Author Topic: Cast Performance? (Read 2237 times)

S.B. · « **on:** July 18, 2007, 04:43:08 PM »

I would like to hear any ones opinion of Cast Performance bullets, please?

jhalcott · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2007, 04:51:40 PM »

When I read the opener on this post I was ready to tell you that cast bullets work great. I do not buy them though, I just cast my own. I find it cheaper and I get what I want.

S.B. · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2007, 03:07:23 AM »

My probem with your response is the cost of molds seems to be sky rocketing? Don't get me wrong, I cast but can't afford another mold that may not be what I want after I've laid out the money.
Figured I'd better talk to those that have been there, before I jump? And then get in touch with LBT.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2007, 04:03:56 AM »

I don't cast my own bullets and I have used cast performance bullets in guns from 44 Mag to 500 Mag. I have had great success with them, but I found Ranger Rick and Montana Bullet Works to be just as good if not better than cast performance. Ranger Rick has made bullets I cant get from anyone else for my 500 Mag , he also makes some of the bullets I use in my 460 Mag. I use a lot of Montana Bullet Works bullets in my 460 Mag and 45 Colt. Plus the price of Montan Bullet Works bullets are about half the price of cast performance bullets.

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2007, 05:37:29 AM »

I don't recall any negative posts regarding their bullets but I do not think they are using Veral's moulds so to call them LBT is really not correct. They are someone else's counterfeits of his moulds I believe. You'll have to ask Veral but I seem to recall him saying there is only one outfit using his moulds these days to make what they are calling "LBT" bullets. Now it might be Cast Performance as I say I just really do not remember who he said is still using his moulds.

Once many years ago a lot of folks used his moulds but during the time he was out of business they likely wore them out in commercial production and they were replaced by counterfeits from other makers who inappropriately have used Veral's trademarked LBT name on their products. If he were a rich man like McDonald's restaurant chain he'd likely do as they do and sue everyone improperly using his trademarks but he isn't rich and really isn't in a position to take all of them to court over it and most of them doing it likely aren't big enough to provide him reimbursement of the cost to sue even after winning.

Are those counterfeits the same or at least as good? I honestly dunno and you'd have to decide for yourself. There are some really lousy designs being produced commercially these days for sure and most use alloys way harder than most users need. Any reasonable copy of the Keith design is likely to be a good bullet as are most any reasonable copy of Veral's designs. Might not be as good as the originals but are worthwhile bullets to use. Stay away from bevel base designs and use only gas check or plain base and you'll likely do OK.

jhalcott · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2007, 05:46:42 AM »

http://bullshop.gunloads.com/prices.html
This guy makes any size bullet you want! Hope it helps some.

barber · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2007, 05:53:06 AM »

I have the 275gr .44 WFNPB and they shoot as wiell as any brand I have used in my SRH

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #7 on:** July 19, 2007, 06:39:12 AM »

Pictured is the 250gr XTP along with the 265gr LBT series wfngc from Cast Performance bullet company, both in the .45 Colt…At ranges of 60yards or less, I cannot really say that one is more accurate than the other!
What I really like about the Cast bullet is that you get those large cookie cutter holes whether it is a paper target or both sides of a Deer hide!

I think that the XTP is great and have seen them work but cannot really tell you if they will reliably expand all the time at the 1,000ft range velocity’s that I push them.

Also to be considered is our local and those grain fed Whitetails (if this is your intended quarry)…A 250lb animal is nice but hardly raises any eyebrows. I think that shot placement is number one and that those cast can be depended on to punch straight on through at even a rakish angle.

Accuracy in your gun is going to be the Key along with fit to keep the leading down. I feel that Redhawk1 covered this well as several brands may shoot well with some being less pricey…Heck, I have even had very good accuracy out of the Bargain priced 250gr RNFP bullets from NEOGA Cast bullet company which I use for practicing in general. The Meister bullet is another in our area that shoots well.

(Neoga Cast, Neoga IL burnt down) (Hard time with Insurance for rebuilding)

When It comes to hunting I have (un-due?) concerns about a hard cast fragmenting or the like and tend to go with the name brands.

S.B. · « **Reply #8 on:** July 19, 2007, 08:35:02 AM »

Graybeard, I was thinking more of the bullet weights as a comparing feature, sorry, should of been more clear.

S.B. · « **Reply #9 on:** July 19, 2007, 08:38:29 AM »

(Neoga Cast, Neoga IL burnt down) (Hard time with Insurance for rebuilding). Is that down by Matoon Il.?

S.B. · « **Reply #10 on:** July 19, 2007, 04:10:46 PM »

Quote from: Redhawk1 on July 19, 2007, 04:03:56 AM

I don't cast my own bullets and I have used cast performance bullets in guns from 44 Mag to 500 Mag. I have had great success with them, but I found Ranger Rick and Montana Bullet Works to be just as good if not better than cast performance. Ranger Rick has made bullets I cant get from anyone else for my 500 Mag , he also makes some of the bullets I use in my 460 Mag. I use a lot of Montana Bullet Works bullets in my 460 Mag and 45 Colt. Plus the price of Montan Bullet Works bullets are about half the price of cast performance bullets.

Redhawk1, could you please post a link for the Montana Bullet Works? I like cheaper, means I can shoot twice as much.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 19, 2007, 04:14:43 PM »

Here you go.

http://www.montanabulletworks.com/default.php

jk3006 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 19, 2007, 04:24:39 PM »

I'll second MBW as a great company to buy bullets from. Cheap (not cheaply made) and they are true Veral molds. I believe I recently read one of Veral's posts saying that they are the only one that uses his molds.

S.B. · « **Reply #13 on:** July 19, 2007, 11:39:39 PM »

Redhawk1, thanks. It seems the only times I have to get onto the net lately, is between 3-4 AM before work and 8-9PM after work?

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:32:38 AM »

jk3006, you are so right, the price is great but the bullets are top notch. I have about 6000 bullets for the 500 and 460 Mag from MBW. It is about a years supply.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #15 on:** July 20, 2007, 01:39:42 AM »

cast performance puts out a good product. Alot of there designs arent my cup of tea as they tend to go with alot of wfns but i guess thats because not everyone agrees with me on what a good bullet design is. I doubt if your going to find to many outfits using real lbt molds. I dont think theyd hold up as well on a casting machine being made out of aluminum but i could be wrong there. Very few bullet casting companys actually hand cast there bullets anymore. Most are machine casted and theres where the hardness comes in. It is alot easier for them to drop the bullets out of an automatic machine into water. I cools them fast so they can handle them quicker and it also prevents damage to bullets from dropping on each other in a box. It wouldnt hurt a thing but people buying bullets just would except little dings and divets in there bullet. So you end up with a heat treated extreamly hard and sometimes brittle bullet. Then the other evil is that they about have to lube them with hard lube to insure it stays looking pretty until you get it. I know a few commercial casters personaly and the only one i know of personaly that still handcasts bullets in quantity is Mt. Baldy. He is more of an old school caster though and mostly does kieths because thats what he believes in and still uses soft lubes and alloys he thinks are right for the bullet office. So you dont get a pretty box full of pretty bullets that shine like chrome. What you get is bullets that work. Bullets that have been proven to shoot well at about any range. Lynn Creaker was another one that had about the same attitude he made his bullets like he was going to shoot them himself not like what a chain store wants on the shelf. Im sure there are others but i will only speak for who i know personaly. I will only post on the ones i can vouch for personaly and considering i dont buy bullets i make my own my exposure is limited to the people that have sent me samples to inspect and shoot. Not everyone is jumping up and down to send Lloyd Smale a bullet to test so i guess it will stay that way. Some people dont like hearing negative things about there product either so im sure that limits the exposure because if i dont like it your going to hear about that too. For some people a cast bullet is a cast bullet and if it will go bang in there gun there happy and for them id recomend looking for the cheapest source they can find and calling it good. But I do a fair share of casting and have a little knowlege on what makes a good bullet and the time and material invested in doing it and if i were buying bullets price would be about my last consideration. Ill tell you one thing. For the price most of the casters are selling you bullets i wouldnt even consider getting into it comercialy because i dont know how they feed there familys. A hand caster probably could make as much money working at burger king as he does producing bullets. What people have to understand is that cast bullets are cheap plinkers. There premium bullets that outperform comercial jacketed bullets at half the cost. There a bargin no matter who you are buying them from.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #16 on:** July 20, 2007, 03:31:00 AM »

S.B.
Neoga is on route 45 between Mattoon and Effingham. I was buying thier bullets out of a shop in Springfield though...am down to my last 500 with no more on the shelves

Can you tell me if that Mega-Sport east of Plainsfield is selling any cast? I either like to buy in person or use the Internet sites that allow for printing an order form and sending a money order through the snail mail.

Lloyd
Sorry for throwing up the pic of a WFN, I really will try the LFN one day.

Great Post though...Even the premium cast bullets are going to be a great savings over the XTP. I like to use the XTP as a control standard that the bargin bullet needs to measure up to accuracy wise. Have had very good luck with some of these bullets but I dont really know where the accurate, cheap bullet stands as far as fragmentation goes. I have hit some of them with a quick off center blow with a heavy hammer and they stayed intact but I dont know if this proves anything.
I have also used the XTP exclusively for the first 1,000 to 1,500 shots through my last three S/A revolvers (along with careful cleaning after each outing) as a break-in of sorts before even slugging the barrel and cylinders.
This might be totally redundant as fire or hand lapping could achieve the same or better effect at a much lesser cost. My luck has been good though with no tight spots in the barrel found during slugging and a good history of the guns accuracy potential established before feeding it that first cast.

jk3006 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:28:50 AM »

Quote from: Redhawk1 on July 20, 2007, 12:32:38 AM

jk3006, you are so right, the price is great but the bullets are top notch. I have about 6000 bullets for the 500 and 460 Mag from MBW. It is about a years supply.

Redhawk1,

Sshh! We can't let on how good these bullets are. Then a whole slew of other people will want to get on board and the prices will go up! Marcie recently told me that Dave has his hands full with all the orders placed. Supply and demand.

S.B. · « **Reply #18 on:** July 20, 2007, 01:54:39 PM »

glanceblamm, if your talking about Mega Sports on rt. 30 in Joliet, the only two times I was up there, I wasn't shopping for bullets and didn't ask about reloading componets? Sorry.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #19 on:** July 21, 2007, 05:47:53 AM »

S.B.
That Mega-Sport on Rt 30 would be the one...knew you had been there so I just thought to ask.
In The Mean Time I do believe that Redhawk & jk3006 have spilled a good secret on the MBW (I like those prices) along with Lloyd on the Mt Bauldy.
I Want My 6,000 Bullets Too!...Nothing like plinking with the same bullet that you plan to hunt with.

S.B. · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2007, 08:04:42 AM »

How are the Montana Bullet Works and shipping compared to Midway USAs Cast Performance shipped prices? I live close to Mo. so shipping would be a lot less than shipping from Montana. Remember, we're talking lead here.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2007, 09:05:03 AM »

If they're wise, they should ship Priority mail flat rate, if it fits in one of their free boxes and weighs 70lbs or less, postage is just $8.95 plus insurance, and if they use Click-N-Ship, delivery confirmation is free.

Tim

http://www.usps.com/all/shippingandmailing/23daypackages.htm

S.B. · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2007, 09:56:21 AM »

.$8.95 seems very cheap for 70lbs.?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #23 on:** July 21, 2007, 10:08:17 AM »

It is indeed, that's why they should be using it!! I've not ordered from MBW, but I have from a few other bullet mfrs, they all use Priority mail for their shipping, it only makes sense, what's not to like about it!!

Anyone doing business with them should inform em, what they don't know can hurt em.

Tim

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #24 on:** July 21, 2007, 10:30:54 AM »

Id kiss whoever it was at the post office who brought out the idea of flat rate boxes right on the lips. EVEN IF IT WERE A MAN!!!

S.B. · « **Reply #25 on:** July 21, 2007, 12:10:38 PM »

I've heard recent rumors that postal rates are going to be climbing again? Because of the thickness of letter envelopes? There metering system can't run them.
I prefer to use USPS Priority for guns, it's cheaper than UPS or FedEx. I think it's only legal for FFLs to ship this way?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #26 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:03:29 PM »

This is off topic, but the USPS just implemented a rate increase on May 14th, part of the increase was for non-standard letter mail and large envelopes over ¼" thick in addition to the basic rate increase, along with all other class increases. With the increased cost of fuel in the last couple years, it's not surprising in the least, every penny increase in fuel price costs the USPS $8 million annually.

I've shipped several rifles to the manufacturer by Priority mail, the last one was sent from here in Washington state to H&R in Massachusetts on a friday, they signed for it on Monday!!

Handguns can only be shipped by an FFL thru the mail.

Tim

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/localnews/ar/ar_2007_0503a.htm

S.B. · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:38:07 PM »

quickdtoo, I stand corrected. Usually, handguns are about the only thing I deal in, thanks for the infomation.

Boxhead · « **Reply #28 on:** July 22, 2007, 05:35:53 AM »

MBW does ship using the flat rate and they make fine bullets.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 22, 2007, 12:07:48 PM »

Boxhead, I have been buying bullets from Dave at MBW for quit a few years, I remember when he was shipping at regular postal rates, I told him about the flat rate shipping because Ranger Rick was doing it. He checked into it and has been shipping that why for some time know.

jk3006, I know Dave is as busy as he wants to be, maybe more now, but he does make some great bullets. I hope does it for a long time. Also he is great to deal with and is very helpful. Kind of hard to keep a good thing on the down low... LOL