Beartooth bullets vs Cast performance?

[saz]

I have been doing some research on my next levergun and have also been looking around at some different cast bullets, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with beartooth bullets? Comparing them to Cast performance, they are about the same hardness (21 BHN), have a few more choices in bullet weights and styles (.44 and .45 caliber) and are quite a bit cheaper to buy and for shipping. I have used a few cast performance bullets and like them, but if I can get the same or a better product for less $ why not, right? I think Snyd has sold me on the puma 92 in .454 in case you were wondering- there is a really good thread in here. Also any experiencies on the puma 92 are welcome also! Thank you for your time.

[Bret4207]

Both too hard, both tending to be undersized and both using a hard wax lube that is made for the convenience of the shipper and not the shooter. You can make far better boolits IMO. The commercial boolits are best used for alloy enrichment. I'm not a big fan as you can tell.

OTH, the Puma is a nice light levergun that's under rated. A little massaging and finishing makes them nice and slick.

[BABore]

I'll have to disagree with Bret here. Yes, both are on the hard side, but sometimes that's ok. I shoot most of my boolits from water dropped 50/50 WW-Pb. They come out at 22 bhn. Only one of my magnum revolvers refuses to shoot that hardness. I test them out with both 10 bhn and 22 bhn during workups. Cast performance uses an alloy that is much higher in antimony than Beartooth. Less antimony leads to better accuracy and boolit upset, IMO, even when hardness levels are the same. Both use a hardish lube and I too would like it a bit softer. But, I have used both brands of boolits and even bought some Beartooth lube for my own. CP lube is a Magma type (I believe). Hard, parafin, crayon type with only moderate ability at higher velocity. Beartooth developed their own lube after originally using LBT on their boolits. BT lube may be hard, but it has some real lube qualities to it. My tests have shown that it is as good as LBT and CR until velocities get above 2,300 fps+. The final item is boolit size. CP only offers one size per boolit type and it is usually borderline small. BT offers different size ranges with each.

I would personally go with Marshall's boolits at Beartooth. The downside to this choice is you may have to wait for them. They are hand cast and he is always busy.

[cajun shooter]

SAZ, I think I've told you before but will say it again. Thanks for your service to our country!! Now about the Puma. These guns have been built in Brazil for over 30 years. When they first started they were rough as I bought one. The models by Navy and Interarms are great guns and if you get a chance buy one. Some of these guns have crap for wood and others are really great looking. I had three until I was talked out of one a few months back. The newer models have that damn safety on the top but Steve Young in Texas can fix that. If you have a complete gun done by him you will be spoiled for ever. His guns are butter smooth but he is running 5 months at this time on new guns. Two things you can do yourself on the gun is remove the plastic magazine follower and replace it with a SS piece sold by Steve for $20 and second while there cut some length off the magazine spring. You want to have about 3 cartridge lengths sticking out of the mag after cutting. This makes loading a lot easier. Take Care David

[Bret4207]

I'll have to disagree with Bret here. Yes, both are on the hard side, but sometimes that's ok. I shoot most of my boolits from water dropped 50/50 WW-Pb. They come out at 22 bhn. Only one of my magnum revolvers refuses to shoot that hardness. I test them out with both 10 bhn and 22 bhn during workups. Cast performance uses an alloy that is much higher in antimony than Beartooth. Less antimony leads to better accuracy and boolit upset, IMO, even when hardness levels are the same. Both use a hardish lube and I too would like it a bit softer. But, I have used both brands of boolits and even bought some Beartooth lube for my own. CP lube is a Magma type (I believe). Hard, parafin, crayon type with only moderate ability at higher velocity. Beartooth developed their own lube after originally using LBT on their boolits. BT lube may be hard, but it has some real lube qualities to it. My tests have shown that it is as good as LBT and CR until velocities get above 2,300 fps+. The final item is boolit size. CP only offers one size per boolit type and it is usually borderline small. BT offers different size ranges with each.

I would personally go with Marshall's boolits at Beartooth. The downside to this choice is you may have to wait for them. They are hand cast and he is always busy.

A "hard" boolit is fine. The problem is every cast boolit I've bought has been both hard and, more importantly, undersize. Some as much as .003 under advertised diameter. I gave up buying cast boolits long ago.

[bearcove]

BUY BOOLITS?? NAW!!:Fire:

[Lloyd Smale]

I know cast performance gets there hardness from water dropping as to most commercial casteres. Mt. Baldy bullets is the only company I know that does it the old fashion way and alloys to get there hardness and Frank will run whatever alloy you prefer and whatever size you want when you order his bullets. At least he used to. Plus hes a good guy and is occasionaly on this forum posting.

[Bret4207]

I don't care how hard they are. Make fat enough and use a real lube, then maybe I'll buy some.



Just kidding.

[Junior1942]

Put a mark on the wall!!!!! I agree with Bret!!!! Other than one box of 158 gr SWC Lasercast which work fine in my 357 Rossi M92--with an added coat of LLA--most all the rest were melted down. Too hard and too small and even way too hard and too small. I wish Wayne Doudna was back in business as he used regular ol' Lyman and RCBS molds and whatever alloy you wanted.

[crabo]

I used Montanna Bullet Works before I started casting. I bought a bunch of their bullets when I was deciding what molds to start with. They have several different sizings available. The big problem was the price.

http://www.montanabulletworks.com/

[Bret4207]

Put a mark on the wall!!!!! I agree with Bret!!!! Other than one box of 158 gr SWC Lasercast which work fine in my 357 Rossi M92--with an added coat of LLA--most all the rest were melted down. Too hard and too small and even way too hard and too small. I wish Wayne Doudna was back in business as he used regular ol' Lyman and RCBS molds and whatever alloy you wanted.

Oh yeah?! Says you!:mrgreen:

[winelover]

I use Beartooth's 44-280 WFN bullets in my Marlin 1894SS with good results! I get them sized at .432 dia. as recomended by Marshall! Marlin's tend to prefer the larger diameters! My Redhawk likes them sized at .430 diameter. I use 20.0 grains of the old Hercules 2400 with a CCI Mag. primer in both guns. I especially liked the 280 grain weight because I don't have to change sight settings when shooting the 240 grainers. The 300 grainers shoot way too high, in my opinion, for just a little more bullet weight.