cast bullets max hunting range?

[Robert.Connell]

I cant find the answer anywhere. I hunt for deer and my kill shots are in the 200-400 yard range. My practice shots is as far as I can go. For hunting deer size game what is the max range a cast bullet for a 30-06 can do its job if i was to do mine? I would develop a load that my rifle likes so this should be a accurate load. My rifle likes a 180 gr bullet now so i will be getting a 180 gr cast. I never reloaded before and never made bullets before. Dont even have all the stuff yet so is it possible to kill deer at 400 yards? What would be the max range using cast bullets.

Thanks
Rob

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I do a fair amount of cast bullet shooting and I'd keep it to a couple of hundred yards or less with cast unless your rifle is insanely accurate and you can get the Muzzle velocity up more than usual. Also, the nose shape on most cast bullets is rather blunt, so what velocity you do have will drop off rather fast.
As far as expansion, don't expect much unless you heat treat your bullets... I don't go there myself. Rely instead on the metplat of the bullet tearing a hole through the game.
I shoot cast in my 375h@h, 44mag, and 405win at present and have a 30 cal. mould I have used in a previous '06. The accuracy behavior of cast is far different using cast than jacketed. You need to work up from very mild loads with cast until you get ubduration (filling the bore with the bullet), while not destroying the bullet by pushing it too hard. You will land at different speeds depending on the alloy and powder you are using.

 

[justgoto]

You haven't provided your specific need to know information, so we can make a determination.

 

[Robert.Connell]

What Im needing to know is the max range a cast bullet can kill deer? Where I hunt my shots are between 200-400 yards. Im wanting a 180gr mold and I would like to cast my own bullets and try to develop a load that is as accurate as possible out of my rifle. Then i would like to hunt with that load out to 400 yards max but I dont know where to draw the line using cast bullets. From what i read a cast bullet is gonna slow down faster. Is 400 yards close enough for the Cast bullet to hit a deer and expand/transfer energy into the animal?

Im shooting a ruger american in 30-06 with a nikon bdc 600 scope. If this helps in any way..

I have no load developed yet i am piecing together everything i need now. So no powder specs or alloy specs. Just wheel weights and 180gr cast is all i know now. I hope thats enought info to get my answer..

Thanks

Rob

 

[RT2506]

A 30 cal cast bullet is mighty small and does not make much of a hole for bleeding in a deer. Cast bullets kill by cutting caliber size holes through vitals. Unless you are going to cast a very hard gas checked bullet you will not be able to get the velocity you really need to shoot 300 to 400 yards. I shoot a 45-70 with 500+ gr bullets and if I know exactly what the yardage is I can drop a bullet through something out to 1000 yards but it is falling like a rock. I would stick to 100 yards or under for your 06 and be really good at tracking because you will have a good walk unless you hit CNS.

 

[HARPERC]

A 30 cal cast bullet is mighty small and does not make much of a hole for bleeding in a deer. Cast bullets kill by cutting caliber size holes through vitals. Unless you are going to cast a very hard gas checked bullet you will not be able to get the velocity you really need to shoot 300 to 400 yards. I shoot a 45-70 with 500+ gr bullets and if I know exactly what the yardage is I can drop a bullet through something out to 1000 yards but it is falling like a rock. I would stick to 100 yards or under for your 06 and be really good at tracking because you will have a good walk unless you hit CNS.

A bullet soft enough to expand, isn't going to be driven relatively "fast". My preferences with cast bullets for big game start with .375 diameter, and go up. My .375 mould is 325 grains.

My read is that you haven't got a mould, much less an idea of what the accuracy potential the Ruger rifle is capable of using the bullets from that mould.

My advice is that your cart is to far ahead of the horse. Given the info at hand my opinion is you shouldn't be shooting game at all with what you've proposed.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

the general rule with cast bullets is go big bore or go home. 30cal in cast is about like 22cal in jacketed as far as what you will get for wound channel.

I'm assuming you want to save some $$ with the cast pills; that's fine and that's a primary reason why I'm into cast pills also. At $50 per box of 50, the 300tsx pills I run through my 375 will eat your wallet a new one in short order. I also own a mould for my 405 as it may be obsolete again one day and I want to be able to shoot it no matter what component availability is.

As far as equipment, you will also need a lube sizer, gas checks, and a lyman 30cal m die in addition to a mould, sizer die, top punch, lead furnace, dipper, ingot mould, flux, bullet lube, etc.. You may actually be spending more for cast bullets than jacketed if you only do a few hundred a year. I shoot 44mag. pistol and already have the casting equipment, otherwise I'd simply buy up more rifle bullets and forget the trouble of getting a load together. It is a lot more tedious to get a cast bullet load together than a jacketed load, and you could find out your bore simply doesn't like cast.

If this sounds like I'm raining on your parade, I'm not.... But make darn sure you know what you are getting into before you spring the $$ to do this. I personally don't shoot cast through anything under 35cal., and I haven't bothered yet to go under 37cal. cast for rifles even though I have a 338win and a 35whelen.

 

[HARPERC]

the general rule with cast bullets is go big bore or go home. 30cal in cast is about like 22cal in jacketed as far as what you will get for wound channel.

I'm assuming you want to save some $$ with the cast pills; that's fine and that's a primary reason why I'm into cast pills also. At $50 per box of 50, the 300tsx pills I run through my 375 will eat your wallet a new one in short order. I also own a mould for my 405 as it may be obsolete again one day and I want to be able to shoot it no matter what component availability is.

As far as equipment, you will also need a lube sizer, gas checks, and a lyman 30cal m die in addition to a mould, sizer die, top punch, lead furnace, dipper, ingot mould, flux, bullet lube, etc.. You may actually be spending more for cast bullets than jacketed if you only do a few hundred a year. I shoot 44mag. pistol and already have the casting equipment, otherwise I'd simply buy up more rifle bullets and forget the trouble of getting a load together. It is a lot more tedious to get a cast bullet load together than a jacketed load, and you could find out your bore simply doesn't like cast.

If this sounds like I'm raining on your parade, I'm not.... But make darn sure you know what you are getting into before you spring the $$ to do this. I personally don't shoot cast through anything under 35cal., and I haven't bothered yet to go under 37cal. cast for rifles even though I have a 338win and a 35whelen.

All good advice. A well vented place to work with lead is also a must.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

All good advice. A well vented place to work with lead is also a must.

a garage and a fan should do for the most part...

 

[Robert.Connell]

Thats what I was wanting to know guys. In my head I was thinking that I could develop a cast load that was good for hunting deer out to 400 yards and also a good plinker. But if 100 yards is about max then it is NOT going to work for what I need. The wagon is in front of the horse but trying to save money in the long run. Its not gonna work just yesterday took a doe at 203 yards and the bullet did it job (drt). I guess ill stick with modern bullets.

Thanks
Rob

 

[HARPERC]

a garage and a fan should do for the most part...

I agree.