trio with 240 Gr XTP

Shot 3 deer the same morning with my 7.5" 629 Stealth hunter with Vortex Venom red dot. 38, 58 and 72 yards. Factory Fiocchi extrema ammo (advertised at 1350 fps but chrono at 1200).

None ran more than 20 yards, but I feel that I need to change ammo. The bullets (none recovered) seem to have expanded little. They did their job, but with whitetail being so thin skinned, I wonder if I should not just go with a home defense bullet that expands faster and is not as hard as the XTP.

Thoughts anyone? I have shot bigger, heavier game with this same bullet but reloaded and shooting at 1290fps and they all mushroomed well and many bullets were recovered.

Leave it alone? Get it to speed up? Shoot a different bullet?

Still so much fun.
SnT

I have had good luck with the 240gr XTP, but you are correct.......it doesn't seem to expand much at the lower end of velocity.

On a side note......How do you like the Vortex Venom Red Dot? I've considered getting one.

The Vortex venom is awesome!. My first time with it as I went to the range to verify zero on my 44 with the zeiss compact point. It shut off. Second time in a year i send it back. eBay... So i have the venom overnighted. Have about 200 rounds through it. Wish the lowest setting was duller but it is fine. On auto the lowest setting is too bright, so i keep mine on manual.

I did have to machine the pica tinny base to fit the Weaver base on my gun, and used an old weaver scope base to jury rig a permanent base for this thing. I would definitely recommend it.

What speed do you shoot them at? I was hoping for 1350...
SnT

It is hard to argue with results, 3 dead deer and none going further than 20 yards......

My SBH pushes them at 1,414 fps and my .430 SJS pushes them at 2,354 fps.

What's a 430 SJS?

How big a hole do you want? If your worried about them traveling 20yds. then learn the shoulder/spine shot, wait for it to present itself, and drop 'em on the spot, no tracking.

A wildcat based off the .308 Win case a buddy of mine designed and I'm testing for him.

I've smoked two hogs with it, he a bear, and another friend has taken a deer. Works pretty well.

A really good whitetail bullet is the Re. 240 gr. HP. Soft, expands well, delivers excellent shock. I've always found .44 and .454 XTPs to be too hard.

Well that sounds neat. What's it designed for? T/Cs? AR-10s?

On the subject at hand, they seem to be doing their job if the deer aren't running more than 20 yards. I say keep using them.

Designed to meet cartridge requirements in states like Michigan with case length and caliber restrictions. Yet, at the same time, function in a bolt action.



It's a .308 Win case cut to 1.8" and blown out to .44cal which, after fire forming, becomes a straight wall.

Currently I have a test rifle chambered for it. But, am considering chambering an Encore pistol as one........just for laughs.

Yes...what is wrong with that scenario?

Anybody remember the .44 Rhino?

3 shots, 3 deers in freezer,job done. The xtp is a controlled expansion projectile. From my personal experience the faster you drive them the better they perform. I worked up a smoking hot load with the 240 that's nasty on whitetail. Remington half jackets and winchester white box may be more what your looking for.

I hear you all with the 20 yard run all is good comments. I am not complaining at all, but I wish I had a little more expansion - energy unloaded inside the animal. One deer was shot quartering to me and bullet entered in front right shoulder and exited rear opposite ham. Same run (more of a walk) 20 yards, but exit was caliber size, so little expansion.

I doubt i can get this thing to shoot XTP's much faster than 1350 and keep it comfortable to shoot. Used to shooting bigger tougher game with this bullet and that is why I like the XTP's so much, but it seems whitetails are not going to grow bigger and tougher in my lifetime. Surely there are some that are tougher and bigger, i just haven't had the luck to chase them with the revolver yet.

Softer JHP's or Half jackets as suggested may be the ticket... Thanks for your replies. Now going to try to upload some pics...

That would be a legal Indiana deer rifle cartridge.

You might try the Rem.jhp. or the Sierra hp. for a softer bullet.

What type of terminal performance did you expect from the XTP`s on your deer??

Exactly!

So I just worked over 50 cartridges and opened the hollow point with an 11/64" drill and deepened it by 0.100"
Resulting projectile now weighs 9 grains less.
Hope to post results before the end of the year.

Merry everything to everyone!

Snook----l tried that once. Then l shot a couple ''patterns'' with them. Hornady does a LOT better job centering those hollow points than l ever could :--(

You should check out Dynamic Research Technology thier design dumps completely inside the organic matter I have taken several head of game DRT

IMO, you just answered your own question. There is only one degree of dead. I'm also partial to the "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is" mentality, but in all seriousness, if the load/bullet is accurate for your needs and your game is on the ground within 20 yards of the shot, what's the need to worry?

Personally, I prefer both an entry and exit to leak blood instead of one, whether it's an arrow, modern bullet, or round ball.

I'd say keep using them. The 240xtp is my go to bullet but I reload mine to 1450fps in my SRH. I have also used soft points and the deer are just as dead but I get better accuracy with the xtp's. Hornady claims 900-2200fps working range on the 240xtp.