Experience with Buffalo Bore 180gr XTP .357

Buffalo Bore has a new .357 round, 180gr Hornady XTP at 1500fps with 899 ft lbs of energy. This is the hottest .357 load I have heard about. Does anyone have any experience with it? I am particularly interested on how the bullet holds up/expands at that velocity. I have a shot the 180gr hard cast and really like them but don't need such penetration on whitetail. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm getting 1500 fps with 158 gr XTP's with flat primers. 1500 & 180 jacketed bullets has got to be some specialty non-canister powder. I can't even get to 1500 fps with cast bullets, let alone jacketed ones. I guess they could be seated out further. I'll have to see what info I can find on those loads, you have piqued my interest...


-Eric

Yes, that is very hot for a 180gr. bullet. If the 180gr expands well and holds together at that velocity it would be a really great medium big game round.

That seems to be a favorite bullet for the 357 Maximum. My Maximum Single Shots, 13" & 15" are going quite a bit above 1500 fps.

I have not killed anything with the loads yet, but Hornady lists it working up to 1700 fps.

Bob R

Bob Roach, thanks for the information, that is encouraging as a bullet needs to hold together to work well. I really like my 45 colt for hunting but am making a transition from the FA model 97 to the 83 with some custom work and will be using my FA 97 .357 for a while as the work is done.

Hornadys manual lists the 180gr XTP up to 1900fps in 357Herret.

l shoot IHMSA silh and the 180XTP is used quite extensively.

All XTP Hornadys are respected in IHMSA. l see 180s IN 35Rem too

I took a whitetail with a 180 XTP from my 10" 357 Maximum Contender. I can't recall exactly, but I believe it was doing around 1800 FPS at the muzzle. The shot was a bang flop shoulder shot at maybe 75 yards IIRC. I don't believe I recovered the slug.

Shot a whitetail doe with the 180gr.xtp quite a few years back. The gun was a 6" gp100. Very accurate round, but as I recall it did not expand much at all. I'm sure it wasn't traveling much more than 1200fps. I think it's a great bullet, but needs to be pushed a little hard to get the Performance one wants out of it.

Has anyone actually put this ammunition through a chronograph? Curious to hear actual velocities out of various revolvers and single shots with different barrel lengths.

The BB web sight lists a velocity of 1501fps with a ruger 6" barrel. They are usually very accurate with their velocities. I have measured the 180gr hard cast out of a 5.5" freedom arms 97 at an avg of 1418 for 10 rounds. I have not shot the new 180gr XTP's yet.

I have a load where I'm getting 1700fps in a 7.5in FA 83. I won't quote it but it works with no issues. I can get 1750fps but primer pockets get loose after 3 loadings. Haven't shot anything with the load but those ARE chrono numbers.