It's been almost 2 years since the initial flurry of requests from the members here for Underwood to manufacture 480 Ruger ammo.

Here is the original post- Underwood Request

I was on their website yesterday, filling my cart, and just happened to notice that they now have loads for both 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaugh. Unfortunately, at this time the only load for each, uses their Xtreme Penetrator round. Looking forward to seeing some heavy hard cast stuff.

Underwood 480 Ruger

Please contact Underwood and let them know that we appreciate them adding the 480 Ruger, and that we would like to see some more offerings.

Thanks for your help in keeping this great round alive.

Not trying to change your mind on what you want, but the Extreme Penetrator Bullet does everything that a cast could do, but won't smear or shatter like a cast can, and gives excellent straight line penetration

I saw a 9mm Xtreme penetrator perform almost identical to a 9mm fmj in ballistics gel. Definitely not a conclusive test for all Xtreme penetrators, but I would really like to see what they can do on real game animals.

I've watched some of the YouTube videos of the Extreme Penetrator Bullet in the 500 S&W. They were impressive, but it was a 500 too. I used the 350 gr Extreme Penetrator Bullet out of my SSK Encore Barrel in 500 S&W loaded from Underwood on a big boar that I shot. Tissue damage seemed very similar to a HC to me..Caliber size, but really nothing to get excited about

We used them this last year on whitetails out of a 357 and they did well. Good x cut and quick bleed out. Obviously would need more use on bigger animals but im not sure where they fit in yet.

very strange story

What`s does X cut mean???

James,

Tradmark is refering to the X shape that the bullet cuts through the target.

Here is a video that shows the X shape in ballistic gel; watch at 2:23 in the video.

Xtreme Penetrator Video

Thank you for your heads up video because the way it reads I thought for a second there was an actual X cut into the meat which we both know cannot happen because of the rotational spin of the bullet...silly me

It actually looks like an x at any given slice thru the vital tissue. Pretty interesting

Any pictures??

Kinger will post some. I sent some to your cell.

Here are a couple pictures of what it looks like. Gun used was a GP100 .357 mag 6" barrel. MV was 1520. The deer was running after it had been shot. I hit it at about 35-40 yrds. It only went another 20 yrds after the shot. This was a TX whitetail buck hit was on the liver

Did it leave an X in the hide???

For a second there I thought you meant the bullet left the X from philips head when all you really mean is that the liver split like an X...
Right???

Very interesting! Thanks for posting. Those are the first pics I've seen from the XP bullet terminal performance posted anywhere. While relatively friable, the liver looks a lot like the gel! I would think that the lungs would look similar with a lung shot.
Was this the underwood load that you were using?

yeah this is from the Underwood loaded ammo. I haven't had a chance to shoot through the lungs. This will be a testing point for me this year when I test several bullets for the 357 all are going to be lung shots.

I will be interested in your results. I just picked up a similar GP and plan on carrying it during deer season this fall. I'm currently looking at the BB Barnes load, but am not really impressed with the look of the expanded 140gn Barnes bullet. The pedals look awfully thin to me and the diameter doesn't look like it achieves 2x.

James I really never look at the hide cause it doesn't tell you anything. The X you get from these bullets is not from the top point of the bullet but from the slots going down, this is what makes the top look like a Phillips head screw driver. I relate how the bullet works to how a boat goes through water using the energy of displacement created by the slots the helps push the energy from the bullet into the tissue and cause damage. That why you get the X cuts internally. That is why I think with the new bullet design they came out with called the extreme defense they made those slots wider.

Sorta like this????

I understand what you mean. I used the Barnes Vortex ammo this year on a WT buck. He was quartering hard towards me and I took a point of the shoulder shot at 25yrds. It completely destroyed the shoulder and the deer ran about 80 yrds and stopped then fell over. What surprised me was that on the autopsy, while the front shoulder bone and all were completely destroyed and not worth saving, the bullet continued to the offside hide. But I was beside myself that after that it just slowed down to much and made a caliber sized hole in the heart. I would hate to think of how long I would have to chase it had I missed the heart. So I will use them again and have confidence they will work, BUT I will also only take the first shot at an animal that is broadside. Also this will be tested this year. Hope that helps. I love the Barnes it does damage just need to put it in the right spot

Just my Opinion but when using the extreme penetrator bullet, Velocity is your friend.

I think that bullet depends on velocity and if it goes thru too much animal that type of cut wont show extended out and itll look more like a solid in the pic james pisted with tiny slits. Im gonna run it out of a 460 this year on deer just to see

you take the X`s and I`ll take the O`s.....

I think it could be a rocking 357 Max bullet...
Maybe I have an excuse to start looking for a max barrel again

As for picking your shots... I might just have to accept that it is the reality of hunting with a 357 and not something bigger. It's suppose to be a challenge.

Powerful words Karl.......

Karl If its what you have go for it. Practice Practice Practice, pick your shots, use a good bullet, and if he's still standing KEEP SHOOTING. If you have to turn down a shot because of a bad presentation, so be it.Even with a bigger caliber gun we should know our limitations and keep to them.Your remark was right on the money.
THAT'S HUNTING AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CHALLENGE!

J M H O

I use a few of the smaller calibers and love the challenge of picking the right shot but lately ive had a few times with great axis bucks at far distances and bad angles really wished i had my bfr 460!

That's part of the exasperating fun of what we do. We pick our gun ,load, bullet,practice,practice,practice and make our plans and THE HUNTING GODS laugh and say, WATCH THIS.

Yessir, and i feel they look down and laugh at me alot. I give them great humor sometimes!

Kinger, what do you believe would be the minimal impact velocity.

The 140 gr bullet moving at 1500 out of my 6" GP 100 did work on the deer and the damage was what was shown. So to say what the minimal velocity is, that's been on my mind. I have not had the ability to properly test the bullet at different velocity's. I would say that I don't know at this point in time. I just know that with what I have seen is that the harder you can push this bullet the better it seems to get. There are videos online showing these bullets being used in muzzleloaders and the increase is velocity is noticeable in the gel tests. As for me I plan on alot of testing this year.