Cast Bullets, hard vs soft for hunting

[commonman]

I have searched this subject but am not finding an answer to my questions. There are references to the subject but what I am looking for is missing.

First I have been loading mainly for shooting paper, but now want to get serious again about hunting. I load for 303sav, 7.62x54R and 44-40.

1. Where should I be using hard cast and where will soft cast work?

2. How soft is soft and how hard is hard? (how about that ?)

3. Does the hardness of a bullet affect the maximum speed it can be driven to, and if so to what degree?

Please forgive the list.

 

[brownie]

I have shot small game, varmits and deer using gas check bullets made of Lyman #2 mix in 257 Robts. .32Spl. 38-55 and 45-70. it does the job quite nicely.

Brownie

 

[Andy]

IMO - BHN no higher than 12 or 13, and as big a meplat on the bullet as you can find. Keep the velocities to 2000 fps or lower.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I'm using straight wheelweights dropped in water out of the mold. These are gas checked in the 30-30, and i use both plain base or gas checked, in the 45-70. I've taken deer with them, from the 30-30, and 45-70, no trouble, no bullets recovered, little expansion is expected.. My 44-40 I'm still working on. It has accuracy issues with lead. Tried all sorts of harder and softer melts, different powders, sizing, and assorted weights. It likes jacketed bullets, sized (yes, sized jacketed bullets).427 (.428 after sitting a bit). The chamber isn't generous enough for me to use .429, and I think that's my issue with cast. Still playing though, the softer alloys may yet yield the accuracy I want.

 

[fuzz]

If you want to go in depth into this subject, may I suggest;
http://www.lbtmoulds.com/selectbullet.shtml
If the site interests you, get Veral's book.

You can also see his section on this site;
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/index.php
and scroll down to Ammo/Handloading forums
and goto Cast bullet discussion by LBT
and Ask Veral Smith of LBT QandA

Plenty of good reading.

Dwayner

 

[ben hunchak]

Cast for hunting

Veral Smith's bullet designs are also top notch for hunting including big and dangerous game, some of the Corbon and Buffalo Bore bullets are his(LBT) design. Even with his LFN or WFN designs I would not use anything more then BHN 20 if you want any expansion. I use his designs in .44, .45 and .50 cal. and for hunting, they are as good as it gets....Ben

 

[ceb]

I use 50% wheel weights and 50% roofing sheet lead, then add about 2% by weight of tin using solder, water dropped.

You may want to spend some time on the Castboolit site, as there is a tremendous amount of information there on the subject.

 

[commonman]

Thanks for the information, fellas. Those links will keep me occupied for quite a few evenings.

 

[Levi Garrett]

BHN 16 for deer hunting bullets, expands, but won't break up.
Also for example, in my 30-30 , which is .308 , I size to .311. .375 h&h , size to .379 etc ....