MichaelH

Well, I had settled on the 250gr Gold Dots after getting some advice in the past on this forum, but I've been waiting to finish up most of my 240 XTPs that I've been using. The problem is that the 250s are becoming very hard to find. I always had good success with the 240s until I started upping my load to 110 grains of T7. I have since backed down to the 80 grains that I used to shoot them from my old Thunderhawk and I'm back to decent results so far. I've also done better with shot placements and have steered away from quartering towards shots. I didn't want to step up to the 300gr Gold Dots due to the lower velocity I'm shooting and my average shots are 10 - 70yds. I'm starting to lean towards the .452 XTPs based off of feedback as well as the famous Randy Wakeman article on them. The .452, 240gr XTPs are a just a little tough going down my Wolf 209, but shoot great. I'm leaning towards the Crushed Rib sabots to help them along. Any thoughts or experience with the lighter charge and short distances with these?

Thanks

Mark whiz

80gr of 777 and the 300gr XTP Mags shoot like nobody's business out of my Knight USAK. I haven't hunted with that load yet, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so out to 125yds. With my 22" barrel, this load produces 1523fps at the muzzle - this equates to about 1500ft lbs of muzzle energy....................plenty to kill anything outside of a locomotive at a reasonable distance.

MichaelH

Thanks for the reply. I've read that the mags may not be the better choice for expansion with lighter loads. You must have a light gun too. That's one reason why I stay away from those high charges. That and there's no need for more than that in the heavy stuff I hunt in.

djdkman

You never had expansion problems with 240gr XTPs? I did...50 cal Hawkin with a Green Mt barrel 1/28" twist.....adjusted from 90 to 100 grs of Pyrodex select still didnt expand well on four deer shot at various ranges of 40 yrd to 110...what think was up?

cayugad

I have no hunting experience to tell you about the Hornady XTP's. But I can tell you I have a number of rifles that really like the 300 grain XTP. I am a little different in that I shoot the .430 diameter Hornady XTP in a green harvester crushed rib sabot. Out of my Knight rifles, and Green Mountain Barrel rifles, this is an accurate load. The other day I was shooting them with 100 grains of 2f black powder and the accuracy was exceptional.

MichaelH

MAGS? The issue I had was with shoulder shots. They practically fell apart inside with fragments everywhere on two occasions. They did a lot of damage, but I'm looking for a greater chance for pass through to improve blood trails.

UtahRob

I have been using .452 300 grain Xtp and xtp mags for almost 4 years . I have seen two Elk and my mule deer taken with them . My son's Elk dropped as did my mule deer . A friend shot a bull at 140 yards and it ran 40 yards and dropped . I have tried 5-6 other bullets and everytime i go back to the XTP . I am now using 85 grains off 777 \with the .25 acp conversion and love the combo . I can only use a 1 x scope here, but at 50 yards my encore will put the xtp's in the same hole . Here is my sons's Elk he dropped woith a 3oo grain Xtp Mag using 90 grains of pyrodex from his 87.00 ( WalMart close out ) CVA Optima . Gotta love it !! I use the XTP for deer and the XTP mags for Elk .

djdkman

HMM...dunno what was up then...240s were laser beams at 100yds and went through a deer same way...same hole size in..and out...must not have had enough velocity to take advantage of hydraulic expansion.

falcon

There are two Hornady 240 grain XTP bullets. They are the 240 grain .430 bullet and the 240 grain .452 XTP Magnumbullet. There is also a 250 grain .452 XTP bullet.

For many years i have used the 240 grain .430 bullet to good effect on hogs and deer.

djdkman

It was 240/.430 as you said...i guess the bullet didnt have enuff speed