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Thread: Optimal Speed?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Optimal Speed?

    I had cast some, but due to getting married, having a child, etc. I got out of it. I am thinking of getting a few from GT bullets to try in my 358 Winchester. They have a 220 grain hollow point cast from 3% tin, 3% antimony, 94% lead. What would be the optimal speed for these? Target would be deer at 20-200 yards. I am thinking 2000fps may be about right but not sure. (may be too fast for deer in close??) Second thing I am not sure about is the gun gas a 1:12 twist. Will that limit my ability to get these up to 2000 fps? Something about RPM thresh hold? (Sorry, do not understand that one so much)

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Thumbcocker's Avatar
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    Are they gas checked?

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  3. #3
    Boolit Bub
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    If they are gas checked you should be OK at 2,000 fps.
    At 2,000 fps your bullet is doing 120k rpm so it's well below the RPM threshold which is, if I remember correctly, about 144k RPM.

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  4. #4
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    I go at around 2170 fps, gives point blank to 225 yards.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    For reference:

    https://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?...products_id=46

    “Devastating” translates into meat loss if you are a shoulder shooter. Behind the shoulder is probably fine.

    2000 fps is probably doable with RL7, 3031 or something similar. What powders do you have on hand?

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    So yes, they are gas checked. I am a "behind the shoulder" shooter, never shot one through the shoulder. Powders on hand are Reloader 7, Winchester 748, IMR 4198

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Thumbcocker's Avatar
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    You should be able to get what you need with those.

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  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Those speed may be obtainable and by all means, go for it. I would, however approach it in a slightly different way. Do a ladder test to seek the most accurate loads and, instead, go with whatever you come up with that is the most accurate. 220 grains of flying lead will work over a wide spectrum of speed.

  9. #9
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    1800-1900fps should do you just fine.

    i use a 35/30-30 with 200gr rcbs fn gc going roughly 1720ish fps and i killed three or four deer with it. there is also a 190gr ranch dog bullet too.

    https://bullshop.weebly.com/-35-cali...t-bullets.html

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    You certainly don't need the hollow point.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I shoot the same boolit in my .358 win-- have not clocked it but with my old rifle PC ing helped a lot
    pc'd they are .360 have tried H322 and Tac --using what I have- trying starting loads for 200 gr JSP- goal is same as your out to 200 yds on deer
    have you weighed yours?

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    That alloy sounds rather hard which would make it frangible. If it is as hard as it sounds, you might want to slow down the MV a bit so won't be picking lead shards out of your teeth when at the dinner table. In my experience, a boolit that size only needs about 1000 FPS terminal velocity (probably even less) to do what you want on deer sized game. You might only need about 1600 fps at the muzzle to get that 1000 fps at 200 yards if your rifle likes that lower velocity.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


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    The alloy GT uses is actually 2-2-96. It's ok, but not ideal for the job. The HP also appears relatively small, which is typical of rifle bullets. I'm going to throw out a wild guess that you are going to want at least 1300 fps to see decent expansion. I've never used that bullet, I'm just basing that on my experience testing other HP's. Based on NOE's bullet of similar design, I'm going to assume the ballistic coefficient is .301, which sounds about right. Plug that into Federal ballistics software, and I see you would want a muzzle velocity of 1750 fps to still be going over 1300 fps at 200 yards. If you go to 2100 fps, this gives you a plus or minus 3" point blank range to 200 yards. You should have no problems doing that with a 1:12 twist rifle.

  14. #14
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    If you use a powder in the Varget to 4831SC burning range and you clean the barrel every 8 rounds +/- you may get good hunting accuracy out to 200 yards in the 21-2300 fps range. Lots of other variables that can influence the obtainable velocity level though. Only way to know is to test. As megasupermagnum suggests the bullet with that alloy should give reasonable expansion though I prefer an impact velocity of 1500 fps with .30 - 375 calibers rifles for expansion.

    Also, having actually measured the BC of numerous cast bullets by measuring the TOF with an Oehler M43, I find the actaul BCs of most cast bullets run a bit less than the computed BC. The actual BC on that GT bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2000 fps would probably run in .220 - .240.
    Larry Gibson

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  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    And sometimes that flat spot on the nose of your boolit is accidentally just right for the FPS, providing velocity retention beyond your expectations.



    In 1991 a 283 grain .375 worked that way for me; was a pleasant surprise to see how flat it was shooting.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    I shoot a 200 grain from an Accurate mold mold in my 35 Remington chambered Marlin 336 carbine and get 2,070 ft/sec using IMR 4320. Since that powder has been discontinued I've started loading the same bullet with H4895 but can't recall what the velocity is with that powder. Anyhow, the 2,070 ft/sec load has worked better than I ever imagined a cast bullet could on the 3 deer I've shot with it so far. Range has been from about 60 to 100 yards and all have been broadside hits.

    The 358 should move a 20 grain heavier bullet at least as fast as the 35 Rem. I'd for sure push it above 2,000 ft/sec if you want to go out to 200 yards for hunting. When using my 35 Rem, I try to set up in places where a shot beyond 100 yards is unlikely. But water jug bullet testing at 100 yards shows that there is velocity to spare as far as getting good expansion. Unfortunately my alloy is a batch that I bought so not so sure about the mix. I need to duplicate my jug tests with my latest batch cast from 50/50 CoWW/Pure Pb + 2% tin. I expect them to perform the same but you don't know until you prove it by testing.

  17. #17
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    I use the Ranch Dog 359-190-RFGCTL out of a .357 Max at 2000 fps. It's fantastic on whitetails and I haven't caught one in a deer yet, from 70-225 yards.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I use a 200 grain group buy HP, GC, PC at 2100 fps out if my 20” barrel Marlin 336 chambered in 35 Rem. I use 40 grains of varget. Average muzzle velocity was 2087 fps when I ran it through my chronograph. Only shot one deer with it so far. Double lung shot dropped it in its tracks and never moved. Fist size holes in and out through the ribs. The hide had boolit sized holes in and out. I used 10.4 BH 50/50 pure and COWW with 2% pewter added to the total. It’s the group I shot in my avatar with the load. Forty grains was the max book load and also shot the best in my gun with microgroove rifling. My load zeroed at 100 yards drops 9” at 200 yards and still shoots MOA at 200 yards. Haven’t tried it past 200 since that’s the farthest target set up at the local range.

    Found the post with photos

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...n-HP-group-buy!
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 03-07-2022 at 12:08 PM.

  19. #19
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    In my 358 Win I use A2015 with 250 gr jacketed and with 260 gr cast
    I was getting 2300+ fps with jacketed and I use the same charge with cast unsure of the velocity with cast
    Hit em'hard
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  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    I use a 200 grain group buy HP, GC, PC at 2100 fps out if my 20” barrel Marlin 336 chambered in 35 Rem. I use 40 grains of varget. Average muzzle velocity was 2087 fps when I ran it through my chronograph. Only shot one deer with it so far. Double lung shot dropped it in its tracks and never moved. Fist size holes in and out through the ribs. The hide had boolit sized holes in and out. I used 10.4 BH 50/50 pure and COWW with 2% pewter added to the total. It’s the group I shot in my avatar with the load. Forty grains was the max book load and also shot the best in my gun with microgroove rifling. My load zeroed at 100 yards drops 9” at 200 yards and still shoots MOA at 200 yards. Haven’t tried it past 200 since that’s the farthest target set up at the local range.

    Found the post with photos

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...n-HP-group-buy!
    You may want to reconsider using a hollow point. A cast bullet shouldn't do damage like that, and they die faster with a smaller wound channel, like a simple flat nose does.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check