FIELD EXPERIENCE: 300gr XTP MAG BULLETS IN 454 REVOLVERS

[45MAN]

I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO CREATE THIS THREAD AND JUST SAW OVER ON THE LOUNGE WHERE BUSHOG IS HOPING TO FIND SOME SWIFT A FRAME 300gr BULLETS SO DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO DO IT.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EXCELLENT JACKETED .451-.452 BULLETS FOR THE 454 REVOLVER BUT UNFORTUNEATELY SOME ARE NO LONGER MADE, SOME ARE JUST MADE EVERY FEW YEARS, AND MOST ARE GENERALLY HARD TO GET HOLD OF. THE ONE EXCEPTION MAY BE THE HORNADY XTP MAG WHICH I BELIEVE IS USUALLY AVAILABLE.

SO WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IS FIELD EXPERIENCE ON GAME USING 454 LEVEL LOADS AND THE 300gr XTP MAG IN 454 REVOLVERS. 454 LEVEL LOADS IN REVOLVERS STRESS BULLETS IN WAYS NOT DONE BY RIFLES AND SINGLE SHOT PISTOLS SO PLEASE I AM JUST LOOKING FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE ON GAME WITH A REVOLVER.

I HAVE HEARD CONFLICTING REPORTS ON THE 300 XTP MAG IN 454 LOADS. PERSONALLY, I KNOW THEY ARE GOOD ACCURATE PRACTICE BULLETS BUT MY EXPERIENCE ON GAME WITH THEM, IF I HAVE ANY, IS VERY LIMITED. SO WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IS MV, IMPACT DISTANCE, THE ANIMAL SHOT, AND BULLET PERFORMANCE, e.g. MUSHROOM, EXPANSION, FAILURE TO OPEN UP, PENETRATION, EXIT, NO EXIT, etc. IF THE 300gr XTP MAG IS A GOOD AND CONSISTENT PERFORMER ON GAME IN 454 REVOLVERS I THINK MOST OF US 454 SHOOTERS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

[bearskinner]

Make sure they are the magnum bullets. I’ve had no problem with them, the non magnum pills, especially 250 grainers have failed miserably on me.

[45MAN]

bearskinner: IN 1991, IN SOUTH AFRICA, I HAD SOME 45 COLT BRASS LOADED WITH THE 250gr XTP GOING 1,745fps OUT OF A 8.375" FA MODEL 83. PLACED A GOOD BROADSIDE SHOULDER SHOT ON A KUDU AND THE BULLET JUST BLEW UP ON THE SHOULDER AND DID NOT GET TO THE VITALS, A MISERABLE FAILURE. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE 250gr XTP @ 1,550fps, OUT OF MY 5.5" LINEBAUGH 45 COLT REDHAWK, ON SMALL EXOTIC DOES AT THE YO RANCH, I FEEL LIKE THE 250gr XTP SHOULD BE KEPT TO UNDER 1,500fps MV.

BUT BACK TO THE OP, NEED INFO ON THE 300gr XTP MAG IN 454 LEVEL LOADS OUT OF REVOLVERS.

[bigbore5]

Not a 454, but I have pushed them to over 1600 from a 5-shot 45. According to my notes I got full penetration with apparently good expansion on three does and 11 pigs. Haven't tried anything bigger yet.

However accuracy is best at 1550 from my Reader revolver. But your gun may like it faster.

[edk]

Only experience here is with the 250gr XTP on deer-sized game. With the published sweet spot being about 1200fps and game weight not recommended over 300lbs the failures are understandable. The only comment I can make relative to the 300 XTP mag is that apparently it too is a bullet of relatively light construction (i.e. no A-frame). Hornady does not recommend it for game over 300lbs.

[x101airborne]

After I got my FA 454 revolver, I just had to take a gator with it at least once. Normally I use a 357 Magnum rifle. We have to catch our gators on hook and line similar to Swamp People. As I brought the gator to the surface, every boat within eyeshot had to get close to video me. Some got a little too close for my comfort but I didn't call them over so I did not wave them off. As that gator came up and I saw the back of the head stick up where I could shoot through the neck, not the skull, I drew and fired one full pressure 300 grain XTP round one handed. (The other hand was still holding the rope.) When the concussion of that round being fired hit the other boats like incoming artillery, those boats took off in a flash. They took off so fast I am surprised one didn't get snatched in a circle from forgetting the anchor. Suddenly I had the entire bay to myself. The bullet went through about 9 inches of gator and is stuck firmly in the bay somewhere. I have no idea of performance, but I did get a dead gator with no apparent fragmentation.

When those boats took off I laughed so hard I had to tie the gator rope off till I could catch my breath. Lord what a sight to behold!!

[bearskinner]

My experience with the 300’s is the same as Trey. I’ve shot a few hogs with them, but never recovered a 300 mag. ( all at HOT 45 Colt loads) I just wouldn’t try any XTP’s on real hunts if big game after what happened with the lighter XTP’s. Sierras ( my favorite penetrating jacketed 45) or mono metal, then I use Swift HP’s on smaller boned critters.

[jeffer]

I have shot quite a few deer with my FA using 250XTP at a light 1500 feet per second. Did incredibly well on all dear period one shot. In particular, the deer was quartering away at 70 yd. I shot through the right quarter And the bullet exited on the. Left front shoulder coming to rest in the hide. That was a lot of penetration. Bullet looked like textbook mushroom..

[jeffer]

So far the three hundred grainers I have shot have knocked the hell out of really tough paper.

[bigbrowndog]

XTP Mag 300gr. at 1150fps MV, impact velocity approximately 1000fps, pass through with good expansion, broken front shoulder and ribs on a 120-130 pound pig, bullet traversed about 18-20 inches of pig
Not 454 performance, but hopefully still helpful. I would not have issue using it one medium game, deer, antelope, or medium sized pigs at 454 velocity.
Trapr

[bigbore5]

Addendum: the 300gr bullet I mentioned before was the magnum version. I bought them years ago and haven't bought any more since I went to all cast.

[zeus]

Mr Rey
I ran them exclusively for probably 5 years. Shot maybe 12K of them over that time. 32 grains of 296/110 in my FA. Did about 1615. It was a hammer. I shot quite a few deer end to end. Shot extremely tight groups at 100 yards. Wish I had a pile of them again now. Never shot anything larger than big pigs with them over the years. Deer aren’t much of a test for them 🤣

[45MAN]

Aug 6, 2023 0:58:46 GMT -5 zeus said:

Mr Rey
I ran them exclusively for probably 5 years. Shot maybe 12K of them over that time. 32 grains of 296/110 in my FA. Did about 1615. It was a hammer. I shot quite a few deer end to end. Shot extremely tight groups at 100 yards. Wish I had a pile of them again now. Never shot anything larger than big pigs with them over the years. Deer aren’t much of a test for them 🤣

DID THE BULLETS EXPAND/MUSHROOM OR WERE THERE ANY THAT DIDN'T? I ASK BECAUSE ONE OF THE "REPORTS" I HAVE (2nd or 3rd HAND, MAYBE MORE) IS THAT ON A SHEEP IT DID NOT EXPAND, WHICH SINCE I GOT THAT "REPORT" I HAVE WORRIED ABOUT THE XTP MAG's CONSISTENT EXPANSION AND/OR OCCASSIONAL FAILURE TO EXPAND.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF THE 300 XTP MAGS AND HECK IF THEY ARE A GOOD DEER AND HOG BULLET MAYBE I NEED TO START USING THEM. COULD LOAD THEM FOR USE IN REVOLVERS AND MAYBE FOR USE IN MY ROSSI 454 AT MY Punta del Monte HUNTING LEASE WHERE HANDGUN HUNTING IS NOT PERMITTED.

[bigbrowndog]

Load them and shoot them, I’d think it would be hard to keep them from expanding at upper end 454 velocities. As to used on sheep?? They can be as narrow as 12” when broadside, so a single story would not worry me. Especially not knowing the details of any bone breakage, velocity, etc. place them like you would a cast bullet until you get some experience and confidence in them. Some poor reports have come back on XTP’s as a whole but the only ones I’ve stopped using are the earlier mentioned 250gr .45’s. The other XTP’s I have no issues with and use with confidence.

Trapr

[45MAN]

WHAT HAS BEEN MOST SURPRISING TO ME ON THIS THREAD ARE: 1) HORNADY's LISTING THE 300gr XTP FOR USE ONLY ON MEDIUM GAME UP TO 300lbs; and 2) THE VERY FEW USERS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD AND POSTED.