Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 454 Casull vs bigger calibers question

There is no magic velocity at which a gas check is needed. It's a combination of bullet hardness, throat and barrel dimensions, rifling twist and the pressure of the load that determines when a gas check is needed to prevent leading. The advantage of a gas check is you can have everything less than perfect and not suffer from leading.

Any of those bullets would be a fine choice, I'd probably lean towards the 260 gr as the availability in different diameters will allow you to choose one that fits your gun best.

cobrad,

I have owned several Freedom Arms .454 Casulls in my time, and still own one. I have hunted with them, shot both factory and handloaded ammo, and worked up numerous loads in grain weights from 240 to 300 gr. bullets.

Several years ago, I had a bike accident, resulting in a bad wrist fracture. As a result, I just cannot take the recoil of full-power loads in the .454 Casull anymore.

The one I have kept is a custom, built in the FA factory, with a 10" Magnaported barrel. I have installed a red dot scope on it, and developed a handload which pushes 260 gr. JFP bullets at around 1300 fps.

This is a very manageable load, accurate at ranges out to 100 yards, and one I would not hesitate to hunt big game with.

I have a pair of Pro-Aim gloves coming to ease the bruised palm and sore wrist I get if I shoot enough full power 454 loads. I'm having fun with it now, just having finally mastered it and being able to shoot it well... for me anyway.
I don't believe it will kill elk or black bear, the critters I'll hunt with it, any better than the .44 mag. There may be some advantage in shooting the 260 gr bullets at 1800 fps, in a flatter trajectory. As I am shooting open sights it's a moot point even if there is an advantage.
I have some 325 gr hardcast I've been shooting this past month and that's what I'll be using this fall anyway.

Having used the .454/.45 Colt (350gr @ 1500fps) on bear and elk I would say it will work great. Is it better or worse than other cartridges is sort of the unanswerable question.

It does work very well.

I just called Leadhead and they have a 270gr. PB WFN (LBT) with a .385 meplat. How does this compare to Cast performance 255gr. .350 meplat. Which one is the better choice for deer?

Anyone?

I'd go with the 270 grainer

Because of the weight or bigger meplat?

Both. Larger me plat means larger wound channel and penetration will still be good as long as the nose shape is correct. I have no experience with the 2 bullets that you mentioned but the 270 grainer is the one that I would start with of the 2 and go from there

Use the XTPs, as do zillions of other deer hunters. Why screw around with 1/2" hole punchers?

Here we go

I have had terrible results out of my 454 with them, no way i am going to try one in the 44mag until i see the results of the hardcast. The 629 with that xtp load is a cream puff to shoot though. I could shoot that all day.

That is what i was thinking also. I wish Leadheads made them in smaller batches though. His minimum order is 250 pieces.

It's not the same bullet. You realize that - right? The 44mag XTP is very popular amongst the knowledgeable. Why don't you start a new thread instead of dragging this old one around? You can handle that - right?

dla, could I shoot deer with the 240 XTP from my 44 Mag at say 60-75 yards and get larger than a cast bullet hole?

What do you think? Only bazzillions of guys do it every year. But who knows, maybe it magically won't work for you.

You obviously "think", but don't know.


Do us all a favor, spare us your rented wisdom and STFU.

A buddy of mine shoots the 454 Casull and 475 & 500 Linebaughs, and he's been to Africa with a couple of them. He does fine with full throttle loads, but his hands are like hams with sausages for fingers.

Anyway, with the 475 and 500 big bores he mostly shoots cast bullets with very wide, flat, sharp edged meplats at something like 850 or 900 fps. IIRC he's using W231, or maybe Unique. Lets the air right out of deer, quick like.

+1

Are you one of those bazillions you speak of? Inquiring minds want to know......