is my load ready for deer?

[TREERAT]

my rifle 16 in barrel ruger frontier in .358 win
my load is lyman 358315 gc weights 214 grain lubed and gas checked, 13 bhn
reloader 7 at 30g, should be around 1,800 fps,
one inch groups at 50 yds, could be better, due to HEAVY duplex in leapold 1x4
recoil is all I really care for anymore with this load, 20 rounds and I start flintching.
typical deer I shoot is button bucks and does up to 125 lbs, range is usually 50 to 175 yds.

Am I ready to go, come fall, or should I try for more velocity?
will my bullet expand any? or should I take sholder shot?

[Larry Gibson]

Treerat

That load certainly will kill the deer however is doubtful there will be much expansion with that long round nose on those smaller deer. I would shoot for the heart and break one or both legs doing it (should be able to "eat right up to the bullet hole"). Frankly speaking I used 358315 in several .358s and a couple .35 Rems and was never pleased with it's perfomance on game. Kills but not anywhere's as fast as the RCBS 35-200-FN or any other bullet with a meplat. Even 358156 at the same velocity killed much better. If it is brushy and tracking is difficult the the long round nosed 358315 would not be my choice. You can flatten the nose to give it a small meplat or you can HP it (A Forster tool works well) for better terminal ballistics.

Larry Gibson

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Treerat, I agree with Larry, If I was going to use that boolit to hunt with, I would hollow point it , not that big a deal for a few boolits to hunt with , as stated the HP drill unit is cheap and it works well , I used one for a long time before I became wealthy :wink:enough to buy a HP mold.

Your load seems to be accurate enough for the ranges most deer are shot at, some folks can't tell the difference between 60 yards and 160.:veryconfu

[Blammer]

Pleanty of power and accuracy, good boolit wt too.

Not a big fan of the RN design for hunting, I'd specifically aim for bone for some "knock down".

If you're like me when hunting and get too excited to aim precisely I'd try a HP version or a Flat nose of some sort.

[Bearpaw]

Hi Treerat

I have used Lyman 358315 and find its not nearly as effective as the RCBS - 200 or the RD 190 gr. FN. I find the RD boolit is more accurate in my 35 Remingtons and 35 Whelen probably because I size to .360 and I think Ranch Dog still has a few molds left.

Bearpaw

[TREERAT]

I have a lyman pb 358430, that I had buckshot hp for me, (very nice work!)
I can only get it to around 1,200 before accuracy suffers, it weights 185 hp'ed, with the hp only deep enough to reach the forward driving band.

I figured it would work for the close, out to 75yds shots in the timber.
I had planed to have one of these chambered, with four of the 358315 in the mag, if I see one in the field, I will have time to cycle the bolt to change loads for a longer shot, still short range though, max 175 yds.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

TreeRat, only 1200 fps and accuracy go South?? Have you played with different powders and lube ?? Also what alloy are you casting these from?? I'm thinking you should be able to get to 15-1600fps with decent accuracy...I have good luck in that range , if I use an alloy that will work with the pressure generated by the boolit / powder I'm using.

[mroliver77]

If you are bent on using this boolit or only have this mold, why not cast a soft nose? The Bruce B soft point method looks dandy to me.
Jay

[Jim]

Rat,
All of the above comments are good and these guys DO know what they're talkin' about. However(comma) lots of deer have been put in the freezer with a lot less bullet and horsepower. Shot placement is up to you. You do YOUR job and that bullet will do it's.

[Bret4207]

Treerat

That load certainly will kill the deer however is doubtful there will be much expansion with that long round nose on those smaller deer. I would shoot for the heart and break one or both legs doing it (should be able to "eat right up to the bullet hole"). Frankly speaking I used 358315 in several .358s and a couple .35 Rems and was never pleased with it's perfomance on game. Kills but not anywhere's as fast as the RCBS 35-200-FN or any other bullet with a meplat. Even 358156 at the same velocity killed much better. If it is brushy and tracking is difficult the the long round nosed 358315 would not be my choice. You can flatten the nose to give it a small meplat or you can HP it (A Forster tool works well) for better terminal ballistics.

Larry Gibson

Pretty much what I'm thinking. And the 175 yards- better do some serious practicing to get the drop right. At 1800 fps I'd be more inclined to limit my shots to around 100 yards and with that boolit I'd be trying to break the shoulders. A blunter round nose or FP would probably work better.

[runfiverun]

at 1950 in my 308 the drop from 100 to 200 is 5 mils or 15" with a 170 gr boolit.
or enough to shoot completely under a deer if trying for a heart shot.
it is just a half mil over 5 more to 300 from 200 or 30" s from 100.
i set my sights right between the 100 and 200 marks for field use, just incase i don't get the yardage just right.

[jhalcott]

I've used that 358315 as designed and HPed and FNed to kill deer and other game. The softnosed version works almost as well as the FN one. I trim about five grains off the nose with a dremel tool. I USUALLY use a wheel weight alloy, but some times I go with Lyman #2. Accuracy with the FN's equals the RN's in my 35 Remington and Whelen. That FN really hits a LOT harder than the RN. I can get to 2000+ fps in the whelen but generally keep it to around 1950 for deer. I have killed a deer or 2 at around 200 yards with this bullet, most have been under 100 though!