240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
11-12-2006, 03:30 PM
#11
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 353
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
[quote]ORIGINAL: Triple Se7en
Thanks for your help. I am going to try some 300 grain bullets this week, hoping to get a load I like.
Actually, I didmention in my original post "Load was 100 grains Pyrodex pellets"
ORIGINAL: keyshunter
All those words you used to describe your activity& bullet - yet no mention of powder or powder volume used.
When I aim, I draw an imaginary line across the body and stay away form the half-way point& higher. I find that little crease next to the upper part of the front leg - follow it up a couple of inches & that's where I squeeze my trigger to. Betterblood trails below the half-way point- often times a double-lunger and none or very little bone cracking going on - depending on the angle which the deer standing.
Yes, in this sport, bigger is mostly better. But best of all, bigger is usually the same price too. I reach for the biggest, baddest bullet that's made in the design I want. For shots under 175 yards, a lead bullet is all you need & most of those are flat nose or hollow points that expand well - leaving good blood trails.
Had that deer you shot been hit by one of my Buffalo S.S.B's in 375 or 435 grain, you would of been alot more impressed.
That's my opinion (everything I mentioned)& I'm sticking to it.
ORIGINAL: keyshunter
Thefifthdeer, an average 8 point buck, was shot the other day. Shot at The bullet mushroom was very pretty (as were all the others) , but I would like to find a bullet that would--at least onbroadside shots--penetrate the animal. Load was 100 grains Pyrodex pellets. Would a 300 grain XTP give better penetration? If not, what would you recommend?
Thefifthdeer, an average 8 point buck, was shot the other day. Shot at The bullet mushroom was very pretty (as were all the others) , but I would like to find a bullet that would--at least onbroadside shots--penetrate the animal. Load was 100 grains Pyrodex pellets. Would a 300 grain XTP give better penetration? If not, what would you recommend?
When I aim, I draw an imaginary line across the body and stay away form the half-way point& higher. I find that little crease next to the upper part of the front leg - follow it up a couple of inches & that's where I squeeze my trigger to. Betterblood trails below the half-way point- often times a double-lunger and none or very little bone cracking going on - depending on the angle which the deer standing.
Yes, in this sport, bigger is mostly better. But best of all, bigger is usually the same price too. I reach for the biggest, baddest bullet that's made in the design I want. For shots under 175 yards, a lead bullet is all you need & most of those are flat nose or hollow points that expand well - leaving good blood trails.
Had that deer you shot been hit by one of my Buffalo S.S.B's in 375 or 435 grain, you would of been alot more impressed.
That's my opinion (everything I mentioned)& I'm sticking to it.
Actually, I didmention in my original post "Load was 100 grains Pyrodex pellets"
11-12-2006, 04:31 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 501
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
Almost all my hits with 240gr XTPs have been pass-throughs; only two recovered. All three CheapShot deer were passthrus. My biggest problem is putting the bullet in the right place; once that is done, the deer dies.
300 can only be better. On paper it looks to be better, as ranges increase - and I can't see how a longer bullet would be bad.
300 can only be better. On paper it looks to be better, as ranges increase - and I can't see how a longer bullet would be bad.
11-12-2006, 09:06 PM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
Could the problem be the design of bullet or the amount of powder? I shoot 230gr XTP in my System one hit just over the heart in the back edge of the shoulder they either drop on the spot or go less than 60 yds I am using 130ge as that is what shoots most accurate my 54 PRB with a 35.5 inch barrel usually drops them on the spot with the same hit with my Omega a 130 gr load and Shock wave put this years buck down in about 40 yds. I like to shoot out of a tree stand and wait for the right shoot with the tree stand over 20 ft high I get a low exit wound that has allways left a good blood trail. Lee
11-12-2006, 10:37 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 823
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
Ive kill several deer with a 240gr xtp and TC cheapshot 240grboth pushed by 110gr of RS pyrodex powder out of my bd XR all but one left good blood trailswithout an exit hole and only make it 60yd at most
11-13-2006, 04:12 AM
#16
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninnsula
Posts: 24
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
Go with the 300 grain bullet. Sectional density will be greater, which will result in better penetration all other factors being equal. A longer bullet when compared to one of the same weight and composition will penetrate deeper due to its higher SD.
11-14-2006, 08:46 AM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Baileysville, WV
Posts: 2,925
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
I have killed deer with both...choose the 300's and dont look back IMO. Anything gained at the muzzle speedwise will be gone before 100 yards. I had penetration probs with the 240's if any bone was encountered...not a prob for the 300's.
11-15-2006, 10:40 AM
#18
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Western OK
Posts: 856
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
There are two 240 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber. There is the 240 grain XTP thati use withexcellent results and there is the 240 grain XTP Magnum. Both have beensold in .50 caliber sabots. Every deer that I ever shot with the plain old XTP was a pass through. i never used the XTP Magnum on deer because of the excellent results with the older bullet. There are also two different 300 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber.
The two rifles that i currently use shoot the 240 grain XTP and the 250 grainSST to the same zero.
Then, to complicate matters further, Hornady and others sell.50 caliber sabots with the .45 caliber 240 grain XTP Magnum bullets.i never used these on deer.
Lost an elk due to the failure of a PTX bullet to expand. This is the one with the small rounded plastic nose. The blood trail petered out after about 400 yards.Four of us looked for her for about five hours. Another hunter found her and took her out.
Some day i am going to try all these bullets on packed wet newspapers and see what happens.
Hope that this helps.
The two rifles that i currently use shoot the 240 grain XTP and the 250 grainSST to the same zero.
Then, to complicate matters further, Hornady and others sell.50 caliber sabots with the .45 caliber 240 grain XTP Magnum bullets.i never used these on deer.
Lost an elk due to the failure of a PTX bullet to expand. This is the one with the small rounded plastic nose. The blood trail petered out after about 400 yards.Four of us looked for her for about five hours. Another hunter found her and took her out.
Some day i am going to try all these bullets on packed wet newspapers and see what happens.
Hope that this helps.
11-18-2007, 06:51 PM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 233
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
ORIGINAL: alsaqr
There are two 240 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber. There is the 240 grain XTP thati use withexcellent results and there is the 240 grain XTP Magnum. Both have beensold in .50 caliber sabots. Every deer that I ever shot with the plain old XTP was a pass through. i never used the XTP Magnum on deer because of the excellent results with the older bullet. There are also two different 300 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber.
The two rifles that i currently use shoot the 240 grain XTP and the 250 grainSST to the same zero.
Then, to complicate matters further, Hornady and others sell.50 caliber sabots with the .45 caliber 240 grain XTP Magnum bullets.i never used these on deer.
Lost an elk due to the failure of a PTX bullet to expand. This is the one with the small rounded plastic nose. The blood trail petered out after about 400 yards.Four of us looked for her for about five hours. Another hunter found her and took her out.
Some day i am going to try all these bullets on packed wet newspapers and see what happens.
Hope that this helps.
There are two 240 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber. There is the 240 grain XTP thati use withexcellent results and there is the 240 grain XTP Magnum. Both have beensold in .50 caliber sabots. Every deer that I ever shot with the plain old XTP was a pass through. i never used the XTP Magnum on deer because of the excellent results with the older bullet. There are also two different 300 grain XTP bullets in .44 caliber.
The two rifles that i currently use shoot the 240 grain XTP and the 250 grainSST to the same zero.
Then, to complicate matters further, Hornady and others sell.50 caliber sabots with the .45 caliber 240 grain XTP Magnum bullets.i never used these on deer.
Lost an elk due to the failure of a PTX bullet to expand. This is the one with the small rounded plastic nose. The blood trail petered out after about 400 yards.Four of us looked for her for about five hours. Another hunter found her and took her out.
Some day i am going to try all these bullets on packed wet newspapers and see what happens.
Hope that this helps.
These have the green sabot with them. Not the black.
11-18-2007, 07:37 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
RE: 240 GR. vs 300 GR, XTP
There are two schools of thought on this subject,
#1 fast controled opening with an exact placement will drop the deer in his tracks[I usually go this route its been years since I had to do any tracking on a gun deer]
#2 That a heavy bullet [270+] slowly opening will do the job[ and it will] and hopefully a nice exit hole to leave a blood trail and penatration from any angle through to the vitals.
I personally prefer the the 250 Gold Dot and either 110gr 777 or 120 or 130 RS depending on what the gun likes.
Now I am going into a highly contriversal area, the powder load, it has to be accurate but it also has to suit the bulletto much can open the bullet to fast which will reduce penatration and to little and it will also reduce penatration. The only bullets I use what I consider a mag load[over 130gr] with is the very heavy[ 325+] and the 200gr Shock Wave[ my extreme range bullet] it will hold together.
Since you did not mention the powder load but did mention that you use mag bullets I though maybe you are loading heavy; either way I know that I used 240 gr bullets for several years and a number of deer I recoverd all of them but had similar problems to what you are experiancing. You could go to one of the very good very expensive bullets in a barnes or nosler but personally I think that they are to expensive as I like to shoot a lot and use my hunting load so I know exactly what it will do. The Gold Dot 250 with the right amount of powder is a terrific bang flop killer but you need to put it in the right place , right be hind the fore leg,Bad angles and shoulder shots I avoid with the 250. The 300 gr XTP or Gold Dot will punch through shoulder [and spoil a bunch of good meat] and thats likly the best chance for a bang flop with them put squarly into the ribcage in one side and out the other they will bring down even very large game but you will usually have to trail it down. Lee
#1 fast controled opening with an exact placement will drop the deer in his tracks[I usually go this route its been years since I had to do any tracking on a gun deer]
#2 That a heavy bullet [270+] slowly opening will do the job[ and it will] and hopefully a nice exit hole to leave a blood trail and penatration from any angle through to the vitals.
I personally prefer the the 250 Gold Dot and either 110gr 777 or 120 or 130 RS depending on what the gun likes.
Now I am going into a highly contriversal area, the powder load, it has to be accurate but it also has to suit the bulletto much can open the bullet to fast which will reduce penatration and to little and it will also reduce penatration. The only bullets I use what I consider a mag load[over 130gr] with is the very heavy[ 325+] and the 200gr Shock Wave[ my extreme range bullet] it will hold together.
Since you did not mention the powder load but did mention that you use mag bullets I though maybe you are loading heavy; either way I know that I used 240 gr bullets for several years and a number of deer I recoverd all of them but had similar problems to what you are experiancing. You could go to one of the very good very expensive bullets in a barnes or nosler but personally I think that they are to expensive as I like to shoot a lot and use my hunting load so I know exactly what it will do. The Gold Dot 250 with the right amount of powder is a terrific bang flop killer but you need to put it in the right place , right be hind the fore leg,Bad angles and shoulder shots I avoid with the 250. The 300 gr XTP or Gold Dot will punch through shoulder [and spoil a bunch of good meat] and thats likly the best chance for a bang flop with them put squarly into the ribcage in one side and out the other they will bring down even very large game but you will usually have to trail it down. Lee