Cast Bullet Load Question For Deer

[FredMcIntire]

I thought I'd hunt with my .454 Casull Handi rifl, until I shot some Casull loads out of it ! It has a very stout kick loaded with H110 or A1680.

Got to thinking I really don't need those Super loads for Whitetail deer in Indiana at 100 yards or less. So I loaded up some 265 grain CB's with gas checks over 9 grains of Trail Boss. It was a very pleasant load to shoot. Pretty accurate too. The data shows 984 FPS but I don't have a chronograph. Since I'm shooting it out of a rifle I think I should be just north of 1,000 FPS.

I think I can easily go up to 10 grains of Trail Boss with no problems.

Do you think this load is sufficient for Whitetails at 100 yards or less ?

I have plenty of Unique I can load too.

My other thought is to load actual 45 Colt cases with either Trail Boss or Unique and use the 265 grain CB's or 300 grain XTP's

I'd really like to use the Casull cases with the CB's; however, I want low recoil too.

Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[sixshot]

That bullet at 1000 fps will penetrate from the rooter to the tooter (end to end) on any white tail out there, if your accuracy is up to snuff you will be very happy, good luck. Powder wise just use whats the most accurate.

Dick

[Wolfer]

Yep, what Dick said!

[leftiye]

There are choices in between.

[FredMcIntire]

^^^^^^^^ Such as ? Please explain.

[44man]

I would try for about 1200 to 1300 fps personally. I find no need for the .454 for deer with full velocity. 1100 or so is also enough but first you need some accuracy. It does no good to slow a heavy boolit too much if you can't hit a deer.
Many say 900+ is enough--well sure, I will not argue, but can you put one in a deer at 100 yards or are you limited to 20? You need two things, accuracy and enough energy at the distance shot.

[Swede44mag]

If you stay close 950 to 1000fps (I dropped a nice fat doe at 950fps) is fast enough if you go out to 100 yards if sighted in at 25 yards it will drop between 4 to 8".
I used to have a Marlin 44mag and couldnt load it more than 1000fps or the shells would not eject. I could see the light reflect off the Hornady Gas check showing a arc (drop) of the boolit.
Good luck on your hunt.

BTW I also hunt with a 454 but it is a 8' Stainless Steel Raging Bull and I use it to harvested a nice doe.

[Wayne Smith]

You have enough velocity at any of those loads for the ranges you are likely to shoot. Work up a variety of loads and find the accuracy in your rifle and you are good to go. You are at the point that none of our advice means much because your rifle is the only thing that gives you meaningful data.

[DougGuy]

When you are on the range shooting, recoil is felt a lot. When you are in the woods or on your stand aiming at game, you don't even feel it. It's a mental thing really, happens naturally. Shoot what is most accurate and don't worry about the recoil, it's not like you will be shooting 25+ rounds while hunting!

[NVScouter]

I'd push it up about 300fps and be in the hot 45LC range. Plenty comfortable in a Handi-Rifle and flatter shooting. You could do 2" high at 50 and just point it at the boiler room and kill anything under 100y.

[Digital Dan]

Fred, your load is in the ballpark I think, but I'd suggest you use a soft alloy. I've been shooting 300 gr full house loads in a .44 mag rifle for a long while and note they are a bit snappy on the south end. As mentioned above, a bit more speed won't hurt but as long as you placement is good you're ok. Another way to view this is not so much MV but rather what velocity will your bullets retain at 100 yds? Probably not so different from those launched at 1200-1300 fps is my guess.

[Lefty Red]

Well, I say work up an accurate load that you can shoot! You should be able to practice with that load, if you can't how can you get any better? 900-1000fps to start. Then go til your groups go south or your shoulder hurts. Hopefully you can make it up to the 1200fps range.

Lefty

[OnHoPr]

When you are on the range shooting, recoil is felt a lot. When you are in the woods or on your stand aiming at game, you don't even feel it. It's a mental thing really, happens naturally. Shoot what is most accurate and don't worry about the recoil, it's not like you will be shooting 25+ rounds while hunting!

That load is less than half the power your gun is capable of. Will the boolit go through the rib cage, yes. That gun can be loaded to produce that speed and energy at 200 yards that you have at muzzle. If you're gone to plink then plink, if you are going to shoot a deer then load the cartridge or get a softer shooting round. I can see if it was for a youth hunter. Get a lead sled to test hunting loads and just use your shoulder to plink with. You really don't have to worry about recoil on follow up shots.

[DanWalker]

Energy is pretty meaningless with a non expanding cast boolit. 900 fps WILL easily punch through deer and antelope at over 100 yards. This isn't armchair theory. I've seen ME do it. Shot placement trumps ALL else when it comes to handgun rounds. High velocity and mathematically derived energy figures sell lots of guns. They don't put critters down any faster. A handgun round is just a punch press. You're breaking bones and knocking a hole in vitals. Hit them where you are supposed to, and they will either just drop, or run a bit, then tip over and die. It's really that simple...

[Doughty]

I killed a mule deer doe at 50 yards or so, with a .45 Colt, 300 grain WW bullet, loaded to 730 fps. Complete penetration through the rib cage. Dead deer. I'm not recommending this as a load, just saying it doesn't take much to punch through a deer. Beyond this, velocity flattens the trajectory. Develop a load you can shoot accurately to the range you want. The power will be there. If I had a .454, I'd use .454 brass if I could get it. If not, I'd not feel wrong to use .45 Colt.

[OnHoPr]

Three or four years ago I shot a doe at about 200 yards. It was a long day on my BD, 12/29. I tried pacing it, but had a little curve around a 100 ft ice filled pot hole in the field I was watching. I quit counting after 187 paces because I thought of the inaccuracies of my paces. It was a good 5 maybe 4 iron shot to a par 3 green though. The shot just tick the scapula blade muscle above the humerus joint about 1" above the < and exited through the opposite side in front of the humerus. The load was a saboted Speer .44 cal Gold Dot in front of 100 gr of PDex Sel. For projectile and sabot, the was the accurate charge. That speed is more than was is stated. The deer ran 300 yards down the center of the field before it dropped. I have yet to drop a deer in its tracks with any 44 cal projectile even hitting the shoulder blade with charges from 100 to 150 gr and from 60 yards to a couple of hundred. So it depends on where you actually hunt, either a swamp, farmland, or range on what load would be more appropriate. I know I don't want to track a deer through 100 yards of a swamp similar to the swamp pic below. I now use a Lee 240 gr RNFB of 66/33 Pb/WW for my sabot loads with 120 gr of powder because that is was is accurate and has a little more ummmph.