms, none of which the company could anticipate. If you have been here for any length of time you know that every gun has it's own little needs and leading is a problem lots of times. With gas checks leading is never a problem (!!) so they've got all the bases covered. Also these boolits would be considered appropriate for big game where the intention is arrow strait penetration with little or no bullet deformation. Whereas this may or may not be achieved with plain based boolits of softer composition, it will damn sure be achieved with the boolits the article is about.

I find this a slightly amazing statement, since it's so well known that gas checks can do nothing to prevent leading when the boolit is too small for the throat. Hard boolits are especially egregious in this regard, since they do not obturate unless hit with a very quick and strong initial pressure spike. Been there, done that, too embarrassed to wear the T-shirt.

Don't get me wrong - lately I'm having very good success using straight Linotype boolits in my Schmidt-Rubin K31, but those boolits fit my K-31's throat, which needs a .3115 or even .312 boolit. (Yes, there are K-31s like that!) If Oregon Trail really wanted to meet the needs of shooters, they'd sell boolits sized .310, .311, even .312 to fit Marlin Microgrooves and the majority of the milsurps out here that have large throats. But they don't. The poster above seems to be claiming that hardness makes up for all, which it most certainly doesn't. Mr. Pearce can certainly make an Oregon Trail boolit sized .309 work well in a brand new gun with .3080 grooves and a nice tight throat, but his article (and O.T.'s web site) leads readers to believe that a nice hard .309 boolit will work in a well-used 03-A3 or a Microgroove Marlin, which it most decidedly won't. Makes no mention of that, since it would not drive sales.

[W.R.Buchanan]

uscra112: I never said the boolits shouldn't be the correct size to fit the gun. And I didn't say they would work in every gun, we all know they probably won't. But they will work in the majority of guns and I think that's what they are going for. A product with wide useage, but not a fitsall.

I guess I did say one size fits all,,, but what I meant by that was one hardness/alloy was used for all their boolits so production didn't suffer.

I don't know that they only use one alloy either but they kind of imply that they do.

AS far a Oregon Trail meeting the demands of shooter, I would submit that they are probably producing that which they sell the most of, and after the articles written about their products, (from more sources than just Brian) I would be willing to bet their business is booming.

I know what an article in a national publication can do for business as mine was increased by a factor of 100 after just one mediocre article in JP Magazine in 1998.

I manufacture a kit that raises the seats in Jeep Wranglers 97-06. I make 3 different heights. You would be surprised at the number of people who want something just slightly different than what I make.

I have sold nearly 10,000 kits in the last 15 years and have only two returns for a refund. Why would I change the product? I do try to accomidate people as much as possible but I don't alter kits or make specials, it is just too time consuming and too costly to do so. I even tell people how to make what they want themselves if I can't satisfy them.

My reputation in the market place is second to none. and my sales prove it.

I would submit that Oregon Trail is doing the best it can to satisfy it's customers. And especially right now with all of the component shortages, I bet they are running 24/7.

I never said they were for everyone. We here at CastBoolits are way beyond "Buying Boolits!" :Fire:

Randy

[popper]

Got some .310 for my 30-30, they were just OK - you can't bump them up for the Marlin. Ag, Cu, S are hardeners, I prefer the Cu. I gave some away & melted the rest. Nothing against OT, mine just work better.

[PS Paul]

Got some .310 for my 30-30, they were just OK - you can't bump them up for the Marlin. Ag, Cu, S are hardeners, I prefer the Cu. I gave some away & melted the rest. Nothing against OT, mine just work better.

Yep. OURS work better, same as yours do!! I figure IF anyone is going to offer cast boolits out there, the way they do it at Oregon Trail seems to be satisfactory for many, just not us. That's all.

[dtknowles]

My issue with the article was all the tests with what I consider moderate velocities. A hard bullet with a gas check seems to me like the wrong approach for those pistols. Get rid of the gas check use a alloy with a BHN of 13 to 16 and reduce the price but I guess they also make bullets like that and the gas check and sweeteners for the alloy don't cost them as much as they would cost me.

Tim

[EDG]

I think the percent silver is probably more like .02 of a percent. There is silver in it but maybe only enough to keep the alloy bright.
Handloader has degenerated some with the current editor and I do not expect it to improve until Scovill leaves.
It seems to be the fad for magazine writers to denigrate the INTERNET or even claim they do not use it. It is all a bias against a media that competes with their livelihoods in the writing world. Those writers may feel they are big shots at the magazine outfits but the truth is some of us have seniority over them. I was subscribing to Handloader when most of them had never heard of the magazine.

[MT Chambers]

Those bullets are nothing that anyone can't do, use lino and tin, get a couple of LBT molds (or Accurate), and have at 'er, must have been a slow day at the magazine.

[MTtimberline]

Mileage may vary..yes, Bob Munden uses them and seems to do pretty well with them. Surprising to me is as hard a bullet as they are he only pushes them around 750fps and is sorta accurate with them..IIRC Mr. Munden stated on one of his "shows" that his load was 7.4gr. of Unique with the 250gr. Lazer Cast bullet...I've shot em', they were fine, but that was when you could buy 500 for 30 bucks....I don't shoot them anymore.

I believe that Bob Munden also doesn't shoot them anymore.

[bikerbeans]

Several years ago, before I started casting, I bought about 600 of the Oregon Trail 44cal 310g WNGC bullets. I found them on GB for about 1/3 of list price so I figured why not? I have only shot these bullets in rifles and have had very fine accuracy with them. I have one single shot rifle that a friend and I wildcatted to what we call the 44 Bodeen. This is essentially a 444 Marlin lengthened about 0.7 inch, approx. 91 grains of water capacity. With the 44 Bodeen, I have shot these 44 cal bullets in excess of 2,300 fps while maintaining accuracy. I have a friend who owns a scrap yard and has a 20K dollar metal tester. I will pop the GC off one of these bullets and have him run it through his tester and see what the silver content really is.

BB

[leadman]

Bob Munden is no longer with us.
I sell some of my boolits to friends and I can tell you stories of what people will do! One guy that I know slightly wanted to load boolits in his 30-06 so I asked if he had ever done this before. He hadn't so I offered to have him bring his gun I would help him load them. No way! Later he calls me up and says my boolits are no good as they just fall right in the case. I insisted he bring his gun and ammo over which he did. He never sized the cases. Another friend loaded Makarov ammo without belling the case mouths and complained when they would not chamber.
A commercial caster has to do what they can to make the boolits work in spite of what people do. I tend to a harder boolit as some will buy a boolit "just for plinking", then go and try to shoot max. jacketed bullet data.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I was pretty bummed about hearing of the passing of Bob Munden. I wanted to shake his hand at the SHOT Show this year in the hopes that some of his beingness wouyld run up my arm,,, but alass, He's gone.

I did shake Vicky's hand however, and so I got some second hand,,,,so to speak.

He was one of the truly great ones.

Randy

[LeftyDon]

Anyone care to comment on the article in the June issue of Handloader? Does anyone know the author Brian Pearce? Not really a bad article but nothing was mentioned about how these hard gas checked bullets are overkill for many of the loads tested. There as data for .41 mag. .44 mag. .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 mag. Very few of the loads break 1500 fps so I don't see the point in 21-24 BHN and gas checks for most if not all of the loads. It also indicated 2 percent silver in the alloy. I think that must be a typo and maybe should be more like 2 tenths of a percent I would guess. I checked the prices for these bullets and using the .41 cal TrueShot as an example a box of 100 is listed on their site for $31. If it is 2 percent silver then a 100 ct. box of the 265 grain .41 cal bullets would have 530 grains of silver that is more than an ounce of silver. The silver content alone would cost $25 to $30.

If you shoot heavy bullets in these calibers then the load data might be interesting. Does anyone read this magazine?

Tim

I'd guess that the 2% is wrong too, but if not and it really is in there, its there only because the cost to remove it from the lead would be more than it is worth even at today's silver price.

[LUBEDUDE]

I'd guess that the 2% is wrong too, but if not and it really is in there, its there only because the cost to remove it from the lead would cost more than it is worth even at today's silver price.

That's right!

When I buy lead at the foundry they sometimes provide me with a spec sheet. There is a list of about 10-12 metals in the lead. Among them are Gold, Copper, and I believe platinum is in there sometimes too.

[bluebird]

About gas checks on hot pistol loads:

I started sucking up firearms and forensic tech. in the early 50s and remember clearly the advent of the .44 Remington magnum revolver. The introduction of this cartridge/pistol combination was dramatic and extremely newsworthy. Reports of early handloading efforts for the new round noted bullet base deformation due to excessive heat, even with "hard" cast bullet material. The common solution for this handloading dilema was to use either a gas check cast bullet or a "half-jacket" commercially made bullet. In this light, using a gas check bullet for Mr. Pearce's experiments seems a reasonable approach.


Anyone care to comment on the article in the June issue of Handloader? Does anyone know the author Brian Pearce? Not really a bad article but nothing was mentioned about how these hard gas checked bullets are overkill for many of the loads tested. There as data for .41 mag. .44 mag. .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 mag. Very few of the loads break 1500 fps so I don't see the point in 21-24 BHN and gas checks for most if not all of the loads. It also indicated 2 percent silver in the alloy. I think that must be a typo and maybe should be more like 2 tenths of a percent I would guess. I checked the prices for these bullets and using the .41 cal TrueShot as an example a box of 100 is listed on their site for $31. If it is 2 percent silver then a 100 ct. box of the 265 grain .41 cal bullets would have 530 grains of silver that is more than an ounce of silver. The silver content alone would cost $25 to $30.

If you shoot heavy bullets in these calibers then the load data might be interesting. Does anyone read this magazine?

Tim

[NSB]

I've used Oregon Trail bullets in my 357max Low Wall and in my 45-70 High Wall, 1886, and Pedersoli Sharps. After trying many different cast bullets, I've found Oregon Trail bullets to work as well as any with the right powder at the right velocity. My High Wall and Sharps have both on occasion shot sub moa groups with them and my Low Wall will shoot most groups around 1.3-1.6" at a measured 114 yards. I do shoot them at very modest velocities though. I recently even shot a five group out of my Win 1886 in 45-70 of 1.4" at the same 114yd range using a Skinner rear sight with just the ghost ring (no aperture in sight). I don't have any complaints about Oregon Trail in those calibers and guns. I'm always trying new cast bullets and some shoot well and some do not but the Oregon Trail bullets have worked for me most of the time.

[MT Chambers]

His assignment for that issue of the magazine was to sell Oregon Trail bullets, period.

[Pressman]

My only experience with Oregon trail was several years ago, about 2000/2001. While working at a major gun parts distributing company I got a box for evaluation and possible inclusion in out catalog.

I loaded up some wrist snapping loads for my new to me 41 Whitetail caliber Blackhawk . Shooting for velocity and accuracy my third shot was a clean heart shot on the Shooting Crony. Penetrated stem to stern and knocked it and the tripod several feet forward.

Ken

[buglump]

My only experience with Oregon trail was several years ago, about 2000/2001. While working at a major gun parts distributing company I got a box for evaluation and possible inclusion in out catalog.

I loaded up some wrist snapping loads for my new to me 41 Whitetail caliber Blackhawk . Shooting for velocity and accuracy my third shot was a clean heart shot on the Shooting Crony. Penetrated stem to stern and knocked it and the tripod several feet forward.

Ken

I shoot the Oregon Trail 44cal 310g WNGC bullets in my Ruger Super Blackhawk and it is the only thing I carry in big bear country when prospecting or treasure hunting. I've had real good luck with this bullet in the .44 mag, also the .430 gr. FPGC in my single shot NEF 45/70, real accurate out to 150 yards. Of late I loaded the 170 gr. RNFP GC in a Marlin 336 30/30 and can hit in the meat at 100+ yards. The only product that disappointed me was the 200 gr. RN GC loaded in my 30/06.....broadside of an elephant at 100 yards.....maybe. Going to order some more of the 310 for the 44 and 430 grain for the 45/70. Have to order some .314 140 gr. from Beartooth for loading in my 1891 Argentine. The 525 gr. Pile Drivers really do work great for close up. Not much on distance shooting and would only use this for hogs on the ground in Florida or in Grizzly country to make these beasts sit down and shut up at short range.

[res45]

Back before I started casting I used to shoot the Oregon Trail 158 gr. SWC in my 357 mag loads I could buy them local for $30 per 500,still have about 250 left in the box. There stick was that they owned silver mines and added silver alloy which was supposed to be a form of lubricant to there alloy.

Reguardless I used to shoot there bullets at full mag. loads and never once got any leading. There were also sized out of the box at .359" which is what my Ruger BH likes.

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot thousands of Laser-Cast handgun bullets in 38/357s, 41 Magnums, 44 SPL and 44 Magnums, 45 ACP, 45 Schofield and 45 Colt. I've also fired a lot of Laser-Cast 30 cal (PB'd and GC'd ) and 45-70 rifle cast bullets over the years. I lived in NE Oregon when the company started and did a lot of R&D using the Laser-Cast bullets for Powder River Cartridge Company. A lot of that companies ammunition is used by a lot of cowboy action shooters including numerous champions. Laser-cast bullets and PRCC ammunition are very well thought of in that genre of shooting.

I have used, as said, the Laser-Cast bullets from very light SASS legal loads to full power loads for the cartridge. Since Laser-Cast changed lubes some years back I never got any leading. Accuracy was always on par with that expected; sometimes excellent and sometimes not so good depending on the load.....not the bullets. With good loads Laser-Cast bullets are an excellent choice for one who does not cast. It is one of only 2 commercial casters bullets I will recommend.

As to Brian Pierce and his writings; I generally enjoy them, sometimes disagree (not very often though) but most often read them. Given the magazines you find them in one has to take the commonality with a grain of salt. Such articles are written for mass of the readership not for the "experts" here. I will continue to read such magazines to keep up on new equipment and because I do learn from many of the articles.

Larry Gibson

[iraiam]

I used a lot of the Oregon Trial "Laser Cast" bullets, and the "True Shot" bullets only a few times. They are good bullets IMO, I pretty much loaded them all at full tilt with no problems, in 9mm, 357 mag, 44 mag, and 45-70. They are the only commercially cast bullet that I ever use. Much less now that I'm a casting nut of sorts.

The article the OP mentions, I'm not sure why they didn't load these bullets up to full power, I know they can deliver because I have done it.