So this isn't really a handgun situation, but it does involve a handgun cartridge. I shot four deer this weekend using my Ruger .44 Carbine loaded with 300 gr. XTP handloads with 19 grains of H110. Shot distances were anywhere between 20 - 90 yards, all shots were broadside, either in the ribs, shoulder or neck.

I shot each deer twice and not a single bullet exited. None of them made it more than 40 yards after being hit. In the past, I used 240 grain JSP factory ammo and it always punched through them. I figured going to the heavier slug would increase it. That bullet must be very soft.

Thats really strange that you didn't have any exits, that 300 gr bullet has taken game a lot bigger than white tails. Granted your carbine is running faster than the typical revolver but I'm still amazed no pass throughs.

Dick

In order to speculate on that it'd help to know the velocities. Have you chony'd them?

I've taken deer with the 240 XTP out of an M29 and got complete penetration. This was Hornady factory ammo and was 1350 fps. So I know what it can do. The 300 gr I've not tried.

quote:

Originally posted by talentrec:
So this isn't really a handgun situation, but it does involve a handgun cartridge. I shot four deer this weekend using my Ruger .44 Carbine loaded with 300 gr. XTP handloads with 19 grains of H110. Shot distances were anywhere between 20 - 90 yards, all shots were broadside, either in the ribs, shoulder or neck.

I shot each deer twice and not a single bullet exited. None of them made it more than 40 yards after being hit. In the past, I used 240 grain JSP factory ammo and it always punched through them. I figured going to the heavier slug would increase it. That bullet must be very soft.

SInce the bullets did not exit you should have been able to recover the bullets. An examination of the recovered bullets would show what actually happened

How much did they expand?

I wouldn't think even out of a 44 carbine one to could over run a 300 xtp.

I would like to see pictures of the bullets.

I dug around in a couple of the gut piles, but didn't find anything besides some small pieces of copper and lead. But, I didn't really look that hard.

Since the XTP's first came out I've always thought the hollow point was too large for good penetration. Most of my use for a hunting handgun is crawling through brush looking for wounded and upset boars - where lots of penetration could be important... so I gave up on the XTP's early and switched to soft points.

But that was in the "good ol' days" when we could shoot lead. Now the only legal choices are copper bullets with ridiculously large hollow points that have pathetic penetration.

The xtp isn't a very good slug for fast moving rounds. I've used it in 45 and 454. Problem is that it expands to easy. The 240 grain xtp are actually xtp-mag. They have a different design which keeps them from expanding as violently. That is why u were able to punch thru with it but not with the 300 xtp. Hornady doesn't expect the 300 xtp to be moving near as fast as the 240 xtp-mag. That 300 xtp out of the carbine was Proly moving about 1500 fps.....much faster that the 300xtp was designed to move. I've used 240 grain xtp-mag, 250 grain xtp, 300 grain xtp, and various jacketed soft points. My belief is that anything fast than 1200 fps, use a flat nose. The hollow points are OK and got the job done obviously, but if u happen to hit a shoulder, the hollow point will explode. It'll break the shoulder and slow it down but won't get into the vitals. Been there done that.

I've been using that bullet for many years in my muzzleloaders, at @ 1600 FPS, and seldom recover a bullet on a broadside shot.

I once shot a buck at about 75 yds that was angling towards me.
I hit him in the left chest, and recovered the bullet just under the hide of his right hip, which was over 3 ft of penetration,

What others have pointed out is a fact... that bullet at an MV of 1500 - 1600 will tend to expand violently.

I had a Ruger 96/44 (lever action) for many years and tried about every bullet available from 250grs to 300. I inquired with Hornady about using either their 265gr (made for the 444 Marlin) or 300gr XTP on bl. bear. They asked my velocity... it was about 1550 to 1600, and the unequivocal answer was "Use the 265, it's tougher and the 300 will not penetrate as well at that speed".

Then, there's a huge differential between impact at 20 yards and 90. In 70 yards the velocity will drop off by about 200 fps. As well, you mention different impact locations... all that must be considered as well.

As stated, an examination of the bullets would reveal mostly what happened.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

absolutely the 265 designed for the 444 marlin is the heaviest construction. I generally use 240's in a marlin lever action, but the 265 would be the choice for game that is thick skinned or larger than deer.

The last two posts are right on !

Don't overlook the Nosler 300gr HP. I have used it in both revolver and carbine and it performs very well on deer and large hogs. My son puts them thru 350lb hog shoulders with great devastation. That is my .44 bullet of choice for hogs and deer. For a HP, it stays together pretty well and shoots accurate as hell.

At .454 revolver or .44/.45 rifle velocities, one should use the Magnum XTP bullets if one wants to use Hornady bullets, rather than the original XTP bullets which were designed to expand at .44 Mag./.45 Colt revolver velocities.

Hornady does make 2 different versions of the 300 XTP. The standard one, which I'm guessing you used, and a "Mag" version. I have not shot either, but I suspect that the Mag version will not have the same problems.

I use heavy cast LBT style bullets for hunting over any hollowpoint.

I have shot several deer with the 240gr factory loads and with 240gr jacketed handloads out of a Ruger 44 Mag Deerstalker. ALL exited.