How much expansion and penetration are you guys getting with Nosler 260 gr Partitions and Hornady 300 gr XTP/Mag bullets on game? Any other bullets you would recommend?

I havent recovered either from game. but, form different test mediums, I roughly got about .80+ form both. Truthfully I prefer the 335gr hardcast, for just about anything. Im debating on using a hot 335gr hardcast load or the 320gr CorBon FPPN, for an upcoming bear hunt with hounds, and planning on taking a headshot, the difference between both bullet styles from what Ive hard is the cast will expand more when it hits bone.

I shot a 325 lbs. Black bear at 80 yards threw the spine and after taking out about 6" of it travel down threw the bear and out the chest. Never found the bullet, but it did what it was suppose to do. I was using a SRH with 7.5" barrel 260gr. nosler factory loads from Winchester.

The 260 is a great deer bullet. I would say it's going to be a little light for something the size of an elk. I have recovered them after hitting the spine and they are peeled back to the partition. You can take a look at Clay's article on the Win. Partition Gold and see a photo of exactly what I mean (it's the same bullet). I've only used the 300 XTP a couple of times but it also expanded very well but doesn't shoot as well in my gun at top velocity. The 260 is very accurate. The bad news on the 260 is that they are now over a buck apiece.

http://www.handgunhunt.com/readArticle.php?letter_id=61

Never recovered a 300 grain XTP on deer sized animals=DRT every time.

I shoot 300gr. XTP's out of my Raging Bull,Never recovered one yet,pretty much Bang/Flop.

WOW HUNLEE IS IMPRESSED WITH BIG MUZZLE FLASH!!!!!Maybe someday Hunlee can get 454 cassull for killing deer and other game animal butt for now Hunlee must stick with 7-30 water for long ranger and 375 windchester!!!!!!!Maybee Hunlee think 454 cassull have more hitting power than 375 windchester but 375 windchester allso bring deer down fast!!!!!!!This year Hunlee has high hope for killing deer with 7-30 water aswell!!!!!!Youin think 454 cassull hit harder the 375 windchester??????Hunlee is just wondering about this

hunlee

Pab,
In front of me are two bullets that I recovered from game taken with my FA`s 454. Both are factory loaded ammunition with the first being Hornady`s 300gr XTP/MAG. The bullet was found under the skin of a 325lb. boar after a 40yd broadside, double lung shot.It`s recovered weight was 279.2 grains with a loss of
20.8grs. It expanded to .645" at it`s widest point.
The second load is from Winchestr`s Supreme line of ammunition
that uses a 260gr Partition bullet. This bullet was recovered from a 300lb+ boar after a 20yd shot as he quartered toward me.
Penetration was excellent for an animal of this weight and size.
The recovered partition bullet weighed an amazing 250.3 grains with a loss of only 9.7grs. Expansion was a classic mushroom with the copper jacket seperating into six evenly spaced petals that opened to .730". For me, Winchesters ammo with the 260gr
partition bullet, performs well enough from my 454 that it has now replaced the 300gr XTP`s that I handloaded for use on medium size game.
If you go to my photo`s on the bragging board and locate the pictures that are titled "300XTP vs 325 boar" and "recovered
bullet from" you will see the two bullets that are mentioned above.

Thanks for the information guys. I'm hoping to find a good all around jacketed bullet that will expand on deer but still get enough penetration for elk. It sound like expansion is good with both the Nosler and Hornady but their penetration still worries me. I have some 335 gr CP bullets I'll be working up loads for but prefer a bullet that will expand for the first shot.

Pab,
I would definetly not use either of the bullets I mentioned above for elk size game. None of them were able to make it through large boar at short range so I would have doubt`s about penetration on an animal the size of elk. I used the 300gr partition in my 454 to take a decent size black bear at 40yds with one shot ,however, thats the only experience I had with that bullet. Good hunting, James

I would not be afraid to use a 260gr. nosler partition Winchester supreme on an Elk. They have killed bigger and tougher game with them in Africa. I wouldn't shoot one past 75 to a hundred yards and those shots would have to be good broad side shots. After watching what it did to that 325 lbs. bear after taking out the spine there is no way it wouldn't penitrate threw an Elk on a double lung shot. That is one powerful and penitating round. But you must place the bullet in the right spot. I would still prefer a hard cast bullet for Elk, but if all I had was the 260gr. partition on me I would feel very confident shooting an Elk with it.

Has anyone used 300 gr Sierra JSP on game?

I am shooting the 250 XTP the 300 XTP and the 300 Speer Gold Dot. I have not shot anything with the XTP out of the 454 yet but it has been awsome for me in the 45 Colt. I would expect the same results in the 454. I have never recovered a 250 XTP shot from the 45 Colt all 6 kills have been pass thru. 4 of those were hogs and 2 were over 80 yards away. Bullet just leaves a hole the size of a golf ball on the exit side.