Expansion of Hornady XTPs in 357 mag?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Anyone hunt deer with this bullet? I've got a load worked up (13.1 gr H110 about 1000 fps) for my 4.6" Blackhawk. After digging a few slugs out of the ground, I'm starting to wonder if they'll open up on a deer shot through both lungs. What is your experience with this bullet? Thanks.

[Bigeasy]

You don't state what bullet weight you are using, but XTP's have a very good reputation for expansion when used on deer sized game.  Compared to a larger .44 or .45 slug, a .357 is more dependent on expansion for fast kills.  Although 1000 fps should still be fast enough to allow some expansion, I would load hotter.  1250 / 1300 fps should be no problem out of your 4.6 inch barrel with a 158 grain bullet, and will ensure adequate expansion at any reasonable range.  I have taken several whitetails with that combo, and it worked well.  I mostly handgun hunt with 44 mags, and the XTP is my go to bullet when using jacketed slugs.

Larry

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Oops, I should have mentioned these are 180 grainers.  And they are loaded to the max per the book I'm using.  Thanks.

[shot1]

I use 13.5 grs h110 with the 180 XTP in my 10" contender and it is going right at 1400 fps and I have killed deer out to 107 yards and I got perfect expansion and penetration.

[Catfish]

I think I took 1 deer with a 158 gr. Hornady, but it was fired from a 16 in Contender. I treid the 240 gr. bullets in the 44 mag. years ago and they flat did not expand at 1,250 fps. on deer, only used they 1 year and I think it was 3 deer taken with them. I prefer to use Sierra bullets in my revolvers and Hornady in my T/C which get higher velocity. I have found both to be excellant when it comes to accuracy, but Hornady`s are alot tougher than Sierra`s so I select according to velocity.

[countryrebel]

I think I took 1 deer with a 158 gr. Hornady, but it was fired from a 16 in Contender. I treid the 240 gr. bullets in the 44 mag. years ago and they flat did not expand at 1,250 fps. on deer, only used they 1 year and I think it was 3 deer taken with them. I prefer to use Sierra bullets in my revolvers and Hornady in my T/C which get higher velocity. I have found both to be excellant when it comes to accuracy, but Hornady`s are alot tougher than Sierra`s so I select according to velocity.

Wow, I cannot believe the 240xtp did not expand at that velocity. Did you recover any of them or were they all pass through?

[Larry Gibson]

Anyone hunt deer with this bullet? I've got a load worked up (13.1 gr H110 about 1000 fps) for my 4.6" Blackhawk. After digging a few slugs out of the ground, I'm starting to wonder if they'll open up on a deer shot through both lungs. What is your experience with this bullet? Thanks.

That's very heavy bullet for the length of barrel.  At that velocity I would not expect much expansion based on my experience.  I prefer, again based on experience, that I want around 1400+ fps with any hunting load out of my .357, .4 and .44 magnums regardless of barrel length.  With shorter barrels a lighter bullet is required.  In the .357 with 4" barrels I've found the 125 gr FP/XTP at 1400+ fps (safely doable within SAAMI specs with Blue Dot) gives excellent expansion and penetration on deer out to 75 yards.  It does not "blow up" on contact either as some might insinuate.  I actually prefer that bullet at 1600+ fps out of my 6" Ruger for deer but it works very well at 1400 fps in the shorter 4" barrel.  It kills quicker than even a hard cast WFN bullet at a much more sedate velocity.

Larry Gibson

[Catfish]

I never recovered a Hornady bullet that hit a deer. After seeing what was happing with the deer we did go out and find several that had been shot into the dirt and none of them had expanded the point to the diameter of the bullet. Not much of a test, but the Sierra`s worked so well I had no reason to persue them.

[Hit or Miss]

Dirt is not flesh and blood and bone!  Line up several milk jugs of water and shoot through the line, that will give a much better test of your penetration and expansion.

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Dirt is not flesh and blood and bone!  Line up several milk jugs of water and shoot through the line, that will give a much better test of your penetration and expansion.

Not to argue, but shooting several milk jugs is about as poor a comparison to shooting a real deer as you can get for this purpose.  Ever jump off the high platform at the pool?   Water is HARD!  A lot harder than the lungs of a deer.  I'd be shocked if you don't get good expansion on shooting milk jugs.  The only place that shooting milk jugs is useful when testing a bullets is to see if a bullet will hold together in an extreme situation. 

[Mohawk]

I once experimented with the water filled paper milk cartons. Was supposed to equate to 2.5 " of tissue for each carton and give a good idea of expansion. I guess it was accurate enough for a basic "idea" but again a basic idea. My last deer was killed with a Buffalo Bore .38 LSWC HP. It "tests" it averages about 14". On the deer it did about 6-7" and expanding perfectly plus lodging just under the skin on the opposite side of the deer. Textbook performance for what this load was designed for, self defense. Great for deer if don't think you need an exit hole. Deer hobbled 35 yard and folded. Never heard of the dirt method. My experiece is you get over expansion with water since it is very dense. I think Remington has that somewhere on the internet? Can't remember where I saw it. I tried it with Federal Nyclads and it blew the petals completely back. Shot a cottontail lengthwise and it was a perfect mushroom.  Google ammunition water test and you should find something. A little off topic but still on subject... the alleged "Strausberg(sp?) Tests" have been particularly accurate with the calibers and loads I have used for deer.

[critter44]

I shot a hog with a 180 gr XTP from a Ruger GP100 4". Range was CLOSE but it expanded nicely.