Author Topic: What do you prefer for hunting cast bullets or jacketed?????? (Read 5796 times)

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **on:** August 28, 2009, 01:51:01 PM »

Mostly I am refering to either the 357 or 44spl./44 mag. When I talk about hunting it would include varmit, small game, and light big game, up to mule deer. Over the years I mostly have shot jacketed bullets, with some cast for hunting hogs. Haven't shot much small game, varmit, or big game with cast bullets. I am turning to lighter loads in my .44's, and it is easier to get lighter loads with a cast bullet than a jacketed one. Plus, I have heard and do not doubt a cast 240-250 grain will easily shoot thru a fairly big deer. What do you prefer for your handguns cast / jacketed or a mix.

If it is not a problem, why did you make your choice???

bluecow · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2009, 02:48:01 PM »

240 gr cast. in my 44mag. its what i started reloading with when i shot ihmsa. it worked well so i got boxs of the darn things. they have always done what i needed doing.

drdougrx · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2009, 03:10:18 PM »

I've only used Hornady XTPs in my guns for hunting. I've never used cast and for no good reason that I had a huge supply of 240 and 300gr XTPs in 44 cal. I haven't hunted with a 357. I did kill some hogs years ago without any problem using 24gr 2400 under hornady's 240gr hp. Now, I have soooo many XTPs I just use them. Killed a 400lb hog last December with a 6" SW29 and a 240gr XTP at 30 yards. I hit'm "lucky" and he went down with one shot, "lucky" means I got lucky and no one should ever be impressed with my shoot'n.

I'll shoot cast as soon as I run out of jacketed....but...that'll be awhile!

Drilling Man · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2009, 04:24:31 PM »

I prefer my own hard cast bullets, as they give higher velocity at a bit lower pressure over jacketed. And that's with the same powder charge, so hard cast are easier on the revolver. Also, they are just as accurate and do just as good a job on game animals too.

DM

45-70.gov · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2009, 05:03:12 PM »

i cast my own because i am cheep
and its fun
280 44mag......cut above 280 afraid 300 might be to much
180 357 mag....just over 158 standard
405 45-70....traditional.....more would use too much lead..[cheep]

coop2564 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2009, 06:03:34 PM »

Jacketed for me, they work very well.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2009, 12:49:32 AM »

Years ago I was all over the place with jacketed bullets and found they did not perform well enough for me - at least it was the jacketed slugs at the time.

I have also managed to load up on a whole bunch of jacketed slugs as drdougrx did (Hey Doug) but I do not usually shoot them, preferring cast.

I began using cast in the 70s when shooting metallic silhouette and found they shot better for me (they musta liked me better) and they were more accurate (but I was shootin' at a 2' target, ya know.....).

I have found since then that I prefer the heavier for the bore slugs for greater penetration at slower velocities. I prefer the 200 gn bullet in 357 mag and the 295-300 gn bullet in the 44. I used both on hog hunts in South Carolina in the early 70s and found them to be extremely effective, so much so that I have used them since.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2009, 01:52:35 AM »

for at least the last 15 years ive shot every animal ive hunted with cast bullets and have never saw where they were lacking.

Ken ONeill · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2009, 03:01:43 AM »

I use both, depending upon the game. I have generally experienced better accuracy with jacketed bullets in my guns, but in fairness I have not had the time or patience to cast my own bullets for more than 30 years now...and consequently will admit that it is likely that equal accuracy could result if enough time, energy and money were spent in developing proper home cast bullets.
My results in killing game with each have varied, depending upon the game and the path of the wound. I am personally convinced that most game dies quicker if an expanding bullet is used. Generally, I'm a heart/lung shooter, not a shoulder shooter. People who insist on being shoulder shooters are better served by hard cast bullets in my opinion.

222 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2009, 06:29:52 AM »

Cast with a flat nose.

Greeenriver · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2009, 04:30:05 PM »

Used both in a 45 Colt chambered rifle and in a New Dakota revolver to take deer with, really, can't see any diference between them. Gun goes bang, deer falls down, big hole in both sides of it.

Going to try a box of the new Leveroultion rounds this year and see what they do.

Greeenriver

Bigeasy · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2009, 05:01:59 PM »

For small to medium whitetails, a good jacketed bullet like a 240 grn XTP works fine. These days about all I usually use is a 250 grn Keith in my 44 spl and mag at about 850 -900 fps - works well for everything. If I am specificaly out for bucks, I will load the same bullet up to about 1000fps, and aim for the shoulder / heart / lung area. Works all the time.

Larry

Lone Star · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2009, 03:48:07 AM »

For years I used LFN-type cast bullets in my .45s for both silhouette and hunting in Alaska, but as handgun bullets improved (a lot) I started using them on game. I won't go back. I have noticed a marked difference in game reaction - time to flat-on-the-ground - with bullets like the XTPs. The increased tissue damage is why. I still get pass-throughs after hitting bone, so why would one need even more penetration? My experienced steel shooting/hunting friends who used both bullet types agreed.

Original BP cartridge hunters (buffalo, etc.) who used cast bullets did not use non-expanding ones. They chose very soft lead to take advantage of expansion - they did not have the luxury of using jacketed bullets. No flies on cast of course, but for me jacketed is where its at for game up to moose.

.

S.B. · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2009, 02:10:57 AM »

Hard cast, because of the cost of jacketed bullets(remember the buying crase last winter?), and convenience of making my own, no high shipping costs from my casting bench to my reloading bench.
Steve

jk3006 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2009, 04:11:27 AM »

For those looking for a soft nose on an otherwise hard-cast bullet, remember that the nose can be annealed (as long as one is using a low-antimony heat-treated alloy). Can have the best of both worlds that way. Those soft noses can be hollowpointed too. More options with cast, IMO. It only takes modifying a few for one's hunting adventures.

S.B. · « **Reply #15 on:** August 31, 2009, 04:21:26 AM »

I never needed a soft nose on hard cast bullets? Not sure I want the nose to deform want it to stay as is for deep penetration and wound channel(big meplat).
Steve

Ole Man Dan · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2009, 08:33:03 AM »

Put me down for 'Hard Cast'. I switched from 240JHP to 265 Hard Cast close to 15 years ago. I shoot pretty much the same load in my .45 SBH and my .44 mags. The 265 WFNGC. has just enough weight for great penetration, yet is light enough to load a little faster on occassion. I could load most of mine w/o a gas check, but all of my pistols like em so I shoot em...

BBF · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2009, 10:29:01 AM »

I've played with cast bullets for years but always "chickened" out when it came time to hunt. Maybe it is because I don't have a whole lot of game around.

bodab · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2009, 01:35:10 PM »

well not to high jack this thread but I dont cast my own and most likey never will and was wondering if anyone had used the new barnes all copper bullets, I was think about giving them a try in my BH .357 and was wonder what yall had to say!

Sweetwater · « **Reply #19 on:** September 07, 2009, 02:47:18 PM »

I started casting in the late 80's, under protest. I didn't want to ,but the babies needed diapers and my guns needed bullets. IT was the only option, as not shooting was not an option, nor letting the babies run naked! One shot kills on antelope, mule deer, and whitetail were normality with 220 Keiths in my 41Mag Blackhawk. I've shot heavier bullets in it, but not convinced they were necessary.

Pretty mundane, but totally dependable.

Regards,
Sweetwater

Graybeard · « **Reply #20 on:** September 07, 2009, 05:06:54 PM »

Quote from: bodab on September 07, 2009, 01:35:10 PM

well not to high jack this thread but I dont cast my own and most likey never will and was wondering if anyone had used the new barnes all copper bullets, I was think about giving them a try in my BH .357 and was wonder what yall had to say!

If you are talking about the NEW bullet from Barnes they sent me 50 of the 300 grain .429" bullet I need to try. They sure are long. They have two cannelures cut to seat them deeper in guns with shorter cylinders. They kinda look strange with a little dimple hole in the base. Other wise they look much like a hard cast plated with copper.

Mikey · « **Reply #21 on:** September 07, 2009, 11:31:39 PM »

Bill - those Barnes bullets sound interesting and I hope you let us know how well, or not well, they shoot in your revolver(s). I wonder if they will shoot as well as other .429 jacketed slugs or if, after you have shot them, you might prefer them to be .430 diameter. Mikey.

ccoker · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2009, 09:45:30 AM »

I have now killed a few hogs with a 44 and 255g Keiths at 1250 FPS
through the shoulders and heart, they ran maybe 40-50 yards
done deal

killed few deer with HPs, but I much prefer HCs now

I am quite glad I listened to the much more experienced handgun hunters on this forum

I love the Barnes in rifles though I feel they are really overkill for Texas Whitetails, they are sure nice for hogs if you have to shoot through the shoulders

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** September 08, 2009, 09:49:40 AM »

jacketed , mostly XTP 240 -300 gr use them in 45 and 44 , don't really hunt with 357 but do load them for it . Have some other jacketed bullets also but like the XTP . Use cast/lead for target shooting to save $$$$ some just never hunted with them . Might start if prices keep going up .

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 11, 2009, 04:06:26 PM »

Cast semi-wadcutters loaded to 850-950fps in a .44 or .45 seem to do fine for me. I quit the .357 for game shooting many years ago. After firing thousands of .44 mags, I found that a good .44 special or .45 Colt would take deer, hogs and such without the extra flash and ruckus. Jacketed bullets proved unreliable at lower speeds yet occasionally break up on bone at 1200-1300fps. Why gamble, use cast.

Dale53 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 22, 2009, 07:03:57 PM »

I was a young teen ager when I discovered Elmer Keith's book, "Sixgun Cartridges and Loads". I had an understanding father who encouraged me to learn to cast bullets and reload (for both of us

).

I grew up on a farm and started hunting small game with cast bullets and handguns. My first deer was taken with a .44 Magnum and my own cast bullet (a Keith bullet, of course). Since then ALL of my deer have been taken with cast bullets and a .44 Handgun.

I am flat a believer in a good SWC or WFN bullet for large or small game. I have taken a good bit of small game with .44's as well as .32's, .38/.357's, and .45's. Hit them right (in the head or through the slats) and there is no real meat damage and you are not picking shot out of your teeth when eating them. I want total penetration regardless of the position of the deer to me. A good cast bullet will shoot through a large whitetail lengthwise, and THAT is what I want: a LONG, large wound track, and easy tracking if that becomes necessary.

Dale53

GradyL41 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 23, 2009, 02:44:38 AM »

cast --cost and I like to cast and can play with HPs or soft points- or just lwngc-- both jhp and cast will work and work well --but for me cast all the way

countryrebel · « **Reply #27 on:** September 23, 2009, 09:28:54 PM »

Many years of jacketed bullets out of 44's I have not lost a deer. One time I did shoot a muley buck in the vitals with a BTB 250wfn he took 5 steps and lowered his head and stood there for about 30 seconds then layed down and died. So to answer the ? I will say for now I prefer the jacketed but will use cast again in the future. Picking the bullet and working up the load for the kill is half the fun.

Old Fart · « **Reply #28 on:** September 27, 2009, 11:16:54 AM »

I've shot cast most of my life through handguns. I haven't seen a need to pay for the more expensive jacketed ones. I pick up the factory bullets when I find them cheap or on sale but the truth of the matter is the home grown hard cast I make perform just as well on everything I hunt.

When I first started huntingon my own I had an old 7.7 Ariska that I reloaded for. I couldn't afford ready rolled so I cast some 180's with a GC. They worked just fine for years and brought home plenty of venison. Over the years I've been blessed with other rifles and the Ariska has become a plinker. I still reload all components for it. Like a couple of the previous posters I started reloading/casting to stretch the hunting/shooting dollars.

Tonk · « **Reply #29 on:** October 12, 2009, 04:18:21 PM »

I have used both the hardened cast bullets from Beartooth Bullets and some from a couple other places, worked great and didn't have to worry about pushing them to hard to get great results on deer or blackbear.

I have used the Hornady XTP bullet but when you run it hot, it tends to start to loose the jacket etc. I have used the Sierra hollow cavity bullet with good results in my model 29 on deer. However, you can shoot 3 times as much with good cast bullets for the money and nowdays that is a big plus in my book.