I am currently shooting a 300hp-xtp over 30.6gr of h110 and was thinking of switching to a cast bullet. I need opinions on this is cast better on say black bear, hogs and dear or am I better of with the hollow point. If cast is better I am looking for a starting point for my FA 454 CASULL.
Cast Performance?
Bear Tooth?
325 GR?
355 GR?
36O GR?
H110?
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

Sarg....The advantage of hard cast bullets is penetration.For the game you describe,I honestly believe your 454 with 300 gr.factory jacketed bullets will penetrate enough and then some.

SARG, why do you want to use cast bullet? Honardy bullets are great for penetration and made for hot loads. I use Honardy XTP Mag in 240gr and in 300gr without problems. Honardu bullets aren't expensive at all. If you really want cast bullet use Bear tooth bullet. I have had contact with FA, they only know LBT (Lead Bullet Technology) but according my contact at FA, LBT are now out of business. It is sad because FA only recomand used LBT bullet.IMHO

------------------
BER007
------------------------

there is about a 6 month back order at Bear Tooth. I have both bear tooth and cast performance. My cast performance hold 1.5 inches at 50 yrds. Thats with the first load I tried. I agree with the other posts though, for deer especially you don't need a hard cast bullet. In fact a hollow point will probably perform better by providing more frontal area as it passes through. Penetration is not an issue with deer at under 100yrds using the 454. Hornady makes xtp Mag bullets that have a stiffer jacket and are designed for higher velocities. They will penetrate more if hunting bear. For deer I usually down load to hot 45 specs. A Hornady 255xtp at 1500fps is all you really need. As you probably know, its where you place the bullet that counts. Sometimes people use cast bullets to get better accuracy, but accuracy shouldn't be a problem with a FA gun.

My raging Bull prefers hard cast. I got mine from national bullet, very pleased.

I don't recommend any of the jacketed bullets that are designed for the 45LC unless you are shooting light loads. Thin jackets, or so it appears, and they disentegrate at 1600fps.

Sarge:
If you want to try different velocities, and loads, have a look at:
http://www.singleaction45.com/heavybullets.htm
Sundles:
BuffaloBore ammo, posts here,
http://disc.server.com/Indices/47763.html
all the time.
One of the guys works at Corbon, Murdach, and we have some other lame ass guys like Lee Jurras, didn't he like invent Hi-vel?
Paco, and JT floating around.

They have probably forgotten more then most know about the calibers you want to discuss.

Linebaugh isn' a bad guy to listen to either.

If you want a max load, try 27 grains of H-110 under a 345 LBT, and aim it at this:

http://www.sixgunner.com/linebaugh/page3.htm
Ross did.

Linebaugh lists suggested loads here:
http://www.sixgunner.com/linebaugh/gunnotes.htm#bullet

keep in mind your casull can push more pressure, but John is really good at figuring out where it isn't worth the pressure.

I use Sundles 325 grain, and 260 hollow points for defense at absurd velocities. I figure if someone is stupid enough to enter my house, he deserves a very large hole, and I don't like walls getting in the way:
www.buffalobore.com
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm
alternating in my linebaugh sevile.

I would not want to be on the other end of any of them.

This is way more info then you need, and, you can load heavier in your casual, but what the hell for, I have no idea.

gs

Oh:
jacketed bullets suck compared to hard cast, properly lubed, LBT's.
No jacketed bullet in the world, with an expanding design, is going to penetrate in DG far enough to save your ass.

Lead, and the right lube, gives you a better seal, higher pressure, and better penetration.
It cracks me up that the new metaplat design is validating what Kieth new since he was born, that a flat nosed, lead bullet, at moderate, to high velocity, was the match of any jacketed, if not solid, bullet designed.

Seyfried has proven, on cape buffalo, that a 345 grain lead hard cast bullet will penetrate 38 inches, and, kill a buffalo.
His shots went straight, and deep, with a large wound channel.
The on going debate, at least for me, is are you better off with a 360-405 grain bullet, @ 1200 fps, or Sundles suggests the 325 grain, at 1300-1400 shocks the animal, as well as giving great penetration.

Your choice.

gs

Oh yes, my favorite plinking load.

You buy a bunch of 230 grain hardball.
Fill the case with H-110, and a magnum primer.
I think they push 1700 fps, with no leading, and pretty accurate. For a 1/2 cent, that makes a really fun target, or defense round.

Suffice to say, the 325 grain bullet, in 45 caliber, is considered the bullet, at about 1200-1300 fps.

Hard cast, it will kill anything in NA.

The 345-360 are great for buffalo, starting with around 27 grains of H-110, and working up.
With a Casull, you should be fine.
But, be careful, and work up from a lower load.

Personally, I like the 360 grain LBT Sundles has, at some sort of velocity. I just flat out like penetration, bullet weight, and accuracy, if not flat trajectory.

Keep in mind, most guys think the 345 is the biggest bullet you should use in a LC, even a strong one.

Anyway, I wish I had a FA, but, I'll just have to make due.

gs

"In the .45 Colt our proof load is 29 gr. H-110 with the 315 gr. bullet. (This is in our strong 5-shot guns.) From Hornady's pressure barrel it runs 1617 fps and develops an honest 59,000 psi. This is what we proof our custom .45 Colt with. They are fitted with our oversize cylinders. THIS IS NOT FOR ANY STANDARD, STOCK, .45 COLT OR THE "BEND IN THE MIDDLE" CONTENDERS. This is a pressure barrel tested proof load and only a proof load. But we do have "would be" reloaders walking around shoot loads equivalent to these type of loads in their .44 Mags.

"