Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 22, 2020 16:01:21 GMT -5
I have always thought of Zero brand bullets as a target bullet, but last night I happened upon a thread talking about their 240 grain .431 jacketed soft point for 44 mag. That is an inexpensive bullet, about $138 per thousand. I ordered a thousand to try. I know several folks use it, but one thing I couldn't find in my search is if anyone has had any success with this bullet as a hunting bullet for white tail and/ or hogs, or similar size game. Just wondering what this bullet is really designed for. The lady I placed my order with was admittedly not a shooter and she couldn't tell me much of anything about the bullet other than price and weight. My plan for this bullet is to use it as a revolver and rifle bullet for 44 mag and special, and maybe in my 444 Marlin rifles. First shot results. Load is 20 grains of Accurate Number 9. Fired from a 10.5” Super Blackhawk. Distance was about 5 feet into some damp Mississippi dirt. Penetrated 6.5”. Only lost 4 grains
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Post by x101airborne on Jun 22, 2020 16:06:31 GMT -5
Couldn't tell ya on that one. Years ago I used up a few thousand Zero brand wadcutters in 39 spl. Good, accurate bullets but they were dead soft.
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Post by matt56 on Jun 22, 2020 17:40:37 GMT -5
I think it is designed as a bullet that will expand at 44 mag rifle velocities. It has a much larger meplat than a Remington or Speer JSP. It’s definitely made for the larger groove diameter that Marlin and Rossi 44 mags can have. I bought a thousand a few years ago and I’m slowing working through them.
Honeslty I think it’s a little light but it would probably work in a 444 too. I’m not familiar with those.
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Post by bradshaw on Jun 22, 2020 19:50:48 GMT -5
I have always thought of Zero brand bullets as a target bullet, but last night I happened upon a thread talking about their 240 grain .431 jacketed soft point for 44 mag. That is an inexpensive bullet, about $138 per thousand. I ordered a thousand to try. I know several folks use it, but one thing I couldn't find in my search is if anyone has had any success with this bullet as a hunting bullet for white tail and/ or hogs, or similar size game. Just wondering what this bullet is really designed for. The lady I placed my order with was admittedly not a shooter and she couldn't tell me much of anything about the bullet other than price and weight. My plan for this bullet is to use it as a revolver and rifle bullet for 44 mag and special, and maybe in my 444 Marlin rifles. ***** Joe.... for starters, you could line up 10 water-filled 1-gallon plastic jugs. This is not a definitive experiment to qualify or disqualify a bullet. It is a good way to see how a bullet behaves; and it is cheap & repeatable. And satisfying. David Bradshaw
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 22, 2020 20:58:46 GMT -5
I think I’ll have to do that Mr Bradshaw. I can’t find much info on them, other than what Matt56 just gave. I think it is designed as a bullet that will expand at 44 mag rifle velocities. It has a much larger meplat than a Remington or Speer JSP. It’s definitely made for the larger groove diameter that Marlin and Rossi 44 mags can have. I bought a thousand a few years ago and I’m slowing working through them. Honeslty I think it’s a little light but it would probably work in a 444 too. I’m not familiar with those. Matt, the 444 factory ammo came from Remington with a 240 JSP is why I was thinking them. Granted, a 265 or 300 gr is more desirable for the big stuff, but that 240 gr Rem load will knock a whitetail flat.
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Post by harold89 on Jun 22, 2020 21:18:24 GMT -5
The Zero bullet company lists a phone number. You might try to call and inquire? Just my impression but the 44 bullets seem to be soft and the jackets separate quite easily. For what it’s worth, their 45 cal 185 JHP and 9mm 125 JHP target bullets are the most accurate bullets I’ve tried in either caliber. Very good stuff 👍.
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 22, 2020 21:57:06 GMT -5
I did call. There was only one person there today and she was admittedly not a shooter. She didn’t have any ballistic testing to reference either.
Thanks for the info.
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 25, 2020 19:40:32 GMT -5
They came in today. I started loading a few up this evening. I have some Accurate Number 9 I need to use up so that’s the powder I’ll start with. It is an attractive bullet. Since there are no ballistic tests that I have found online and the company doesn’t have any to provide, I’ll do some of my own “testing”. I’ll start by digging some out of the mud and seeing what they look like. Then I guess I’ll try some water jugs. It makes a fairly attractive cartridge though.
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Post by seminolewind on Jun 25, 2020 20:28:41 GMT -5
That's a good looking bullet. I'll be interested how this turns out.
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Post by magpouch on Jun 26, 2020 14:55:46 GMT -5
I've used them for a while. Can't say anything about hunting but I'm sure they would work just fine. Love the price of them for sure.
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 27, 2020 18:12:37 GMT -5
Updated OP First shot results. Load is 20 grains of Accurate Number 9. Fired from a 10.5” Super Blackhawk. Distance was about 5 feet into some damp Mississippi dirt. Penetrated 6.5”. Only lost 4 grains
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Post by Encore64 on Jun 27, 2020 18:14:03 GMT -5
Excellent performance...
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 27, 2020 18:16:10 GMT -5
Agreed. Be curious to see if this is repeatable, or how it will do on bone.
May have to find me a Boston butt.
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Joe S.
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Joe S. on Jun 28, 2020 13:11:30 GMT -5
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Post by harold89 on Oct 1, 2020 20:29:04 GMT -5
50 yards, field position, very impressive accuracy, PITA to load in an FA tho
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