experts help please. i shoot a srh, iam new to handgun hunting. will be hunting deer (99%) with a occasional wild boar.i reloaded some hornady 240 gr xtp bullets .they shoot very accurately out of my srh. i have not taken any game with them yet. i have read that the xtp may not be a good hunting bullet, due to seperation and penatration concerns? i am wondering if hornadys 265 gr fp would be a better choise for my needs? i would like to have one bullet, load to handle all my needs. i do not think i want to shoot 300gr bullets (recoil), or lead bullets. recoil from the 240 gr xtp's in my srh (scoped) is very mild. thanks for you help
hornady 44 mag 265 gr fp bullets
- Thread starter 4521dln
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I am a Cast Boolit fan these days but, I have reloaded many of the Hornady 265's and out of a SRH they are a great penetrator. I used them in a SBH but there should be no dif. I may have a partial box of these around here for you to try if you wants to. Chief aka Maxx Load
ps. I may even have some solids from Speer around here, tho I don't remember the weight, but, at least 240.
ps. I may even have some solids from Speer around here, tho I don't remember the weight, but, at least 240.
mattsbox99
Hunter
I have no idea what would be wrong with the XTP, it is a fine bullet in the .44 Mag.
The Hornady 265 FP was built for the .444 Marlin, so it could be too tought for a .44 Mag if you want an expanding bullet.
The Hornady 265 FP was built for the .444 Marlin, so it could be too tought for a .44 Mag if you want an expanding bullet.
DOES ANYONE ON THE FORUM, HAVE ANY ACTUAL EXPERENICE USING THE 240 GR XTP'S ON WILD BOAR? I AM WONDERING IF THE BULLET WILL HOLD TOGETHER AND PENETRATE THERE THICK HIDE AND SHIELD? I KNOW THERE ARE ALOT OF VARIBLES YARDAGE , BOAR WEIGHT ETC
THANKS STEVE IAM THINKING THE SAME THING. THE 265GR FP SHOULD PENETRATE BETTER, AND THE BULLET SHOULD STAY TOGETHER BETTER. MY LOAD BOOK SHOWS A LOAD THAT WILL PUSH THE 265 GR TO 1300FPS. I WOULD THINK THIS LOAD WOULD HANDLE DEER AND HOGS QUITE WELL.
contender
Ruger Guru
4521 din,,, you need to remove the "caps" on your keyboard. It's a computer method of "shouting."
The XTP has a good rep in many things. However of late, I've been hearing way too many people losing animals or things where performance wasn't as good as they wished.
For hogs, a good solid type of bullet is much better. While the OP wants a jacketed bullet, I'd seriously consider a good quality cast bullet. It's hard to beat a good design of a lead SWC design at around 1100 fps for hogs, deer, elk, moose, etc.
The XTP has a good rep in many things. However of late, I've been hearing way too many people losing animals or things where performance wasn't as good as they wished.
For hogs, a good solid type of bullet is much better. While the OP wants a jacketed bullet, I'd seriously consider a good quality cast bullet. It's hard to beat a good design of a lead SWC design at around 1100 fps for hogs, deer, elk, moose, etc.
twobisquit
Single-Sixer
I get good accuracy with the 265xtp using 16.5g of 2400. I recall John Taffin speaking highly of it and he shows it with 23grns of 296 for 1283fps. Here is a link to Taffin Tests .44Mag and it might help you decide.
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44mag.htm
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt44mag.htm
anachronism
Single-Sixer
I haven't heard any complaints about the XTP bullets, but I have been seeing complaints of FTX bullets blowing up at short range in higher velocity loadings, like 460 S&W. If it's penetration you desire, the 265 gr is the way to go. You'll probably sacrifice a little expansion, but that's not a biggie for most applications. The 265 is different because it was designed from the beginning as a rifle bullet, so it has an Interlock band inside the jacket to help keep the core in place. Hornadys handgun bullets, and even the FTXs don't have this feature.
mike7mm08
Buckeye
I have had poor performance with xtps. I was running them a bit hot but I would hesitate to use them on less than perfect shots.
I shot a small whitetail about 90 pounds with a 240 grain 44 caliber xtp. Hit her in the neck at about twenty yards. Found the complete jacket in the hide on the entrance.Core did not exit and I found no pieces bigger than a BB. Bullet was running about 1800 fps out of a muzzleloader. So right at the upper limits of of suggested impact velocities for the bullet. I can see less than ideal performance. But other than killing the deer the bullet failed miserably.
Even at lower velocities I would be really concerned about hitting heavy bone or taking any shot other than through the ribs broadside. The 265 is a great bullet as are hardcast. My favorite bullet is the now discontinued 250 grain nosler handgun partition. Fortunately I have a stash.
Performance and accuracy are great. Seen one put through a bison about eight hundred pounds. Slight angle through the ribs striking rib on the entrance and exit. Found the bullet under the hide on the offside. Perfect mushroom and lost about ten grains. Also a average size boar through both shoulders and exited at rifle velocities out of a Ruger carbine. Boar went straight down and did not even twitch. If you can find any of these bullets buy them.
I shot a small whitetail about 90 pounds with a 240 grain 44 caliber xtp. Hit her in the neck at about twenty yards. Found the complete jacket in the hide on the entrance.Core did not exit and I found no pieces bigger than a BB. Bullet was running about 1800 fps out of a muzzleloader. So right at the upper limits of of suggested impact velocities for the bullet. I can see less than ideal performance. But other than killing the deer the bullet failed miserably.
Even at lower velocities I would be really concerned about hitting heavy bone or taking any shot other than through the ribs broadside. The 265 is a great bullet as are hardcast. My favorite bullet is the now discontinued 250 grain nosler handgun partition. Fortunately I have a stash.
Performance and accuracy are great. Seen one put through a bison about eight hundred pounds. Slight angle through the ribs striking rib on the entrance and exit. Found the bullet under the hide on the offside. Perfect mushroom and lost about ten grains. Also a average size boar through both shoulders and exited at rifle velocities out of a Ruger carbine. Boar went straight down and did not even twitch. If you can find any of these bullets buy them.
mike7mm08
Buckeye
Just checked widners still has the nosler in stock. Great price as well. They were around 40 bucks a box.
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=527
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=527
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
...After several discussions on this forum I find I may be switching to 265gr FP's for my 44 caliber rifles in the near future. Great!!! Now I have to go work-up some new loads. 8) 8)
...Jimbo
...Jimbo
rugerjunkie
Buckeye
Hardcast is the way to go imo. I do load the hornady 265's and speer 270's still but am moving closer to hardcast all together. The jacketed 265 and 270 grain soft points are the next best thing though. There arent many deer that will stop either from passing through just like a hardcast bullet.
I once tested the hornady 265's on a piece of hard seasoned firewood. I used my 77/44 so velocities were a bit more than a handgun. At 50 yards they went through a 6" thick piece , sent it flying in the process , and went 8" into the hard clay bank behind it. The recovered bullets were mushroomed nicely , jackets in tact , and measured .830"-.850" in diameter! The lightest recovered bullet still weighed 230 grains! Not too bad in my book...
I have not tried that test with hardcast yet but expect the same and probably a bit better performance from them.
I once tested the hornady 265's on a piece of hard seasoned firewood. I used my 77/44 so velocities were a bit more than a handgun. At 50 yards they went through a 6" thick piece , sent it flying in the process , and went 8" into the hard clay bank behind it. The recovered bullets were mushroomed nicely , jackets in tact , and measured .830"-.850" in diameter! The lightest recovered bullet still weighed 230 grains! Not too bad in my book...
I have not tried that test with hardcast yet but expect the same and probably a bit better performance from them.
I have used both the .44 240gr XTP and 265gr Hornady FP on hogs. Driven at 1800FPS from my 96/44 the XTP is a violent expander as you would expect. On pigs around 120lbs it is emphatic. If you were going for the real big boys I would take something that is going to offer more penetration. The 265gr Hornady is built for .444 Marlin speeds - the lead is harder. Expansion is very minimal from what I have seen. At handgun speeds I would not expect any expansion, TBH.
Bucks Owin
Hunter
4521dln said:
I've posted this photo before, but this is my problem with XTP bullets: Too velocity sensitive...
.44 300 gr XTP from same box, same test medium (packed oiled sawdust) but different velocities...(850 to 1250 fps)
If I was gonna use a jacketed bullet, I'd go with a plain old JSP with lots of lead exposed and loaded full tilt. But I'd rather shoot a cast bullet, something like one of LBT's wide flat nose designs or even the good old RCBS 250K (which I believe is available from several cast bullet vendors). My own 250K mold drops 262 gr WW bullets which is right about your desired weight, shoots quite accurately, and I expect would go right through just about any critter that got in it's way, even loaded to 1200 fps for shooting comfort...
I know some guys use XTPs, have killed deer in their tracks with them and love them, and they are accurate. I'd just personally feel a little less confident than I'd want to be if I had the shot of a lifetime in front of me...
I know what a cast bullet will do...(As did Uncle Elmer... :wink: )
JMHO...
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
Speer has Bonded Jacketed Flat Point Bullets in 240, 270 and 300gr.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?&newcategorydimensionid=11517
...Jimbo
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?&newcategorydimensionid=11517
...Jimbo
