Anyone use cast bullets for defense.

There's nothing wrong with cast bullets for self defense. They were especially popular back before there were well designed, dependable hollow point bullets available. I have carried cast bullet loads for defense many, many times and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

A properly selected (for design and alloy) cast bullet is a reliable, well, killer. It should penetrate well and be quite accurate. The largest game animals in the world have been harvested with cast bullets for centuries.

Remember the FBI handgun tests that ultimately spawned the .40 S&W cartridge? One thing that the FBI determined, and something that hunters had known for centuries, is that a bullet must penetrate to the vital organs in order to reliably stop the target. With penetration being equal, they determined that the larger diameter bullet has a slight edge in performance.

A hard-enough cast bullet will penetrate to the vitals. If you started with a large caliber to begin with, you don't have to depend on bullet expansion.

A .357 cast boolit will shoot two holes in BG's, especially the heavyweights. Now step up to the modern hollowpoint, the 125g is tough to beat for a defensive pistol round.

So, does everyone only use modern hollowpoints or does anyone use lead.
I'd like to test the .357 with the 150gr SWC to see what it can do. I need to get the molds first though.

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Lovesbeer99

You could also order the bullets from one of the custom casting outfits. Most of the casters are using a hard alloy so if that is what you want, just order it. Saves getting set up for casting and finding out it is not what you need.

I use cast in two of my revovlers but load jacketed in my wife's selfloader.

Good luck

Buffalo bore makes a hard cast 148 grain wc. Never tried them but l would not like to get shot by one.

Skeeter, Bill Jordan, and others were lawmen in the southwest desert country.

They might be called on to put down a road damaged 1,500 pound range bull one day, shoot themselves loose from a runaway bucking horse the next, and get in a running gunfight with a car-load of drug smugglers the next.

Skeeter & Jordan were no longer in law enforcement by the time modern JHP high-performance bullets were invented, and much later, perfected to the point they could be depended on to stay together and work right.

For their jobs, places, and times, the hard cast heavy SWC was the best bullet available for their use.

Not so much today!

rcmodel

Yep. For Skeeters needs they were the ticket. You and me, in an urban environment? Nope. I've shot A LOT of hardcast 357. Too much punch. Figure it's 9mm ball ammo on steroids in the penetration dept.

a past favorite...was a 148 grain cast hollow base wadcutter loaded upside down in a .38 special . I've shot these years ago and they're quite accurate and almost never go thru more than one layer of sheetrock. They sure open up!

I am going to be the Contrarian on this.

You have seen the ballistic gell tests that get put on this forum, have'nt you? The wound channels on modern self defense ammo are really big. The good stuff today is far better than factory bullets even 20 years ago. Today's premium bullets are tested and will dependably expand and create a big wound channel. That was not true back when Skeeter was around.

(As Dr. Fackler noted, a large part of the problem with factory bullets in the past, was gun writers. These guys would shoot metal plates, car tires, newspaper, etc, and claim a relationship. They had no idea of what was a proper simulant. If the bullet did not shoot a hole in an engine block, gun writers would pan the bullets. Through their ignorance, these guys delayed the progress of decent self defense ammo)

So back then, cast bullets would have been OK. About the same as factory. Not any more.

Hey its your life. What's your life worth? Premium ammo is what, $25.00 a box of fifty? Home loads, $7.50 a box of fifty? Your life worth more than $17.50?

I am going to get the Devastator hollow point bullet mould, and will see how well they work in 9mm/38Spl, for grins, but I only use quality factory ammo for defense. The interesting thing is the 158gr lead hollow point +P 38 Spl is still a great stopper.

Ok, you asked about cast bullets for defensive work, and we veered into hard-cast wadcutters. THOSE won't work well in most applications.

A softer alloy with a hollowpoint is a whole different animal.

Just Curious...

I have always been led to believe you should BUY Factory ammo for self defense...

Bflobill_69

I have always been led to believe you should BUY Factory ammo for self defense...

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This is a good rule of thumb, most who load and have loaded for years and are very good at it are going to say no way but for the average Joe it is good advise...

I liked the semi wad cutter of old and loaded them for some time and carried them (38/357 some 45 also) There is a book out by Jim Crillo that was pretty interesting and his design of bullets in the old days helped pave the new road to bullet design.

But for the average person it is much better to go with qualified ammo co's IMHO.

Before you rely on expanding bullets, you'd best shoot some, through your guns, over a chronograph. You'll likely find that you aren't getting sufficient velocity, especially from a short barrel, to provide reliable expansion, or enough penetration if it does expand. The simple fact is that if you place your shot correctly, and get adequate penetration, you'll stop your adversary regardless of bullet design. If you don't do those things, it's likely he won't stop. A hollowpoint might perform exactly as advertised; or, it might expand prematurely and not penetrate; or, it might hit something in your adversary's pocket, deform, and angle off target; or, (especially in winter) it might fill with clothing debris and not perform; or, it might disintegrate on bone; or, or, or, or... A lead swc at sufficient velocity will simply make two holes in your adversary, and he'll fall down. The FBI concluded that overpenetration isn't a major concern, mainly because most shots in a gunfight miss their target anyway. Why worry about the one that actually connects? Handloads for self-defense? An old, overworked topic about a non-existent danger.

experiment and try something new

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NOT a good idea when you life could be on the line.

Why worry about the one that actually connects?

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I think that may be the worst bit of advice I've heard on this forum so far.

My .38 is always stoked with my handloaded lswc, and i keep a nice supply of .45acp lswc too. they leave a nice hole.

Just any old cast bullet isn't like saying a hunting bullet - one with a huge metplat, like a well designed Keith or TC.

I wouldn't hesitate to use one of my 230g TC bullets for SD from my 1911. That pie plate front end transmits shock. I anchored a 160# hog with a 265g SWC from my .44 - I doubt any BG would be able to withstand such a round to the boiler room.

Modern bullets and factory ammo are excellent and premium stuff delivers, but don't shun a well designed cast bullet - they work.

When I carry my Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt I like my cast 325gr LFP with about 8.5gr of Unique.
Not too hot but over 800fps.
If not that a 200gr LSWC also does a nice job.

If your assailant is, say, a 250-lb weightlifter, you're facing a large, dangerous animal. Ask any big game hunter what bullet he uses for large, dangerous game. He'll tell you he uses a solid. When his life is on the line he doesn't want to rely on manufacturer's claims, he wants to drill a hole (two if possible) as deep as possible. I agree with him.

That's what I'm talking about. Good, well designed hunting bullets. Big holes in both sides of the varmint.

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Even a 38, 148gr wadcutter loaded pretty hot hits with quite a whallop.

Snapping Twig, Those Are Some Good Looking Bullets! What Are They? Did You Cast Them? Csa