beartooth bullets

[doulos]

Anybody out there use Beartooth cast bullets for hunting in a ,44 mag?  Also looking at the LBT and Beartooth designs for the wide flat nose bullets I'm wondering how they perform accuracy wise past 50 yards.

[quickdtoo]

I've used a bunch of their bullets in rifle chamberings, .358", 412", .432" and ..459",  they can be ordered sized to fit the bore which makes working up accurate hunting loads much easier.

Tim

[swampthing]

I have. I used the .432" 280g WFNGC's @ 1200-1275fps for hunting. I'm getting one ragged hole groups with AA#5 out of 12" Encore, 12" G2, 7.5" Ruger SRH, and SBH Hunter. I love em.

[Mikey]

I've used their .431 and .432 lfngc in 300,330 and 335 gns from my 444s and am sold on them.  Mikey.

[Redhawk1]

Nope, I use Montana Bullet works and Ranger Ricks hard cast bullets at half the price and every bit as good of quality if not better.

[fowler]

Redhawk to be fair, Beartooth is a little more expensive but double? A quick look at 300gr .452 WFNGC LBT style bullets showed Beartooth's price $18.75 and Montana's price is $16.75 and shipping is basically the same as they charge actual cost. I am not saying to buy one or the other but the prices are close enough that if you like one bullet style better than another then get that one over who is selling them.

 I will say that Beartooth has been a little sketchy on delivery times. My last order took forever but Marshall was having health issues so I don't think it was necessarily how he does business. And Montana is the only company that uses actual Veral Smith LBT molds for their bullets. I just order the molds I want and cast them myself but LBT does make the best molds in the world.

[Redhawk1]

OK fowler,
 I may have over exaggerated the price, but I do like MBW and Ranger Ricks bullets.  You got me there. LOL 

[jk3006]

Redhawk to be fair, Beartooth is a little more expensive but double? A quick look at 300gr .452 WFNGC LBT style bullets showed Beartooth's price $18.75 and Montana's price is $16.75 and shipping is basically the same as they charge actual cost. I am not saying to buy one or the other but the prices are close enough that if you like one bullet style better than another then get that one over who is selling them.

 I will say that Beartooth has been a little sketchy on delivery times. My last order took forever but Marshall was having health issues so I don't think it was necessarily how he does business. And Montana is the only company that uses actual Veral Smith LBT molds for their bullets. I just order the molds I want and cast them myself but LBT does make the best molds in the world.

Remember that MBW gives you a price break for ordering 500 or more.  That widens the margin a bit.  I'm also a MBW fan, but Marshall's bullets are great too.  I just can't afford to shoot his.  If MBW significantly raises their prices I'll be casting my own. 

[doulos]

Swampthing, Were your groups at 50 yards?   How do those bullets with the big flats shoot past that?

[xhare]

I love their 250 grain wfn with the gas check.  To me this is the perfect 44 magnum bullet.  It is hard cast and can be driven fast in a rifle.  It is designed to work in any lever gun, including Rugers, although that is not such a problem with the Handi.  I used to shoot the heavy bullets in the 44, but now I just go to my 45-70 if I am looking for something bigger.  I stick with the more "traditional" mid-weights (240-260) in the 44 mag now. 

[jk3006]

Swampthing, Were your groups at 50 yards?   How do those bullets with the big flats shoot past that?

To my knowledge (I've also shot the same bullet in my SRH) they shoot fine out to 100 yards or a little more.  I think they lose stability once you get to 150 or so, but I haven't shot that far to verify it. 

[COR]

After reading these posts I was inclined to register with GBO.  Beartooth bullets has NEVER delivered a timely bullet to me.  The first order I put in with them went 47 days with no charge on my card so I cancelled it.  That was at the end of '05.  I actually was stupid enough to try them again (I know, 2nd time is my fault) in 2006 and guess what?  Same thing after 54 days.  I bet they're just great bullets, I've just never actually got to handle even one to confirm it.  You guys can do what you want, but my money will be spent with Dave and Marcie Jennings of Montana Bullet Works.  They are great to deal with and THEY ACTUALLY DELIVER BULLETS, usually the same week.  I absolutely love the 260WFNGC in all my 44's.  The only thing Beartooth Bullets has ever delivered me is excuses. 

On a separate note, I have gained much knowledge from this site and I want to say thanks to all you "salty dogs" who post your knowledge openly.  I have gained more in a couple years of casually browsing this site than I would have ever imagined.  Semper Fi and Thanks!

[COR]

 I'm wondering how they perform accuracy wise past 50 yards.


Since this was the meat of the original post I wanted to address it.  I use WFN bullets almost exclusively for hunting. I don't practice past 50yds, usually 25-30yds.  I have heard and read some varying reports of WFN not being accurate.  This has been vastly exaggerated IMHO by people who write and talk but have no real practical experience, usually relying on measurements, ballistic coefficients and other twenty dollar words.  I believe the limitation always lies in the shooter.  Remember too that all guns shoot differently.  I guess what I am getting at here is you need to try some in your gun too see how it shoots.  A WFN is a great bullet design, you just need to find the proper size for your gun then practice as much as you can, then some more.  I have taken hogs, deer and a cow elk with WFN bullets.  Hardcast WFN lead is cheap to shoot, accurate, and even at 900 fps will shoot through any whitetail that walks.  

[jk3006]

Lloyd Smale is a guy that shoots a lot of long range past 100 yards, and probably past 200 yards.  I've read his posts where he says that the wfn's destabilize after 150 yards or so.  The lfn's and Keiths do much better past 150 yards.  Under 125-150 the wfn will do fine.  Hardly anybody shoots past that anyway.