| 9.3x57 |
| (.450 member) |
| 09/08/08 10:23 AM |
|
Re: Best "Stopping Bullet" in a .45/70
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Quote:
When I referred to the Lee 405gr. bullet, I was talking about the solid mould, not the HP. If I want a HP or cup-point, I turn one an a small lathe, as I did with some 9.3mm bullets. I do have the Gould mould, but that bullet is suitable for deer only in my opinion, and smallish deer at that. As a solid, though, that 340gr. bullet will kill bear very nicely, black bear at least and I'm use it would handle griz. just about as well. As long as the heavier bullets will make descent speed, I opt for weight. Both my lyman and RCBS 400gr. moulds drop bullets at 420gr. and either would be OK, preferrably the RCBS with the gas check for higher speeds. The Lyman flat base bullet has shot very well with a card wad to protect it's base.
Daryl, I agree about the Gould based on what I've read, and also about weight in general with cast bullets.
The thing that got my attention with the Lee HP is that it is a totally different design than the Gould, and gives both expansion/fragmentation of the front HP plus extreme penetration. Most popular cast bullets these days seem to be the big flat points, which have their place and advantages for certain applications, but the HP concept has been totally and unfortunately forgotten in my opinion. The beauty of a HP is that it can be adjusted for the game, and if you are Daryl or others with the tooling you have that ability at home.
The Lee HP typically blows off in game, and the heavy, shaft powers thru to provide very deep penetration and bone breaking. More or less consider it a "Cast Bullet Nosler Partition" of sorts. One bear I shot was hanging on a stout limb of a tree and I shot thru the massive forearm of the bear thru the chest and out the backbone between the shoulder blades.
One thing I like about the Lee HP is that the front HP portion causes severe tissue disruption and bleeding, something solid bullets sometimes fail to do.
The old timers of the 1800's used many HP's in the BP guns of the day, and today the .45-70 and a good Hollow Point are as perfect a match as a bottle of wine and a nod from the Wife.
