Smallest,lightest cast bullet for deer ?

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  • Last Post 07 March 2013
jhalcott posted this 19 April 2008

I asked this question on another site and haven't got any replies YET. I have killed more than a few deer with cast bullets. using 7Mm thru 45-70 calibers and bullets from 168 grains(7mm) to 405 grains in the 45-70. Both handguns and rifles were used. IF the Lee 135 7MM bullet (soup can) can be shot at about 2400 fps ,WOULD it be a good deer bullet. ASSUMING good accuracy and ideal bullet placement.? I have heard of several guys using 150 grain cast bullets in the 30-06 with great success. MY 06 bullets are the 311291 and 31141 (170 grain). The 358315 &318 are used in the 35 rem and whelen. I like the 300fn RCBS and NEI's 405 pointed bulets in the 45-70. My normal alloy is a Lyman #2 copy at 15 BHN or a straight wheel weight alloy at 13 bhn. In the 45-70 I often use a 10 bhn alloy, depending on speed.

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Harp posted this 07 March 2013

3006 using 31141 lyman and 25 grains of 4759 puts em down.

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badgeredd posted this 06 March 2013

Here is some interesting information on the 7mm TCU with a custom 135 grain bullet shot at about 2500 fps. I see no reason the 7mm Soupcan wouldn't perform in a similar way if velocity and alloy were similar.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?171783-7mmTHOR-7TCU-Carbine-Venison

Edd

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6pt-sika posted this 06 March 2013

Chargar wrote: I shot a deer once with a Winchester 92 in 25-20. The bullet was 85 FNGC Lyman going about 1.8K fps. It did the job very well.

I would not recommend the 25-20 for deer, but it can be done if the shooter can place the bullet in the right spot.

Let us not forget the great Jordan Buck that was the #1 typical whitetail for a good many years was in fact killed with a 25-20 although it did take him 6 or 7 shots if my memory serves .

Back when I had and cast for the little guns I was kinda woumd up about trying the old circa 1902 Marlin 1894 I had in 25-20 with the Lyman 257312 , true it's only and 87 grain bullet but inside archery range and it should get the job done as long as it;s not the great warhorse of the north .

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357Maximum posted this 06 March 2013

I have used cast bullets in muzleloaders, the 32/40 ( with BLACKPOWDER), 7TCU@2512fps, 35Rem, 357MAG, 357MAX, 35Whelen, 30-30 to kill my deer. I did my part and they did theirs...no issues. A 6TCU or 32/20 is about the smallest I would use, but I know full well what a 17Hornet with an airgun pellet will do also.

Placement not size or speed. The question only comes down to this....how much do you want to haandicap yourself (range) and still get the job done? Both the buck (95yds) and the doe (135 yds) that I shot with the 135Grain 7MMTHOR from the 7TCU this year dropped dead at the shot, and some of the deer with the 30,s and 35's did the dash o' death....they all died well though. PLACEMENT ....PERIOD

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tominct posted this 30 January 2013

I always thought about using a 170-220 gr in a 30-06 or? at about 11-1200 FPS. Quiet, but with enough weight to penetrate. Same goes for a subsonic 45-70 load or anything in between. good short range harvesting round with out the bellow of the big stuff.

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Ed Harris posted this 30 January 2013

Frank Marshall was fond of explaining how the .360 and .380 rook rifles went out of fashion in the era of Queen Victoria, because too many people were using them to poach the Queen's deer, and that after about 1885 the rook rifles mostly went to .255 caliber or less....

I can tell you that the Remington 148-gr. lead HBWC component bullet propelled by 3.2 grains of Bullseye gets about 900 fps from a 25 inch rifle barrel, with a peak pressure decibel level of about 90dB measured at 1 metre from the muzzle, and is just fine for deer up to about 100 pounds, when taken with head shots in the garden at ranges inside 50 yards.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Lefty posted this 30 January 2013

A neighbor from many years ago may he RIP always swore by a 22 mag. He shot his deer at night by the moon light. He wanted them to run off the field to the nearest woods before expiring. I believe it had something to do with the local game warden keeping an eye on him.:)

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Roy Ellis posted this 30 January 2013

Killed 9 does one night (with depradation permit) in a golf course housing addition.... 44grain .32 roundball over 3.7 grains bullseye in a .308 bolt gun. Head shot each one, all DRT & none of the residents heard my shots. 57ft was the longest shot though.

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Brodie posted this 26 September 2011

Smallest lightest bullet for deer?  22 rimfire. long rifle.  It ain't legal, but any warden will tell  you that it works real good-and on elk too.

B.E.Brickey

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Chargar posted this 25 September 2011

When I was young, limber and could jump a three rail fence, I killed 8 deer with the 25-35 and the 25 Remington. Both did the job quite well. I am talking about full snort jacketed bullet loads.

Both of these rifles have a fairly fast twist which causes some special issues for cast bullets. I tried cast in a 25 Remington (Rem. 14) back about 1960, but never had good results. I will also admit I gave up after the first range session and a shotgun pattern on the target. Had I stuck with it, I am certain it would have yielded to one degree or another.

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shastaboat posted this 24 September 2011

This Nevada Mule deer season I'm using one of my 8x57's 18.5” barrel with the Lee round nose that casts at 180 gr with WW infront of 27 gr. of 2400. Chronoes at 2175 fps and groups into less than 2” at 100 yards. I'll let you know with pics.

Because I said so!

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CB posted this 17 September 2011

The old 25-35 Winchester was really popular for deer in many areas. It was simply a 30-30 case formed down to size, with a 117 gr bullet. I see Winchester has reintroduced it in the “new” 1894s. 32-20 was also used heavily, as mentioned before, and even the 25-20 had a following. I have serious reservations about the 25-20 & 32-20 under less than ideal conditions, but if you want low recoil, but solid performance, I'd probably draw the line at 25 caliber, 117 grains (with a properly designed bullet of suitable hardness), ans either the 250 Savage, or 25-35. Then all that's left is for you to do your part.

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Chargar posted this 16 September 2011

I shot a deer once with a Winchester 92 in 25-20. The bullet was 85 FNGC Lyman going about 1.8K fps. It did the job very well.

I would not recommend the 25-20 for deer, but it can be done if the shooter can place the bullet in the right spot.

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mtn_runner posted this 13 July 2011

I have a friend who lives in a suburb of San Francisco who accidently killed a blacktail deer with his pellet gun while trying to shoo the critter out of his landscaping without disturbing the neigbors.

Personally, I use a 195 grain FNGC pushed at 1850 to 1900 fps in either 30 30, 30 06 or 7.5x55 for mule deer and a 260 grain RNGC pushed at 2000 fps in a 348 winchester for elk.

I am interested in having critters drop as quickly as possible once they are hit and these loads generally do the trick.

 

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Mnshooter posted this 11 July 2011

My own feelings are that the alloy is more imprtant than the weight. I use a flat point bullet that weighs in at 188 grains in my 30-30 at around 2000 fps + or -and it has performed well at over 140 yards. I also have a 150 grain mold for the rifle and have often wondered if that would not work. Big thing is that my alchemy for bullet casting gives me bullets that expand. I water drop a soft alloy of about 1/2 WW and lead and then place the bullet bases in water and anneal the noses. With the 188 grain load mentioned, I would not be afraid to shoot a 200 pound + buck as it performs similar to the old 303 Savage which was used on larger game. Elk have been taken with 30-30's and 150 grain bullets with good shot placement. While some may want to use a heavier caliber I am just pointing out that there is a certain trend today to use more powerful loads than granddad used.

DP

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6pt-sika posted this 24 June 2011

The smallest I've used has to be the Ranch Dog 311-165GC in a 30-30 .

 

However I always wanted to use the Lyman 311316 in the 32-20 if I kept shots to no more then 50 yards with a stiff load of H-110 and shot from a Marlin lever with a 20” or longer barrel .

 

As well as the Lyman 257325 in the Marlin 25-36 I had .

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leadhead308 posted this 24 June 2011

I agree the linotype being to hard for body shot , just on what ive read on the subject, but ive been loading linotype in .308 with hornady gas checks ,C 309-170-F lee mold, lee liquid alox lube, loaded with 39.5 grains 748 winchester powder, average 2177 fps on a 70 degree day. Can easily keep shots in 4inch circle at 100 yards. I like head shots just for the simple fact of no meat loss. Only shot at paper, but will try this season on deer. I like linotype with gas checks for faster loads, less leading more shooting at range with better accuracy.

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odicoilius posted this 16 December 2009

To: Von Gruff,I wouldn't use lino on game unless head/spine shots are taken. Two things are likely to happen, one,the bullet will whistle right on through like a fmj or two, it'll hit a bone and blow up like a grenade.Lino is just too hard for proper expansion. Better to use a softer alloy and give up a little accuracy 2” groups are all that's needed for deer-sized game at the typical cast bullet ranges. --only my opinion. Odicoilius.

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Ed Harris posted this 14 December 2009

I've shot maybe a dozen deer with cast bullets in the .30-30 over the years, mostly using wheelweight alloy at 1750-1950 f.p.s. All were recovered within 50 yards after running a short distance if not busted up on the spot. Factory loads in the .30-30 do the same thing and are sure, but not instant killers.

In following your deer it helps to mark each blood spot with a pencil-length stick and tuft of tissue paper as you go. If you “lose” the trail just “connect the dots” shining your flashlight along the backtrail, or if that fails search in small increasing concentric circles around the last blood spot until you find your deer. A blue or green LED flashlight makes blood splatter much more visible.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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jhalcott posted this 12 December 2009

So the 168/170 fn 7MM bullets I have been shooting around 1900 FPS would be good for deer at ranges below 100 yards?! This is good to know as I have used them on a bunch of deer with NO losses. All were hit in the shoulder or neck and few went more than 5 steps(heart shot). These were mixed bucks and does, some fawns also. None went over 150# on the hoof. The longest shot was just over 100 yards. I even used a few at much less velocity with equal results. That was a culling operation in a populated area.

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