I just tested some new reloads for my 460. I have been wanting to try the 325gr. Barnes Buster and plan on using it this month on a hog hunt. I am running out of time before the hunt and needed to sight in the MatchDot I installed as well as test the new loads. I was disappointed when I got to the range and all the 100 yrd. benches were tied up so I had to settle for a 50 yrd. After sighting in the MatchDot using Hornady 200gr. I switched to testing the 325gr. Barnes Buster with IMR4227. Starting at 35gn I worked my way up to 37gn loads. The groups tightened up as I went up in load and in the end I was most pleased with the 37gn. Granted I was using a Red dot and it pretty much covered the bull even at 50 yrds I was happy with 5 shot 1-1/4" grouping. I am hoping to get back out ant test the round at 100 yrds before the hunt.
I have loaded some Busters with H110 as well but have not tested the load yet. I have some VV N110 that I plan to test with this bullet in the future but I have had no luck finding any info regarding a safe loading range for the combination.

Very interested to hear your results with H110. Thanks for the report. Sounds like a shooter. I have a hog hunt in February and am loading up some 395gr Grizzly cast bullets.

You may want to try some X bullets. The Busters will go straight through without a lot of tissue damage. The Xs will go straight through with A LOT of tissue damage.

I have a bunch of the 275's as well and plan on testing them with the H110, IMR4227 & VV N110 powder in the spring. Plan on using the 275 for deer. If I can pull it off I hoping to go out west this comming fall for Elk and will use the 325's for it as well as hog. My understanding is the 325 will put one hell of an entry as well as exit hole but still retain its original weight.

Never used the Xs in my .454s, but here's what one did to a brown bear at 129 yds.

I just finished loading some 275gr XPB for my 460. Ending load was 37.5gr of H110 with a Fed LRM primer. OAL 2.30. Loaded all the way to max but my barrel seemed to like this load the best. Recoil isn't bad at all.

You will probably find the H110 groups will tighten as the load increases. H110 likes to be as full as possible as with most of those powders. I've looked at the Busters for my 45-70 rifles but I don't see any advantage over a hardcast which are much more reasonably priced and the buster has a lead core making it a full metal jacket and illegal in many states to use. I know it performs basicly like a hardcast but in alot of states the use of FMJ is illegal for hunting. Not trying to rain on your parade and I might use them in africa for certain things although I would probably opt for hardcast and monolithic solids if I were going for the biggest stuff.

Not a huge fan of the Barnes Buster for only one reason and that is the smallish meplat as a nod towards use in leverguns to enable smooth feeding. That said, if you put the bullet in the right place, your animal will die unceremoniously.

As compared to??

No comparison, just stating that when you destroy the vitals, animals die.

:)Thought you were going to say when you hit them with LBT`s they blow up....

lets not go down that road again, we've all been playing nice for a long time now without the cast vs jacketed debate

My main concern would still be the legality of the busters, being a full metal jacket bullet many states won't allow them for hunting. I'm guessin on a high fence operation it won't matter but still is worth checking on.

They're still considered expanding bullets.....

I know but as such in OR they specifically say Full Jacketed and give a description of what that is which is a copper bullet with a non exposed lead core so they are illegal here. It used to say non expanding but now just full jacketed. Polymer tipped bullets get by because they are actually a hollow point with a polymer filler. The buster is in the same class as any ball ammo.

yeah they are in some states, BUT there's nothing in oregon i'm not gonna be able to take with a xbp, an aframe, big xtp or a good hardcast. it kinda sucks the state officials can't tell the diff b/w a fmj roundnose 45 acp bullet and a flat pointed fully jacketed big bore pistol round. you are right rod and i had to maneuver around this hunting in new mexico. went the hardcast route and later found out talking to the warden sealing our bear. when i asked him specifically about the busters he said he wouldn't what i shot of a 454 on a blackbear and that he just didn't want people shooting round nose 9's or 45 acps at game. too bad all wardens don't take that outlook.

yes whit, they are on the federal level but many states don't see it that way in their laws and the wardens in many states out west at least have the latitude to use their own judgement, when i went to nm for bear with alex, i never got a straight answer after 20 or so phone calls. i had to get the exact judgement of the warden in that region and then if i went with the busters, then i had to hope that guy never called in sick or got moved cuz who knows what the others would think.

another thing about barnes in particular is 11 of their bullets which I believe were all triple shocks were classified by ATF as armor piercing. Barnes appealed but I never heard what came of it. This is actually another way they are trying to disarm us. The environmentalist have already successfully stopped the use of lead bullets in CA and are trying for a federal ban through the EPA which if they get serious about is very likely since they run without oversight. The next step is the BATFE classifying all solid non lead bullets at armor piercing. I f they do that then you have no ammo to use, one is outlawed for environmental reasons and the other for being able to penetrate body armor. Gotta love the feds.

Hitman.. That was nice of that bear to give your bullet back.

You figure he wouldn't want to give it back - LOL!