"Commercial" Hardcast and Deer Hunting

[Thundarstick]

I've got a 375 H&H down loaded, and a 500 S&W carbine, that I have loaded commerical hardcast boolits for, that I want to use deer hunting this season. Both boolits are flat points and not pushed over 2000 fps. I've just not been able to get the gear together to cast my own yet.
Do you see a problem using these for hunting?

[richhodg66]

I think with big bores like that and flat nosed bullets, you'll be fine if you're getting the accuracy you need.

[Hickory]

Should have no trouble killing anything in North America.

[Jeffrey]

You write that your boolits are flat points, muzzle velocity less than 2000fps. Our assumption is that these boolits are a reasonable weight for their caliber: 230+ for the .375, 350+ for the .50, that their speed is over 1200 fps, your range is 150 yards or fewer. At those weights and velocities, you are basically looking at muzzle loader ballistics. Raising the weight helps penetration. Raising the speed helps penetration and trajectory. If the above are safe assumptions, you should be good given good boolit placement.

[Tatume]

If placed correctly your bullets will do a fine job.

[Thundarstick]

Should have listed the weights. 280 gr .375 and 370 gr in the .500. I guess I was unnecessarily worried they may be too brittle for hunting, but am expecting a through and through even on a shoulder shot. I anticipate shots well inside 100 yards but both are zeroed at 100. I took the 375 to the cypress swamp last year, but had no opportunity to connect.

[white eagle]

no......if you get the accuracy you need no problems

[sixshot]

Good luck on your hunt, you are well armed!

Dick

[Thundarstick]

I've killed around 15 with a patched .495 ball in front of 90gr of black from a side lock in years gone by. Thanks for the luck, and replies, btw, the 375 load is shooting rite at 2 inches at 100 with 4x, and the 500 just over 3 inch groups at 100, and that's probably the best I can do with the peep sights on it. All I need is a patch of hair rite behind that front shoulder to aim at now! :)

[SSGOldfart]

Just remember your shot placement you'll should be fine.good luck

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Thundarstick,

As has already clearly been stated and you likely already know, shot placement IS VERY importantly!

However, I have been using a Wide Flat Nose - large meplat - cast bullet in both my 45/70 and this past Fall in my RUGER 77/44 HIGHLY EFFECTIVE on deer and elk (45/70).

My comment would be on the "hard cast."

Hard Cast is a much over used and basically meaningless term that only has value if it is accompanied by tested hardness information. Other wise, it is a harder or softer then what situation which again is basically meaningless.

For my 45/70 and the 465gr WFN I use a 50/50 alloy of clip on wheel weights and lead, the bullets being water quenched as they fall from the mold.

With the .44 and the two deer taken last Fall, the bullet was cast of simply the clip on WW, the bullets also being water Quenched.

You should have great results, but just be aware of the meaningless term of, "hard Cast."

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[OFFSHORE]

You stated they were "commercial bullets" and you were concerned they "may be too brittle". . .what is the BHN of these bullet and do you know what the alloy is? I have shot bullets from Montana Bullet Works and found them to be quite good. These were .44 and .45 caliber handgun bullets in weights from 280 gr. to 335 gr. and BHN from 15 to 22. I came to learn my guns like the BNH around 15 to 18 at a modest velocity for good accuracy. I have been reloading for 20+ years, but only recently began casting my own. It has been a roller coaster, especially working with this Magma Star sizer, but I've been told once you get one set up right they're the Cadillac of the presses. . .I'm having second thoughts - LOL. With the two calibers you have mentioned to "deer hunt" with, I think you have MORE THAN ENOUGH gun to handle ANY deer, any creature for that matter, that roams this continent and others as well. Good luck to you this season.

[DougGuy]

Dude, you could hunt locomotives with those and score kills! Personally I like alloy that is on the softer side, they don't splinter near as bad when they hit bone. BHN12-15 will do fine. However what you have will work fine too. The most important part? Shot placement.

[Thundarstick]

One is OragonTrail .501 WNGC 24 BH silver bearing alloy. The other is Hunters Supply .379 that I'm putting a gas check on and sizing them to 378, they say it's 18 BH no idea as to the alloy is, but they advertise it as a big game bullet.

I've harvested too many deer to count over the years with 221 Fireball, 223, 243, 260, and 50 cal RB in a front suffer. The only one I've ever hit and lost was a very long shot with the 243 from low velocity bullet failure, fortunately a young man on the next farm over got to take him home. I let them walk if I don't get my shot. I just wanted conformation that if I hit a shoulder bone on a mature buck that I'd get penetration and not a splash.

[Ramjet-SS]

What's the weight and velocity of the above bullets?

That .501 I am going to guess will run lengthwise through a deer even if it hits a shoulder!!!!!

I was shooting a Laser Cast 476 420 grain WFN just over 1000 FPS from a rifle chambered in 475 Linebaugh I hit that big mature doe (dressed out at 150#) between the sternum and the shoulder the bullet exited just eight of her ummmmm so it went lengthwise through her.

[blikseme300]

As pointed out, hard cast is a meaningless term. I know from personal experience that .458"-450gn CB's cast with monotype and pushed to 1650/fps in a 458WM absolutely kills Nilgai. One of my sub-optimal shots was a virtual Texas heart shot and it dropped the cow just fine. Of course this caliber is pre-expanded and just works.

[Hamish]

(For those unfamiliar with Nilgai, they're built like a tank, and tough to get good penetration on.)

[quilbilly]

I absolutely agree with Doug and also prefer a little softer alloy. My personal rule is to look at terminal velocity versus boolit weight. Given the size boolits you are using, a terminal velocity of 1000 fps at the maximum range you intend to shoot and get good placement is more than adequate for any deer on the continent. In the case of the 375 H&H, an MV of 1600 fps would make the rifle a 200 yard rifle as well as making the rifle a whole lot more fun to shoot all year around without shoulder bruising.

[Thundarstick]

"In the case of the 375 H&H, an MV of 1600 fps would make the rifle a 200 yard rifle as well as making the rifle a whole lot more fun to shoot all year around without shoulder bruising."

I can shoot it in romper stomper mode, but it's sure a lot more fun with the cast loads! On top of that, white tail will be the largest thing I will run up against.

[Bodydoc447]

I shoot my .375 with cast because it is a lot more pleasant at 1700 fps than in full OMG mode.