Hunting With Cast Bullets

[Aliyah]

Hi everyone

The big question as always.

Has any one hunted game with cast bullets and been successful?

Yes,i am from KZN and i only use cast bullets.I cast my own bullets because i sort of like got gatvol with the price of bullet heads.Here in Pmb it is unreal what one would pay for a box of Sierras let alone the Hornady VMax.

Two days after the hunting season started i shoot and killed a young bull Kudu at about 140 meters with a 180 gr cast bullet cast from the RCBS SP Mold.
During the season i shot 6 bush buck,4 duiker and some mountain reed buck.
All these animals were shot over 100 meters.

I regularly shoot bush pig and warthog.

I also have the RCBS 180 GR HP mold which is devastating on any crittER.
I interchange every now and again with bullet sizes for the 308.I have the 150 gr rn which is not much of a stopper.The 165 gr Sil,the 173 gr flat,the 180 gr SP and 180 gr hollow point are just to good to be true.I also have the 180 gr sharp point which i havnt tried yet as i do not have a top punch for it yet.
I have ordered one and hope it gets here soon.

Personally i think the price of bullets is ridiculous.
I can cast reload and shoot 200 different size bullets in one day.
But,if i had to buy bullets it would be IMPOSSIBLE

 

[Ray B]

I haven't shot animals larger than rats with cast bullets, so can't speak to larger animals, however I see no reason that a bullet that killed animals 150 years ago wouldn't also be lethal today. Due to the reduced velocities of cast bullets it is necessary that they rely on weight and frontal area to disrupt the animals vital tissue. Since trajectory is a function of velocity, shots are limited to about 200 yards for hunting situations. that said, I see no reason why a good cast bullet of adequate size, weight and shape wouldn't be perfectly adequate for large game.

 

[nztimb]

I have shot quite a few goats with cast bulets from bot my 7x57 with 160gn bullet at 2415fps out to near 200yds and even a numbert of them with the 404 Jeffery.
I shoot mostly cast as well from 6.5 GM, 6.5x57, 7x57, 303, 400, and 577-450. Have sold on the 404 but it shot very well with cast as well.

 

[ChrisG]

I have hunted with cast bullets. I believe @Von Gruff has a lot more experience than I do in this regard, he has made bi metal bullets with a soft lead tip and alloy base for hunting... All I can offer is, get a bullet with the biggest meplat that will function in your gun. Hollow points should be avoided unless you are shooting them at handgun velocities as at a rifles speed, they will blow to bits. I just stick with the large meplat driven at a moderate velocity and have had no trouble killing game. They usually run a little farther and a bigger bore helps with that but they work great and there is just something about taking an animal with a bullet that you made yourself which is very very satisfying. The only thing I think that could beat that is making the gun yourself as well. Best of luck!

 

[nztimb]

Casting up a batch of bullets in 50-50 (ww-Pb) and cutting a 60 gn portion from them that is then put into the mould and toped off with lino . Over 39gn H4350 gives 2415 fps and accuracy in the inch to inch and a quarter at 100 yds. Easily usable out to 200yds with my open sights but I would be comfortable hunting to greater distance with the scope installed.





With 100% weight retention I have to think it is at least as good as anything commercially available and has my complete confidence

 

[nztimb]

The good thing is that I only needed to make enough for hunting and a bit of testing as I found that cast in straight lino they shot to the same poi and with the same accuracy
Getting the scope dialled in at 100 yds for a 150 yd zero. The next group was centered but I overlaid it with some other shots so didn't get the pic.

 

[Ray B]

2400 fps and no leading? Is that Rooster red lube I see in the groove? How do you measure the point portion of the lead going into the mould?

I hope you are not upset by the questions- I am really impressed with your results. Presently I cast for .224, .257, 277, 284, 308, 357, 375, 429, & 458 but I haven't tried variable metal bullets or going much over 2000 fps. Seeing your results, I may have to give it a try.

 

[nztimb]

No there is no leading but as the nose portion is soft alloy I do give them a tumble lube in LLA after the size and lube with my own lube. I have never used a commercial lube and started out with simple 60-40 (BW/V with a little red crayon)

I have a piece of brass that is the right thickness to cut the noses all the same length. I would cast up a big batch of the 50-50 bullets and cut enough for a couple of years hunting then use the rest for plinking. I tested the weight of a number of the noses and they were all within a negligible +/- so as to make no difference in the accuracy of the finished bullet.


I have gone on to a different alloy now with a % of copper that will take velocity quite a bit higher and a different lube that has been tested to over 3000fps with complete success but then the fit of the bullet, both static and dynamic must be right for it all to come together.

 

[nztimb]

If you are going to cast for these bullets there is a need to follow a specific pattern of heating and cooling to make sure the bullet is homogenous and will hold together. I have a wet towel on a chair behind me before I start and then with a the hot mould you will need a pair of very fine needlenose pliers to place the nose into the mould. Put the mould into the pot for a count of 30 which will take the nose to just under melt temp.

Then fill the rest of the mould with the lino and wait for the first sign of alloy set then place the mould back in the pot for another count of 20 or untill the very first sign of the sprue starting to liquify again then place the mould onto the wet towel to help with the cooling. I wait for at least a half minute to make sure there is sufficient cooling to have the alloy in the very hot mould solidify before turning the bullets out. I suppose you could use a fan to cool rather than the wet towe but the time needed would be longer.
It is not a fast process but 50 bullets will last for a couple of years hunting once you have your load sorted but in any case straigh lino can be used for all load work-up and then just confirmed with the soft nose bullet

 

[ChrisG]

Great post VonGruff!

 

[Ray B]

Von Gruff, WOW again, that is impressive. I've been plodding along for years using Lyman #2, gas checks and alox and thinking that was as good as it gets- I can see there's another whole world out there to explore. thanks for the insight.

 

[Longwalker]

What Ray B said! thanks for sharing Von Gruff!

 

[Aliyah]

Great post Von Gruff.Well done.Its men like you that will make the gunshops and dealers realize that there is people out there who are very capable of saving loads of money.I just got tired of being ripped off.I will not buy bullets from gunshops AGAIN

 

[Aliyah]

CAST BULLETS ALL THE WAY

 

[nztimb]

With your bullets having no meplat, I take it that they are reasonably soft with the PC protecting them in the barrel.
I havent delved into PC as the HV lube I use with good alloy makes it unnessary for me to go outside of my simple process. I do know those who do PC and read their very postive reports and how they can size up a bullet to suit a barrel if needed.

 

[Aliyah]

Hi Von Gruff
The bullets you see there are only one type i have shown,it is the Lyma 311332BV 180 gr S.I have the RCBS 165 gr Sil,the Lyman 173 gr 311041,the RCBS 180 SP,the RCBS 180 HP and a Lee 120 gr rn.These are all 30 cals.The 173 gr is in a class of its own.
It is more for for lever gun with a nice meplat but i use them anyway
I have molds for almost all types of fire arms

Kind Regards

 

[Aliyah]

These are some of the cast bullits i do

 

[Aliyah]

And also,my bullit mix is,70%clip on wheel weights 1o%50/50 solder and about 20% pure lead.
I like my mix to be as close to the Lyman#2.For high velocity i ware quench.
Kind Regards

 

[mikee]

Watching/following with interest. Having just got my .375WSM and planning to shoot / hunt with cast bullets.
Although I know 3/8's of bugger all about casting.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Great post VonGruff!

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