Has anyone ever had a R.E.A.L bullet move off the charge?

[idahoron]

Ability to adjust lead hardness is a big advantage of casting your own. If I end up going that route, though, I will probably buy a custom mold from Accurate rather than a Lee R.E.A.L. mold. Accurate has a couple of existing designs for bullets that are around 350 grains that look pretty good - very similar to Lewis' I bullet in design with a big flat meplat for shock effect and a wide wound channel. My 1-48 twist Renegade should stabilize a 350 grain bullet well, and that weight would seem to offer good muzzle velocity and a flat trajectory along with decent down-range energy retention.

That is 100% what I would do. That is the right track.

 

[idahoron]

Thanks for your advice. I hear lots of good things about No Excuses, they were easy to work with when I ordered on of their bore size kits, and the basic bullet design looks good. Maybe I'll try a the 420 grain No Excuses bullet and see how it shoots.

The problem I have with no excuse bullets is there is very little quantity control. If you are willing to grade them after you purchase them you will get an accurate bullet .

 

[idahoron]

Ability to adjust lead hardness is a big advantage of casting your own.

This bullet is the Lee 500S&W bullet. I harden them to 6 to 7 BHN. This bullet started out at 458 grains. I dug it out of a bull elk at 454 grains. It broke the bulls shoulder took out the spine and was found under the skin on the off side.

 

[WP79Vet]

Other's have suggested Bullshop bullets, but I have no idea what they offer in the way of designs for 50 cal muzzleloaders because they don't publish a catalog of any kind. I will send them an email today to explore the possibilities.

 

[WP79Vet]

This bullet is the Lee 500S&W bullet. I harden them to 6 to 7 BHN. This bullet started out at 458 grains. I dug it out of a bull elk at 454 grains. It broke the bulls shoulder took out the spine and was found under the skin on the off side.

Very impressive! Hardcast bullets definitely perform - back in the old days when most cops carried .357 mag revolvers, I noticed that most of them used hard cast semi-wadcutters - the Keith design. I'm definitely planning to explore hard-cast lead bullets for my Henry 45-70.

 

[idahoron]

Very impressive! Hardcast bullets definitely perform - back in the old days when most cops carried .357 mag revolvers, I noticed that most of them used hard cast semi-wadcutters - the Keith design. I'm definitely planning to explore hard-cast lead bullets for my Henry 45-70.

Hard cast is a term I have issue with. I consider my bullets under 9 bhn to be hardened. Hard cast to me is harder than 12. At 7 bhn my bullets for all practical purposes are soft lead.
By hardening them to the extent that I do I'm making a controlled expansion bullet for muzzleloaders.

 

[idahoron]

Other's have suggested Bullshop bullets, but I have no idea what they offer in the way of designs for 50 cal muzzleloaders because they don't publish a catalog of any kind. I will send them an email today to explore the possibilities.

Like you I have heard good things but I have no knowledge of them.

 

[idahoron]

This is a RCBS 11MM rifle bullet paper patched and sized for my 45. That bullet is about 8.5 bhn. My son shot a deer in the flank and the bullet was found in the neck.

 

[WP79Vet]

This is a RCBS 11MM rifle bullet paper patched and sized for my 45. That bullet is about 8.5 bhn. My son shot a deer in the flank and the bullet was found in the neck.

Impressive! Until you get to velocities where leading gets to be a problem, (even with gas checks and the best available lubes), controlling hardness may be a more reliable way to control expansion than use of copper jackets. The beauty of big bore bullets is that not much expansion is needed for quick kills - especially with bullets that have big flat meplats. And... as long as ranges are under 200 yards or so, you don't really gain that much from the high velocities that can be achieved with modern rifle cartridges anyway. Being limited to under 200 yards is a disadvantage when hunting really open country (like the Oregon/Washington parts of Hell's Canyon - where I've done most of my big game hunting), but I've taken deer and elk in that country with trad archery gear (as well as deer on the completely open and flat plains of South Dakota), and I'm finding that here in my new central Montana home, most of the deer and elk seem to hang out in fairly heavy timber until snow drives them out of the mountains. So... if I don't connect with my recurve during the early bow seasons, I may do most of my general season hunting with the Renegade or my Henry 45-70 carbine. Both are much nicer to carry than my modern scoped bolt actions, and their iron sights are faster on target and sufficiently accurate for the moderate ranges commonly encountered in timber hunting.

 

[idahoron]

This bull was killed at 248 yards. That was the same bullet I posted before.

 

[WP79Vet]

This bull was killed at 248 yards. That was the same bullet I posted before.

Nice!!

 

[ETipp]

As was said. The REAL is a bullet mould made by Lee.
While I hate HGP bullets I never had one come off a charge.

So those are the only R.E.A.L. bullets? None sold commercially?

 

[ETipp]

This bull was killed at 248 yards. That was the same bullet I posted before.

Darn good performance in a bullet especially at that distance and on a large critter.

 

[ETipp]

Yes my issue with them is they are too soft. They expand too quickly and reduce penetration. I think this bullet next to the Hornady is a no excuse bullet 460 gr.
If I were to use a factory bullet for a 1-48 I would use a light weight no excuse bullet.

Two things, Ron.

First, no bigger than the deer are here (when compared to other locations) my guess is the HGP bullet would still have a good chance of exit. But I am not certain on that. The greater expansion is the reason why I am considering those bullets. But again, I am not sold on them yet.

Second, I might order some No Excuse bullet to try out. However, 460 grains is a large chunk of lead for the deer in this neck of the woods. It would seem as if mid range trajectory may be reduced? I did find they offer a Sampler Pack with bullets from 420 grain up to 500 grain. I just don't see myself shooting a 500 grain bullet unless I go on another elk or bear hunt. The 420 grain sounds about right, though. I also see they offer a Sizing Pack of 5 different .50 sizes to help determine the most suitable size for a particular rifle...........totally awesome!

At this point I'm entertaining the thought of finding some pure lead, melt down some of my hard cast Maxi Balls, recasting and giving that a try. Perhaps with the right mixture I can get good expansion without impeding penetration.

I do like the idea of shooting my own cast bullets. They have never let me down yet and I get good accuracy out of them.

I appreciate your input.

 

[idahoron]

So those are the only R.E.A.L. bullets? None sold commercially?

I don't know of any company making the Lee REAL bullet commercially.

 

[ETipp]

I don't know of any company making the Lee REAL bullet commercially.

Thank you.

 

[idahoron]

Darn good performance in a bullet especially at that distance and on a large critter.

That shot was 14 years in the making. It took.my that long to draw the tag.

 

[idahoron]

Two things, Ron.

First, no bigger than the deer are here (when compared to other locations) my guess is the HGP bullet would still have a good chance of exit. But I am not certain on that. The greater expansion is the reason why I am considering those bullets. But again, I am not sold on them yet.

Second, I might order some No Excuse bullet to try out. However, 460 grains is a large chunk of lead for the deer in this neck of the woods. It would seem as if mid range trajectory may be reduced? I did find they offer a Sampler Pack with bullets from 420 grain up to 500 grain. I just don't see myself shooting a 500 grain bullet unless I go on another elk or bear hunt. The 420 grain sounds about right, though. I also see they offer a Sizing Pack of 5 different .50 sizes to help determine the most suitable size for a particular rifle...........totally awesome!

At this point I'm entertaining the thought of finding some pure lead, melt down some of my hard cast Maxi Balls, recasting and giving that a try. Perhaps with the right mixture I can get good expansion without impeding penetration.

I do like the idea of shooting my own cast bullets. They have never let me down yet and I get good accuracy out of them.

I appreciate your input.

If your deer are under 200 pounds they might work if you don't hit a shoulder.
Staying under 400 gr would be a good idea.

 

[ETipp]

That shot was 14 years in the making. It took.my that long to draw the tag.

The sweeter the victory then, eh?

 

[ETipp]

If your deer are under 200 pounds they might work if you don't hit a shoulder.
Staying under 400 gr would be a good idea.

Sadly, a 200 pounder is rare here. My hard cast Maxi Balls average 360 grains +/- 3 grains. But again, they are hard cast. It's been many moons since I have shot them at 100 yards at paper, but now that the itch has gotten the best of me once again, its on my short list of things to do. I'm really wanting to keep it as flat as possible out to 100 with a conical.