"Here is an expansion test I did."

That big conical expanded really well. Never got into conicals. Gota lot of 370 grain TC conicals gathering dust.Might give them a try in a CVA that is also gathering dust.

I'm sure that was the problem with the 300 grain xtp's I shot. The deer in my area are not very large, 70 lbs field dressed for a doe is pretty common. So, I doubt the bullet expanded the way it should have leading to my problems. Guess I'll stick with the dead centers for now. I guess my mini deer require all lead to do the trick. Thanks for the input. Keep sending those pix, it's neat to see how the bullets perform.

I will likely get beheaded over saying this but I think the 300gr is fine for elk moose and bear or any thing over 500 pound, I much prefer the 230 to 270 gr weight for deer. There is two ways to get in trouble here to blow up like a varmit bullet and to penatrate with out expanding either one might kill but you might have to follow quite a ways, I like that animal to fall with in 40 yards if I can not get a bang flop which I do mostly. I like to experiment and have done so for 55 years [I am 70 and still hunt like I did 20 years ago, I am very lucky that way] Ihave drawn my own conclusions on most bullets and the way to use them, once you achive accuracy you still have to shoot them at the right velocity FOR THAT PARTICULAR BULLET AND INTO SOMETHINGBIG ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM WORK.
Just my thoughts on the matter. Lee

Lee

As someone says every once in awhile.... "Old school" - not always the wrong way.

Almost forgot - I agree - now there are two of us hanging out there... Hope you do not mind sharing a spot out there on the limb...

falcon - out of curiosity. How far was that hog away from you? Also what kind of powder charge were you shooting? The reason I ask is a person I used to talk to all the time on a forumwas a big hog hunter. You hear all this talk of the XTP's not penetrating. Yet, he swore by the XTP as his hog load. He says it knocked them flat. So your report caught my interest.

"falcon - out of curiosity. How far was that hog away from you?"

About 40 yards. The powder charge was 100 grains of Pyrodex RS.My cheap Staghorn has knocked a lot of hogs totally flat with the 240 grain XTP bullet.

My cheap Staghorn Magnum likes 90 grains of Goex 2f and a 240 grain XTP. It shoots them perfect.

My cheap staghorn loves 70 grains pyrodex p and a 410 great plains conical.

so many staghorns on this topic today.

Cayugad, I think the xtp's were penetrating. I just don't think there was "enough deer" there for them to do their trick. I think a thick skinned, fat hog would probably let the bullet perform just as it should.

I know mud is not flesh. But here are a couple of 300 grain Speer Gold Dots recovered fromdamp sandy loam behind the 100 yard target on my range. These were shot with a muzzle velocity of around 1700 fps. I get better groups with 250 grain Gold Dots, but like the heavy weights for hunting.