cast vs lead vs jacketed

[cbourbeau32]

Hello to everyone. I am a frequent poster on other forums on this great website but I think this is my first post here. I have read many post here and this seems like a very good place to ask my question. I am a reloader for around 10 years off and on but haven't considered using cast or lead until just recently. Can any of you that have experience with performance on game with cast versus lead versus jacketed please share your thoughts and actual field experience. My only experience with lead was with 50 cal buffalo bore muzzleloader bullets on 150lb whitetails which made good entry hole mushroomed to about .8 or so but didn't exit and where I hunt it is real thick and I like to have a good blood trail. I appreciate any responses. I am going to be reloading the 44 magnum. Thanks, Charlie

[Graybeard]

Cast bullets are lead alloy so I'm assuming your question is in regard to cast vs. swaged lead or jacketed bullets. Swaged bullets are at least very nearly pure lead. They are great for mushrooming but not so great for penetration. They work best at low velocity for target practice.

Cast or what is often called hard cast are the way to go for full penetration and good blood trails. Going with heavy for caliber as well rather than light for caliber bullets is the way to go for blood trails. I've found that 240 jacketed bullets pretty much always exit on deer from a .44 magnum and any cast bullet of that weight or more will exit about 100% of the time.

[cbourbeau32]

Thanks Graybeard. Will a cast bullet expand any at all on a whitetail?

[jhalcott]

  chour
        the expansion of a cast bullet depends on what alloy it is made from ,it's velocity at impact and it's shape.So your answer is MAYBE.! A hard cast bullet made from linotype and having a round nose will drill right thru. A flat nosed bulletshould cause a lot more internal damage. A softer alloy like wheel weight alloy+ a bit of tin with a flat nose SHOULD give you some expansion AND deep penetration.

[Graybeard]

Unless you cast them yourself of a softer alloy you shouldn't expect expansion from a cast bullet. Most all commercial casters use an alloy so hard there is no way it will expand. But expansion generally isn't needed in big bore revolvers. A wide meplat will transfer all the needed shock and result in a quick death and then exit for a good blood trail.

[Castaway]

If you decide to use cast bullets get those with a flat base.  Bevel based bullets tend to lead barrels more than do the flat based variety.

[swampthing]

I choose hardcast in my .44mag. They always go right through. There has never been a need to track game, they were all down and out inside 20yds. I shoot 280g WFNGC @1200fps, they are sized .432". Visit www.beartoothbullets.com and read the faq's about proper loading, it does make a difference. Veral Smith's book, found in the "ask Veral Smith of LBT" forum on this sight, is a good investment with facts and actual performance and how to achieve them, not theories.