Cast bullets for moose

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cooter303

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Any one have any experience moose
With cast bullets? I have a 30/06 and i shoot a 170gr cast bullet at about 1700 to 1800fps. Would this be adequat enough for moose out to 100 yrds? I know i can use jacketed but want to try cast. Thanks for input and opinions.
 
The hubby shot an elk a few years back with a lead cast 190 grain .310" dia bullet from his Ruger m77 mkii all-weather in 300 Win Mag.
It was a reduced velocity load and the bull elk dropped like a bag of lead shot in a down draft.
It was a hard cast lead alloy bullet he cast himself.
He casts the lead bullets for his rifles about a couple of thou' over the slugged dia of the barrel of the gun they are to be shot in.
 
Can't see why not, I dropped one in Saskatchewan years ago ( decades ago ? ) with a 290 gr. cast GC out of a 35 Whelen.
Dropped like a stone, virtually no meat damage, what's not to like ?
Within reasonable distances a cast load should work great..
 
Thanks for the positive replies. I have gotten deer with cast bullets but never hunted moose yet. Looking forward to moose hunting this november. Got a bull draw on my trapline area. I dont have a chronograph but the lyman book has my 170 gr around 1800 fps with 16 gr of unique. So will go with that load. My rifle sure likes em.
 
Because cast bullets don't expand significantly I prefer to restrict their use to bore sizes on the larger size. I could be convinced to use them in my 9.3 but that's as small as I would go. 416, 45-70 and 458 would be better because, well, who gives a #### if they expand?
 
With your 30-06 a 1/10 twist ???
the highest velocity you can expect with good Accuracy with 10”twist is..1666……to 1944 fps Plus/ minus

for more energy I would be trying a heaver cast bullet 190-200-210 g at 1900 fps and just air cooled
 
I thumped a Sambar deer (Elks sized no doubt about it) from a good 100-150m with a .375Winchester BB and a 245gr hard cast coated projectile at a modest 1900 FPS.


only difference I see is around .067 different in diameter , id personally use that to wack at moose, only because ive found penetration is Awesome! compared t faster lighter expanding bullets.
 
I'm sure 30-06 would work on moose with a proper cast bullet.

I'm a caster myself, and I'd spend $40 all-in on a Lee two cavity 200 grain mold and use that however, over a 170 grain bullet.

That Lee 200 grain bullet shoots great out of a half dozen .30 cals I've used and it carries more momentum. I've pushed it to past 2100 fps if water dropped.

Even norc M14's love it....
 
cooter303 said:
Any one have any experience moose
With cast bullets? I have a 30/06 and i shoot a 170gr cast bullet at about 1700 to 1800fps. Would this be adequat enough for moose out to 100 yrds? I know i can use jacketed but want to try cast. Thanks for input and opinions.
Click to expand...

I would think that a 200 grain bullet would make more sense. A heavy round-nose flat-point bullet at the reduced velocities required by cast bullets would be just as effective as a lighter one at a higher velocity.

I would like to someday hunt moose with a Pedersoli Rolling Block in .45-70 using a 500 grain RN bullet at about 1300 FPS. Maybe using black powder. I have a 100 year old Ideal tool that still drops perfect "government" 500 grainers.
 
.30 caliber cast bullets can work under ideal circumstances, but opting for a larger bore like the .45-70 is far more practical and forgiving. If you're still set on the former, check with NOE or MP-Molds for their hollow point mould designs. A friend of mine has successfully harvested big game with his own compound cast bullets that were cast with hard, but ductile shanks and softer points poured afterward. Shank and point fuse together giving you a cast bullet that offers superior expansion to conventional cast bullets while also penetrating well...In theory anyway. He enjoys the extra fiddling and work, I just use the .45-70 and am done. :) YMMV
 
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