Hmmm, I've been gone a couple of days over to Boise & you guys have covered some ground without me! I did see 6 (six) dead badgers on the road driving over with 2 of my sons' to pick up a drift boat. Hate to see that, they deserve to be shot by me! Anyway, a few observations, one is that a cast bullet at 1,800 fps isn't going to perform very well if it hits anything solid, they just won't hold up. Now if it's soft tissue you're probably ok but heavy bone will destroy that bullet. I'm the one that mentioned Zinc, they will work & if the bullet is lighter go to a heavier mould if you like, that's pretty easy. The premium bullets are lighter for caliber many times. Anyway that was one of my secrets to attacking heavy bone & a 380-390 gr Zinc bullet out of a 480 would have surprised a few people. Even a lighter Zinc bullet from a 44 would surprise you. On to the XTP's, on another forum just recently a guide or outfitter or perhaps a PH, can't remember stated that the XTP's were the perfect bullet for bears in the 44 magnum!! I'm going to say right now, I don't shoot jacketed bullets so I have no dog in this fight but I do know that many of you have much experience with all of the jacketed bullets out there & the XTP's get mixed reviews once the animals get bigger than deer. Don't know why he would say that but he did. I have a lot of experience with bears & a 200 lb bear is much different than a 200 lb deer, the reason is a bear is more dense, short legs, more compact, etc. Plus a bear can be very dangerous. Hit both correctly & they are dead, hit a bear wrong & things can get interesting, they are blink quick & if a fight breaks out you had better be ready. Use good bullets always. These are good discussions, civil & common sense comments & I think we all learn something. Handgun hunting has came a long way in the last couple of decades & bullets has been perhaps the #1 discussion most times, good stuff.
