40:1 on game?

[Nardoo]

I have been using cast bullets on game for some time but recently decided to try black powder cartidge. I cast some CBE 458-430 FN bullets at a soft 40:1 and loaded them over 68 gns of FFg for 1220 fps in my 45/70. I chose this soft alloy to get some expansion at this low velocity.

I culled three feral deer yesterday - and although two bullets passed right through like they do with my WW bullets at higher velocity - one bullet was recovered under the skin on the far side. All shots were directed at the shoulder and resulted in instant kills. These deer are approximately the size of your whitetail deer.

The recovered bullet weighed 336 gns from its initial 428 gns. I guess it struck a lot of bone. I suppose it is good bullet performance but it sure looks beat up to me. Should I harden up my next batch to 30:1?



Nardoo

[jhalcott]

Did these deer RUN off after the shot, how far was the shot? Seems to ME those bullets did what they are supposed to do! If the biggest game is the feral deer why go harder. I DO use a harder alloy, but it's easier to get wheel weights than pure lead and tin for me. If you ever have to hit one in the hip going for the heart/ shoulder, you MIGHT need a harder alloy.

[Skipper]

1. Are the bullets accurate?

2. Are the deer dead?

If so, I wouldn't change a damn thing.

[KYCaster]

Let me see if I understand this...instant kill...thru & thru penetration...1 1/2 caliber expansion...80% weight retention...consistent results.

Seems to me a lot of guys would be envious of that kind of performance. Guys like Nosler, Hornady, Barnes, Speer...

I don't see how you could improve on that.

Jerry

[Southern Son]

Nardoo, unless you are going to go after something bigger and tougher, sambar, scrub bulls,big pigs, then I think that changing something that is working so well would be asking for something to go wrong. Did you save any of the meat? What area were you hunting in?

[James C. Snodgrass]

Sounds and looks good ! I just want to know if you need some help experimenting? Seriously if you can't decide I'de split the difference and say 35 to 1 . But I say its great now why mess up a good thing.

[SharpsShooter]

Softer is better for the BPCR ( and many others too) From what I see in the pics, you are in fine shape. I've read of some using even 50:1 ratio of lead/tin on buffalo and getting the job done just as you did.

Congrats on the deer!


SS

[John F.]

Looks VERY good to me!! I have been planning to use 30:1 but might try 40:1 and see how it does in my rifle. Congrats on the good shooting! I also would be very curious to hear how far away the deer were, and angle of shots. I see that you said they were instant kills -- was there much meat damage, and did you break the shoulder in each case?

Thanks for sharing!!
John

[montana_charlie]

I suspect that 'harder' bullets are used in BPCR cartridge guns for two reasons.
First is to prevent slump on long-nosed bullets. Yours don't look like they would be troubled by that.
Second, because the bullet is not wrapped in a patch (like round ball in a muzzle loader) the 'harder' alloy can decrease, or eliminate, leading.

If you don't have a lead-in-the-bore problem and your bullets can't slump, I think 'softer' is better.
CM

[Junior1942]

I'm gonna be different from all these other guys and say leave well enough alone. . . .

[405]

I'd shoot whatever is giving you the accuracy and acceptable lead fouling. I think the softer alloys and pure lead only killed about 50 million bison