has anyone had good luck with the hornady 300 grain xtps at close ranges like 30 yards or less. im getting no blood trails with 100 grains (2) pellets of pyrodex. my shots are no more than 100 yards and more like 40 most times. im thinking if i back down to 80gr. the bullet might do its thing better at the close ranges.

You are probably hitting them, the bullet is expanding and opening up without a pass through. If you stick to their trail they should start to bleed sooner or later. Also if you place that right, they should not be running all that far. I think in your case if the load is accurate, I would concentrate on shot placement. Go for the heart and both lungs...

Which 300 gr. bullet are you using? The .430 or the .452? The .430 or 44 cal. has better sectional density. I agree with Cayuga though. No matter which one you are using they should do the trick if you put them in the boiler room. Check ouy this post. This young man was using a 300gr/XTP/MAG with 100 gr. powder.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3173622

using the 44 cal. 300 grain xtp- with the greenie hornady sabots.just comparing notes on close range performance. the was hit at deer at 25 yards and no blood at at all. shot was perfect behind the shoulder and the deer was knocked for a loop. since there was no blood and no recovery im second guessing any extreme close shots with this bullet.

The bullet and load are more than enough and should do the job. Remember, shooting is only part of the hunt. Sometimes you have to track an animal. And sometimes a long way. Focus on shot placement and track slowly but surely. When tracking, try and stay to one side of the track so you don't disturb the sign.
Case in point: Last week my friend arrowed a buck late in the day and called me for some help. We went out the next morning and tracked that deer for about 6 hours total. Initially the deer bleed good then just a single drop here and there about every 30 yds. The last drop about 70 yds from the previous one. We went all the way back to the start and he got back in his stand and I stood where the buck was standing. After very careful exmination we discovered his broadhead nicked a branch and on hands and knees found a small tuff of grizzled hair. From this bit of information we surmized that the twig deflected the arrow enough to cause a superficial wound very low just nicking the chest and shaving him a bit.

the xtp MAG is a new design NO?

just a little background. ive been at the hunting game quite a while and have crawled on my belly and made love to many a briar patch looking for game.so i dont like the preachy righteousness. your not the only one tracking hard.i have spent hours and days looking for hit game so lets not turn this into not trying hard enough.i was hunting an army base where you have to sign in and out and if you dont sign out within 2 hours after sunset the mp-s will come looking for you. i spent every second looking with my brother on hands and knees. i only asked about others who shot game with a particular bullet at a a short range and i was trying to compare performance. i m not jumping the gun on poor bullet performance but if the bullet failed because of poor expansion or breaking apart do to what i consider close range shots 25 yard or less i would like to know.

Cannot understand why that 300 grain.430 XTP is not doing the job if you are hitting them right. I have killed dozens of hogs and deer with the 240 grain .430XTP bullet and two Pyrodex pelletsor 100 grains of Pyrodex RS. When i do my job the bullet does its job.

Why not switch to a soft lead bullet and just slow the powder down to insure good performance? Maybe an all lead sabot

agreed! there is a possibilty of bad shot but have you shot at a thinned skinned 50 pound doe at 20 yards with the 300 grain xtp. a hog is a little tougher. my next option was to try a 240 xtp. since the question has bothered me doing a quick google search brings up a couple similar instances of little to no blood trails using xtp-s close on. i need some ballistic gel.