FLAT point powder coated .303 bullets

[Treeman]

I am starting out this year to use cast bullets for my .303 to hunt. I was wondering if any of you can tell me about lead bullets from a rifle being used on game.
Is the bruising as bad as with HV bullets?
Are the terminal affects as "terminal" ? is there a longer trail to try follow in regard to animal recovery?
Does the small flat point make ANY difference to bullet deformation?
How does it perform when just passing through behind the shoulders ?

[Ds J]

I knew an old gent who hunted exclusively with cast lead bullets in all his rifles. His argument was that they penetrate into the vitals at almost any angle.

[Treeman]

I knew an old gent who hunted exclusively with cast lead bullets in all his rifles. His argument was that they penetrate into the vitals at almost any angle.

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I was thinking just that at time of posting this, a 195 gr .30 cal bullet must be in the 7 x 57  SD company - could shoot a animal from behind and still end up in the lungs?  I am going to look into the numbers on paper a bit later.

Still not pleased with the grouping stats bandied about on the web - 2 inch at a hundred is not good enough.

[Treeman]

7x57 175 gr SD = .310
303 195 gr SD = .303

The 30 06 lobbing a 220 gr bullet carries a massive .330 SD - shoooo ! I never knew that. Surely such a SD on a well constructed bullet in 30 06 will enter a Giraffe under the tail and exit between the eyes ? 

[223]

I am starting out this year to use cast bullets for my .303 to hunt. I was wondering if any of you can tell me about lead bullets from a rifle being used on game.
Is the bruising as bad as with HV bullets?
Are the terminal affects as "terminal" ? is there a longer trail to try follow in regard to animal recovery?
Does the small flat point make ANY difference to bullet deformation?
How does it perform when just passing through behind the shoulders ?

My experience is limited to a 259gn GC bullet fired at 1700fps from a 375.  The bullet shape is basically a revolver-style SWC, with a decent flat nose and narrow cutting edge.

I shot a few warthog with these, the longest shot at around 100m.  None of the bullets were recovered, so my expansion experience is from the bullets dug our from the back stop.  Un-jacketed lead bullets don't expand as much as jacketed ones do, so don't expect too much.  The nose of the bullets seem to erode away in the soil of the back stop.  No idea how they will behave in soft tissue, but I suspect that the impact velocity will have a big influence on outcome.

2MOA seems to be the norm with good cast bullet loads, but I have seen a rifle shooting 5 cast bullets into 1,5MOA.  To go below that, I suspect you will need to apply some serious tricks like using a single cavity mould and indexing the bullets in the chamber so they are loaded exactly the same with every shot.

[Treeman]

I am starting out this year to use cast bullets for my .303 to hunt. I was wondering if any of you can tell me about lead bullets from a rifle being used on game.
Is the bruising as bad as with HV bullets?
Are the terminal affects as "terminal" ? is there a longer trail to try follow in regard to animal recovery?
Does the small flat point make ANY difference to bullet deformation?
How does it perform when just passing through behind the shoulders ?

**************************
nee fok, klink baaie werk die strond!

My experience is limited to a 259gn GC bullet fired at 1700fps from a 375.  The bullet shape is basically a revolver-style SWC, with a decent flat nose and narrow cutting edge.

I shot a few warthog with these, the longest shot at around 100m.  None of the bullets were recovered, so my expansion experience is from the bullets dug our from the back stop.  Un-jacketed lead bullets don't expand as much as jacketed ones do, so don't expect too much.  The nose of the bullets seem to erode away in the soil of the back stop.  No idea how they will behave in soft tissue, but I suspect that the impact velocity will have a big influence on outcome.

2MOA seems to be the norm with good cast bullet loads, but I have seen a rifle shooting 5 cast bullets into 1,5MOA.  To go below that, I suspect you will need to apply some serious tricks like using a single cavity mould and indexing the bullets in the chamber so they are loaded exactly the same with every shot.

[Treeman]

223, is this lead bullet thing a path worth following?
I wanted a Martini Henry all my shooting years, almost bought one, soooo close!
After doing a real lot of research I realized that I would never be happy, never be wow !
 It,s top achievable grouping will always leave a large "to chance" factor when hunting, so I rather look at mates ones and wish.
223, Need I bother with this lead reloading fiasco ?

[Ds J]

223, is this lead bullet thing a path worth following?
I wanted a Martini Henry all my shooting years, almost bought one, soooo close!
After doing a real lot of research I realized that I would never be happy, never be wow !
 It,s top achievable grouping will always leave a large "to chance" factor when hunting, so I rather look at mates ones and wish.
223, Need I bother with this lead reloading fiasco ?

If memory serves correct, the top two commanding officers of the British soldiers at Majuba were taken by "sniper" fire at 600m. And the shots were not entirely fluke shots.

Those were cast lead bullets.

Hitting a man sized target over open sights at 600m - that is something to strive for. It would mean an easy heart/lung shot over 100m. 

[223]

223, is this lead bullet thing a path worth following?
I wanted a Martini Henry all my shooting years, almost bought one, soooo close!
After doing a real lot of research I realized that I would never be happy, never be wow !
 It,s top achievable grouping will always leave a large "to chance" factor when hunting, so I rather look at mates ones and wish.
223, Need I bother with this lead reloading fiasco ?

It depends...

For handguns, definitely.

For rifles, the faster the caliber, the less worth while.

[Ds J]

223, is this lead bullet thing a path worth following?
I wanted a Martini Henry all my shooting years, almost bought one, soooo close!
After doing a real lot of research I realized that I would never be happy, never be wow !
 It,s top achievable grouping will always leave a large "to chance" factor when hunting, so I rather look at mates ones and wish.
223, Need I bother with this lead reloading fiasco ?

It depends...

For handguns, definitely.

For rifles, the faster the caliber, the less worth while.

Agree. When reloading for lead cast, one does it for the sake of it, much like reloading subsonic bullets.

[Treeman]

Interesting statement that.
The faster the caliber the less worthwhile !

[oafpatroll]

I got a 22mm 5 shot group with these out of my 270 Win.

133gr Lyman gas checked and powder coated.



People of Pope and Louverin's generation shot cast bullets in competition 1000 yards so they certainly can be accurate.

[Treeman]

I am loading S335 30 gr as we type - well busy priming, close to the lands as possible, not touching ?

[223]

I am loading S335 30 gr as we type - well busy priming, close to the lands as possible, not touching ?

The most important thing is to have the GC still sitting inside the case neck.

I like the cast bullets seated hard into the rifling, if possible.  It is not always possible, depending on your particular rifle's chamber and threat dimensions and wear.

[Treeman]

I like the cast bullets seated hard into the rifling, if possible.  It is not always possible, depending on your particular rifle's chamber and threat dimensions and wear.
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Is this not a bit risky in regard to bullet getting stuck in lands if you do not fire round and eject round.