Cast hunting bullet

[cooper]

I'm getting my Sharps 45/100 ready for hunting season, and need some advice on alloy and bullet shape.

My 2 choices are a 440 gr roundnose which I hollow-point on a drill press, or the RCBS flat-nose at 410 grains.  I have used these bullets in alloys ranging from 1:20 to 1:45, tin to lead.  Both bullets, in all alloys tried, shoot with equal accuracy.  Muzzle velocity (duplex load) is right around 1550 fps.

For larger game, like elk, which one of these bulets would you recommend, and in what alloy?  

I guess I do have a 3rd choice - a regular jacketed bullet in 350-405 gr.  I would prefer to shoot the cast bullet, but don't want to lose out on performance.  

Any thoughts?

[jhalcott]

Cooper, you the guy that hijacked that airliner?
  That caliber will take about any animal on this continent with any of the slugs you mentioned. How well does the 440 grain shoot before HPing them?Maybe the depth of the hollow point could be shallower, so the bullet is heavier and flatter on the nose. A lot of people say a large flat nose is needed,but I use a pointed 420 grain bullet.It is from an NEI mold I have had for years.The buffalo hunters used round nosed bullets to harvest bufaloes.Which ever is most accurate in YOUR gun is the one to use! I think the 1-20 alloy should do fine.

[Mikey]

Cooper:  Use the flatnosed slug.  I just took an 800 pound cow Elk at 100 yds with a flatnosed 330 gn hardcast slug from a 444 and the bullet coursed right through her - it was no contest.  It looked as though it went straight through without deflecting.  An excellent performance.  I used the same load on a 400 pound Russian Boar at 50 yds and the bullet coursed right on through the grizzle plate behind the head on the left side and right out the right shoulder socket - it never stopped and left a clean hole the butcher cut right up to.  

Your hollowpointed 400 grainer may expand if it hits bone and is cast from a softer alloy.  Your slugs do not need to be that hard since you are using them at lower speeds but if they are soft and hit bone with that hollowpoint they could expand - and you really don't need that.  Your flatnosed slug will definately do the job for you.  Good luck.  HTH.  Mikey.

[rdnck]

cooper--While either bullet will work well, I would go with the flatnose at 20-1.  If you use the other one, do NOT hollowpoint it for larger animals such as elk, and absolutely do not hollowpoint it for large hogs.  The hollow point will work fine on deer and antelope, but reliable, deep penetration is what is needed on the larger animals, and you will not get it 100% of the time with a hollow point.  Stay with the cast bullet.  It is a better hunting bullet than the jacketed bullets, and will give complete penetration from most angles.  Shoot straight, rdnck.