Cast HP Worked

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sixshot

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
1,835
Location
soda springs, idaho
I have been practicing with a new 45 caliber HP in my OM shorty for the last week or so & yesterday I shot for a couple of hours at my Bill Fowler Steel target & thing were looking good. My load I settled on is 11 grs of Longshot with the 217 gr Maxine Mouth HP & it's running 965 fps out of my 4 5/8's 3 screw.
For sure I can run this bullet faster but with this alloy I felt like I was in the right velocity range to make things work. On one forum a guy told me I shouldn't be using that bullet & that in his opinion a solid would work much better & then he finished by saying, trust me! When I quizzed him about his knowledge about six gun bullets, HP bullets, or hunting with six guns he told me he had never killed anything with a six gun but he a lot of knowledge shooting cast bullets..... in muzzle loaders, some bullets weighing 400+ grains & running maybe 1800 fps & again I was suppose to trust "his" knowledge.
I arrived a little bit earlier than usual & started down a bumpy road on the 4 wheeler after watching another guy shoot a nice antelope with his rifle, it was a dandy although it had been fighting & it was well broomed.
After a few minutes I spotted a doe running down hill towards a little spring so I stopped & then another deer popped up in the tall brush. I yanked out my OM shorty & took a breath as I broke the shot. I hit something because I saw something fly but I didn't hit the deer, it just turned from broadside to a sharp angle away from me. Thumbing the hammer back with my left thumb (right handed shooter) I held just behind the rib cage & sent another one down range. This one knocked her flat instantly. I looked for a couple of seconds & 2 more deer came running down the hill towards her then out of sight.
I went up the rocky road & walked over & seen that I had actually hit a steel fence post with the first shot, I never even seen it because of the weeds & small sticks but I could clearly see where the bullet had hit it & that's what I saw blow up on the first shot. The bullet had entered just behind the last rib & angled up into the lungs, you can see all the damage it did to the lungs in photo 4. I drove my 4 wheeler down the old fence line & loaded her up & went back to the truck, shoved a bag of ice in the body cavity & took off to have some breakfast.
I think this bullet is going to be a dandy for deer size game in this velocity range....TRUST ME!

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Dick
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,396
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Looking good there!

I like to have choked when I read the part about how the "expert" said to "trust me." Knowing your experiences,, and knowledge,,, I had to wonder if he really knew anything about you OR actual bullet performance on animals.
Obviously,, this HP bullet did an excellent job,,, ESPECIALLY since she was alerted & trying to leave the area after your first shot hit the post.

Have you sent this forum person the pics yet?
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
10,119
Location
Alaska, Idaho USA
Dick, that load appears to me to have been exceptionally effective. People look for ages trying to find bullets that work that well. It looks like you hit a home run with that load. We talked over on the campfire about getting some bullets, I'm also interested in these when you have time. I might have missed it but I didn't see where you mentioned what the range was. I'd be curious about that.
Thanks
Marlin
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
3,215
Location
Alabama, in the bend of the Tennessee River
Good job Dick. I love handgun hunting with cast bullets. I've had good success with the Thompson design 429244 GCHP in my .44s. I cast them a little soft to try to get some expansion, but the only ones I've recovered have been a couple that hit the spine on deer, so not sure what if any expansion I'm getting in ribcage/soft tissue. On broadside shots, they are pass-throughs.

Looks like you've got a winner there. Could you post us a pic or two of your bullets?

Never mind, I see you already did that in another thread. Great looking bullet. With a cavity that size it pretty much has to expand!
 
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