Doegirl75

What I don't get is how the xtp performs at speeds way above what hornady recommends. Take, for example, Savage shooters. I'm not using the hottest load, but I'm still pushing a 300 grain XTP 2200 fps. This is a factory recommended load. There are bunch of dead deer pictures on the net compliments of a 250 or 300 grain xtp being pushed out of a muzzle really fast (+2000 fps). These bullets sure do seem to outperform their 18-36 cents a piece pricetag.

HighDesertWolf

might even be because a 240 grain .429 dia (44 cal) bullet has a considerably higher sectional density than a 240 grain .452 (45 cal) bullet.

falcon

"might even be because a 240 grain .429 dia (44 cal) bullet has a considerably higher sectional density than a 240 grain .452 (45 cal) bullet."

Good point.

mljeep

Interesting discussion. This may add some more food for thought. The chart is from Chuck Hawks web site article on the XTP (Muzzleloader information page)...

Semisane

Interesting chart, mljeep. The 45 Cal XTP/MAG is clearly built tougher.

jlynch34

I've dropped down to 200 gn XTP's in my Redhawk .44. Those 240's were making to big of holes in deer after all I do want to eat them!

cayugad

Also interesting is how that chart rates the 10mm (.40 cal) 200 grains XTP/HP. I have shot over 200 of these on the range so far, and of all the bullets that just seem to do their job, these are one of them. According to that chart, I am pushing them far to fast for them to be effective. I guess that's why I like to test my own. In fact I intend to deer hunt with them this year if the chance comes up. I'd like to see what they do.

Also I note the difference between the 240 & 300 grain. Rather interesting test results according to the chart again.

mljeep

Here is a link to the article from which this chart came from. It actually is favorable toward the XTPs, as am I. The author even states that Hornady underates the performance of the XTPs.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/underrated_hornady_XTP.htm

lemoyne

I have been pushing them[the 200gr 40 cal]hard running 2300+ and have taken severl game animals with them and they did a fine job even through the shoulder of a nice boar. I think they are the best long range bullet for both flatness and accuracy though so far every thing I have take with them has been at 25 to 50 yds but thats just a matter of time before I get a longer shot. Lee

falcon

The charts tell us that the bullet will expand reliably at the lower velocity and will not normally come apart at the highervelocity, when fired fromaRIFLED BARREL.At 100 yards your bullet is not going to be traveling anywhere near muzzle velocity. These are pistol bullets and pistol bullets lose velocity very fast. Three yearsago a friend and i chronographed 240 grain XTP and 300 grain XTP bullets.A 240 grain XTP launched at 2,000 fps is traveling 1,600 fps at 100 yards. It really takes a lot of powder to get a 240 grain bullet up to a real 2,000 fpswhen fired from a normal inline muzzleloader: We could not do it with 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets. We were able to do it with Clean Shot pelletsboosted by five grains of Pyrodex RS.

Killed a lot ofdeer and dozens of hogs with 240 grain XTP bullets. Never had one get away. However, after doing a lot of target shooting at 200 yards and further, i concluded that the 250 grain Hornady SST was for me. Ballistically, the SST is a much better bullet. i choose my shots very carefully and will not hesitate to shoot a hog at 200 yards undergood light conditions, but not with an XTP bullet.