Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Moose Masher ???

I first posted this on the Big Game thread but thought perhaps it was more appropirate here and that I might get more "lead on" experience for such a slug.

As I wrote about earlier, I drew a cow moose permit for near here for this fall. I am planning on using a cast bullet in my 35 Whelen. The bullet weighs 293 grains, is round nosed, heat treated, and is chrono'd at about 1900. Any reason that wouldn't flatten a cow at up to 250 yards across a canyon or even punch thru both shoulders up close ?

as long as you can hit exactly where your intending to and the impact velocity is above about 1100fps I think youll do ok.
WHY? well Ive shot several dozen deer and two ELK with hard cast bullets over the years and they died after a short run so I don,t see your likely results being much differant.
even a 44 mag with its 300 hard cast bullet will be very effective if you place your shot correctly, and your 35 whelen is much more likely to penetrate deeper

Rolly:
Not sure what your alloy is but I think air cooled may serve you better at the same velocity. If you can get BHN 14 with an air cooled alloy you will get some expansion and still get pass through on moose. Are you using 358009 or something similar?

got a pic of the bullet? I'd be interested in seeing it.

The bullet is a Lyman 3589. The mould is an old one that was converted from a hollow nose to a regular round nose.

converted from a Hollow nose? as in HP? to a round nose.

Just exactly how did that happen? I would presume the "hollow point" pin is still in place on the mould, just filed down so it makes a regular round nose.

I'd like to see a pic of that mould.

The mould has a hole in it where the bullet nose would be, I assume to insert a pin into the hole to form the hollow point. The hole in the mold has had a small piece of brass or a piece of brazing rod stuck somehow in the hole so the finished bullets come out with a normal round nose.

I wouldn't harden the bullet, it'll be more effective if kept soft so that the nose will upset. I've shot them air cooled from wheelweights and got a 5 shot 1" group at 100 yds, so no worry's about the softer bullets not shooting.

There was a good article about hunting with cast bullets in either rifle or handloader a few years back. It was in regards to the whelen and the planned quary was a whitetail, but ended up being a cow elk. The author was advised to use air cooled wheelweights and from his experience testing and on game he concluded it was the best way to go.

The beauty of gas checks is you have more tollerance of how hard your bullet needs to be, especially if you aren't loading it to the gils in regards to pressure and velocity. I believe you'll find the sweet spot for hunting cast bullets is 2000 fps plus or minus a tad.

Rolly, FWIW, I wouldn't hesitate one moment on using the 358009 on Moose at that velocity. However, as 458 Lott mentioned, I would prefer a air cooled wheel weight for that job.

I have taken several Elk, probably 8 or 100, with my Whelen when using that bullet, and you have to see the effect with your own eyes to believe the penetration / expansion one gets with the softer bullets....those puppies are big, heavy, and loooong!
And that makes for a happy ending IMO.

Russ...

I'm sorry, I think I got carried away with my Zeros in that last post. I don't know how to edit the post, so please make that 8 or 10 Elk I have taken with the Whelen and that bullet.

Russ...

Thanks for the encouragement, RBak7x57 but I think I will go with a jacketed Speer Grand Slam. There were too many on this site with a lot more experience than me who said that I could easily lose the moose due to lack of expansion. Our brush here is VERY thick and the mountains steep. If the moose ran 100 yards with little or no blood trail, you could easily lose it.

Shoot the cast bullet. You will be better off, believe me.

Rolly. Check your PMs.
Paul B.

Thanks Paul. Got it. Appreciate the info.