Will this expand on deer?

[thatguybme]

I am very new at muzzleloading (2nd yr - no kills yet) so bear with me - I may be overthinking this..

I am shooting a T/C Triumph, 90 gr of Black Mag 3, and a Hornady 250 gr, .452 XTP (non Mag) bullet and MMP 3 petal ez load sabots

I picked the XTP because I saw it mentioned on quite a few forums as being a good bullet - BUT I never took into consideration what velocities it will expand at..

From Hornady the 250 gr XPT expand from 800 to 1600 fps. From looking at the BM# website 90 gr of BM3 should be around 1900 fps (at the muzzle - and assuming its not over stated)..

From 25 to 75 yrds do you think this will expand on deer?



thanks

brian

[bigtim6656]

I have no idea just getting into ml hunting. I am going to get a triumph this week and was wondering what your thoughts on it are. Also what made you choose that bullet over the shockwaves.
Good hunting.

[Breechplug]

Originally Posted by thatguybme

I am very new at muzzleloading (2nd yr - no kills yet) so bear with me - I may be overthinking this..

I am shooting a T/C Triumph, 90 gr of Black Mag 3, and a Hornady 250 gr, .452 XTP (non Mag) bullet and MMP 3 petal ez load sabots

I picked the XTP because I saw it mentioned on quite a few forums as being a good bullet - BUT I never took into consideration what velocities it will expand at..

From Hornady the 250 gr XPT expand from 800 to 1600 fps. From looking at the BM# website 90 gr of BM3 should be around 1900 fps (at the muzzle - and assuming its not over stated)..

From 25 to 75 yrds do you think this will expand on deer?



thanks

brian

I use the 240gr XTP and I have shot deer close with these, 10-30yds and they do the job, fist size entrance holes. As for expansion they dont expand all that much but they do a great job!
(BP)

[cayugad]

For the ranges you hunt, and from reading all the past encounters the XTP has had, I think you might have picked a perfect bullet. You should get excellent accuracy and great expansion with that bullet. Put that thing in the boiler room and you will be eating venison.

[spaniel]

They will expand fine at the ranges you list and a bit further. As will non-bonded SST/SWs, Barnes, Nosler, Speer, etc etc.

Most of the bullets out there today are good. Shoot what is accurate in your gun.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by Breechplug

I use the 240gr XTP and I have shot deer close with these, 10-30yds and they do the job, fist size entrance holes. As for expansion they dont expand all that much but they do a great job!
(BP)

I have always used the 240gr non-mags and have had mixed results. When I used to use them in my T/C Thunderhawk, I had great success. I started to lose confidence in them when I switched to my CVA Wolf, but have gained confidence back in them after learning why I lost some performance with them. I used to shoot 80gr of Pyrodex in the Thunderhawk. I stepped it up to 120gr of T7 in the Wolf and ended up with fragmenting bullets. I have since gone back down to 80gr of T7. So far, so good. I would think that the 250s would more likely fragment at higher speeds than the 240s or 300s due to the chart you're referring to?

Mike

[TNHagies]

thatguybme, I have used that bullet for many years. I have always had good results with it. Those are the exact ranges that I hunt and I've killed deer with it at 10 yards and about 75-80 yards. They performed the same.

But as Spaniel said, most bullets now-a-days will work just fine as long as you gun shoots them accuratly.

[thatguybme]

Thanks for all the responses.. I can sleep easy now..

Originally Posted by bigtim6656

I have no idea just getting into ml hunting. I am going to get a triumph this week and was wondering what your thoughts on it are. Also what made you choose that bullet over the shockwaves.
Good hunting.

so far I love the gun... The reason I got it was for primary two things 1) the advertised 3.5 to 4 lb trigger (which in my opinon it meets) and 2) easy the breech plug removal..

Accuracy has been very good so far.. I shot 3 shots yesterday at 75 yds and they were sorta a cloverleaf with about 1/2" between holes.. Not the what some ppl like, but more than adequate for my hunting needs..

One thing I am NOT doing is using the bore butter.. I use a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and windshield washer fluid on the wet patches and then a dry one.. If it wont be shot for a while I will gun a clean patch with CLP down the barrel.

I read about the T/C having tight bores and I tried the yellow TC Super Glide (slide?) sabots and the accuracy was only so-so. This yr i went with the MMP 3 petal ez load sabot and accuracy is much better.. (last yr i was also using the bore butter, so that could have been part of my problem)

I replaced the rear sight with the EABCO rib-peep sight and am very pleased.. I am using a Nikon 2-7 Prostaff scope mounted in 'high' Warne QD rings (it is high enough that I can leave the peep installed when the scope is mounted - some ppl got the Medium rings and couldnt). I have taken the scope on and off without any change in POI. Yesterdays group was after I had sighted the peep sight in and just reinstalled the scope..

I have no real reason on why the XTP over the shockwaves (which I have read is the FTX/SST-ML Hornady bullet - but am not sure).. I just read a lot of post about the XTP being a good bullet at a good price (100 for $26).. I also wanted to be able to change sabots if needed..

I have about a dozen Shockwaves that TC was giving away from in various stuff I bought but have not shot them at all..

good hunting.. IM sure you will love your Triumph

brian

[SWThomas]

My buddy shot a hog with a 300g XTP out of his Remington Genesis and it performed just fine. That was with 100g of BH209.

[spaniel]

Originally Posted by thatguybme

I have no real reason on why the XTP over the shockwaves (which I have read is the FTX/SST-ML Hornady bullet - but am not sure).. I just read a lot of post about the XTP being a good bullet at a good price (100 for $26).. I also wanted to be able to change sabots if needed..

I have about a dozen Shockwaves that TC was giving away from in various stuff I bought but have not shot them at all..

The SW/SST are the same bullet, the FTX is different though they may look similar.