300g vs 250g
 

Can someone explain the difference between shooting a 300 grain bullet vs a 250 grain? Is it that much more punching power? My gun shoots 250 grains perfectly and all I hunt is deer and groundhogs.

However, I am wanting to see what 300 grains can do and how far they can fly. Are they overkill?

Doug

Just my humble opinion... The right 250 grain bullet is excellent for deer class animals from 10 yards to 175 yards... The right 300 grain bullet makes it possible to get to 200 yards without much thinking just some practice...

I'm using a 250gr for elk. It's way more than enough for any deer.

From 0-150 yds the .250 is al you will need considering the animals you hunt. if you think your shots will be 150-200 plus yards, or want to hunt bigger game like elk. the .300 gr IMHO is a far better choice.Ray

I have taken only 2 deer at long range.one at 234 yards and one at 223 yards.both were with a 250 gr bullet and the one went no where the other went 20 yards. So I think a 250 is sufficient for deer

Either one will do the job well out to 200 yards or so and I use both without concern. However, If a gun will shoot well with the 300's that's what I tend to go with.

Since you already have a 250 that shoots well for you you're in good shape. But it won't hurt to play with some 300's to see how they do. To me that's a big part of the fun of muzzle loaders.

I like most 300gr bullets better. Just a preference really. This year though i will be trying either a 45-225gr Barnes, 275gr Parker or a 275gr Lehigh. When i had my older 54cal i shot mostly 275gr Barnes so i want to try the middle weight again and a light weight shot faster.

There are a few 250-260gr bullets that should fly pretty good and retain a bit more fps at 200 yards but how often are you going to be shooting 200 yards. Harvester has a descent 260gr "pointy" bullet, the Bonded 250gr Shockwave seems ok and Nosler still has a few 260s left that have a bit better BC and hit like a freight train.

For ground hogs you should try the 225gr FTX. Its a freakin grenade and seems to shoot really well and its cheap.

Look at GM's avatar. Imagine that in a full bore .50 250gr bullet. It will knock a deer into next week.

My Knight is kinda funny, except for the 250 SSTs, it prefers 300s...So that's what I use, a 300gr .430 Hornady XTP...My buddy's Omega prefers the 240gr .430 Hornady XTPs...We both kill deer...Life is good...

What bullet is it?

Thanks for all of the reply's so far.

D

Yep,better be careful.having an avatar like that just might get you classified as a shill in this day and age :happy0157::happy0157:

The 250 grain I believe is fine for deer. Some people even shoot them with smaller projectiles like a 200 grain.

I was shooting some Lehigh 200 grain .40 caliber and just for fun I shot a 1/2 gallon milk jug at 100 yards. The jug was of course filled with water. I could not believe it, but I had just little chunks of that jug left down range. That really impressed me, and that's not easy to do. I think that would make just an excellent little deer bullet. I was pushing it at 110 grains of Triple Seven (as Grouse once suggested to me.. thanks) and I would not be afraid to shoot a deer at 200 yards with that at all. Maybe I am wrong. But I think bullet design plays a big factor as well as shot placement in determining what kind of wound will happen.

It's a Barnes. Here is what I use. It's the muzzleloader version made by Barnes for Thor.

http://thorbullets.com/

That is a Barnes/Knight SpitFire and i actually dont recommend them. Ive seen them fail to expand and expand poorly because of the tiny hollow point and not enough fps. If you want to try one get the 245gr version. Most of those reviews are positive. I like the Expander MZ, XPBs or the TAC-TSX 300gr made for the 458 SOCOM much better.

Traditions has a deal on these for $7.99/15 and they are proven killers over a wide fps range, Plus very well made.

Traditions PLR aka Parker Ballistic Extreme 275gr

Those Barnes had trouble expanding. Unlike the Thors.

250gr Thor for me as well. Deer, elk, bear, antelope, it will do it all out to 200 yards.

might have to try these out.... I like the price!

Go to their website. They are under the specials but i would call them. I hate the online ordering. Shipping wasnt cheap for 150 at $13.95 so check that too. You might have to order more if the shipping is the same as mine....just to get the cost down.

I think they ship with MMP HPH12s which should be ok since they are smaller OD than most 45cal bullets. Parkers ship with those or the MMP short.

It really is not that simple, you load and your capabilities enter into it. As a general rule the construction of the bullet would have as much to do with it as the weight. Then we get into velocity some guns are capable of much more pressure and controlling the with than others. The loads I use with some bullets in my Encore Endeavor would probably shock you but the only other guns that are capable of that kind of pressure are the Knight [the old ones I have not tested the new ones] the White and the Savage. But to get back to the point if a bullet starts out at 2300 FPS say a 250 gr with a good BC it ends up with enough Foot lbs of energy that it can do a job that the same bullet stating out at the more normal 1700 or 1800 FPS is less than capable of.

lemoyn...What set up are you using to get 2,300 fps out of a muzzleloader???

The Savage ML will get 2300 or better for sure,but this is with smokeless.
Many guys shoot the 45 cals or 40 cals with add on barrels (Pacnor/Mcgowen)--2500 plus fps--Screaming!!!

Zach