Here are those trajectory and energy tables.

The .430" red-tipped bullet in the green sabot:


The .452" small red-tipped bullet in the black sabot:


The .452" 230 BALL in black sabot:


The small HP in the black sabot:


The 300-gr Barnes Original swaged to .5015":


The big HP in black sabot:


The yellow-tipped bullet in the black sabot:


The Oregon Trail 350-grain bullet in black sabot:


Paul

Very little difference except for the cast, but the BC of a large meplat will always shorten the ranges.
The heavier bullets carry more energy, in general, and would likely be more effective but any of them would hurt a critter at less than 200 yds.
Look out black bears and mooses, or is it miceses? Oh well.

That's about the way I see it, Don. I like the 370-grain Oregon Trail bullet the best, but I cannot keep from coming back to the perspective of "If I'm going to shoot a .45 caliber bullet, why not shoot it from a .45 caliber cartridge." There are GOOD .45 cal cartridges "out there" - .45-70 gov't, 450 Win Mag and .450 Alaskan (all of which are actually .46 caliber - :angry:), to name three.

I'm going to HAVE to see what some 'real' .50 caliber bullets do.

Paul

Here is some paper-whipping for the bullets on the way. All use Hodgdon's L'ilGun.

High velocity node for Hornady's 300-grain FTX:


Low velocity node for Hornady's 300-grain FTX:


High velocity node for Ranier 335-grain HP:


High velocity node for Speer "Deep Curl" 350-grain HP:


I'm keeping pressures around the 34 to 39 kPSI range.

Paul