I bought a T/C Encore Pro Hunter about a year ago with a BP barrel and a 300 win mag. Son kinda took over the 300 so i'm looking for another caliber. I want a caliber i can cast for to hunt deer size game. I was thinking about 6.5x284. I already have some molds i think will work, just don't know much about this caliber and what gr. boolit to use. Please give me some feed back on this, I need WISDOM!
You know, there's an old saying, Miss Sally. There's no law west of the Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chism? James Pepper
Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there. John Simpson Chism
Hey GunShot, I have an unfired stainless Bergara Encore barrel in 30-06 that I would sell you for $200. I have caste boolits for my 30-06 03-A1 and it is deadly on deer. PM me if interested.
6.5x284 seems like a waste with cast. Really large case. Won't get anywhere near the performance of jacketed. Why not .260 Remington (6.5x308) if set on a 6.5? Smaller case is easier to load for and can be made from .308w cases.
Personally, with cast, bigger bores seem better suited to cast performance when hunting is involved, can run heavier boolits to make up for lower velocity.
My Straight shooter thread
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...traightshooter
I would look at one of the 6.5s on a smaller case maybe 260 rem, 6.5X55, The 6.5X284 is a great round and is slightly overbore with jacketed bullets, making full use of this potential with casty bullets will be tricky. A smaller capacity case will burn less powder and be more effiecent with cast bullets. I would consider one of the newer 6.5s and shoot more with the same amount of powder.
If you are going to use cast, 6.5 will work, but you may want to consider something a bit fatter.
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!
If you want to hunt with cast bullets then you might consider a cartridge/barrel combination that is more cast bullet friendly than the 6.5. Something in 30 caliber with a 12" twist would be preferable or better a 35 Rem or 358W with 14 or 16" twist.Originally Posted by gunshot98
I bought a T/C Encore Pro Hunter about a year ago with a BP barrel and a 300 win mag. Son kinda took over the 300 so i'm looking for another caliber. I want a caliber i can cast for to hunt deer size game. I was thinking about 6.5x284. I already have some molds i think will work, just don't know much about this caliber and what gr. boolit to use. Please give me some feed back on this, I need WISDOM!
Larry Gibson
Now thats what i like. a variety of information. Silvershooter, let me think about that, i might go that way. I also like the sound of the 35 rem. Ialready have 3 of the 30-06 in 2 customs and one pre-64 win. The reason i thought about the 6.5 is i like the 6.5x55 sweed. That is a deer killin machine with 140gr boolit. Thanks all. Will keep you posted on my decision.
You know, there's an old saying, Miss Sally. There's no law west of the Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chism? James Pepper
Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there. John Simpson Chism
I agree, cast boolits in a single-shot call for something bigger & slower. Necked up, not down.
.358 Winchester looked like a good idea to me. .338 Federal seems like it would be a good CB round. Too bad it hasn't caught on.
The .338/06 has always fascinated me. If I still hunted big game, I'd probably have one of my bolt guns re-barreled.
+1
I know there are members on here that get good results with small calibers but I have never been able to get any accuracy with anything smaller than .30.
If you are looking at the Encore - or Contender - take a hard look at the .30-30. It is a spectacularly good cast bullet cartridge.
First reload: .22 Hornet. 1956.
More at: http://reloadingtips.com/
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the
government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian."
- Henry Ford
Get ready for 30,000 plus recommendations....lol.
Naw, once he settles in on the sensible choice of .35 bore, things get a lot easier.
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!
If this is your first venture into cast with a rifle a 6.5 would be asking for frustration. something in either 30 or 35 cal will give you more choice in boolit selection. A case with at least a 2 cal. neck and a capacity that can be safely loaded to 80% plus capacity with a slow powder. Also do not overlook the big boys the 45-70 is a joy to reload.
There is no practical way to get the velocity to make one shoot flat so load for accuracy and down range boolit performance. Save the 6.5mm idea for later. It will be interesting.
Good luck with your venture.
The man who invented the plow was not bored. He was hungry.
This would be my thinking also.
Political correctness is a national suicide pact.
I am a sovereign individual, accountable
only to God and my own conscience.
I love my 45-70 and am working up loads for my new 357 maximum.
Bigger is better!
The 358 Winchester is a fabulous cast bullet cartridge. The RCBS 35-200-FN mold is perfectly suited for it. When the lube grooves are covered the gas check is just at the bottom of the neck. The powder capacity is perfect, and 2250 fps is easily achieved.
Take care, Tom
I guess it all depends what your hunting area is like. Here in N.Y., or New England for that matter, lots of woods, no real long shots unless your on a farm. 35 cal puts down everything with an accurate shot.
45-70 is the route i plan on going, also. I decided to go with something that started as cast rather than fight with something designed to be jacketed and 2000+ FPS. Already own a 30-30 and wanted more 'punch'. 45-70 outta do it.
For a cast friendly caliber for deer I would go for the 30-30 Winchester or a 35 Remington and would favor the 35 Remington due to the larger caliber. Larry has posted some great results with his 35 Remington and has lots of pictures and information.
Either of these calibers at 1700 to 2000 fps with a nice large flat nose bullet will kill deer as attested by many cast bullet hunters here.
357, 44, 45 lc..... A good friend of mine shoots golfballs at 100 with his tc 44 mag barrel. And my 9 year old wants one BAD!
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