Hunting Handgun Bullets?

26 April 2001, 17:38

<X-Ring>

Just wondering what you folks are using to stop game.
I personaly have gone to a 215gr swc for my 41 mag, from National, and found I like the results. I like having a bleeding wound on both sides. Not that I have ever had to track one after hitting them with that load.
What are you using to shoot game?

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Freedom wasn't free. Today they want our guns. What will they want tommorow?

26 April 2001, 23:48

<Crawfish>

250gr GC WFN from Cast Performance Bullet Co. For my .41RemMag. 265gr GC WFN and 280gr GC LFN from BearTooth for my .41GNR and .41GNR#2. Will likely use the 265 in the .414Wesson when it shows up. When all the 250s' from CPB aare gone I'll use only BearTooth bullets. In all my others I use light for caliber Barnes Xs' in .22, .24, .25, .7mm, and .30 caliber.

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Handgun Hunter

27 April 2001, 01:41

LoneEagle

In my .44 I use either 300 gr XTP, 300 gr Speer Soft Point or a hard 240 SWC. Sean

27 April 2001, 03:37

RCHAPURA

In my 44 I use the 275gr lyman bullet. looks just like the LBT lfn, or the hornady 300 XTP. For the 357 I use the 180 wfn or Hornady xtp.

27 April 2001, 07:21

DaveC

Lyman 255 or 275 gr gas checked for my .44, or 275 gr WFN from Cast Perfornce (Cabela's) when I don't have time to cast.

Crawfish, did you have a problem with the CPB's, or are the Beartooth's that much better?

RCHAPURA, that Lyman 275 is a great mold, too bad they discontinued it.

27 April 2001, 07:58

<Crawfish>

CPB only offers their .41s' in .410 and nothing larger than 265gr. My Contenders like .41S at .411 much better. My custom smith tells me that my soon to be delivered reworked SBH in .41RemMag and .41GNR is set up for .411s. I also feel the the added capitity of my two .41 wildcats need a larger bullet like the 280gr from BearTooth.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CPB bullets just not right for me.

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Handgun Hunter

27 April 2001, 18:12

<45/70 marlin>

In 357 magnum I use 185 grain wfngc bullet from beartooth bullets.For 44 magnum I use either Hornady xtps or a 290 grain beartooth bullet.In 45 I use a hard cast 255 swc.

28 April 2001, 07:08

<PowderBurns>

OK, is the 265 gr. bullet in 44 mag. going to fit in the cylinder of my Ruger Blackhawk?

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28 April 2001, 10:03

<Crawfish>

I load a 265in my .41s' don't see why it wouldn't fit in your .44 so long as you keep OAL at or below 1.650 inch and your crimp doesn't fail. In your BH you shouldn't have any trouble getting 1400+FPS using 2400, H110, W296.

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Handgun Hunter

15 May 2001, 16:57

<Neil>

quote:
Originally posted by X-Ring:
Just wondering what you folks are using to stop game.
I personaly have gone to a 215gr swc for my 41 mag, from National, and found I like the results. I like having a bleeding wound on both sides. Not that I have ever had to track one after hitting them with that load.
What are you using to shoot game?

15 May 2001, 17:19

<Neil>

For killing wild hogs on my property both on foot and horseback I've found that my Ruger Blackhawk Long Colt loaded with 12.5 gr of Unique... capped by a CCI 350 Mag primer and a 260 gr Hornady SJHP bullet will instantly stop a 600 lb tusker without the need for a second shot...I've used this load for 30 years....I've shot with friends using 41 and 44 Mags and the old colt seems to pretty much hold its own...in putting down heavy game...

15 May 2001, 18:59

<TomA>

Glaser Safety Slug or Black Talons or even a Hydro-shok. You know I'm lying now, just kidding! I have about two dozen boxes of bullets of all brands, I read the posts and when I see a load that sounds good I load a batch and test it, and doing that I now have a long list of favorites.

04 July 2001, 15:42

<JoeJoe>

Aww man!!! Neil I'd love to bring my blackhawk to Sarasota and shoo those pigs with ya!!
I lived in Lake Placid years ago and hunted in Fisheating Creek in Palmdale. The biggest hog I ever saw in my life stood 25 yards from me all I had was an old double barrel 12 gage. When the buckshot left the barrel the hog left the fenceline like greased lightening!!! Oink Oink!

05 July 2001, 05:47

RCHAPURA

joejoe I shot one on the 16 of June, 43 paces and moveing, the 275 Lyman sailed thru and he took a stager step and went down, I kill 15 to twenty a year and could triple that number with ease. E mail me You never know. I also pulled a Gator tag this year, to bad I cannot use the 44 on them.
RCHAPURA94@MSN.COM

05 July 2001, 05:51

RCHAPURA

Neil you wouldn't be that old retired military man I bought the shooting jacket from

07 July 2001, 18:41

<BigBores>

335 gr GC from CPB in my Anaconda 45 Long Colt. 1250 fps with H110. Fun load, makes your hand tingle after a cyl full. Not many volunteers to shoot it at the range, which is fine by me.

Good Elk and bear load.

13 July 2001, 17:44

<Neil>

quote:
Originally posted by BigBores:
335 gr GC from CPB in my Anaconda 45 Long Colt. 1250 fps with H110. Fun load, makes your hand tingle after a cyl full. Not many volunteers to shoot it at the range, which is fine by me.
Good Elk and bear load.

While weight and velocity of the bullet is important Its been my experience that its how the bullet performs or I should say "deforms" inside the target...SJHP bullets in the 240 to 280Gr range set up a wobbling effect or "cavitation" at the hole of entrance so while a great amount of energy is imparted to the target from the expanding bullet a like amount of radial laterial energy is added to the shock by the "wobbling" bullet down thru the wound cavity causing a great amount of tissue destruction perpendicular to the wound channel...Pieces of tissue "splashback" from the exit hole is a good indication that the bullet was wobbling while creating the wound track.

13 July 2001, 17:51

<Neil>

quote:
Originally posted by RCHAPURA:
Neil you wouldn't be that old retired military man I bought the shooting jacket from

Sorry but its not me...though I am pretty old...

14 July 2001, 07:05

<BigBores>

Neil,

While I don't neccesarily disagree with you, I have never had good luck with jacketed hollowpoints driven hard (fast) into tough targets, like elk. I have had Sierra's and Hornady's come apart way to early in the tissue path.

I like the ability of the hardcast flat noses to penetrate deeply, and I'm not really looking for expansion. A .45 diameter hole is wide enough if you put it through the right spot. Plenty of space for bleeding, and I like exit holes.

In my humble opinion, expansion is counter productive in real handgun calibers (ie, not short rifles like Encore, Contender, etc.). The velocity is already limited, as the bullet expands, it sheds velocity like hitting the brakes in a car. I don't want the car to stop before it hits the heart/vitals. As for energy transfer issues, the wide flat nose will also transfer energy, only over a longer, deeper wound channel. I fully realize that this is debatable, but it's my opinion.

I like the wide flat nose style of the CPB's for tissue cutting and energy transfer. I do not use round nose or SWC style bullets.

I switched to hardcast years ago, before Noslers, etc. were availible, but what I have seems to work for me so I don't feel motivated to change it.

I have used the listed load to kill 2 elk. Both met quick ends. I consider myself very fortunate that I have never had to try them on bear. It is a last resort bear medicine. My first choice will always be a large rifle if I have any say in the matter.

15 July 2001, 06:01

<Neil>

quote:
Originally posted by BigBores:
Neil,
While I don't neccesarily disagree with you, I have never had good luck with jacketed hollowpoints driven hard (fast) into tough targets, like elk. I have had Sierra's and Hornady's come apart way to early in the tissue path.
I like the ability of the hardcast flat noses to penetrate deeply, and I'm not really looking for expansion. A .45 diameter hole is wide enough if you put it through the right spot. Plenty of space for bleeding, and I like exit holes.
In my humble opinion, expansion is counter productive in real handgun calibers (ie, not short rifles like Encore, Contender, etc.). The velocity is already limited, as the bullet expands, it sheds velocity like hitting the brakes in a car. I don't want the car to stop before it hits the heart/vitals. As for energy transfer issues, the wide flat nose will also transfer energy, only over a longer, deeper wound channel. I fully realize that this is debatable, but it's my opinion.
I like the wide flat nose style of the CPB's for tissue cutting and energy transfer. I do not use round nose or SWC style bullets.
I switched to hardcast years ago, before Noslers, etc. were availible, but what I have seems to work for me so I don't feel motivated to change it.
I have used the listed load to kill 2 elk. Both met quick ends. I consider myself very fortunate that I have never had to try them on bear. It is a last resort bear medicine. My first choice will always be a large rifle if I have any say in the matter.

I agree that hollowpoints in large calibers at revolver velocities do come apart way too fast....I've always filled my hollowpoint loads with a mix of 80o/o lead and 20o/o tin....though not hard casted...the now somewhat solid "hollowpoint" seems to hold together thru the target and exits only about 60o/o expanded...but fully intact most of the time....as for large bear I'll take at least a 375H&H everytime.. or at real close range "where an attack is most likely to happen"...I feel that a 12 gauge 3" shell loaded with 000 buckshot would handle the encounter very well...however my "pack gun" is a Ruger mk2 even in bear country..