# 180gr XTP .44



## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

I am going to purchase some Hornady equipment, rigth now if you purchase certian items you get a coupon for some free bullets, one of their options is 180gr XTP. Currently I use a 240gr XTP out of my muzzle laoder, I was wondering if 180gr .44 would preform well on deer sized game if shot out of a lever action or revolver. Otherwise I may go with the 22 cal spire points or the .270 InterLock's, but the .44 are roughly $20 a box, the .22 are $12 and the .270 are $21, so to get the most bang for the buck I would like to do the .44 or .270's, your thoughts?

http://media.midwayusa.com/pdf/coupons/hornady-get-loaded-2011.pdf


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

That's the bullet I picked for deer hunting with my 629 but haven't shot a deer with it yet. I have shot some into wet newspaper and they looked exactly like the pictures when I dug them out, and they were in the paper deeper than a deer is thick :wink:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have shot about 500 of those 180 gr XTP out of a four inch Smith, an 8 3/8 inch, a standard Marlin, and the 26 inch barrel Marlin. They perform well out of the revolvers, but are a little explosive in the rifles. My son shot a rabbit at about 30 yards one day with his Marlin and my load. I think there was 20 yards between where the rabbits head was laying and his hind quarters. The center of the rabbit was not to be found. I have shot prairie dogs at 50 yards with a 22-250 and they were not nearly as spectacular as that rabbit. 
I don't know how fast your loading your muzzleloader, but my guess it will make the 180 gr to explosive. I think the 1600 fps mark is about it's limit. It's been three years since I have shot any, so my memory on that velocity limit is a little fuzzy. I have gone to nearly all cast bullet loads in all of my 44 magnums.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

I think Plainsman is probably right. Most will steer you toward the 240's for max penetration but I'm looking for more expansion in an attempt to find a "bang-flop" load. I think my loads are right around 1400 fps, but I only use 240gr XTP's in my Marlin 44 lever gun.


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## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

I decided to go a differnt direction, the 180's just seem to light. Although I kind of want to shoot a rabbit withone now


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I think the rabbit explosion had a lot more to do with range than anything.

I, in my youth, shot a rabbit with a 222 shooting 55 gr fmj's at about 30 yards and it exploded in two pieces. Now I know that fmj didn't blow up, so basically it was just generating so much energy and the impact velocity was so high it exploded. I think that is probably the same reason for the blowup on the rabbit stated above.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

SDbearfan, I agree, but range and velocity are interchangable here. The range is only important because the velocity was still up. Like I said, I have shot prairie dogs (and cottotails) with a 22-250 at 50 yards and non blew up as spectacular. It's a combinatin of large frontal diameter, large hollowpoint, softer lead in pistol bullets, and range/velocity.

I'm not debating, I actually agree, I just wanted to throw in how range and velocity are sort of interchangeable. You could perhaps shoot a deer at 25 yards with a pistol, and 100 yards with the rifle, and get the same results because of velocity at impact.

I'm only responding because this has always been very interesting to me. Today's rifle bullets are getting tougher and tougher. As you know I like long range shooting. I often sit on a hill with two rifles. One loaded with bullets that will perform at 100 yards, and one with more fragile bullets that will open at 1000 yards. Trying to control all the variables is one of the things that makes shooting enjoyable. Unfortunately, the old brain is getting slower. As you may have read on here I recently purchased a 6.5 X 284 Norma. Yesterday I was showing a farmer friend of mine the groups. They are under .2 inches, but after the first shot from a clean barrel. The first shot out of a cold barrel is ok, but the first shot out of a clean cold barrel is about .3 inches low at 100 yards. Well, I lined up on this sleeping coyote at 1006 yards. Yup, forgot to add a click for the first shot out of a clean barrel. :shake: Anyway, I was happy I missed because it was a fox and there are not that many around. He was all curled up and looked a lot bigger. The bullet went just under him throwing snow all over him. He took of like someone turpentined his behind, but stopped because he really didn't know which way to go. I loaded another round, but when I seen it was a fox I just watched for ten minutes.


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## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

FYI, Ive been using 240gr out of my Accura V2 with 90gr of BlackHorn 209.


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## Okie Hog (Nov 30, 2010)

i've used the 240 grain .430 XTP bullet in muzzleloaders since 1999. That bullet has killed about 25 deer and a couple hundred wild hogs for me. My shots are picked carefully and not one animal has ever been lost. There have been several long tracking and dragging jobs when i made a gut shot.


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