Jacketed HP vs Cast

[HGunner]

I read a book by Mark Hampton called Handgun Hunting.  He is apparently a very experienced handgun hunter and ran a high fence hunting operation for years.  He states that a quality JHP in 44 or 454 loaded to proper velocity will consistently results in quicker kills and recoveries.  He does not recommend cast bullets and says that a good broad head arrow kills better.  He states that unless the shoulder or spine is hit the performance is poor and animals can travel long distances after the shot.  I've killed almost all of my deer with 240 grain XTPs including another whitetail last month.  I've recently started loading cast bullets and stuff like this makes me concerned about performance.  Should I be aiming at the shoulder with cast or sticking with JHP?  What's your real life experience?  I am particularly concerned about quick kills and fast recoveries as it is thick and often warm where I hunt.

[Ken ONeill]

Probably the most frequently argued handgun topic ... and often commented on by people with little actual personal experience. Mark Hampton is a friend, and is indeed a very experienced handgunner, with a great deal of guiding experience watching other handgunners take game. You didn't mention him, but  my friend JD Jones has frequently expressed the same opinion regarding cast vs jacketed. 

In most cases I prefer jacketed hollowpoints: something like a Sierra JHC, Speer JHP or Hornady XTP on deer size game, and like a Hornady Magnum XTP on game the size of bison, buffalo, bull elk and large bears. I also use hardcast bullets from time to time, to learn something, but I don't recall a time when I ever believed they were absolutely necessary for anything I was hunting or killed.

The Pachyderms (hippo, rhino, elephant) would be a notable exception requiring a hard non-expanding bullet. I have no personal experience shooting the last 2, and my only hippo was taken with a .416 solid.

I'm mostly a heart / lung shooter, and the JHP's have served me well in that application. Some believe in shoulder shots to "break the animal down", and they tend to be hard cast bullet shooters, which often / usually serve better in that application. I'm just not of that shoulder shooting school.

I guess I'd summarize by saying that if you're a cast bullet shooter by desire or necessity or cost or whatever, you're probably best served by the shoulder shot for the first round, in my opinion.

[demented]

 He's right to a point.   However, some JHP's are designed to open at lower velocities for self defense at pistol velocities, these bullets will sometimes open too fast, not allowing sufficient penetration.  You gotta match your bullet with what you're shooting it from AND what you're shooting it at.  I use Hornady 300 gr XTP's in my muzzleloader at 1500 fps, they are deadly on deer, exits on broadside hits are usually one inch diameter.  I've had lighter bullets not do as well.

[Graybeard]

JHPs are my personal preference on deer but I prefer cast on hogs tho I've shot as many with jacketed as cast I guess. The deer I've shot with cast didn't seem to die as quickly as those with JHPs but I've never lost one due to the use of cast either.

I've never been to Africa, Alaska and only made one trip west and came home with my tag cuz the only mule deer I had a chance to shoot was too young so I let him walk and grow older.

I've shot a good many exotics but no elk, moose, mule deer or bison like many on here have. I do think however that if I were going after one of the large heavy native animals out west I'd be more likely to load cast than jacketed but that sure isn't based on personal experience with them on those animals like Ken is offering.

[Larry Gibson]

I have to concur with Mr Hampton's findings as they reflect my own.
 
I've killed numerous deer, pigs and a couple elk hunting with handguns but I killed many more injured deer, elk and domestic stock as an LEO.  I was fortunate in the SO I worked for I had my own vehicle and we provided our own firearms.  Thus I was able to carry and test numerous cartridges and bullet styles.  Using shoulder/heart/lung shots I found a good medium weight for caliber soft cast (of a proper alloy that allows good expansion without the expansion petals shattering and breaking off) minimally HP'd GC'd bullet driven at 1350 - 1450 fps out of 6 - 7 1/2" barrels killed the quickest.  A quality jacketed HP/SP of proper weight for the velocity (1400 fps preferable) was next.  The hard cast bullet of SWC or WFN, regardless of weight, took the longest to kill.  There were always exceptions and over laps but the trends were definately there.  A properly selected HP/SP of either cast or jacketed at the above velocities never had any penetration problems with elk or on the "gristle armor plate" of pigs.   
 
Larry Gibson

[sixshot]

I'm assuming you are talking about cast bullets in sixguns, not single shots. A jacketed bullet is built to expand, & the newer one's do as advertised, they not only expand but the better one's penetrate much better than the old styles I grew up with in the 60's & 70's. I took a few deer back in those days with jacketed & they worked but weren't nearly as good as what we have today.
  Mark Hampton is one of the top handgunners in the world & a great ambassador for our sport. There are very few out there that can match his experience. Ken O'Neill has also hunted all over the world & taken a lot of game that is bigger & badder than our elk or moose. I know Ken & he's not only a fine shot but but a lot of fun to be around, we've shared some good times together.
  I've only taken one elk with jacketed slugs & it worked great, it was a Speer 270 gr. Gold Dot & the cow only needed one shot. The 5-6 deer taken a long time ago with the old style Speer 3/4 jacketed slugs also worked but for the most part was just shearing off the nose, which was pretty much soft lead.
  I've taken many elk (10) & one bull moose, lion, bears, antelope, hogs & some African plains game with cast & never had a problem, I can't remember shooting one twice. Would they have died qucker if I had used a jacketed slug, probably, but I seldom have one travel more than 10-15 yds before going down, many went down at the shot. For the most part I'm a heart/lung shooter but many have been dropped with the shoulder shot. The part I like best with a quality cast slug is the penetration. I've never recovered one, whether its been elk, bears or moose, I know that slug is going to exit.
  If a person is shooting a single shot handgun then a cast won't come close to the performance of a good jacketed slug. You need that big flat nose with cast or they will fail.
  One time I was hog hunting with some friends (high fence) & although I wasn't actually hunting I was carrying a Browning Hi-Power 9mm & it was stoked with a little 120 gr cast truncated cone bullet. One of my buddies shot a nice size boar but hit it too far back & he ask me to finish it. The hog was down but not out, that little 120 gr cast slug went competely through the head & buried in the hard dirt behind it, a jacketed 9mm bullet wouldn't have came close to exiting on that big, hard head, it would have flattened out the size of a dime. Shooting it behind the ear would have done the job but I wanted to test the cast slug.
 
Dick
 
 

[Fire Fox]

I have hunted for 45 years with a pistol and started with the Keith bullet cast in the 44 mag and have found that placement is the key to quick kills. I have used many older as well as the new Jacketed bullets and have found that if the shot is done correct and the new generation jacketed bullets are used there is little  difference in either. In jacketed bullets you have to be mor careful to match the bullet for expansion or penetration to the animal . However, I prefer heavy cast bullets per caliber in all of my revolver loads in 44 mag,454, 45 colt, 480 ruger, and 460 smith. They have never failed me and I have yet to lose an animal so far with cast bullets. However have had more trouble with the jacketed bullets. However, I pass up shots that are not good and perhaps have been lucky. I have found that the heavy cast bullets obtain more velocity per charge of powder, ensure good penetration and are great for breaking something important when needed. I have found them to be the closes to a one bullet for everything in a revolver for me. I have been using the LBT style bullet since they came out and it is my go to bullet for everything in the above listed calibers. It has worked well on everything from deer to large Asian buffalo. When I punch a shoulder they have gone down every time so far. On deer and hogs a good cast bullet has done as well as  or better than any of the jacketed bullet shots  on a behind the shoulder shot.  I shoot 275 and 300 in 44, 300 in 454 and 45 Colt, 360 in 460 and 370 to 400 in 480. The new generation jacketed do a good job but the cast are faster with the same charges and show less pressure with hotter loads in my experience. I mold and heat treat most of my bullets or use Laser Cast or Precision Cast bullets. If my molded bullets are pushed over 1450 fps I  generally gas check them if leading or accuracy due to leading occurs. In my experience LBT blue lube and Lyman super molly have been the best lubes for me. Be sure to wash your hands after loading and don,t eat  during( as with all reloading even jacketed ) to prevent lead build up in your system. If you mold bullets follow safety instructions. I hope this helps  you.