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BigBill
Handloading Master
| Joined: | 22 April 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 578 |
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Posted: 15 November 2008 07:41 PM |
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I was given some relaoding equipment a while back and it had all the lead casting stuff with it. I noticed some of it was for the 7mm mauser(7x57mm). What are your thoughts on using cast bullets to hunt with? Are cast lead bullets as good as jacketed bullets in hunting?
I have the molds, the sizer/luber and the furnance with tools. Overall is it worth doing or playing with?
Now i have built a 7mm mauser varmit rifle and i was thinking of shooting lighter grain lead cast bullets for yotes would that be ok?
I talked with a buddy on the net who is into shooting cast bullets and i got some for my 444 marlin but i haven't tried them out yet. I think there 300grs. 
Last edited on 15 November 2008 07:43 PM by BigBill
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Charley
Administrator
| Joined: | 9 September 2005 |
| Location: | San Antonio, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2299 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 16 November 2008 07:52 PM |
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Cast bullets are alway worth playing with!
I've never used anything as small as 7x57 to hunt with, except for small game. You can push cast bullets, when properly sized and lubed, to 2500 FPS or so, but it doesn't come easily. Loads generating 1800 to 2000 FPS are much easier to put together, and require far less trial and error.
OTOH, the .444 is a great cast bullet slinger. Not much a flatnose 310 grain bullet at 1800 FPS can't handle. For a very informative three part article on cast and the .444, look at the tech notes section of Beartooth Bullets' website.
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miestro_jerry
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 28 June 2008 |
| Location: | Somerton (AKA BFE), Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 773 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 23 December 2008 01:26 AM |
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I make and use a lot of cast bullets, I shoot two different weights of 7mm. One is a flat nose and the other is a soup can.
Most of mine are shot in a T/C Contender in 7 TCU and others are shot in a 7-30 Waters T/C Contender Single Shot Carbine. For small game they are really great. I don't push either of them beyond 2,100 FPS. I use a slightly harder alloy than WWs for these bullets. What I basically use is Lyman #2 Alloy, Heat Treated, gas checked and lube with a good synthetic bullet lube. I use my Star Sizer with a .285 die to size and lube these bullets. I have not used either of these for deer hunting or larger game, but did in a couple of coyotes and a lots of ground hogs with my 7mm
It is well worth getting in to bullet casting, you control more of what your firearm can do by casting and reloading. So far, I have shot cast bullets in almost all of my guns, except my AR-15 HBAR NM and my Springfield Ultra Match M1A, those two rifle only shoot match grade bullets. I shoot lead in all of my bolt guns, including my 40X, my wheel guns and my semi autos, this is something I have done since the late 60s. My old Spanish FR8 in .308 Win with a well loved barrel, shoots a 165 grain CB, flat nose that is sized to .311, this sizing allows this rifle to shoot more accurately. The bullets being sized up, didn't turn this into a match rifle, but it is a fun to shoot "knock about gun" that I carry in my farm fields. So I have an inexpensive plinking rifle because of cast bullets.
I tried shooting CBs in 300 Remington Ultra Mag at near 3,000 FPS, the bullets didn't hold together, sort of a shotgun affect, so I tamed the load down to a 30-06 level and it shoots those very well.
CBs in 45 ACP loads do extremely well, several matches have been won with cast bullets and the right load.
I use a very heavy SWC cast bullet, 214gr bullet, in my S&W L frame, it is slow and heavy, this sort is the reverse of what people think of the 357 magnum. It isn't a standard bullet going at high velocity. I think it would do more damage than the 158 lead SWC that is pushed to higher speeds. This bullet was orginally designed for the 357 Max cartridge. Those revolvers didn't last long, but T/C developed a Contender in 357 Max, which I do shoot a lot.
So when you get into casting bullets, you have more control and choices for your guns.
Merry Christmas,
Jerry
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