Which caliber for cast bullets? Not just for cast bullet shooters..Survival question

[Mike375]

Of the calibers available in bolt actions (sorry 45/70 fans)which one would you pick if you had do all of your shooting with cast bullets and why would you pick the caliber.

So anyone who would have selected 45/70 or similar, think of a replacement.

Mike

 

[danr55]

That's an easy one. The 7X57 would be the obvious choice to shoot cast bullets using 175 grain bullets. Those are the bullets this round was originally designed to shoot. The ballistic coefficient is through the roof, the accuracy is well known, and with that kind of sectional density, even at moderate velocities, the effectiveness and retained energy would be excellent.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[Nodak Hunter]

I would choose the .308. If it is a matter of no ammo available, just remember, the government uses .308 and .223 ammo, so there will always be some source for brass, if not fully loaded ammunition.

 

[Chainsaw]

It appears that the Blue Helmet guys use .223 and 9mm along with .308. All good choices. I would be more worried about the type of rifling in the barrel of my firearm and its compatability with cast bullets than the caliber.------Chainsaw

 

[danr55]

Chainsaw, That's an interesting comment. Can you expand that a little? When you mentioned being concerned about the rifling, are you talking about twist rates or style of rifling or depth of lands or what?

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[sdgunslinger]

From the standpoint of plentiful brass supply and other components , the .308 would be it . From the standpoint of efficiently taking medium to large game , I would take the .35 Whelen . Plenty of brass around for that one too . Then your namesake ( the .375 ) wouldn't be too shabby either , although the powder capacity may be a bit much for best cast bullet shooting . For the largest game , anything in .45 caliber like the .458 or Lott would be desirable . Caliber and bullet weight is where it's at when you shoot cast .

[This message has been edited by sdgunslinger (edited 01-25-2001).]

 

[Ken Howell]

Hi, Mike! Good to see your handle again!

You already know everything I'm going to mention here. All I can offer is a way to rank 'em and evaluate 'em.

Cast bullets don't lend themselves to the velocities that jacketed bullets can handle without working-up a sweat. About 2,000 to 2,100 ft/sec is generally about absolute tops for cast bullets and accurate loads.

So for a dedicated cast-bullet rifle cartridge, I'd look first at any series of good cartridges that don't exceed that velocity even with jacketed bullets and thus won't be limited or handicapped by using cast bullets. In fact, a number of years ago, I designed just such a cartridge and almost named it the ".375 FCBO" ("for cast bullets only"). I have a beautiful rifle in this caliber but named it something else lest I be embarrassed sometime later if I get caught using jacketed bullets in it. ¦o)

Hope this lights a new candle on the matter.

Vaya con Dios, Amigo!

 

[Ken Howell]

PS for Mike375:

I also have a .444 Marlin Rimless on a '98 Mauser — uses '06-base brass (e g .35 Whelen) easily fire-formed nearly cylindrical, head-spaces on the mouth of the case. The '98 action leap-frogs the .444 Marlin's performance somewhat beyond what it can do in a lever-action.

It's mechanically easy to chamber and load — a .444 Marlin reamer with a special head-spacing lip, .444 Marlin dies, and a .30-06 shell-holder. But it sure as the ****ens isn't a factory cartridge, which limits its usefulness as a survival cartridge.

[This message has been edited by Ken Howell (edited 02-04-2001).]

 

[Mike375]

Ken,

My cast bullet experience is limited to a 308 and about 15 years ago.

I cast bullets of about 130 grains. Used the Lee gas check moulds, Hornady gas checks and RCBS sizer and lubricator.

Tried a few Lee moulds (same mould as to bullet weight etc.) and different moulds gave different results. Similar to using different brands of of jacketed bullets of the same weight.

The limiting factor appeared to be pressure, rather than velocity.

With Reloader 7, about 2250 f/s, with good accuracy. Hercules Unique failed to give accuracy at a good velocity. Winchester 760 gave reasonable results at about 2600 f/s.

I would like to do something with cast bullets again and especially paper patch bullets.

The 375 would seem a candidate, except for short neck.

Mike

 

[Mike375]

Ken,

We crossed postings.

Mike

 

[Ken Howell]

I can't believe my eyes!

I used the surname of one of the great writers of English literature in a slang expression, and either an automated filter or an over-sensitive moderator rendered it "****ens!"

I once taught in a deep-South, Bible-belt high school where the librarian blotted obscenities out of every book, wherever she found 'em — including one word in a passage about a prospector and his burro, which would've been rendered here as "a prospector and his jack***," I assume. The bird making a rat-a-tat noise in a tree would of course have had to be a wood******. I have to wonder whether the big oil company would be "S****" here, and I'm sure the lesser "deities" would be "demi***s."

And when you pull the hammer on a Colt single-action Army or a Winchester lever-action all the way back, obviously you're ****ing it — pulling it past half-**** to full-****.

RAOTFLOL

The late great Charles ****ens could probably have gotten a hilarious novel out of all this.