A cast 180 -210 gr FP bullet, especially if cast of a softer malleable alloy and mildly HP'd pushed to 1900 - 1950 fps out of the 7.62x54R with a proper load (no offense to Harris but his loads were not meant for hunting) pretty much equals the 30-30 and is effective to 200 yards. The rifle is also going to be more accurate to shoot than the 44 magnum handgun. That pretty much trumps the .44 magnum load. I base this on hunting experience with both using cast bullets to hunt with, not someone else's article.
Larry Gibson
Yes, was very much considering my Super Blackhawk with typical Kieth type SWC vrs. the C.E. Harris velocities for the 16 gr. to 20 gr. 2400 loadings. Since I've never hunted anywhere that wasn't forest, shoots over 100 yards have never presented themselves for me. So was thinking that ultimately a Super Redhawk in .454 or a Smith .460 would be effective as effective. Granted .460 is significantly more powerful than .44 mag. I think Smith even claims .460 encroaches on 30-30 territory and has a point blank range from 0 to 200 yards?
True enough, I have much more shooting experience than hunting experience, so I'm not really qualified to comment on what *does* work empirically on live game. Trying to learn from those with more experience than myself. :)Of course, given that arrows "work" I'm always open to the idea that if one wants to learn how to hunt (vrs. snipe) then just about any reasonable centerfire rifle loading is good enough. But at the same time, "One shot clean kill" is the philosophy I read of when young, and pretty much would want to hold to, unless I literally were starving.
Yes, the idea that flat point might be better for hunting than spire point has crossed my mind at this point.
Can a hard cast lead alloy. Say Lee #2 or even Linotype go 1900 without issues? (Still seems 1000 fps. short of "real" rifle velocities though.) Or are gas checks / patching required at that point?
