Do any of you purists hunt with .25-.30 cast bullets? I cast bullets for the 45/70, but they are 500 grains and not in the same class. I have a kind of a spare '06 that I was thinking of playing with some cast bullets with. My reading on cast bullets is not very current, what velocities are you guys loading to now, and what are you using for lube?
Anyone hunt with small bore Cast Bullets?
- Thread starter 22to45
- Start date
I hunt with cast bullets of .22 cal., .25 cal., 7mm, and all kinds of .30 cals., but for varmints and the like. I match bullet hardness to the velocities I use, but don't consider these cals. for use on big game, cast or jacketed bullets. I use my own lube which uses, beeswax and lots of Carnauba and don't have leading problems. On the average, accuracy is best with these small calibers at 1700-2100fps, my benchrest guns seem to do best at the high end of this(2100fps) and they are all .30 cals. I find that as you go down in dia., cals./ get fussy as to speed and accuracy. .22 cal. central fire are finickiest of all, and right now I'm playing with a new CPA .218 Mashburn Bee, and all I know so far is that it doesn't like 2200fps with cast bullets of pure linotype.
After I posed the question here, I found an article on the web that said that leading is due to pressure not velocity, he was getting 2700 fps without leading because he kept the pressure down, using slower powders. Still not max loads, compared to jacketed bullets, but pretty quick.
I don't think that 2700 fps without leading is difficult, however cast bullet accuracy can be a fleeting thing and some guns/barrels/bullets are most accurate at much lower velocities, really doesn't have anything to do with leading or not. I've fired cast bullets at over 3000fps in .30 cals.(paper patched) and while they did group and didn't lead, accuracy could not compare with gr. groove bullets at much lower speeds.
Pathfinder
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I wonder if if that old Arisaka 6.5 I have would digest cast bullets.....just a question of hardness I guess. It likes regular 140gr. cup and core J bullets but wants nothing to do with Match bullets or the same weight.
