Hornady XTP bullet for mule deer?

[.44MagnumN00b]

I didn't see any hunting sub-forum to put this in, so I figured to just put this under reloading. If it's in the wrong place I can gladly move it. So, I'm thinking of carrying my 629 .44 mag on my hip this deer season, and i'm wondering what bullet to use. I've been loading 180 and 240 grain xtps on top of 4227. I've thought about jacketed soft points for more penetration, but some guys on other forums swear by xtps. Which I think would be fine for whitetail, but a big mule deer might need a little more penetration. What do you guys think?

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have killed Nevada Mule deer with my "Little" 6" .357 Magnum with this Speer SJFP..........
that some say do not work.

Back then the XTP had not been made as yet...........

Good shot placement is #1 with pistols.......... Penetration #2.

Good luck.

 

[dsink]

I have killed Nevada Mule deer with my "Little" 6" .357 Magnum with this Speer SJFP..........
that some say do not work.

Back then the XTP had not been made as yet...........

Good shot placement is #1 with pistols.......... Penetration #2.

Good luck.

I sure do wish Speer still made those bullets. If you pushed them fast, they sure did shoot and work good.

 

[buck460XVR]

At revolver velocities, the XTP will do just fine. Penetration will be affected more by shot placement than terminal performance of the bullet. Some will want to tell you to go with a hardcast as it will shoot thru a mule deer end to end. ;-)

At carbine velocities I shy away from the XTP and use JSPs.

 

[.44MagnumN00b]

At revolver velocities, the XTP will do just fine. Penetration will be affected more by shot placement than terminal performance of the bullet. Some will want to tell you to go with a hardcast as it will shoot thru a mule deer end to end. ;-)

At carbine velocities I shy away from the XTP and use JSPs.

Should I use 240s or 180s? 240 grain=1350fps, 180 grain=1600fps Both XTP bullets.

 

[dsink]

I think I would opt for at least the 240s. Seems like they also offer a 300gr but I might be wrong. If they do and you can get good accuracy and speed, I would probably go with them.

 

[kwselke]

I've used the 240 grain XTP over 23.5 gr. W-296 out of my 629 6.5" with success on feral hogs up to about 50 yards. Once I made a broadside shoulder shot at 40 yards on a 160 pound sow and the bullet did not exit, but it sure broke down the hog in its tracks. Heart lung and head shots on a big Mule Deer should be fine with a 240 grain XTP at 1,350 fps. Go with the 240 grain and pass on the 180. Just my opinion.

 

[riverrat38]

"I have killed Nevada Mule deer with my "Little" 6" .357 Magnum with this Speer SJFP..........
that some say do not work."

Its likely that those Nevada Mulies's don't have an internet connection and don't understand the "rules".

Best,
Rick

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

Have used XTP's ever since they came out for ALL my handgun hunting loads-- works for me. JMHO

 

[gray wolf]

A hard cast 240 to 265 grain bullet only needs 1100 t0 1200 hundred FPS to shoot through any DEER. The 240 should be fine.

 

[vipermd]

I have had excellent results with 629 4" 240 XTP, after trying rem, fed,win all 240, all at 33 yds, all broadside. All of the others ran 40-95 yds and appeared uninjured. All were recovered with minimal blood trails, all , had lungs destroyed, 2 had heart with significant damage, all penetrated completely. Switched to XTP, now they either fall down, or take a step and fall down, with a significant amount of blood spray on exit. Be Safe,

 

[venomballistics]

nearly any 240 will do .. XTP included.
spend less time trolling for what others swear by and more time figuring out what you swear by.
Its not to say some of what we say isn't valid .. its just that no one man can try it all in sample sizes large enough to tell you definitively what is really best.
About the only JHP I still load for the 44 magnum is the 200 grain XTP you might want to play with this one over H110 or AA#9
everything else was replaced by some flavor of cast lead

 

[dickydalton]

I shot a deer with a 300 XTP 44 at 187 measured yards. There was a little finger sized hole in and out and through the heart. It tried to run about 30 yards. 629 6" with a Leopold 2x scope. At that time I think I had loaded them to 1100 FPS. Zero expansion at that range.

 

[mtgianni]

I venture you may have had better expansion @ 125 yards and know that you would have with a 240 gr bullet.

 

[fredj338]

The XTP is a good hunting bullet, better than most JHP IMO, stick to the 240gr. Expansion is not as great but this offers more weight retention & penetration. I personnaly do NOT shoot jacketed anything in my revovlers, a good lead bullet does anything a jacketed will do including expand. THis is my hunting bullet in the 44mag. I have since had the gc removed, just not needed at most handgun vel.

With ANY jhp, I would not expect much expansion past the 100yd mark. You just can't drive them fast enough in a revolver to rely on expansion. If I were only shooting at 100yds & a bit further, then something like the 200grXTP would be a good choice. I just think the 180gr too light for anything but varmints, maybe small coastal or Tx deer out far? I want the bullet to expand & completely penetrate, why I also not a fan of the 300gr JHP for anything further than 50yds & below 250# in body weight.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

nearly any 240 will do .. XTP included.
spend less time trolling for what others swear by and more time figuring out what you swear by.
Its not to say some of what we say isn't valid .. its just that no one man can try it all in sample sizes large enough to tell you definitively what is really best.
About the only JHP I still load for the 44 magnum is the 200 grain XTP you might want to play with this one over H110 or AA#9
everything else was replaced by some flavor of cast lead

My m29-2 with a 4" tube LOVES 200gr XTP's pushed by 23.7 gr AA#9! Extremely accurate, at least in my revolver....

 

[venomballistics]

My m29-2 with a 4" tube LOVES 200gr XTP's pushed by 23.7 gr AA#9! Extremely accurate, at least in my revolver....

Ive used a lot of them with an 8 3/8" tube transforming bunnies into crimson mist at up to 150 yards.
the 200 is quite the little sleeper of the line.