Recovered Hornady 240 XTP

[CharlieTN]

Recovered this from under the skin on the opposite side of the buck I shot this morning. The buck ran about 70 yards and piled up. While there was no exit hole, he was spraying blood out of the entry. I didn't get any pics of the damage to the organs but the lungs were blown up and the top of the heard was tore up.

Original bullet weight is 240 grains. Recovered weighed 199 grains. Not too bad for a jacketed lead bullet.

 

[Andy S.]

Good info, thanks for sharing. The bullet did it's job and transferred all of it's energy to the animal. Do you know approximate muzzle velocity?

 

[CharlieTN]

Good info, thanks for sharing. The bullet did it's job and transferred all of it's energy to the animal. Do you know approximate muzzle velocity?

Unfortunately I don't. I'm pushing it with 120gr of T777 FFG so a decent load. I really need to buy another chronograph.

 

[Hunter0678]

Same bullet here from last year's buck. Double lung and through ribs on both sides, under the skin but no exit. Dropped in his scrape. It's hard to beat a hollow point with a ML. 100 gr 777, 187.2 gr as recovered.

 

[Carlos Viagra]

That makes me wonder if maybe I should increase my powder charge.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[CharlieTN]

That makes me wonder if maybe I should increase my powder charge.

Thanks for sharing.

For my gun, the 120gr was where I found I was getting the best groups. Granted they do hit hard at that speed and mushroom quite a bit.

 

[CharlieTN]

Same bullet here from last year's buck. Double lung and through ribs on both sides, under the skin but no exit. Dropped in his scrape. It's hard to beat a hollow point with a ML. 100 gr 777, 187.2 gr as recovered.

They really are great bullets and you gotta love the price. I've thought often about trying other choices but just can't bring myself to pay more.

 

[lol]

I used traditions XR this season and me and my boy have each had complete pass throughs with 100 grains. Exits no larger than the entry. The one he shot it went through both shoulders but at least it dropped in its tracks. Mine went about 40 yards before I had blood to track and went 200 yards with a double lung. I'd much rather be digging out a hollow point that transferred 100% of its energy than losing energy on a pass through.

 

[Iglow]

At the beginning of sabots I shot a .429 180 grn HP XTP over 80 grns of pyrodex and it jellied them. I shot 2 at over 100 yds and neither went 20 yds.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

Love the bullets took a 8 point Saturday 60 yards or so right though the front shoulder. it turned the lungs to soup deer didint take a step

 

[JCDEERMAN]

So it lost 41 grains - it did its job. My 275gr bullet I was able to recover 237gr, so I lost 38gr somewhere. I don't have pics of mine but will take some this coming weekend

 

[tpgarrett21]

those are what I use... buck i shot couple days ago was at about 60 yards and it dropped him.... then when we were walking over to him he jumps up like nothing happened and runs to the woods (probably 10-15 yards) he piled up after about another 15 yards. so made it roughly 30 ish but his heart and lungs were obliterated since he was facing me when I shot... guess I'll chalk it up to his will to live

 

[CharlieTN]

those are what I use... buck i shot couple days ago was at about 60 yards and it dropped him.... then when we were walking over to him he jumps up like nothing happened and runs to the woods (probably 10-15 yards) he piled up after about another 15 yards. so made it roughly 30 ish but his heart and lungs were obliterated since he was facing me when I shot... guess I'll chalk it up to his will to live

I bet that made your heart jump and your stomach sink at first when it happened. I've had one buck go down to then stand right back up. Luckily he just stood there and didn't move so I got a second shot on him. I had hit him high on the first shot and basically just stunned him.

 

[Iglow]

I did a little looking and a 44 magnum shot from a rifle is going about 1600 - 1700 fps so from max loaded muzzle loader it's roughly the same.

 

[CharlieTN]

I did a little looking and a 44 magnum shot from a rifle is going about 1600 - 1700 fps so from max loaded muzzle loader it's roughly the same.

I know. Makes me want to sell my bolt action 7mm-08 and buy a lever action 44mag. Where I hunt it's rare to have a shot over 50-75 yards and 100 is super rare.

 

[tpgarrett21]

I bet that made your heart jump and your stomach sink at first when it happened. I've had one buck go down to then stand right back up. Luckily he just stood there and didn't move so I got a second shot on him. I had hit him high on the first shot and basically just stunned him.

it did because I've had that happen before and it didn't go to well lol

 

[Derek]

Speeding up a hollow point bullet might make it penetrate less instead of more. That is my favorite sabot bullet. I do love a pass through though. Two holes are better than one.

 

[Harold Money jr]

I've killed dozens of deer with this exact bullet, I've always shot 80-90gf 777p and pyrodex p. I rarely recovered a bullet, there was always a 1" hole to leak out of the other side. I've been shooting 300gr XTP .45's and will be going back to the 240gr xtps. I like their performance better.

 

[mr.big]

The 45 cal 300 gr version is nasty

 

[CharlieTN]

Speeding up a hollow point bullet might make it penetrate less instead of more. That is my favorite sabot bullet. I do love a pass through though. Two holes are better than one.

I settled in the 120gr load because it was what grouped the best in my rifle. It certainly makes the bullet hit hard and mushroom a lot.

 

[CharlieTN]

This is the entry hole. He was spraying blood everywhere.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

View attachment 301074

This is the entry hole. He was spraying blood everywhere.

Mine was almost the exact same shot placement

 

[backyardtndeer]

For my gun, the 120gr was where I found I was getting the best groups. Granted they do hit hard at that speed and mushroom quite a bit.

My tc black diamond 120 grains was the sweet spot. My accura 115 grains.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

The 45 cal 300 gr version is nasty

I shoot the 300's as well. They perform better than the 240's in my m.l. Both in accuracy and bullet performance. Never had to track one.

 

[Harold Money jr]

The 45 cal 300 gr version is nasty

Mixed results are what I've experienced with the 300 xtp's. I've had several that didn't exit. The ones that have exited believe it or not didn't leave a good hole. The normal 30-40yd blood trails have turned into close to 100yds. I've lost a couple that I fully believe I'd have found with the 240 xtp's. I also reload for 2 44 mags so it just makes sense to use .44 bullets.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Recovered this from under the skin on the opposite side of the buck I shot this morning. The buck ran about 70 yards and piled up. While there was no exit hole, he was spraying blood out of the entry. I didn't get any pics of the damage to the organs but the lungs were blown up and the top of the heard was tore up.

Original bullet weight is 240 grains. Recovered weighed 199 grains. Not too bad for a jacketed lead bullet.

View attachment 300898

Almost a perfect mushroom and you can't argue with the results.

I was always a fan of the 250 Grain XTP .452. I found them to be more accurate in my Knights when I got into the Inline craze.

When I went to the Savage ML2 that was the standard Book Load. It also shot really well in My Remington 700 ML.

Ive since switched to the 300 Grain .458 pills with the MMP Orange Sabots. I feel like if I ever go hog hunting or bear hunting with it I will prefer the thicker jacket.

 

[Gravey]

That's the only bullet I've ever shot in my muzzleloader for the last 35ish years.

 

[Cotis]

What sabots do you use for the .429 240 grain XTP?

 

[CharlieTN]

What sabots do you use for the .429 240 grain XTP?

For right now just the green ones that Hornady sells. I do have some of the crush rub ones to try here soon.

 

[timberjack86]

Hard to beat a 240 grain xtp. I shoot them in my muzzleloader and 44.mag. always have a good blood trail to follow. Even on bears.