240gr xtp ...right choice???

[bowguy]

hi guys, i am new here.
i have a t/c endeavor and it shoots better than i do.
ive been shooting 120 gr bh209 with 250gr sst bullets.
they cloverleaf at 100 yards about 1.5 in high.

well they took 2 deer for me last year,and they dropped pretty much with 50 yards from where hit.

i know, dead is dead.
but i do not recall ANY bloodtrails!

so it is time for me to buy some more bullets for hunting and im looking for knock down and good blood trails.

so i just went and picked up some 240gr xtp from gander mt, and i found out searching on this forum that 1700-1800fps is max for this bullet!

im thinking about going to a 300 grain bullet,as i shoot out to 200 yards some times.

ive taken a nice fat doe at over 230 yards with a friends t/c encore loaded with 150 gr pyro pellets and a 300gr sst!
this is what lead me to buy an endeavor!

soo do you have any suggestions on bullets and loads?
what about the 295 gr powerbelts? ive heard both good and bad,and i have had ok luck with the 245gr powerbelts...plenty accurate on paper but no passthrough on a button buck at 50 yards!

 

[frontier gander]

Barnes

 

[Anonymous]

I used .44cal 240 grain XTP's last year in a green crush rib sabot with 90 grains of Triple 7 2F. I shot two doe. 50 cent size exit holes, one was DRT 40-50yd shot and other I shot at 10yds ran 30yds with a massive bloodtrail. My buddy cloverleafs these bullets in his TC Pro Hunter Katachin at 100yds with 100 grains of Blackhorn 209 and Remington STS primers. If you want a bullet for longer ranges look at the 260 or 300 grain Harvester PT Gold bullets in a black crushed rib sabot.

I recently started shooting the Barnes .458 Tac Socoms in my Pro Hunter with Bergara barrel. They are quite impressive and should get the job done. I emailed Barnes and they said these will expand great at muzzleloader velocities. I will be shooting them with black crushed ribs on my next range outing to see how they group.

 

[bowguy]

i must say i do not "want" to take long shots at animals, as i like to get as close as possible!

...but from what i remember ,i did not have much if any blood trail with the 250 sst

is there anything wrong with pure lead at speeds over 1800fps?

man, i hope they will take my bullets back!

 

[frontier gander]

light weight bullet + pure lead + high velocity = Failure

 

[Lee 9]

There is a number of view points on bullets. For me a Gold Dot 250 drops them on the spot and I do not concern my self with blood trails The Lehigh bullets also do an exemplary job. Where you hit them the angle you hit them at and if you get a pass through all enter into how good the blood trail will be, but if you hit them in the right place with the right bullet at the right speed for that bullet and drop them on the spot then a blood trail is non existent any way.

 

[GM54-120]

I prefer a pass through too but when is it too much? When are you wasting the fpe on whatever is behind it? That XTP is rated for about that fps but by the ranges you mentioned you will be closer to 1450fps. Personally i like the GoldDot 45LC 250 much better because its performance is more consistent on impact vs the XTP.

If its a clean kill i dont think it matters much. Waiting and taking the right shot for the range and bullet you are using will seldom fail you.

Long shots i do prefer heavier "pointy" bullets but there are several others that should do well out to 200. Nosler 45-260gr Partition might still be on sale at Wideners for half off. The Barnes 250gr-275gr Expander MZ or loose 44 or 45 cal XPBs will get it done too and fly surprisingly flat for HPs.

Smyers mentioned the 458 300gr SOCOMs and if you can get them to shoot well for you, it should be killer. Its a good fps match for ML use. They are likely going to be this years pick in one of mine too.

I emailed Barnes and they said these will expand great at muzzleloader velocities. I will be shooting them with black crushed ribs on my next range outing to see how they group.

Thats why i wanted to try it too with heavy loads. The black CR sabot is looking like a good fit in one of my 50s too...with the 1-24 twist.
:twisted:

 

[bowguy]

thank you for the input!

i just took back the xtp's to gander mt.

they had a whole display of powerbelts of multiple sizes and weights...people have not been buyin them!

i searched for anything over 250gr and there was none! wtf. :x

sooo i chose 2 boxes of t/c 250gr ez glides or slick load sabots...sorry i forgot the correct name as i looked at so many today.

they were fairly cheap 14.95 for 15

i will shoot these tomorrow and post my results.
thanks again.
jamie

 

[Anonymous]

If they are TC bullets with a yellow tip they are made by Hornady.

 

[sabotloader]

bowguy

I would like to second Lee's thought.... the 250 Gold Dot or now Deep Curl is an excellent bullet. It is bonded and stays together and the way it controls the mushrooming process it creates a ton of hydrostatic shock. I call them a 'poor man's' Nosler.

Here is a picture of some I torture tested...

 

[ronlaughlin]

Them TC shockwave is sam tang as sst. If you can find some 300g xtp, they will work. Gold Dot work even better

 

[GM54-120]

And another testament to the GoldDot 250 with only 80grs and maybe 20 yards.

Even my favorite heavy hitters didnt have this big of a would channel. I have no doubt on a broad side...its dead. Need more penetration get the 300gr.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

If your 240XTP's are 45 caliber, the velocity range for that bullet ( from Hornady) is 1100-2100 fps.Your load should work well with this bullet.The 250 gr 45 XTP's are rated 850-1600fps.The 44 cal 240's are a good bullet and the 4 deer I shot with them (1700 fps) showed that bullet to be a death ray.

 

[Swampman]

what about the 295 gr powerbelts?

I would avoid them. The really heavy ones are ok.

I'd go with the 300 grain XTPs.

 

[Okie Hog]

For years the 240 grain .430 XTP was the only bullet i used on hogs and whitetail deer. I still use that bullet. The bullet has worked very well for me; killing 15-20 deer and dozens of wild hogs. Most of those animals bang flopped. Put the 240 grain .430 XTP bullet where it is supposed to go and it will do the job for you.

i have a 240 grain .430 bullet that bang flopped two doe deer. The powder charge was 130 grains of Pyrodex RS. The bullet hit the first 110 pound doe in lung/heart area. It hit the second 130 pound doe in the chest. The bullet was recovered from the offside ham.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

I like to use Barnes Bullets. I prefer the tipped versions TMZ, TEZ, in 250 gr and 290 gr for longer shots.

recovered from a doe

 

[gunrac]

.44 240's, on top of 85gr. of BH works just fine for me. Avg. 1725 FPS. Buying bulk put's my bullit-sabot combo at around .35 a pop. My longest shot takin, was a doe at 140yd. DRT.

 

[Swampman]

The XTPs are excellent. Other than the XTPs I use the Gold Dots. I won't shoot Barnes or Nosler bullets. Your mileage may vary.