Recommend a 300gr bullet for .454 Casull

[kmbrown]

Gonna do some deer hunting with my .454 Super Redhawk and am trying to find a good bullet.  I'm loading fairly mild (1400-1450fps) as far as .454 loads go. Been shooting Sierra JSP's and getting great accuracy. I've also got some XTP mags and some Speer Deep Curls.  Do any of these stand out above the rest? I would also consider a hardcast. I plan on restricting my shots to 50yds or so. Thanks.

[Tom W.]

If you cast your own, the 300 gr RCBS SWC is good, at least in my pistol. The Lee 300 gr is also a good one to consider..

[buck460XVR]

I've also got some XTP mags and some Speer Deep Curls. 

I use the 240 gr XTP-Mags, 300 gr XTP-Mags and the 300 gr Deep Curls in my .460. All are very accurate and designed for it's velocities. I see no reason why either would not perform the same in the .454.

[luckydawg13]

i use the xtp mag 240 gr & 300 in my encor 454 they all shoot good

[Ak.Hiker]

I like the Sierra 300 grain JSP for my 454 loads in bear country. They are a very tough bullet and may be to much for deer. I would go with the standard 300 grain XTP if you are keeping the loads in the 1400 range. The Mag Tip is designed for full power 454 loads.

[cwlongshot]

I have been shooting the (454 Cassull) SPEER GDHPs with a moderate load of H110 with excellent accuracy.

So concerning the Sierra 300's I never considered them adequate for top pr even higher velocities the 454 can produce. Not I haven't shot any game with this bullet in the 454. BUT I have shot 5-6 whitetails with it in my 45 Colt carbine at a max of 1500 impact velocity. I get excellent results, large exit holes and always thru and thru penetration. But shots have always been close like under fifty yards. Have you shot many head of game with this bullet?

I'm heading to the range in about an hour. I have a number of 454 lighter loads with the Sierra bullet loaded up as I ran out of the 454 designed bullets. So I figured I would try the Sierra again.

CW

[Ken ONeill]

Any 300 gr. .454 bullet will kill any deer that ever walked, at the velocity you're talking about. In recent years I've been using both the XTP and XTP Mag. @ 1380 fps MV. The std. XTP is quite an expander even at that velocity - explosive, really. When the few I have left are gone, I will use only the Mag. version, which will be kinder on the forcing cones, too.
The 300 gr. Sierra is a good bullet that I've used on some african game up through lion @ 1550 fps MV. Wound channels don't show violent expansion. I don't remember ever recovering a bullet, to prove it though.
For your use, I'd suggest either the Sierra or XTP Mag.

[Capt Rick Hiott]

For what its worth, Ive been using MagTech 260gr soft points (1800fps) for hogs and have had good results in my Taurus Raging Bull. I'm sure there is better out there, But I don't think I need it.

http://www.magtechammunition.com/store/p14details583.php

[SHOOTALL]

Hornaty XTP .

[kmbrown]

I have been shooting the (454 Cassull) SPEER GDHPs with a moderate load of H110 with excellent accuracy.

So concerning the Sierra 300's I never considered them adequate for top pr even higher velocities the 454 can produce. Not I haven't shot any game with this bullet in the 454. BUT I have shot 5-6 whitetails with it in my 45 Colt carbine at a max of 1500 impact velocity. I get excellent results, large exit holes and always thru and thru penetration. But shots have always been close like under fifty yards. Have you shot many head of game with this bullet?

I'm heading to the range in about an hour. I have a number of 454 lighter loads with the Sierra bullet loaded up as I ran out of the 454 designed bullets. So I figured I would try the Sierra again.

CW

I haven't shot anything other than paper with this gun yet.  This will be my first year to hunt with it.  The Sierra's shot really well.  I've got some XTP mags and some Speer Deepcurl HP's which look alot like the Hornadys, just haven't had a chance to load any yet. I've got 200 Starline cases on the way, though.  I imagine that any of these bullets will work fine at the ranges I plan on using them at. Just looking for opinions from those of you more experienced in handgun hunting than I am.  I'm really liking this revolver. Recoil of the .454 isn't anywhere near what I expected.  I realize the loads I'm using are fairly mild but I have shot some full house loads through it and they weren't too bad.  Just don't see the need for them at the ranges I'm hunting or for killing southern whitetails.

[kmbrown]

Thanks, everyone for all the info.  Kevin

[cwlongshot]

Interesting day at the range today!!

I have my first ever case burst and difficulties with zero. I figured most all of it out.
The case burst is a mystery, but had to be a miss charge, but I pulled and measure all remaining loads. ALL where perfect right on 25Gr's of a powder that looked just like 4064. I tossed the powder, saved the bullets and cases to load later. I was not hurt and the firearm is also undamaged.

I had loaded up three different 300gr 45 cal bullets, all three where the same 28gr load of H110 with a CCI 450 primer. The first was the Sierra, shot very well, hitting center of target at 50 yards. The Speer 300 GDHP's hit about six inches low at same range. Hornady 300 XTP hit about one inch lo. Again at 50 yards.

Then I had the same Speer 300 GDHP bullet with a stiffer charge of 32 Gr's of powder. This one hit a full foot low at 50 yards. not the faster velocity will result in a lower impact point but a full 6"

Then the last load, a 200gr FTX Hornady bullet and 35Gr's of the same H110 powder. These shot exceptionally, but hit exactly dead on at 50 yards. I cannot figure that one, these should be the fastest load. 

CW

[luckydawg13]

went to the range today the more i shoot my 454 the better i shoot my 44mag
starting loads pwder H110 primer cci 400 240gr xtpmag
34gr to 36gr
35gr the best at 50 yrds you can cover with a quarter 

two loads of IMR 4227
32.3 & 33. shot like crap but i will try one more time with the 450 primers

out of 300gr xtp mag and i need to find sum cast bullets to try i dont cast

[Mohawk]

Target velocity works well........

[luckydawg13]

Target velocity works well........

whats target velocity load ?

[SHOOTALL]

cwlongshot, your burst case may be as you say but also you could have a bad or scratched case , or all three . It dosent take much time to move a bullet impact 6 inches ( it does point out the need to load accurate for tight groups) . I didn't see if you mentioned shooting with open sights or some type scope or optics . If you were shooting open sights a cloud or shooting near sunset can also cause you to see the sights different causing you to shoot low or high . When shooting IMHSA we would hold a shot if we could when clouds were going over.

[cwlongshot]

cwlongshot, your burst case may be as you say but also you could have a bad or scratched case , or all three . It doesn't take much time to move a bullet impact 6 inches ( it does point out the need to load accurate for tight groups) . I didn't see if you mentioned shooting with open sights or some type scope or optics . If you were shooting open sights a cloud or shooting near sunset can also cause you to see the sights different causing you to shoot low or high . When shooting IMHSA we would hold a shot if we could when clouds were going over.

In re-reading my post I see it was not accurate... I was at the range and I did have a case burst... BUT it wasn't in the 454. It was in a 223 Handi. I do not know the cause, the cases had been loaded by me some years ago, there was about 20 of them, all where pulled and weighed exactly as recorded, with what appeared to be the correctly marked powder. I believe the cases where new unfired, but not certain, I say this because they where Remington nickle cases and I don't buy or use them any longer. Chalk it up to S%&T HAPPENS. Just be-careful, watch and check what we do at the reloading bench. No one was hurt, the gun has been repaired and all is well.

Thanks for the advice too!

I do shoot allot in both indoors and outdoors competitions with both open, electronic and scoped sites. This gun had a scope on it. (Speaking on the 454 now) I believe the shift there was the shelf. it was dirty and begin popping open with the fouling that was building up. I removed the barrel, cleaned the shelf and the pop opens ceased.

CW

[Fire Fox]

I have used 300 gr Hornady XTP Mag with good results. I now use the Lee molded bullet with great results on everything both bullets behind 31 gr of H110 and a reg small rifle primer is very accurate and works well on game. Hope this helps.

[Da-Law-Dawg]

A close friend is casting the 300gr Lee with a gas check. Casting from regular wheel weight lead. Out of a SA clone in .45 LC with a moderate dose of Unique, accuracy is great. Given your velocities, these should do fine. We are gonna cast some 310gr Lee's for my .445 in the near future.