Shot my first cast bullets today

[rescue_171]

Shot my first bullets I have ever cast today...405 grain .458 plain base bullets out of my 45-70..... I loaded them behind 48 grains of IMR 3031 so I was afraid of leading but after 10 shots no leading at all I was supprised.... I pan lubed them with some homemade lube and it worked great....

[tacklebury]

Congrats   I have my melt pot, but haven't made final decisions on which molds I'm going to try. 

[rescue_171]

I like the Lee molds there cheap and easy to use.

[BBF]

Has anyone here used and shot some animal with that 405 gr LEE bullet?  If yes what sort of MV did you use.
I have that mold and the rifle likes the bullet. I'm leery to hunt with it 'cause the meplat seems small to me. Same can be said to their 500 grainer.

[manatee1947]

meplat schmeplat, a 45 cal cast bullet makes a hole and a half, regardless. I use the 330 grain gould bullet at about 1500 fps with great results . If you have a 405 gr Lee mold and are anywhere from 1250-1450 fps you are more than good to go.

[qajaq59]

If you hit the game where you should, and make a hole that a 1/2 inch dowel will go thru, I wouldn't worry too much about the metplat.

[Dezynco]

Congrats on the successful bullet casting!  You're hopelessly beyond the point of no return now!

[BBF]

If you hit the game where you should, and make a hole that a 1/2 inch dowel will go thru, I wouldn't worry too much about the metplat.

Having done some reading on a Site that discusses mostly cast bullets it appears that the meplat/caliber ratio and velocity are important factors. At this point of time I'm still very much undecided if I will use cast bulllets for hunting.

[blhof]

Unless you're hunting brown bear, your bullet will work fine and even smaller bullets have taken browns.

[BBF]

Nope on bears, they are sort of on my protected list

[blhof]

Then you should have no problem taking any other North American game including Elk with that bullet.  I've taken mulies with 255gr cast out of a Ruger BH with a 5 1/2" barrel.

[EMC45]

I have shot 2 deer with that bullet, if you are speaking about the Lee 405 PB RNFP. I used 14.5gr. Unique lit with a CCI Large rifle primer. No filler was used and both were shot right under my deer stand in a downward fashion. Not sure of the velocity. I never recovered any slugs and the wound channel was devestating! Complete pass throughs on all shots.

[BBF]

EMC45:
That is one of the molds I have and the Handi likes it with several different powders, I don't have Unique, but Blue Dot is one of them that works.
Your post is helpful in making up my mind. Thanks!

 I was thinking of pushing the V up to around 1800 fps but see that a lot less is needed. Was it a hard cast "boolit"?

[Range Rider]

The cast slug in the 45-70 is great.  I have used the Lee bullet in  my 86 and a Sharps.  I like a load of 47 grs. of Relaoder 7.  The big slug is very effective on game.

[Escalante]

I have taken two elk with the 405 Grain bullet. Lee Mould.
Both were instant kills. HTH.
Rich.

[tacklebury]

The cast slug in the 45-70 is great.  I have used the Lee bullet in  my 86 and a Sharps.  I like a load of 47 grs. of Relaoder 7.  The big slug is very effective on game.

+1 46.7 and 50 gr. Reloader7 are my sweet spots in my Buffalo Classic .45-70 also.