I finally found some time to go hunting with my cast bullet rifle! (A Rem700, Varmint Laminate,1:12" twist, 308 Winchester)
I spotted 4 does and a spike buck feeding across a draw. It took me about 20 minutes to move into position. Using the wind to my advantage, I stalked along the field edge, and found a Big clump of dirt and straw. I used this to lay down behind, and set up the rifle.
The deer fed slowly toward me, totally unaware of my presence. I had to wait around 1/2 hour for a shot because the lead does vitals were obscured by the curvature of the field topography, and grass. When her body was fully clear of any obstructions, I lazer ranged her at 230 yards. I dialed up my scope 3.75 MOA from my 100 yard zero, and prepared for the shot. My Lyman #311299, 200 grain bullet was loaded in front of 47.0 Grains of IMR 4831, and seated long to engrave the rifling upon closing the bolt. (2357fps average velocity). (USE THIS LOAD DATA AT YOUR OWN RISK, AS YOU WOULD ANY DATA THAT WORKS FOR SOMEONE ELSE.)
As The lead doe fed to a broadside shot (facing to my let), I placed the crosshairs just above her heart and squeezed off the shot. As the pictures show, I couldn't be happier with the result! All that load development, and hundreds of rounds down range, paid off! The sound of an impact was startlingly audible/loud and clear! She took a few short leaps and piled up. She went maybe 10 yards after impact.
Upon field dressing and "post mortem", I found that the bullet passed through both lungs and severed several large arteries. The wound channel showed around 2" of distinct radial damage to all tissue, and the exit wound was 1-1/4" in diameter. Sorry, I never took any wound channel pictures.
There was VERY LITTLE blood in the meat when I deboned it. She bled out very well!
FOR OTHER CASTERS: My bullet alloy is 18lbs. Wheel weight lead + 6 feet of 50/50 Lead/Tin solder. Air cooled.
I never recovered the bullet, but the wound channel tells/suggests a story of expansion, and little to no fragmentation. I am very satisfied with the results!
Hope you guys like the pictures!
Click on picture below to view my short video.
I spotted 4 does and a spike buck feeding across a draw. It took me about 20 minutes to move into position. Using the wind to my advantage, I stalked along the field edge, and found a Big clump of dirt and straw. I used this to lay down behind, and set up the rifle.
The deer fed slowly toward me, totally unaware of my presence. I had to wait around 1/2 hour for a shot because the lead does vitals were obscured by the curvature of the field topography, and grass. When her body was fully clear of any obstructions, I lazer ranged her at 230 yards. I dialed up my scope 3.75 MOA from my 100 yard zero, and prepared for the shot. My Lyman #311299, 200 grain bullet was loaded in front of 47.0 Grains of IMR 4831, and seated long to engrave the rifling upon closing the bolt. (2357fps average velocity). (USE THIS LOAD DATA AT YOUR OWN RISK, AS YOU WOULD ANY DATA THAT WORKS FOR SOMEONE ELSE.)
As The lead doe fed to a broadside shot (facing to my let), I placed the crosshairs just above her heart and squeezed off the shot. As the pictures show, I couldn't be happier with the result! All that load development, and hundreds of rounds down range, paid off! The sound of an impact was startlingly audible/loud and clear! She took a few short leaps and piled up. She went maybe 10 yards after impact.
Upon field dressing and "post mortem", I found that the bullet passed through both lungs and severed several large arteries. The wound channel showed around 2" of distinct radial damage to all tissue, and the exit wound was 1-1/4" in diameter. Sorry, I never took any wound channel pictures.
There was VERY LITTLE blood in the meat when I deboned it. She bled out very well!
FOR OTHER CASTERS: My bullet alloy is 18lbs. Wheel weight lead + 6 feet of 50/50 Lead/Tin solder. Air cooled.
I never recovered the bullet, but the wound channel tells/suggests a story of expansion, and little to no fragmentation. I am very satisfied with the results!
Hope you guys like the pictures!
Click on picture below to view my short video.
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Congrats on your harvest and your perserverance with your cast loads and time at the range.
