PR keith nose hollow points

[gt2003]

I've shot the Precision Rifle 220 grain dead center bullet over 80 grains of 777 powder for the last couple of years with excellent expansion and incredible killing power considering all of my ML shots are less than 50 yards.  It's a great load with very little recoil.  But, for some reason, I've got this incredible desire to try something new.  I don't know if I would hunt with it or not, but I'm considering trying the Keith Nose Hollow Point that PR makes.   From their bullet selection chart I could use a 330 grain bullet.  I'd probably start out at 80 grains and progress upwards to see how they shoot. 

Has anyone here shot these?  If so, how did they work for you?  Did you hunt with them?  If so, how did they perform.  The website says they can be shot with as little as 50 grains of powder but I think I'd personally start at 80.  If they shoot well and others have had good success with them then I might consider hunting with them.  I'm shooting a knight wolverine, #11 cap and loose 777 powder with a Simmons Aetec 2.8-10X44 scope.  Thanks, Greg

[AndyHass]

I have shot 2 deer with them.  First was CLOSE range (2 yards), massive damage as you would expect.  Last year I shot a deer quartering towards from 80 yds with my old Traditions Deerhunter, the 300gr version driven by 80gr 777.  Keith Nose traversed the chest entering front right and ending up somehwere around the stomach....looked long but could not find the bullet though I'm sure it did not exit.  Had 2 sets of entrails in the wheelbarrow though (great hunt!) so it was hard searching.

Despite the design and the perfect shot (hit both lungs and liver), the deer ran over 100 yds and only went down because it tried to cross a ditch it could not climb out of.

Basically, I have killed deer with many different ML bullets (Hornaday HTP, PR QT250, PR Duplex DC 195, 300gr Keith Nose, 250gr Shockwave, 200gr Shockwave, Buffalo Ball-et) and have seen nothing significantly different between them in terms of how quickly the deer went down....some fall in their tracks, some go 100yds despite massive damage and perfect placement.  The Keith Nose do more damage to target backers but I cannot confirm this is significantly more than anything else on deer yet.  I hope to notch up a couple more this year to boost the sample size.

[gt2003]

How was your blood trail with the KNHP?  I shot a doe year before last with a dead center and she spewed blood everywhere.  On the deer I had shot with the XTP bullet I would absolutely lose blood after 20 yds or so even trailing on my hands and knees looking.

[AndyHass]

It was a frontal shot, and those don't bleed well anyways so I hate to judge by that.  I did see some blood on the snow, but honestly I knew she made it to that ditch so I just walked right over there and looked for the tracks where she went in....I never examined the track between where I shot her and there.

How much powder did you use behind the XTP?  I have no doubt they open harder at lower velocities than a pure lead.  The only DC I have ever recovered was a 195gr .357 Duplex that was a frontal shot....flipped the deer over backwards.  I recovered the bullet, flattened to the size of a nickel, right against the front of the stomach (70yd shot).  The outline of the boattail base was still apparent, but otherwise it was as flat and wide as a nickel.

[gt2003]

I shot 90 grains of pyrodex RS behind the 300 grain XTP's.  My shots were less than 50 yds and I'm 100% confident they were good shots.  The bullets were incredibly accurate.  I had the same problem with the 303 grain JHP's that Remington produced a few years back with the same powder charge.  I had the PR's recommended to me a few years back.  I've shot 2 deer with them, recovered both bullets and both deer.  1 deer fell dead in its tracks, the other ran maybe 30-40 yds.  Both bullets were flattened just as you had described.  I figure I just don't have the velocity needed to shoot the XTP's. 

[Rummer]

I am sorry it took me so long to get to this.  I don't make it into these forums as often as I used to.

The only bullet I ever used in my Omega as the .44/300gr KNHP.

I use a charge of 90gr loose 777/FFg.  I never chronied it, but I estimate the velocity at about 1650 give or take.  This puts the bullet ballistically somewhere between a 44 mag and a .444 Marlin w/ a 300gr bullet

I can't imagine a better deer bullet.  I have shot 4 deer with this bullet/load combination.

All 4 dropped at the shot.  2 of those were neck shots 2 were double lunged.  In all cases the exit holes were large, in excess of 2".    The closest was shot at 30 yards and the longest just under 150.  The soft lead hollow point expands readily at ML  velocities but holds together and penetrates well giving you the best of both worlds.  I haven't needed to blood trail one yet, but I am sure that it would be possible given the size of the exit holes I have seen

Rummer

[gt2003]

I might start out with the 300 grain KNHP and see what happens.  My Knight Wolverine has always shot 300 grain bullets very, very accurately, from the Hornady XTP's to the303 grain jacketed hollow points Remington put out for a couple of years.  I could buy maybe 2 - 12 packs of the bullets and see how well they shoot.  The dead centers work great for me but for some odd reason I'm wanting to try something different.  I'm afraid I won't like the recoil of the 300 grain bullet near as much as the almost non-existant recoil from the 220 grain dead centers.  Maybe next year I'll buy some of the QT's in 215 grains and see how they work.  If anyone has any extra KNHP's, let me know.  I might be interested in buying a half dozen or so from you.  Thanks, Greg

[Rummer]

The recoil with 90gr of 777 is manageable.  At 105 to 110 grains it was downright punishing, but the stock recoil pad on the omega is kind of hard.

90 grains of BP substitute is plenty.  A soft hollow point like that Keith nose opens right up.