This is my first post here as a new member to the site. I've been reading the forums for awhile and decided to register and join in on the fun!

I have a TC Omega X7 that is shooting extremely well with the 250 gr Speer Deepcurls (45 colt) pushed by 85 grains of BH 209 w/ Fed 209A primer.

I want to use this load on Whitetail deer, but have concerns about the bullet holding up on a hit to the shoulder. I contacted speer about the upper velocity range of this bullet and was told that it "Tops Out" at 1,591 fps and that it shouldn't be pushed beyond that. I do not know the velocity of my setup, but would guess I would be around this top end at 50 yards or so?

I have some 300 gr DC's on the way but would like to hear opinions about the 250's for deer, and how they perform.

Thanks, Bob

I think that load should work just perfect. I shoot the XTPs and Deep Curls out of some rifles with 110 grains of powder. Although let me state.. I never took a deer with them. But I still am convinced that with proper shot placement you will have no problem.

Bob, the 250 Deep Curl is a very good bullet. And I know that Speer lists it at 1600 fps. I believe it to be a stonger bullet thant that.

These bullets were torture tested in saturated soil, shot into a water bar on a FS road. You can see they actually faired very well. These were shot with 100 grains of T7-2f, I have also repeated this test with 110 grains also.



I would guess your 85 grain load of BH is pushing the bullet out of the muzzle at about 1600-1675 fps.

This is a ballistic sheet computed shooting 110 grains of BH-209. Reducing the load by 25 grains would really drop the velocity, maybe in the 1550-1650 fps range



The end results your present load should work just fine with Whitetail to a given range. I doubt very much that you could hurt that bullet with these velocities.

Lee (lemoyne) a member of this forum has shot hogs with that bullet and a much higher velocity. Might contact him for more specific information.

Thanks for your input guys. I have no doubt that a textbook boiler room shot would be fine. My obvious concern is the bullet that meets up with more than ribs. I have no doubt the 300's will shrug off the bad stuff without much worry, but these 250's are really shooting nicely!

Cayugad... I have used XTP 240's for quite awhile with very good success. I have just heard so much positive praise of the DC's that I had to try them.

Sabotloader... Those pics are pretty impressive proof of how tough these bullets are! That is excellent weight retention for sure! Have you ever shot deer with the 300's? I'm curious about how well the expand. I haven't shot them yet, but will soon. The 300's are pretty ridiculously hard to find! They must be a very good bullet based solely on availability?

No I have not shoot a deer with the 300's - I was worried that they might zip right through a thin skinned deer at close range so I was using the 250's. But and I do not remember who it was but the 300's worked very well at close ranges for them. I did use the 300's one season for some elk hunts but never got the opportunity to shot one with the 300. I did end up shooting one with a 300 but it was a Nosler Partition...

Speer has some huge world wide contracts to provide poilice forces and the military with Gold Dots and keeping the production of them going is their focus. But, I would expect them to make a run of Deep Curls this summer before the rush for hunting season.

Bob, I have taken several deer with a Deep Curl 250 gr it is a very good bullet most were hit on the back edge of the shoulder one was coming at me and hit at an angle between the shoulder and the neck they all were dropped on the spot and I use 110 grains of Blackhorn which is what I consider the limit for this bullet from my penetration testing. all but one of these deer were under 50 yards. I believe 85 grains would be a good load for 100yards and under.

I think you will be fine with that load. I have my dad's rifle set up with 70 grains powder and the 250 DC. The deer he took 2 years ago with it was shot at point blank range and it was a complete pass-thru with no signs of fragmentation or over-expansion. 85 grains should do the trick just fine...

The photo show a deer killed 2 season ago by the 300g Deep Curl. Both the entrance and exit hole are about 2". There was no blood trail. The deer dropped and died. It seems the bullet probably expanded, and even though it didn't touch any bone other than rib, there was enough 'shock' to the spinal cord, the deer was paralyzed, or some such thing.

Years past have seen me use the 270g Deep Curl on deer. They drop deer right there right now without hitting shoulder or back bone, just like the 300g did to the pictured deer. These bullet would make an excellent substitute if one cannot find them 300g.

Excellent information guys. Thanks for the replies. I am gaining some confidence in the 250's from your experiences with them. I will definitely be putting them thru some torture testing soon.

It's looking like I really can't go wrong with either size. These really seem to be well designed bullets from what I'm hearing from you guys that have used them. I figured the 250's would expand to rapidly or fragment with velocity.... Not the case. I figured the 300's wouldn't expand adequately.... not the case. I will try both, torture test them and determine which one suits me best.

On a side note, I'm of the opinion that 300 grain slugs are not too big for deer. I hear it alot from others that 300 gr bullets are too big and not necessary for deer. I fully agree that it is not necessary.... however, if the bullet expands nicely within the velocity range that I'm shooting, holds together and drops deer efficiently.... That's my bullet! I think the too big thing stems from CF rifle shooters thinking along the lines of 27 - 30 caliber deer bullets. When you step up to 50 caliber bore size, I think you can get away with a fairly sizable hunk of lead!

In all of your replies to my question, I didn't hear any of the too big for deer stuff. I think I might have found a site with a group of guys that know their stuff, and are willing to share their knowledge! I think I'm going to like it here!

One of my buddies uses the 240gr Hornady XTP in .430 caliber, I use the 300gr in .430...They both kill deer, both will take out a shoulder just fine...His rifle simply prefers the 240 and mine the 300...He shoots 80grs 777 and I shoot 85grs FFF Goex, so powder charges are similiar...