My Ruger SRH .454 with Leupold 2x scope will now be my primary hunting arm here in Michigan, USA. I am now looking at handloading options. I want a bullet that will be adequate for elk, should the need arise.

And now enter the 250gr .451" Barnes XPB. Seems kinda light for this caliber. I have spoken to Ty Herring at Barnes who asserted that this bullet is a good choice for elk and said that he has heard from customers who have used it for that purpose. He also reminded me of Barnes' two chief advertising points: Extremely high weight retention and no possibility of core-jacket separation.

But it still seems kinda light for elk. I'm sure the weight retention is high, but am I to believe that the 300gr Gold Dot, for example, will shed more than fifty grains of its wieght, and possibly shed its jacket?

I'm not convinced. So I turn to the forum(s). I have done a search on this and other forums, and have found no detailed accounts of the 250gr .451" XPB used on elk or larger game. (Perhaps that's because it's not that good of a choice).

Has anybody here had any experience with this bullet, especially on larger-than-whitetail game?

My experience is not exactly what you are looking for but I have used the XPBs in my S&W 500 quite a bit. They are all I use for hunting. I have not shot anything larger than a whitetail with them but the way they pass through whitetails, elk will not be an issue. I have used both the 275 and the 325 gr varieties and both have been great. I did recover one 275 gr bullet after a pass through shot and though I didn't weigh it, it appeared to have not lost any mass and was expanded to near double its diameter. In any case, even though I have not elk hunted with these bullets, I do think the XPB would be a good choice and will likely be mine if I ever hunt handgun hunt for elk.

WunderDog,

I'm really looking for any first=hand stories, since I have found very few.

How many inches of whitetail did each of those bullets pass through? Any bones?

Not too much in the way of responses to this thread, I see.

Let me change the original question a little bit, then:

My primary concern with the 250gr .451" XPB is the lack of mass the bullet has. So, has anybody out there used any type of 250gr .45 caliber bullet for elk? How was the performance?

I haven't had any shots 'the long way' through deer with my handgun. One of my 325gr bullets did pass through a shoulder though. I would say the longest tissue distance is 15-18" including one shoulder blade. I know this isn't the perfect testimony you are looking for in regards to elk hunting but FWIW, I would not hesitate to use either the 275 or 325 gr XPBs on an elk.

For VERY DEEP penetration, reliable controlled expansion, and 100% weight retention, the Barnes .45 cal. 250gr. XPB, at .454 velocities will take down any animal on this continent at whatever range you can accurately place the bullet. These bullets enjoy a worldwide reputation as a very effective deep penetrating, hunting bullet, that will not break apart in big game. I have read many accounts of successful hunts on game much tougher than elk. Like a 1200lb. eland, and a 900lb. brown bear, to name a couple. You would be well armed with this bullet/cartridge combo...

Good information, mbartel. You seem to have some very good knowledge regarding this bullet. Can you provide any more details? What has brought you to your conclusion about the .45 250gr XPB?

I have read several real world hunting experiences by knowledgable outdoorsmen and professional hunters, regarding this bullet. There is one thing you should know if you are planning to reload this particular bullet. You must use the load data from the Barnes manual only. You CAN NOT substitute any other 250gr. bullet data for this one. This bullet has a very long bearing surface, because it is less dense, and therefore longer than lead/copper bullets of the same weight. Powder charges will be lower for this bullet vs other 250 gr bullets so that the pressures will not get too high. Even the Barnes 185gr XPB .45 acp bullet will penetrate as deep as most 230gr bullets and expand to .75 caliber and more.

Thank you for your comments. Barnes provided me with the load data for this bullet when I contacted them about it.

What do you suppose is behind the penetration of this bullet? I know it has high weight retention, but am I to believe bullets such as the Gold Dot will regularly experience significant weight loss?

Being solid copper, the jacket can be thicker and tougher, because of the six skives that are cut into the bullet, which allows a slower, more gradual expansion. Also no concessions have to be made as in a bi-metal bullet, such as too rapid of an expansion, resulting in weight loss and possibly core seperation, and/or fragmentation. Or too little expansion, resulting in less tissue disruption.

Having said that....the gold dots are very fine bullets indeed. Very high performance, excellent expansion, they penetrate well, and have very high weight retention. The gold dot is really not intended for the taking of big, tough, and dangerous game animals. I'm sure it has been done though, with good success, but the gold dots are at their best in two legged shooting situations. The solid copper bullets are much better suited for the big 4 legged critters.

Sorry for the mis-nomer. The Barnes bullets don't have jackets. I was referring to the open forward portion of the bullet just above the solid shank. This is where the expansion occurs with symetrical six-sided petals curling back toward the shank.

I have no experience with the Barnes handgun bullet. I have however used many of the Gold dot, cast,and other makers 240-250-260 grain bullets in both .44 and 45 caliber handguns. Yes
to if I think a gold dot will loose weight if breaking bone on the shoulder of an elk or anything bigger. I choose hardcast always on the slow moving handgun loads. Yes if all shots are placed where they belong then all
will be fine. Personal preference is to do my best to make a clean kill with the best product.

One exception I have used is the Nosler Partition in the handgun. They take whatever is dished out and keep trucking.