Big Bore Cast Bullet loads

[MS Hitman]

I am planning to play with some cast bullet loads in my .458 WM and .416 Rigby. First photo shows the Hornady 500 grain soft point beside a custom .458 Bullet which weighs out at 388 grains sized and lubed. My particular #1 prefers 500 grain bullets, so I have ordered the Lee 500 grain flat point mold.

This is the Hornady 400 grain soft point next to the RCBS 350 FP which weighs out at 371 grains sized to 0.417" and lubed.

Depending on the level of accuracy I get from these bullets, I can see some testing on deer and hogs in their future.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I would be interested to see some results from a penetration test in some media.

 

[MS Hitman]

It may be a while until I get a testing board and enough newsprint collected to test these bullets. I will be glad to post results when I do this though.

Previous testing, mostly with revolvers, yielded some of these results (all in wet newsprint):

.500 Linebaugh (.512") 450 Keith @ 1,150 fps 34"
.500 Linebaugh 500 LFNGC@ 1,136 fps 42"
.500 Linebaugh 420 Hunters Supply @ 798 fps 29"
.45-70 522 cast @ 1,148 fps 49"
.475 Linebaugh (.475") 350 LBT @ 931 fps 32.5"
.44 Magnum 330 WLFN @ 1,175 fps 35"
.458/.480 case 405 grain cast @ 839 fps 31"
.32 Magnum 115 FN @ 1,024 fps 17"
.458 Win mag 500 gr Winchester load 2,036 fps 22"
.44-40 (rifle) 200 gr cast FP @ 1,332 fps 24"

We shot John Wooters pet .416 Taylor, I cannot recall the bullet, but will try and find my notes. It got 72" of penetration through the paper and the 2X12 holding it all up. Last we heard of the bullet, it was sailing on downrange.

This is not as scientific as ballistic gel, I know, but a whole bunch cheaper when shooting as many rounds as we did.

 

[matt85]

i run a 600gr gas check cast bullet in my 505 Gibbs at 1850fps and accuracy is very good. its a nice inexpensive way to practice at the range.

-matt

 

[MS Hitman]

i run a 600gr gas check cast bullet in my 505 Gibbs at 1850fps and accuracy is very good. its a nice inexpensive way to practice at the range.

-matt

That is what I am wanting to do, less expensive shooting, and take some game with the rifles.

 

[MS Hitman]

Made up the rounds for each caliber.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

This is the bullet I feed my #1 in 45/70, mine drop at 460gr, I will say, this isn't a bullet for fast shooting action, the meplat is too wide, and so it takes precise alignment to chamber, feed like butter in my lever action though.

 

[MS Hitman]

This is the bullet I feed my #1 in 45/70, mine drop at 460gr, I will say, this isn't a bullet for fast shooting action, the meplat is too wide, and so it takes precise alignment to chamber, feed like butter in my lever action though.

That's a good looking bullet.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

These were fired at 75 yards from the #1.

 

[Rule 303]

Nothing wrong with hard cast gas checked bullets for hunting, especially if they have a decent seized metplate.

 

[MS Hitman]

Nothing wrong with hard cast gas checked bullets for hunting, especially if they have a decent seized metplate.

Absolutely! Been using cast bullets in revolvers, especially the big bores, for many years with great effect.