What to do?

cherokee75 · 10-22-2008, 08:03 PM

I can't decide if I want to use my 300 grain SWs like the last two years or try the .452 240 grain XTP Mags. Both are accurate and I have had no problems with the SWs, I just like to try new things. I know I either will be just fine for IL whitetails.

goatbrother · 10-22-2008, 09:01 PM

Quit worrying, load somthing up and go shoot. Guess it comes down to, are you feeling adventurous or not.

cayugad · 10-22-2008, 09:56 PM

While trying other things on animals is fun, its more fun to use a load that you know will plant them and you will not loose them. Still you know what you want or at least what is best. I'd use the Shockwaves.

UncleNorby · 10-23-2008, 06:18 AM

If the new bullets won't provide some advantage, why use them? Are you looking for more range? Will the new bullets give you any more range? Are they a little more accurate? If there's no benefit other than trying something new, I would use the bullet you expect to perform the best at the business end (in the deer).

gleason.chapman · 10-23-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: cherokee75

I can't decide if I want to use my 300 grain SWs like the last two years or try the .452 240 grain XTP Mags. Both are accurate and I have had no problems with the SWs, I just like to try new things. I know I either will be just fine for IL whitetails.

Couple of things:

300g bullets have more energy downrange than 240g bullets. I have found that 240 and 250 don't shoot thru deer, 300 always do. That alone is sufficient reason to stay with the SW. Also accuracy is a factor, if the SW are accurate, stay with them. As for the XTP Mag, I have shot the 300g for deer and they work fine. However they are harder than the regular XTP so they DON'T expand on close shots. Chap

mljeep · 10-23-2008, 01:34 PM

As the saying goes: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

However, I use the the 240 grain XTP mag in Harvester crush rib sabots because they are cheap to shoot if you buy in bulk. I've never experienced any problems with terminal performance. I use 100 grains of powder which gives plenty of velocity to open up the bullet on impact. I hunt in PA so a range of 100 yards is the max I need to shoot. I changed to Blackhorn 209 powder this year, and just harvested a doe with this bullet in the PA early muzzleloader hunt. The bullet opened up judging from the exit hole. The range was about 45 yards.

cherokee75 · 10-23-2008, 06:01 PM

I guess I already knew the answer!