This is a good discussion & I hope more join in. There are so many variables when shooting real live game that it's hard to put a definite answer up on exactly what's going to happen once the bullet makes contact with the animal. The construction of the bullet, the velocity, the distance, the angle & of course the size of the animal & where it's hit.
None of these things things can be totally controlled in the field although we always try. Many times these discussions go straight to the top, the very biggest animals & when that happens you narrow bullet selection down to only 3-4 premium bullets, period. Of course others will work, just like a 9mm will kill a Grizzly in Alaska or a 22 LR will kill a Black Bear.
If we drop down to the main stream of big game hunting with a six gun in North America then we allow a lot of different bullets to come into play & that's where most of us hang out.
Probably 75% of the game taken by lower 48 six gunners is deer, either muleys or white tails. The other 25% would be hogs,
exotics, pronghorn, bears, elk, lions & moose. Maybe I've missed something but that pretty much covers most of it.
For these animals "most" bullets of 250 grs or above will handle anything mentioned with proper bullet placement.
I've taken all of the animals above & in 50 years I've recovered exactly ONE bullet. Speaking of my own experience I'll say if there's one place where guys can go wrong it's with velocity. That is they tend to over drive a bullet beyond it's design limits & the bullet lets go.
This is just my experience, some one else may see it different, no problem. A six gun doesn't need top end velocity to kill big game at 40-50-60 yds with good shot placement. For me that's mostly been heart/lungs but sometimes shoulders because here in the west you seldom get a flat broadside shot. It's usually uphill or downhill or at an angle, not much flat ground in the western US.
Bullet seperations, bent bullets, over expansion, bullet blow up, I've never had it, not even once & never seen it once from my hand gun friends, even on bears, elk & moose.
My only recovered bullet was this last fall on a smallish buck at 64 yds with a soft cast HP bullet, something that I seldom use. It was a 240 gr 44 & only 10 grs of Unique. I know that this bullet would have blown up if I have leaned on it hard at 44 magnum velocity but because it was much slower in my 6 1/2 Ruger OM flat top it did something totally unexpected, it stayed together for several inches. He was facing me almost straight on & I hit the big shoulder joint right on the point, this would have blown up a hot 44 HP without question. It went through the pulverized joint, one lung, the intestines & was laying up against the left hip bone & if I remember correctly weighed 85 grs. He covered maybe 15 yds, I was totally shocked the bullet penetrated that far because of the HP & the shoulder joint. The key was, I didn't over drive it. But we never know, that shot could have been 125 yds that day, I still would have taken it but a hotter load would have made more sense, or picking up the 10 1/2" 44 laying at my feet with a 4X Leupold & 21 grs of 2400 & a Keith bullet, nice to have options.

Dick

Actually I think it's an advantage to load hot if the shooter & the bullet are on the same page. It's when the load is too much for the shooter (recoil) or the load is too hot for the bullet that things get out of whack.
Faster, flatter & hitting harder makes sense if the shooter is up to the task & builds correct loads, I've never stated other wise. I do question some one building loads they can't handle or using the wrong bullet at high speed, that's just asking for trouble.
Good loads & good shooting kills a lot of game with a six gun.

Dick

Great animal. And a awesome successful hunt.

There you go guys. That?s how you respond to something like this.

Not with the...in a nutshell.

What an idiot for using xtp....

Or how many times did the ph have to shoot it after you used a sub par bullet....

The horse named opinion is way too high in here.

VERY NICE CAPE's, BUT, IMHO, VERY POOR CHOICE OF BULLET, WOULD LIKE MORE INFO ON THE HUNTS, WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THEM DOWN, etc. BTW, NOT TOO MANY PLACES THAT YOU GET 2 CAPE's ON LICENSE, WHERE WERE THEY TAKEN?

THE POST OF THE 2 BUFFS WAS NOT DONE BY THE HUNTER BUT BY JAMES FROM JERSEY, AND WAS ENTITILED TO PROVOKE SOME COMMENTS RE THE HUNTER'S CHOICE OF BULLETS. I WENT BACK AND READ ALL OF THE POSTS AND ALL OF THE ONES INVOLVING MR. HUNT WERE APPROPRIATE. HE RECEIVED MANY CONGRAGULATIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE TOPIC DID PROVOKE COMMENT AND WONDER OVER HIS CHOICE OF BULLETS. I DO NOT DO FACEBOOK SO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FORUM THE TOPIC CAME FROM, BUT HERE I THINK WE LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT LOADS, PERFORMANCE, FAILURES AND SUCCESSES. IF EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER, THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO SHARE IT.

jdhunt3


I had one of the gunsmith at Freedom arms tell me the reason they quite making bullets or should I say selling them is Hornady was making a great bullets for their 454's. IE: 300 xtp Mag.

Sincerely
Mark

jdhunt3

Congrats on two great buffs!

My question on weather the PH shot or not was not meant to offend but was meant as a question! I apologize if it offend you or anyone else. It was not my intension. I am thrilled as I am sure you are the PH never fired. All too often you hear about Guides and PH's being to fast on the trigger.

I had one of the gunsmith at Freedom arms tell me the reason they quite making bullets or should I say selling them is Hornady was making a great bullets for their 454's. IE: 300 xtp Mag.

Sincerely
Mark

What other animals did you take?

If I may inquire, at what velocity did you launch those XTP Mag's?

Well, glory be!! You mean the Witch Hunt isn?t all encompassing?!?

Good for you. You must assuredly have experienced an anomaly according to some on this site.

I don?t think I am able to believe you. The internet says so.

I don?t think I stuttered.

Didnt accuse you of stuttering. Just misreading the intent and words others have written.

Well, glory be!! You mean the Witch Hunt isn?t all encompassing?!?

Good for you. You must assuredly have experienced an anomaly according to some on this site.

I don?t think I am able to believe you. The internet says so.