Best Alloy for BIG game (Revolver)

[Messy bear]

Sounds fun! Hope all goes well.
I don’t like cast at velocity’s over 1300 on big stuff unless it’s heat treated. Had a friend that took 454 moose hunting with 335 WFN’s at 1600 and brought back pieces of bullet. Alloy was supposed to be 2-6-92. Bullets that hit bone were totally destroyed. On one, the biggest chunk was 70-80 grains. I still have it somewhere. Good luck!

[sixshot]

I've made 2 hand gun trips to Africa, both were using cast bullets. I plan to make a third trip next year after my knee heals up from a replacement surgery.
On my last trip I took a Freedom Arms 41 magnum using 250 gr WFN cast & an 8.5" Ruger bisley using 282 gr cast HP's & 325 gr cast solids. I took 5 animals with 6 shots, probably didn't need to but I shot my Cape Buffalo twice, actually I did need to because it stood back up but it was very wobbly.
My method is a 282 gr HP is the first chamber, followed by 325 gr solids, that's in case you have to take angling shots or shots through the rump as an animal runs away. A 325 gr solid from 15-17 gr BHN alloy, powder coated & water quenched will penetrate a long ways. My first shot broke one front shoulder, & exited, missing the off shoulder but knocking the Buff down, it stood back up but wouldn't have for very long. Shot #2 was a steep angling shot in front of the left hip, through the vitals & hitting the off side shoulder. It took maybe 4 steps total. This bullet was recovered. I recovered a 282 gr HP from a large Zebra that dropped at the shot. Shot clear through a large Kudu at 82 yds, shot through a large Nyala at (I think 64 yds) with a 282 gr HP & broke both front shoulders on a big Gemsbok with a 250 gr solid with my Freedom Arms at about 55 yds. Hard alloys can get very brittle.

Dick

[TexasAg11]

Sounds fun! Hope all goes well.
I don’t like cast at velocity’s over 1300 on big stuff unless it’s heat treated. Had a friend that took 454 moose hunting with 335 WFN’s at 1600 and brought back pieces of bullet. Alloy was supposed to be 2-6-92. Bullets that hit bone were totally destroyed. On one, the biggest chunk was 70-80 grains. I still have it somewhere. Good luck!

Yikes! That is what I am trying to avoid. Of the commercial casters out there, the most suitable bullets I’ve found for the 454 are a 320, 335, and 340 grain options ranging in BHN from 18-22, and Antimony from 3%-6%. Im leaning towards the lower Antimony options in the heavier weights with a MV of 1400 for exactly the reasons you have mentioned. Estimated impact velocities of 1300-1150.

[TexasAg11]

I've made 2 hand gun trips to Africa, both were using cast bullets. I plan to make a third trip next year after my knee heals up from a replacement surgery.
On my last trip I took a Freedom Arms 41 magnum using 250 gr WFN cast & an 8.5" Ruger bisley using 282 gr cast HP's & 325 gr cast solids. I took 5 animals with 6 shots, probably didn't need to but I shot my Cape Buffalo twice, actually I did need to because it stood back up but it was very wobbly.
My method is a 282 gr HP is the first chamber, followed by 325 gr solids, that's in case you have to take angling shots or shots through the rump as an animal runs away. A 325 gr solid from 15-17 gr BHN alloy, powder coated & water quenched will penetrate a long ways. My first shot broke one front shoulder, & exited, missing the off shoulder but knocking the Buff down, it stood back up but wouldn't have for very long. Shot #2 was a steep angling shot in front of the left hip, through the vitals & hitting the off side shoulder. It took maybe 4 steps total. This bullet was recovered. I recovered a 282 gr HP from a large Zebra that dropped at the shot. Shot clear through a large Kudu at 82 yds, shot through a large Nyala at (I think 64 yds) with a 282 gr HP & broke both front shoulders on a big Gemsbok with a 250 gr solid with my Freedom Arms at about 55 yds. Hard alloys can get very brittle.

Dick

Mr Thompson thank you for sharing your experience. This is incredibly helpful and gives me confidence that I am heading down the correct path with my bullet choice. I hadn’t considered the HP cast option but if you are getting such good performance it is hard to ignore.