A Question
I was playing with my 458WinMag today and trying to test the bullets 1)Hornady 350gr, 2525f/s 2)Speers 350gr, 2570f/s 3) Lee�s 450gr 1120f/s Cast by Wheel weights.
I shot at plastic bags filled with sawdust at about 20yards distance.
The Hornady stopped in the 7:th (215gr) the Speer in the 9:th (333gr) the Cast bullet past all 9 bags and when I tried to repeat with the cast bullet it went out after the 7:th bag and I could dig it out from about 1dm clay
Back to the question: How do you think that cast bullet load would work as timber load? It will set 5 shots within 2� at 80m, but beyond 80m it will drop really quick (almost 2dm from 80m to 100m)
I am considering using the Speer during the autumn moose hunt but it would be fun testing my own load and cast during real hunting .

From left 7-08:170grOryx 163gr, 7-08:100grSierra 4gr, 458:350grHornady 215gr, 458:350grSpeer 333gr, 458:450grLee Cast/
PerN

PerN As much as I like the 350gr. Hornady, think I would prefer the 350 Speer at that velocity. That cast bullet might not penetrate that well if it hits a big bone on a rear or raking shot.. I think I would have some 480 Woodleigh or some 500gr. Hornadys, or Speer soft nose for follow up shots.

Not to be argumentative, but I think that moose are an excellent candidate for cast bullet hunting. Personally I would like to push the velocity to 1400 with a 500 grain cast.

500grains. I agree 1400 to 1800fps. would be better. It has been my experience that expanding bullets kill a little quicker, but you must have adequate penetration.

Ok!
I agree that the 450gr at this low velocity is not the most efficient load
I have tried to speed up the load but find it hard to get better accuracy with it, perhaps depending on that it don't have gas checks, or that this was my first try casting
I was only planning to use it during training, but since it is so accurate and hard to stop i begun thinking of using it for hunting (at least once )
Is it anybody out there with practical experience of using low velocity cast bullets during hunting I would appreciate any information of the results

PerN, you need to gas check that bullet and jack up the velocity some and for sure you will have a deadly combination. Leadheads bullets has some good gas checked rifle bullets VERY hard.

I've hunted up to and including Antelope with cast bullets and found them as deadly as anything.
Real hardcast bullets can behave like solids. This isn't the best of thing for thin skinned game IMHO. But it can get a little tricky making cast bullets expand like you want and then stop. They like to either work like a solid or a bomb, depending on alloy etc.