Is there a way to make a 2 part cast bullet, nose soft for expansion, the rest hard cast for velocity. I would like to hunt with it.
Thanks Mike

now that would be an interesting article for the magazine!

I forgot to add that in my experience these bullets work best when they are used at a velocity of 1,400 to 1,500 fps. With a .38/55 bullet weighing 285 gr that's plenty fast enough to pull one of our Fallow or Red deer which is roughly equivalent to you Whitetail & Mule deer.
Spud

Spud   I hunted with the Ideal 375296 in a Winchester Highwall for a long time using a soft mix close to 40-1, but always wished I had the mould to do this. Never did find one, and not for lack of trying. I am thinking that Accurate or NOE might be willing to make up a mould to accomplish this. At the time I had a hard time finding a bullet large enough for the Winchester's .381 groove diameter. Lyman no loger listed the 375296, but after a discussion with someone there, I was told that they still had the cherry and would make up a mould for me. Wonderful customer service. This was in the early 70's. That mould has proved to be very accurate in quite a few 38-55 rifles. We now have many choices that we didn't have back then, or not that I was aware of. My hunting days are over, but would like to work on the project, so that my son will have that option. Give me something else to keep me busy!!!  Krag

Krag, yes the 375296 is a good match for the .38/55. My mould is also an early Ideal and drops a .381" bullet in Lyman No.2. I size the GC at .382" and it shoots nicely in my 1901 Highwall which also has a .381" groove dia. like yours. The tip mould took years of searching to find and I just happenrd to find one at a gunshow in Sydney!! I agree that Tom at Accurate could probably make something up and I might even go down that road as I've always wanted to try this with a .45/70. Yet another project.....
By the way the same soft point tip also works with the Ideal 374248 (same nose profile)and I use this in a Ballard .38/55.
Spud

Thanks spud, good to know about 375248 as I also have that mould, and would be great if a 'tip' mould would work for both. I will contact Tom @ accurate and see what happens. I will let you know as I will inquire about a 45-70 also. I wish it could work around the hollow point Gould mould 457122. It would make a good Elk hunting bullet even better.  Krag

Thanks Krag, any info would be great. I'll also check out that 1958 handbook ref. This has been one of my long-term pet casting/reloading projects and while the process is fiddly it does yield results in the field. They seem to work just as well as HP cast bullets. I've done a few small displays at gunshows & cartridge collector meets and people seem to be intrigued by this process of creating soft point lead hunting bullets from scratch.
Spud

I bet one of those Ideal molds for casting the soft tips is a very rare and highly collectible piece! I've never seen or heard of one before? That's a very neat design.