Some fun for a new caster

[wolfdog]

So I'm pretty new to this casting thing, got into it about 4 years ago. Wanted to stay simple and affordable, so I cast from WWs, and air cool and tumble everything in lee liquid alox and mineral spirits, still not settled on the exact ratio, somewhere between 1:1 and 3:1 alox to spirits, adding any spirits seems to make the lube dry harder and it seems I can cut it pretty far and still get lube on my muzzle crown and no leading. I'm really liking the 3:1 sofar though. I cast for a 35rem (rcbs 35-200) and have taken a few deer with that, I also cast for 38spl (button nose wc), .357mag (158grn lee swc/gc), 45-70 (405grn lee fprn) and 380acp (105grn lee fprn).
So this year my goal was to hunt deer with a .357mag ruger gp100, blued 6". I wanted to shoot my swc/gc bullet but the mold came in with defects, and I had to make a hunting load with the button nose wadcutter at the last minute. Fortunately the gun loved this load and I felt pretty confident taking into the field. I sat in some deadfall and had a few does and small bucks around me in the first few mins. After about 30 mins, a fork horn with some decent weight on him trotted over and stopped broadside at 50 yards. I placed my shot just behind the front shoulder and saw him hunch up at the shot. He ran 50 yards and layed down, I did put a finisher in him as I walked over. Bullet entered where I aimed and broke the off-side shoulder shearing in half at that point. Not too shabby from a pistol with a wadcutter doing 1300fps.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151025_131959_zpsm0rgt3vg.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151025_134409_zpsrr4jtueb.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151025_185309_zpskscpfveg.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151025_185316_zpsx90xwuiw.jpg
Of course the next day my new 6 cavity lee mold arrived and is flawless. I cast up some 166grn swc/gc and loaded up the GFs 1894/.357. We sat in the same spot and after 45 mins had another buck come wandering in. 80 yards directly facing us. She put the bullet a touch right and I saw fur fly at the shot, the buck ran 50 yards and fell over dead. The bullet broke the right shoulder, punctured the lung, broke several ribs and ended up in the gut pile. Really good penetration, bruising went from the impact side shoulder over the back straps and into the off side shoulder, impressive for a lead bullet doing 1500fps. I'm still pretty new to this, but enjoying the success that I am having. Can not wait to do this again next year!
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151106_151514_zpshgt3bvtk.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151106_151458_zps7vcr5dek.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Mobile%20Uploads/20151106_151634_zpsxrsrqkgn.jpg

[chutesnreloads]

Nice pics.Good eats.Thanks for sharing.Especially like the boolit performance reports.

[Markbo]

Great story & pics. GF that hunts huh? AND shoots a lever gun huh? She might be a keeper! ;)

I don't remember ever seeing a bullet halved like that. Very interesting.

[Hickok]

I really enjoyed seeing that. Great pictures and info.

[wolfdog]

I've never seen a bullet do that either, it flew strait at 50 yards, as you an tell by the mushroom at the front, then sheered after having penetrated as the cut portion has no deformation. Really odd, I assume it just hit the bone in the shoulder in an odd way. I was going to complain about the alloy, but I don't think I can really fault it all that much considering it's a flying soda can. I'm sticking with it as I don't think there's any reason to change. GF hunts, fishes, hikes, rides horses, and has flesh eating beatles and does all my skulls...I'm a happy guy. :)

[Wolfer]

What's not to like!
Ive never seen a boolit do that either. Just goes to show you can never see it all.

[petroid]

Congrats to both of you! Sounds like a winning combo, guns, ammo, and people.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Good shooting! I do my best to keep it simple, too. 45/45/10 (Recluse's Tumble Lube) works well for me and is available from http://www.lsstuff.com/ at reasonable prices if you don't want to make it yourself.

[Djones]

Thanks for sharing.

Looks like you and the little lady will have some stories to tell! Nice job to both of you.

[Thumbcocker]

What's not to like back straps, pretty girl, and she has her own lever gun.

[wolfdog]

Lol I agree, you should see her with her 1873 trapdoor. :)

http://vid251.photobucket.com/albums/gg296/wolfsasleep/Guns/20140829_200005_zpsb4cd1416.mp4