I just picked up a box of 235 grain .375 X bullets and want to shoot them in my TC pistol (375 JDJ). Would these bullets expand at pistol velocities? Any experience?

Alan-While they may expand somewhat, you'll get little actual shock value with these bullets. A conventional expanding bullet will serve you much better unless you are simply looking for lots of penetration. Also, you have to be careful as these bullets, if seated too close to the lands, develop much higher pressures than other bullets and can actually damage a Contender frame over repeated firings.

The guy who brought us the .375 JDJ once said something to this effect regarding his JDJ line of cartridges designed for the Contender: If you are going to use the X bullet on deer, you might as well be shooting a FMJ.

Your best bet is any bullet for the 375 WIN lever gun. They open good at the 2100 you get out of the pistol.

I bought these with moose in mind. It is a soft skinned animal, but tough to knock down. I thought these might break a shoulder or punch through with a tough angle shot. Bobby, on seating, I was just going to seat on the cannelure.

The 260gr Accubond and the 270gr Hornady will expand at these velocities.I shoot the TC Encore-375 GNR #2-270gr at 2300+ fps,which is very close to the JDJ maybe a little faster than the JDJ round.

Sean

You can always call Barnes and ask what they think. They know what their products will do better than anyone else and they certainly don't want you trying something that will not work properly and ending up bitter.
Joe

Alan-If you have the time to be patient and stay away from the shoulder bone or oblique angles, the Hornady 220 grain FP is still a tremendous choice for the .375 JDJ -- even on moose. But if you are concerned with possibly encountering shoulder bone or somewhat of a quartering angle, my vote goes to the time-proven Hornady 270 grain SP. At JDJ velocity, it's a fairly stout bullet but WILL EXPAND on moose. It's been used on everything from elk to eland, and it does a marvelous job.

As to seating: I couldn't remember the 235 grain X bullets having a cannelure, so I went to the shelf and found a partial box, and there's no cannelure on them. But mine are from an older lot. Nonetheless, as long as you keep 'em 0.05 off the lands, you should be in good shape.

I haven't hunted with a 375 JDJ, but from what I've heard, you need to be careful to stay away from the stouter bullets designed for the 375 H&H and it's ilk. I really can't see using an X bullet unless your getting 2400 fps from the muzzle, and better yet higher velocities. I think you'll find you're hard pressed to get much over 2100 fps from the JDJ.

The 260 gr partition is reputed to be one of the better bullets in the JDJ, soft enough in the nose to expand at the milder velocities, but stout enough to punch heavy bone.

I have used and I'm still using the Hornady 220grn Flat Point with my .375JDJ SSK barrel, 14" at 2060fps. It has rolled deer and hogs with authority.
I worked up a load with the 270grn Hornady and it will stomp anything I have around here in OK. After shooting some of them I got my hands on 100 of the Nosler 260grn Accubonds. What a round. Closed my group to 1" at 100yds and 3" at 200yds. Haven't tried them on game yet but as soon as I get some time, I'm going to the swamps where I hunt hogs. No doubt the Accubond will be like a sledgehammer.

Mike

Hi Alan
I talked to JD About that when I got my 375 JDJ because I'm contemplating using mibne on Cape Buffalo, he told me I was better of with 270grain Hornady bullets. They worked awsome on a Muley I shot in Wyoming a couple of years ago.
Give him a call, He'll be better at explaining the do's don't and why not's better than me
Mike

McClura,
I'm with ya on the 260 Accubonds through my SSK 14" .375. Shot 20 so far and up to 1950 fps. Still working my loads up, accuracy has been right around 1" at 100. What kind of mv are you getting with them with which powder? I'm looking to use mine on hogs/deer here in Georgia this season.
Sako

Guess I will try to trade these Barnes X 235s for some Hornady 270s. Anybody?

I have used the coated XLC 235 grain bullets in mine and they work great. Expansion, penetration, and accuracy are excellent. I have taken several whitetail deer with them, and always get great performance. I wouldn't consider a different bullet.

I think JD Jones himself says to stay away from the Barnes X Bullets in the TC.

Now then, about your Barnes question. (I actually use 'em).
The X bullet will still expand at approximately 1600 fps. They are one tough bullet and can't be pushed fast enough to cause them to fail but will not expand much at slower speeds. So if (impact speed) will be less than 1600 I'd look for a more expanding bullet. They don't ruin guns but have to be loaded differntly than conventional bullets..back off the lands to avoid pressure spikes. (Check the Barnes site). But because they hold together so well you can shoot them at much lighter weights and get comperable kenetic energy and better penetration to heavier conventional bullets. For example I shoot them in 120 gr loads in my 260 XP. at 2750 fps (out a 15" barrel) where I would normally use a 140 gr conventional bullet.
The new TSX (triple shock X) give comperable penetration, great accuracy and less fouling than the original x's. They have releif rings milled into the circumferance of the shank that prevents pressure spikes and allows the surface
of the bullet to slough off into theme instead of in the rifling.