Anybody use the 300gr. xtp in 45 colt at around 1200-1300fps? Will it reliably expand in deer sized game or would it be better to stick to the 250gr. xtp?

I doubt that you will get more than 1200 fps from a 45 Colt even in a Ruger revolver within the 25000 PSI +P pressure range. (the pressures for only Ruger and Contender)

I don't know what the operating velocities are for the XTP. You could probably find out by calling and talking to a tech.

The larger the caliber the less it's dependant on expansion !!
Also handgun bullets don't have much in the way of ballistic coefficient So you can drive it faster but it slows down fast. Better to to stick with a a little bit under max with an accurate load .It will do the job.
With iron sights a handgun is a 50-75 yd gun depending on eyesight etc. You should get full penetration , at least that's what I like.Makes a big hole !

Unless you hit bone I wouldn't expect much in the way of expansion on deer. That bullet has been used on some really big animals with great success. As mentioned a big 45 caliber bullet does a lot of damage just from penetration.
I would say that bullet would shoot length ways on most deer with an exit, I know some who have done it.

Dick

There are two 45 caliber 300gr XTP bullets. The magnum one is designed for the 454 and the standard 300gr is for the 45Colt. With my 7.5" blackhawk I can get 1300fps across my chrony with slightly over max loads of H110.
I haven't shot any game with them but I did shoot into wet news print at approx. 25yds and had them expand. The Sierra 300gr JSP seems to expand better than the xtp but of course doesn't penetrate nearly as deep. On a deer I am sure it would blow right through with ease though.

I prefer to use heavy cast bullets now so I haven't loaded any jacketed ammo in quite some time.

Here is Hornady's chart showing the velocity ranges of the different 45 caliber XTPs.

quote:

The Sierra 300gr JSP seems to expand better than the xtp but of course doesn't penetrate nearly as deep. On a deer I am sure it would blow right through with ease though...

This is an odd statement. Sierra states in their manual that the 300 SP is the single hardest bullet they have produced. It will expand only on the toughest game at absolutely top-end velocities. Someone is off base here.....



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I shot 3 deer on a friend's farm in Indiana with a Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt and the 300 gr. XTP bullet. They chronographed right at 1500 fps, and all exited and left about a 1" exit hole so I assume they expanded. All 3 deer went right down. You might not get quite the expansion with 300 fps less from a handgun, but I think they would still expand.

quote:

Originally posted by TX Nimrod:

quote:

The Sierra 300gr JSP seems to expand better than the xtp but of course doesn't penetrate nearly as deep. On a deer I am sure it would blow right through with ease though...

This is an odd statement. Sierra states in their manual that the 300 SP is the single hardest bullet they have produced. It will expand only on the toughest game at absolutely top-end velocities. Someone is off base here.....



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When I shot both the XTP and the JSP into wet news print and water jugs the Sierra expanded more than the XTP did in either test medium. This may not translate to the same performance on game but this is what I have found.

Wether or not you consider me being off base or not is of no concern to me. I am merely offering what I have found from my experience with the bullets fired from my handgun.

quote:

Originally posted by PaulS:
I doubt that you will get more than 1200 fps from a 45 Colt even in a Ruger revolver within the 25000 PSI +P pressure range. (the pressures for only Ruger and Contender)

I don't know what the operating velocities are for the XTP. You could probably find out by calling and talking to a tech.

My experience is the same. No 1200 fps with a 5.5" Redhawk, barely over 1100 fps with max WW 296 loads. At this velocity the standard, not the magnum 300 grain XTP penetrates two plus feet, expands fully and kills at least one mountain lion stem to stern. One of four rounds recovered, the rest full pass through.

I was not implying just who was off base, but the statements were 180 degrees out from one another. Someone is wrong.


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Baised on the many deer I have shot with a 44 Mag, rifle and handgun, in the 45 Colt for deer I would use the standard 250gr XTP.

Very late to this thread but I have killed dozens of animals (whitetail and hog) with the .45 Colt and 300 gr. XTP bullets. I went to XTP when other bullets failed. At 1100 fps I had excellent expansion and straight-line, bone smashing penetration. At 1200 fps (revolver) and 1400 fps (20" rifle) I've never recovered any. Little meat damage - you can "eat right up to the hole." Lately been working with Barnes XPB.

I forgot about this thread. I went with the 250gr XTP, and they’ve been working great on deer out of my Blackhawk.

Have any pictures?

What velocity were you shooting the 250's at

I decided to try the 300 grain xtp for our mule deer muzzleloader hunt this year (daughter and I). I couldn't find any of the xtp magnums locally, I would have preferred to use those. We ended up with the standard xtp.

I was worried they wouldn't hold together at the velocities of just over 2,000 fps. She shot her buck at 304 yards. I shot mine at 160. The bullets worked great. At that distance we were probably back to .45 colt velocities. Sorry but that is my only experience with the .45 xtp.

I shoot the 300 gr Sierra fn in my Ruger BH and Rossi 92 45 Colt same load both blow right thru 150# whitetails at least the dozen or so I have used them on

Rifle or pistol, I put a lot more weight on bullet design and construction, at a "proper" velocity for the design and construction, than on "weight alone", that's seems to have become the "in thing" at least on the internet..