Cast Boolit alloy for cape buffalo?

[WBG]

For a hard/tough .585 bullet at 2000 fps. that won't shatter and won't expand on cape buffalo, what do you think of a blend of 80% Lyman #2 and 20% linotype ? Quenched or not? Brian

[Hickory]

I think Lyman #2 will work for you, water dropped will give you a harder boolit that will resist shattering.
Just keep in mind those critters are tough, make sure you hit it in the right place the first time.
And keep on shooting until it's down.

[Cmm_3940]

I think Lyman #2 will work for you, water dropped will give you a harder boolit that will resist shattering.
Just keep in mind those critters are tough, make sure you hit it in the right place the first time.
And keep on shooting until it's down.

And make sure it didn't bring friends. You're talking about going after the most dangerous big game animal on the planet with a boolit you cast yourself. You, sir, must have big brass ones.

[Hickory]

Plenty of cape buffalo have fallen to cast boolits before solids were used.
Besides, anyone hunting & shooting cape buffalo are looking for excitement.
And what better way to fulfill that adrenaline spike than enter an added element of risk.

[WBG]

Good advice! First of all, I was hoping that somebody would suggest water quenched #2. I will do some testing with it.
Secondly, you guys are right about cape buffalo. I have hunted them twice before with a 375HH. I killed one at 22 paces. Another at 40 paces. I agree that it is all about putting the first bullet through the heart and hopefully breaking bone in the process. I hunt with a PH and tracker that I know and trust. ( See/google the story "Abraham's Grin" in The African Hunting Gazzette. Jan 2015 issue.) So, I don't have really have big brass ones. In fact they are quite the opposite. I know this secret is safe with you guys.
Now regarding hard cast lead bullets (not brass.) I know that folks here on Cast Boolits are the right ones to ask. You have already saved me a lot of fussing and expense with your wisdom. If anybody here has the real "skinny" on this subject please come forward. I am sure listening. Brian

[WBG]

PS. Usually my wife or son come with me on dangerous game to video it.

[GabbyM]

5% Sb, 3% Sn, .3%Cu. Just heat treat in an oven at a lower temp. Over doing the heat treat can make them brittle. Besides you don't need much. The copper seriously toughens the bullet. Even air cooled I've made these in .458" that shot clear through trees. Never made a bullet as large as .585 except soft shotgun slugs.


With the 3% tin content you need to take care your bullet noses don't grow on you. Over two or three weeks after casting this alloy may grow .001". If you have a nose bore ride it may cause loaded rounds to not chamber.

[WBG]

Sir, This is good info. For heat treating, what tempurature and time should I try?

Also, the .3% copper; that is interesting. That might be the key element that toughens the bullet and prevents shattering. ( Shooting through a tree especially if it's hardwood says a lot about a bullet not shattering, I think.)
This is sorta close to Lyman #2; Same Sb, but 2% less Sn. Is there any Cu in Lyman # 2? Thanks for the new insight, Brian

[WBG]

Hickory, That's it exactly. That's why they call it "Dangerous Game" and charge so much money. Using a cast bullet that I have made myself will really put some spin on the ball for me. Thanks for your point of view. Brian

[frank505]

Several of my old customers killed buffalo with 600 grain 505 Gibbs car bullets. I don't think they loaded them to 2000fps, more like 1800. Killed lots of bison with similar loads, never recovered one, even from a 2500 plus bull.

[WBG]

Frank, That's a good point. There are guys who have killed buffalo effectively with cb in big handguns at 1400-1600 fps. 1800fps is a lot easier to shoot that 2000fps. Many experienced hunters are sure that velocity is over rated for this animal. They say that penitration, a function of bullet design, is the most important factor. 1800fps is better regarding accuracy and leading too. Brian

[WBG]

Gabby, Since your helpful post I have been reading this forum to learn how to get Cu into the Lead/tin/antimony mix. It sounds tricky. Do you have any suggestions on how to do it? Thanks, Brian

[mnewcomb59]

Whatever alloy you choose, test it so you don't have any surprises. I have found a good deformation test is gallon jugs alternated with 1 inch hickory boards pr 3/4 inch plywood. 5 or 6 layers of this should stop most bullets, but I dont know what kind of sectional density you have.

[shoot-n-lead]

I know you said no brass...but...punch bullets.

[jmort]

As far as I know, no .585" Punch, but they penetrate real good.

[WBG]

Shoot-n-lead, Sorry but I don't catch your drift. Sounds interesting: "punch bullets" what's that? I'm a little slow here. What do you mean. Thanks Brian

[Hickory]

One last thing on shooting cape buffalo, whether it's you or him,
the first one to get pumped up with adrenaline, is usually the one that wins.

[country gent]

The gentleman that ran our Local gunshop to a cape buffalo with a flint lock muzzleloader ( It was a 20mm he built himself.) with a patched round ball and very heavy charge of 1f powder. I would go with 2% tin 10-15% antimony and pure lead. Water quenched lightly should do a fine job.

[GabbyM]

Gabby, Since your helpful post I have been reading this forum to learn how to get Cu into the Lead/tin/antimony mix. It sounds tricky. Do you have any suggestions on how to do it? Thanks, Brian

Yes we have a couple threads here on alloying with copper. Trying to read through those threads can about make a guy dizzy.
Pooper came up with the process of contaminating pure lead with zinc then using copper sulfate to mix in and replace Zn with Cu. Easiest way is to buy some #3 Babbit from Rottometals. It contains a high Cu %. I use both methods. Cut foundry 2/6/92 with pure Pb with Cu added via the copper sulfate method to get Sb down from 6% to whatever I’m after. Then add #3 babbit to get Sn level to what I want. Copper comes along for the ride in there. I also have some Rottometals “super hard”. Which is Sb with just enough lead so you can work with it. Good for things like making WW metal harder.
I’d have to play with an alloy calculator to figure out any recipe. Depends upon what metal you can get to use. I see you’re in Canada so shipping from Rottometals may get stiff.

[WBG]

Gabby, Thanks for the help. For now I think it's over my head. I think that I will have to put the Cu idea on the shelf for a while and maybe return to it this summer after I have done some shooting tests. Brian

[popper]

WBG you don't have to add zinc, the CuSO4 will replace tin or zinc. Makes a tough boolit. Shot a 40SW hot load into a rock pile from ~ 10 ft. and recovered the boolit intact, 9mm jacketed didn't do so well.

[drinks]

Check Rotometals site, they may have an alloy containing copper that would do for what you want.
I would prefer a BHN of 16 or less, you really do not need a lot of hardness, the mass will do most of the work.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Good luck finding a guide if you want to use cast on M'Bogo instead of solids, most wouldn't let you use anything else. Amazing animal and one not to be taken lightly. Read some of John Pondoro Taylor's stuff about them Lots of other good writers out there as well..

[dave roelle]

Hi Brian:

Could you enlighten me on the rifle that will launch this bullet :)

Thanks

Dave

[WBG]

Thanks "drinks", That's a good idea. I never even thought of that. Find an alloy with the copper already in it. Go figure! I am on it. We might have a supplier in Vancouver BC. If not I willcheck Rotometals.
As far as the BNH goes, The bullet has to perform like a "solid". ( I was fortunate and got schooled by the best in the bushveld.) As you probably already know there are two bullets used on Cape buffalo; solids and softs. Most PH's insist on a Soft for the first shot. That's not because soft is better, but because the first shot is often in a herd situation and a "pass-through" from a a solid can hit another animal. However, I don't use a soft on my first shot. I and the PH and Tracker try to get fairly close to the buffalo, Then I go for the heart shot. With a Cape buffalo the Heart can be hard to reach from certain angles with a soft. The soft can veer off and miss the heart completely. That is why I am making a big deal about casting a hard/tough bullet to perform like a conventional "Solid" I don't use softs on cape buffalo.

The hunting side of it - I have figured out OK. But as far as the bullet casting side, I am a just an enthusiatic amature but getting lots out of "Cast Boolits."

I am trying to get to the hard side of 16 BNH I think. Close to 20 BNH with no brittleness. That's what I am gleaning from this excellent site, incuding your good advice. I have learned that this is easy to attain with heat treating or water quenching. I just have to make sure that I am not missing something important - Like Copper ! Cheers, Brian

[WBG]

Happy to Dave, I thought you would never ask. But this gonna raise some eyebrows! Have you heard of Ed Hubel's project /work on the Twelve Gauge from Hell" ( No chuckling please. Ed hubel is a very serious and prudent researcher and innovator. He is also very patient. I know this because he is building a rifle for me.) Well, his most popular variation on in this "From Hell" (FH) series is the 24 ga. From Hell, and the .585 Belted Hubel Express. They are both very similar to the old 577 NE.

Now here, is the kicker: (like the pun?) You better sit down for this. He makes these rifles up in various break open single shot rifles. Like, (drum roll...) the H&R Handi Rifle. ( I can see your faces now!) The rifle that I will be using is H&R single shot Handi rifle in 24 ga FH with a 29 inch bull barrel. It's OAL is the same as a bolt rifle with a 24 inch barrel. It has a custom stock made by me, and iron sights off an old TC Contender. It will weigh about 13 lbs.

OK lets get it over with:
1. Please folks, don't strafe me with third hand stories about the frames stretching. Just let ol' Ed and I worry about that.
2. Recoil: I don't care about the recoil of big rifles - I flinch with everything! (seriously, the rifle will weigh13lbs. It will kick like my 458 Lott or less. )
3. Single Shot on cape buffalo ?? !! Well hell yes; That's why I only hunt them one at a time. ( The PH is a cool hand with his 416 Rigby .)

Thanks, Dave, for tollerating my short run-away. I had fun. And, thanks agin for asking I will post a picture when I get it all glued together. Brian

[WBG]

Hello Four Finger Death, Thanks, I will make a note. Brian

[MT Chambers]

I would be overjoyed to hunt cape buffalo with my cast bullet of choice, it would be a big, heavy, wfn, cast hard with lotsa added tin, in a cal. from the 45/70 up.

[dave roelle]

Hi WGB--------you'll get no "kibitz" from me I prefer a Sharps and have hunted a bit with it----520 grain bullets at 1300fps works extremely well on most critters-----One day i'll hunt Africa-----a 550 grain 45 caliber or a 600+ 50 caliber would work well i believe, I know personally two gentlemen that have hunted plains game with Their Sharps with great success---i'll see if i can find a video of one of their hunts.

Hunt Hard

Dave

[dave roelle]

Found it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqs543qxTHE

Dave

[shoot-n-lead]

Shoot-n-lead, Sorry but I don't catch your drift. Sounds interesting: "punch bullets" what's that? I'm a little slow here. What do you mean. Thanks Brian

You might call them and ask them about the sizes available...if you are interested.

http://www.beltmountain.com/punch.htm

[WBG]

MT, You are a kindred spirit. Brian

[WBG]

Dave, I would sure like to shoot a Sharps. That video is excellent. Thanks. Zebra are tough! you won't see a knock-down like that very often. I have killed 5 Zebra. they all ran like hell for at least 60 yds with a good shoulder with a good bullet from a 7mm mag.
A bang-flop like with black powder says a to. Brian

[WBG]

shoot-n-lead, Thanks. I get it. Those bullets are exactly the design/shape that I like. My Accurate Molds look the same. Thanks for sending the link. Brian

[MT Chambers]

Those soft 50/90 bullets work good on our Canadian buffs. not sure about the African kind, they went right through my buff.

[WBG]

MT, Yes, They probably would work on a cape buffalo. Kind of between a "hard" and a "soft". I need to do my homework/testing to get a reliable cast solid. I probably needa bit harder that your example. Brian

[WBG]

Hi Dave, Conroe Texas!? My wife and I stayed there for week in January. We like Texas and go there about once a year. (I buy good old-time chewing tobacco in Texas that we can't get here in Canada because we are so d***** politically correct.) Brian

[dave roelle]

Hi Brian:

Yup Conroe texas----------------if you get this way again we'll have ya shoot a sillywet match with us----My Shiloh ---at our club range about 1 1/2 hours from my house west of Houston.

http://yauponcreek.org/

I think you'll enjoy it----we have a buffalo (bison) at 821 yards thats a hoot to have a go at :)

If you have the time we'll see about finding a hog or two at a friends ranch ----- not cape buffalo but pretty tough critters

Stay Safe


Dave

[WBG]

Dave, That is a very gracious invitation. I would be delighted to do both or either one. Mostly the hog hunting! We must keep in touch. Thanks again for the generous invitation. Brian

[dave roelle]

Your more than welcome Brian------------i've hunted moose in the porcupine hills out of Calgary many years ago-----the north country is fun before the snow falls.

hogs and deer critters a both fun

The offer is my pleasure

Stay safe

Dave

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/drroelle/DRT.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/drroelle/media/DRT.jpg.html)


http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/drroelle/IMG_4469.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/drroelle/media/IMG_4469.jpg.html)

[WBG]

Great pictures, Thanks. Good animals. Wonderful rifle. Brian
PS. I grew up in Calgary

[Hardcast416taylor]

The gunsmith that made my .416 Taylor told me a story of a dentist from Philly that had a pair of "Huge" brass ones. Seems he was facing a wounded herd cull elephant with a misplaced side brain shot using a .416 Taylor with early prototype Barnes 400 gr lathe turned solids. The tusker charged from about 70 yards making all sorts of screams and trumpting at the direction the shot came from. The PH with a nice German double rifle calmly told his client he had this handled. The PH`s double rifle failed to fire either barrel! The dentist calmly placed the kill shot at the spot between the eyes and the tusker crumpled down dead. The measured distance between the tip of the tuskers trunk and the toes of the clients boots was 12 FEET! This took place nearly 30 years back the `smith said. The dentist is still practicing in the Philly, Pa area as far as I know.

Best of luck with M`Bogo and using the cast boolets.Robert

[sharpsguy]

WBG--I'm the guy that shot the zebra in the video. I have been to Africa with a Sharps and cast bullets three times and have shot all the way through every animal I have shot. The first two times I used a 45-110, and the third time I used a 45-70. The 45-70 actually worked better than the 45-110. I used black powder as the propellant in both rifles.

Don't over think it. You don't need some exotic alloy or off the charts velocity. That zebra was shot at 161 yards with a 480 grain flat nosed bullet cast from a 50/50 mixture of clip on wheel weights and lead. Air cooled. Muzzle velocity was 1242 fps which likely gave an impact velocity of 1160-1180 fps.

Having said that, I think the very best bullet for large animals, to include Cape Buffalo and yes, elephant, is a 520 grain round nosed Govt. bullet out of a Lyman 457125 mold. Cast it from clip on wheel weights and water quench it for a bhn of 19 to 20 and you are in business. Do NOT drive it in excess of 1300 fps for maximum penetration. You will shoot all the way through a Cape Buffalo with this, no problem.

Two weeks ago , three friends and I shot four bison on a ranch in west Texas. They shot their 45-70s, and prevailed on me to use my 45-110 for a comparison. The 45-110 did not kill any quicker than the 45-70s my friends used, everyone got complete pass through penetration. One of the guys shot his bison square in the chest from 100 lasered yards with the Govt. bullet at 1180 fps. The 1800 pound animal took two steps and went down. The meat processor found the bullet lodged in the pelvis, and measured the penetration at 72 inches in a straight line. The 509 grain round nosed bullet had lost four grains of weight.

Just don't get too esoteric with your load, and remember that penetration is your friend. You get that with a 45-70 and a Govt. bullet.

[GabbyM]

http://www.rotometals.com/Babbit-Bearing-Alloys-s/2.htm

There is the Roto Metals #3 (Super Tough) Note the copper content of 7.5-8.5%. With equal antimony. Remainder is tin. Just Wheel weights plus 2% of this stuff would make a tough bullet. Again just insert numbers into a free alloy calculator. I know they sell babbit in Canada. Just no idea where to look. Machine/ metal shop supply catalogs. Still lots of equipment with poured and machined bearings.

[WBG]

sharpsguy. Your post is the most practical information for this application that I have received. I can tell that know what you are talking about and I greatly appreciate you helping me out. That sure simplifies things doesn't it.
Thanks again, Brian
PS. Nice job on the zebra. where do you hunt in Africa. I usually go to African Dawn Safaris. northwest of Vaalwater, Limpopo, in the Waterburg Mountains. I am looking for some new country. Brian

[WBG]

Robert, Good story! Thanks. Brian

[WBG]

Hi Gabby, Thanks, At this point it looks like I have been getting to carried away looking for the holy grail of hard cast bullets. I think that I better simplify things and just work with my Lyman #2, quenched and heat treated to about 20BHN. Do some testing with that and then see. Thanks again for your suggestions. Brian

[Rufus Krile]

As far as hardness goes... I took some 10.5bhn wheelweight 500gr bullets, heated them to 425f for 45 minutes, and dumped 'em in room temp water. They came out right at 28bhn. A quick and dirty shatter test is put one on an anvil and hit it (hard) with a shop hammer... if it tears, shears, or shatters, it flunks. If it just deforms you may have a winner.

[WBG]

Rufus, Thanks. If I heat treat at a lower temp. or for a shorter time, Will it still heat treat the bullets but with a lower resulting BHN? Brian

[sharpsguy]

WBG--I have been hunting out of the Eastern Cape north of Addo. I spoke with my PH yesterday, and he tells me that the outfitter I hunted with has gotten out of the outfitting business. There are a couple of good PHs there that I am aware of, and if need be, I can find out who they are working for. I also know an outstanding landowner/outfitter in Namibia.

[glockky]

50/50 coww/pure lead will heat treat to over 20 bhn and not be brittle.
http://www.lasc.us/HeatTreat.htm

[WBG]

Glockey, That is a good article. I had no trouble reading it. Very helpful. I'm going to try and keep it simple for a while. Thanks Brian

[WBG]

Hello Sharpsguy, Man, that is nice country that you were in. Yes I would be very interested in where those good ph's are working. We love that country and north to the Great Fish River. Lots of history. Beautiful country. I have hunted in the Eastern Cape once. Mostly SE of Addo Park.(Made a bad choice of outfitters. We did as much driving as hunting. Three Waters Safaris. Bad!) Any info on good Ph's and outfitters will be sure appreciated.

Namibia: I am very interested! Have just started to explore that country. Last summer my wife and I spent two weeks in Namibia. Went on the Desert Express Train for a week then drove north from Windhoek to Etosha Park. That is an awesome country. I hope to hunt there but have no idea where or how. If you have a connection I am very keen to talk to him. Far in the north near Angola and the Capriva strip or down SE near the Botswana border and Kalahari desert seem very interesting but I have never been there. Thanks for your help, Brian

[WBG]

Hello again Gabby, I can't get this copper thing out of my mind. You planted a seed that won't stop growing! I sense that the Cu is very very important to hard/ tough bullets.
I think that I am still missing something here/ (my fault - not yours). I'm an old guy who is a bit too slow on picking up new stuff at times. ( and then when I get it, I forget it!)

Here's where I am at:
1. Lets say I start with a mix of lyman #2 and a little pure lead to get 92/4/4 This lowers the Antimony in the #2 to reduce brittleness. I have a lot of #2 and pure lead. From what I have read 92/4/4 is a good alloy to start with.
2. Now, for the copper. (Yikes) Can I just add a measure Babbit to my 92/4/4? And thats it? Or do I have to use Pooper's copper sulphate protocol. ( I don't know if I am ready for that.) Thanks in advance, pal. Brian

Since I wrote this I see that RotoMetals has Babbitt Bearing Super Tough Alloy ingots. 84% tin / 8%Cu / 8%Sb. Can I just mix a measured amount of this into my alloy to get a real tough/ hard bullet. Maybe heat treat it .? Brian

[Bad Water Bill]

Will very fine copper powder work here?

I used it in electro plating years ago and there should still be some hiding in a DARK corner somewhere if someone is interested.

[sharpsguy]

WBG--For Namibia, contact Agarob Safaris. Johnny Schickerling is the man behind that outfit, and as striaght as they come.

[WBG]

Thanks Bill, From what i gather, It tricky to get copper into the alloy. Brian

[WBG]

Sharpsguy, Thanks for the contact info. Brian

[leftiye]

Tin will alloy to 1 in 10 with lead. Copper to about 2% (it starts messing with castability if more copper than that is added). This would be about the hardest/toughest alloy possible. I left out antimony when I made it because I was hoping to use hollow points (and get some mushrooming), and to avoid any shattering. Nickel can also be used in about .02% amounts, again castability goes south with more. I'm still not sure I want antimony in it. IIRC the copper tin alloy was about 18 BHN air cooled.

I used stranded copper wire cut into 1" lengths and broken apart. Put it on top of melted 60/40 tin/lead solder and used a flame (propane torch) to get it up to melting point while stirring. Others (303guy) have coated the copper with solder and let it "soak" into lead alloy (antimony will do this too - just dissolve into molten lead even though 400 degrees below antimony's liquidus). IIRC Runfiverun has another method too, but I can't remember it, maybe check with him.

[sawzall]

Thanks Bill, From what i gather, It tricky to get copper into the alloy. Brian
It's actually not hard to do. I use popper's copper sulphate method. If you're worried about the zinc contamination, use tin instead. Start with your pure lead and add either zinc or tin in whatever amount you want to be copper when done. Then just "flux" with copper sulphate. It will turn from blue white as the moisture leaves it. Then as you mix it through your alloy it will turn brown or dark grey as as the copper replaces the sacrificial metal in your mix. Keep doing that it until the dross you get stays white. That means all the zinc or tin has been replaced with copper. What ever percentage of the tin or zinc was added is now your percentage of copper. You can now use that alloy to "sweeten" your Lyman #2, using one of the alloy calculators linked earlier. Works for me quite well. I found the copper sulphate at my local Co-Op ag store. It's used for something to do with horse hooves. Was the cheapest place I could find it in a reasonable quantity.

[WBG]

sawzall, I get it now! It does sound not to hard. I seem to have some sort of blind spot when it comes to this stuff. Thanks for describing it this way. (And thanks to the others who offered the method to me. My fault for not sorting it out. )
I sure appreciate it. I'm going to give it a go.

sawzall, Where in Sask. are you from? My folks come from McCrory and my wifes folks were from Broadview.

[WBG]

leftiye, Thanks pal. I know you all are doing your best to help me with this. Thanks for your patience. I'm still stuggling with it a bit. Sawzall offered a method below that is within my reach. I think I will try it. Brian

[GabbyM]

WBG it looks like they got it covered. One think. As a rule of thumb. You don't want the total percentage of tin plus copper to exceed the antimony %. Starting with Lyman #2 I'd add some WW metal or reclaimed bird shot to get a positive balance of Sb plus adding some arsenic. Enough pure to get the total % Sb down. Then just add the copper sulfate for your Cu %. If you worry about loosing expensive tin then use the zinc replacement method to mix Cu into the lead shot and pure lead. Labor involved is less with simply replacing tin with Cu. I've a nice electronic hardware scale so it's easy to weigh out my copper sulfate and calculate approximately how much %Cu I'm getting in. It doesn't have to be uber precise. I make up fifty pounds in a 7 quart pot that can hold 80 pounds when full. Alloying in Cu first when the pot isn't to full so metal will get really hot.

You could for example. Place weighed amount of bird shot and or WW metal into pot. Then add amount of #2 alloy to place in tin to the amount you desire copper % to be. Then replace tin with copper sulfate. Then add in the rest of your #2.

Since I covet tin. I'd use WW and or shot. Add in some zinc then copper sulfate. Then the #2. I do clean my WW metal with copper sulfate as it really improves it. Pretty much all WW I get has some zinc in it anymore. Not much tin anyways.

I'm shooting bullets from 22 to 30 caliber. You're loading cannon shells. lol.

[Bad Water Bill]

You're loading cannon shells. lol.

Not cannon shells.
16" rifle shells for the Mighty Mo.:drinks:

[GabbyM]

You're loading cannon shells. lol.

Not cannon shells.
16" rifle shells for the Mighty Mo.:drinks:

He's shooting a 15mm rifle. That comes pretty close to cannon class i.e. 20mm.

[GabbyM]

Post #256 on page 13 by popper is informative.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?175796-Add-copper-to-your-alloy-for-tougher-CBs/page13 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?175796-Add-copper-to-your-alloy-for-tougher-CBs/page13)

Lot of very informative information in just the few pages before and after that post. Good safety tips also.

Buy the way. Big thank you out to pooper for his fine work on the processes.

My most demanding experiments ongoing. My 30 caliber MP mold. 180 grain hollow point. Challenge is to have an alloy tough enough to shoot relatively fast in a 10 twist 30-06 plus not blow off the nose upon expansion but still expand. Shot some last year that met all the expansion and tough issues. But to soft to shoot accurate at high speed. So I'm bumping up the hardness. Just need to shoot the rifle more and stop playing around with my 222 and AR.

[WBG]

GabbyM, Yes, you all have really got it working for me down at a level that I can grasp it. And, thanks to you for your help and patience. I am going to make some major league cape buffalo bullets. Thanks again, Brian

[WBG]

GabbyM, I will keep you posted. Thanks again, Brian

[WBG]

Thanks to all of you who helped me get started. I finally completed my propane casting furnace and am casting 400gr. 500 S&W bullets. I have some pretty nice boolits; not perfect but a very encouraging start. I did everything all of you told me: 10 lbs. Lyman #2, 6 lbs. pure lead, 3 lbs. extra hard shot, 1 ounce of tin and some cupper sulphate. This hobby is amazing. I am hooked.

So, Thanks again to all you guys who help me get off to a running start. Without this forum and your guidance, I would probably spent months getting to where I am now. I will get all the knots out of my rope and then start casting my .585 boolits. Picture of my little furnace to follow.

Thanks again, Brian