Gents,

I was reading the posts and thinking about all my muzzleloader deer over the years. It occured to me that I have never shot a deer with anything other than a XTP! This is not to say that I havent tried them all. In fact I have approximately 8 different bullets in my range box right now. I have hunted with other bullets numerous times. It has just always happened that every time I took a shot, I happen to have loaded an XTP that day. (Semisane has got to have a theory about that one!)

My go to XTP is typically a 44 caliber, 300 grain bullet with the green MMP sabot. The first box I bought was the bullet-sabot combo pack. After that I always bought the bullets and sabots sepeerately becasue they are so economical. I have read that the thicker sabot (i.e. smaller bullet) combinations are not quite as accurate as bullets closer to the bore size. I don't know if this is true because I have not experienced that phenominon. I actually shot my farthest deer with this bullet. It was a doe at exactly 100 yards. It was a complete pass through with a sizeable wound channel. I recall the powder was 100 grains of T7. I use BH209 almost exclusively now, but have found the same accuracy results.

This year I got a nice buck at about 30 yards down in a river bottom. This time I happened to be using a 375 caliber 325 grain XTP over 100 grains of BH209. For the first time I was slightly disappointed. The ephasis is on the word slightly. I did not get a pass through. The lethality was as good as always. However I think at that range the velocity exceeded the design intent of the bullet. This is not Hornady's fault. In a perfect world, and hunting in the same spot, I might reduce the charge to about 85 grains. I suspect this would result in the bullet holding together better to give me the pass through I want.

I should note that the 375 caliber XTP's were a find in the bargain cave at Kabula's.

Those bullets are all gone now. I suspect I will go back to the 44/300 grain version this fall.

Finally I would say that I am really anxious to try the new Bloodline bullets from Knight/Lehigh. One thing is for sure: it is a whole lot of fun trying all the different combinations in the muzzleloaders. I hardly ever shot cartridge rifles anymore! )