44 mag w/240gr Hornady XTP & 2400 powder

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sluggo

Bearcat
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Does anyone have a reloading manual with 44 mag & 240 gr Hornady XTP's & 2400 powder listed? I haven't yet found this combination listed but I don't have a Hornady manual and I imagine it would be listed there. I've been shooting 18.0 gr of 2400 and the load seems pretty mild with good accuracy and no pressure signs but I'd like to know what a max load for this combo might be. Thanks.
 

sluggo

Bearcat
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I've seen that Alliant page with the Speer 240 grain bullet. I like to do things "by the book" so I'm hoping to find published data for the 240 gr XTP bullet. I would think it has to be out there since the bullet is very, very popular but I haven't found it yet. Thanks.
 

Rick Courtright

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sluggo":2gfltvtl said:
I like to do things "by the book" so I'm hoping to find published data for the 240 gr XTP bullet. I would think it has to be out there since the bullet is very, very popular but I haven't found it yet.

Hi,

If you want "exact" you might have to go ahead and invest in the Hornady book... (there are worse ways to spend your money than building a library! ;) )

I don't see your desired combo in any of the "usual sources" I check online. Sometimes that means nothing. Other times it means there might BE a load, but perhaps it's touchy or otherwise less than ideal. For example, John Taffin suggests the XTP bullet seats deeper than others of similar size, which could cause pressure concerns. Not that I feel Taffin is one of the "ultimate" authorities, but he does raise a question.

There ARE listings for the 300 gr XTP and 2400, at about the charge level you're already loading w/ the 240, so you're probably in a safe range. But as popular as 2400 is in the .44 Mag, I'm left curious why there are lots of powders listed for the 240 XTP but 2400 doesn't seem to be among them.

???

I'll be interested in seeing what else you might find. I like XTPs, and have enough 296 to make 'em go for a little while longer, but a buddy just picked up 8 lbs of 2400, so I often share "new" recipes w/ him...

Rick C
 

Pal Val

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My load with the Hornady 240 gr XTP is 20.5 grns 2400. I tried loads up to 22 grns, but anything above 20.5 began to scatter the groups, and at 22 grns, I found signs of high pressure.
 

sluggo

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Pal Val,
What kind of velocity are you getting out of that load and what gun are you shooting it through?
 

Rclark

Hunter
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FWIW, this site http://www.recguns.com/Sources/IVG8.html info :


240 Hornady XTP 21.0 2400 1452 FA 7 1/2 B
240 Hornady XTP 22.0 2400 1507 FA 7 1/2 B

I don't have my Hornady manual here at work. One should always have at least several manuals to work from IMO. I use Speer, Hornady, and Lyman for my cross checking.
 

Pal Val

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I don't have a chrono. I shoot them with a SBH hunter (7.5"bbl). In my unscientific measurement system, they rate about halfway between "oh,yeah" and "oh, sh*t!". That's roughly the equivalent of the factory Hornady loading for that bullet.
 

djnlori

Bearcat
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Missouri
Sluggo,

according to my Hornady 7th edition

240 grn hp-xtp
2400 17.4 gr 100fps, 18.9 for 1200 fps, 20.4 gr for 1300 fps, 21.2 gr for 1350 fps is the max load listed in red or danger zone


djnlori
 

GaSidewinder

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The website loaddata.com publishes data for the hornady 240 gr xtp with alliant 2400 powder. You have to subscribe and I don't so I don't know what the data is. I would bet that it will be consistent with the speer 240 gr jhp.

good luck
 

Cholo

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sluggo, are you stuck on XTP's for a reason? Hunting, punching paper? Can't beat them for accuracy! Hunting mid sized game?
 

sluggo

Bearcat
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I'm stuck on the 240 XTP because I've got 500 of them. Also they are pretty darn accurate in my gun and have a good reputation for whitetails.

I seem to be getting a bit better accuracy with the 2400 than most other powders but really all powders are giving acceptable accuracy and I'm just trying to figure out what I can and can not do.

I appreciate the info out of the Hornady manual. I loaded up a few with 19.5gr 2400 last night. Looks like a reasonably bump that up a little it I feel like it.

Thanks everyone.
 

drew76

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djnlori":8rw3rhad said:
Sluggo,

according to my Hornady 7th edition

240 grn hp-xtp
2400 17.4 gr 100fps, 18.9 for 1200 fps, 20.4 gr for 1300 fps, 21.2 gr for 1350 fps is the max load listed in red or danger zone


djnlori

Just to compare, the Hornady Fouth edition shows 19.8 gr as the max load for the 240 XTP (Velocity=1350). The gun used was a 7 1/2" SBH.
They then list 22.2 gr as the max for a 240 XTP out of a T/C Contender.
 

sluggo

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Thanks for the Hornady 4th edition info. Pretty curious the discrepancy. Guess it proves what we've been told all along. Start low and work your way up looking for pressure signs.
 

djnlori

Bearcat
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Just checked 7th edition again just to be sure the 21.2 max was also with the 7 1/2 srh

under the t/c contender 14" the info has changed to 21.8 1600 fps , 22.3 1650 fps, 22.8 as max for 1700 fps. Big differences in data huh.
 

BIgMuddy

Blackhawk
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Not sure, but I bet the difference in the older data and newer is changes in the bullet itself. I know they look different now. The 240 gr. 44 bullet "looks" like the "mag" bullet in 45. I still have a few of the older 44's and they appear to have thinner jackets.

A call to Hornady would probably answer the question.
 
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