Not to be argumentive, but how much expansion do you really want? You are using a caliber in which the starting diameter is nearly a half-inch before it every hits the game or intended target. With revolver cartridges on big game, I would much rather have increased penetration over expansion any day. Besides, bullets that are as hard as you are talking about using probably will not expand reliably at revolver velocities anyway.

Not to say what you are wanting to do will not work, but unless you overmatch your bullet and cartridge to the target; one seldom gets obtains both expansion and penetration. It is usually one or the other, not both.

While testing some 470NE cast loads at the range, we ran across a bundles stack of phone books that someone had shot a couple of rounds into. So we tried some 500gn @ 2150fps hard cast with a moderate flat point on the stack. It blew a huge hole through the stack and sent chunks flying. Obviously the velocity is higher than you'd get with a 454, but the cast bullets performance on the stack of bound phone books sure was impressive. I have several differnt bullet molds for heavy 454's from www.mountainmolds.com I'd be happy to send you some to try and look at if you want. They are all in the 320-340gn range, most with the WFN style nose in 70%, 80% and 90% diameter meplat. There is a short writeup on my page. email if your interested.

I appreciate the offer Lar45 . But I don't plan on casting any bullets.

Beartooth bullets has a 345 gas checked with a .360 meplat that looks interesting.

To narrow it down I am looking for a bullet for grizzly bears. Normally I call them brown bears but everyone thinks of Kodiak browns when brown bear is mentioned.

They still might reach 8"+ and 800lbs+ but I think most will be 7" and 400 lbs.

I like to shoot moose with my bow. And for black bears I want to use winchester platinum tips in the 454.

The limit for brown bear is one per year in many units and I keep hearing how the bears are everywhere and eating all moose so I would like to do my part and go get some bears.

Maybe you could have a swaging die made and use a hydralic jack to push the jacketed bullets through? Maybe a piece of drill rod bored to .451" or so to allow for spring back, then put a tapered throat for feeding. Or a .459" throat to align the bullet, then taper down? Build a rectangular steel frame to hold the die at the top and use a bottle jack with a push rod to push the bullet through?

Thats sounds good.

I am thinking of a 325 swift or 350 hawk .035 jacket or a 330 or heavier hardcast flatpoint.

The board of game is proposing making the game unit I live in one bear per year for brown bear. Maybe I wont have to go very far to hunt . My landlord has had to kill five problem brown bears in the last few years. So there must be a few around .

Man, I wish I was your neighbor. It sounds like you need to do your civic duty to thin the encroaching bear population.
I have a buddy that has a cabin on the Yukon river and has been trapping for several years now. I think he's been in the bush way too long. I got a message from him a couple months back. He picked up a 9mm to use as a carry gun to try and save weight over his FA 454. He ran into a Sow Griz that charged him. He shot her several times with the 9mm and said he saw one bouce off and hit the brush next to her. Luckily he was able to get to his canoe. He went back with a rifle, but couldn't find her. I don't know what he was thinking.

Lar45, Cool story about your friend.

I plan on carrying a taurus model 460 stainless 45 colt to save weight when I don't want to carry the raging bull.

I told him that he should get the Taurus titanium frame 45colt if he was interested in saveing weight.

I havent seen the 4" titanium yet.

I did check out the stainless yesterday. It is very light itself @28 oz I believe. Its not very big either.

The cylinder on it is pretty short so maybe a 300 grain hardcast with a nose to crimp of .320