Here's the deal. I've sold a half dozen rifles over the last month with the idea of doing one right that I'll really be proud of (330 Dakota, M1999, Lilja, nice stock etc.)
Two things. I couldn't part with either my 22-250 or my 416 Taylor. Money is always an issue for me and gunsmiths being "artists", realisticly, I may not have the project completed by next season. I am looking to develop antelope, deer and elk (I don't even pretend to plan for sheep though apply, I do) loads for the Taylor as a hedge. I need to extend my range a bit over what I can expect with the 400g Hornadys. I've had decent luck with 350 mag tips but was looking at the 300g X's and wondering if folks who have used them had them open on light game. Are they engineered with only eland in mind or would they transfer at least SOME of their energy in a poor little whitetail buck? I'd really appreciate any input or other light for caliber 416 bullet suggestions. Thanks guys.

Try Northfork bullets they have some that should work out for you.

I'm building a 416PGW and plan on using the 370 gr that they list.

woodleigh also list a 340 gr bullet in there protected point model.

I have some experience with the .416 Barnes "X" 300 grain bullet in my Rigby. I've taken twelve head of game ranging from impala, bushbuck, Sitka blacktails, and crocodile with this bullet. Perhaps of interest is one Cape buffalo taken with this load (MV 2900) in which the bullet was recovered from the muscle of the off shoulder- a "one-shot" kill. All other animals were pass-throughs, taken with one shot. The bullet opens quite nicely, perhaps a bit too quickly in that the only recovered bullet (Cape buffalo) had lost a third of it's weight and resembled a pencil eraser. I'm uncertain as the velocity obtainable in a 416 Taylor, but in my Rigby at MV 2900, the bullet is at least a certain expander.

Snowcat,
This bullet works on big game also.
Don't worry about it killing deer. Expansion is not an issue. Don't shoot into the shoulder.
The X is a funny bullet, the more resistance it meets the more impressive it becomes. Shoot deer and small game in the lungs and they bounce a few yards then tip over. A raking shot produces instant death.
I shot the 300 X for years and never had a failure.
I recently switched to the 350 because I noticed bullets veering off path a little in large game.
I never recovered one depite its S.D.
Great small game bullet.

Jamie

coondawg,
What action are you using for the 416 Pgw?
What cases?

Having never shot anything with the 300 gr. X, I can't say what the performance on game is like. I can however, say that this bullet did not shoot in my 416 Rem Mag. 4"+ groups at 100 meters. Velocity was 2750 fps. Maybe you will have better luck than I did. I have shot a deer with a 350 gr. Speer @ 2540 fps, and it did quick work of him, even though I only clipped one lung, smashed the liver, and exited the rear of the ribcage. It was quartering towards when I thought it was broadside. Deer only made it 15 steps. This was a 75 yard shot, so impact velocity would be around 2350 fps. Hope this helps at all.

Sounds like they will work. I'm headed to the big city tomorrow and will pick up a box to try. I may need to lap my barrel as the Mag Tips still foul badly and the X's will be worse but it only takes one if they shoot well. If not, see you on Classifieds.... Thanks for all the input. I'll post results.

snowcat
I used a 300gr. .408 diameter X bullet in my 450/400 3 1/4 double rifle [ before I know better ] to shoot a wild pig at about 20 yards, snuck up on some of them, shot one pig with a 300gr. Hawk .025jkt with the right bbl and the other pig with the X bullet from the left. The X bullet hit right behind the left shoulder and exited out in front of the right shoulder. He had begun to run, but went right down when hit. He had a hole through him that looked loke it had been drilled with a 3 inch drill. I do not remember if the load was with 81gr. of IMR4831 vel 2258fps, or 85gr. of IMR4831 vel 2335fps, but damage was impressive. I also get excellent results on deer and pigs with the 300gr. Hawk bullet with the .025jkt at @ 2250fps. I would not use the .025jkt bullet on larger game.