# Hornady200 gn.40 XTP terminal performance in a .45 Graphic!



## Skillet (Feb 19, 2008)

I just recently came back from a South Texas hunt where I was able to harvest a Javelina with one of my muzzle-loaders.

The gun is an older FIE 'Kentucky' rifle... I've cut the .45 barrel down to about 19" and named him "Shorty". While I like to use more traditional projectiles in my side locks, the most accurate load I've found so far for this gun is the 200 gn hornady XTP, in a blue, Harvester sabot over 44 gns of FFF grade Triple Seven.

Haven't chronied the load yet, but I'm guessing 1100, 1200 fps. Seemed wise to maybe go slow with a bullet designed for handgun velocities.

I was able to get a shot on my Javelina at about 20 yards. Full-frontal shot. Once the smoke cleared, I walked up to the expired skunk-hog and found that the bullet had entered in front of the right shoulder.

I was happy to see that the bullet hadn't exited (even as I was taking the shot, I was grateful for the angle and was thinking that the bullet could be recovered if I could make the shot).

I hadn't killed anything with this gun/load and was anxious to see the damage, a quick scan with a Garrett metal detector showed that the slug was still in the pig and had traveled about 12" from the point of entry.

Here's the javelina and my "Shorty-Forty"









Here's the front of the recovered XTP (Widest portion measured about .81)









And the back of the slug (retained weight=134 gns)









I hope I don't get in trouble for this one... no offense intended, but I was so impressed with this bullet's performance upon field-dressing... I couldn't believe it, but here is what was left of the heart...









So there you have it: Shoulder broken, heart demolished, lungs destroyed, a piece of the liver was missing aprox. 3/4 the size of a playing card... I don't think the Javelina could have been any deader if he'd swallowed a hand grenade!

I would definitely hesitate to drive this bullet much faster though, I doubt that I would have found anything but maybe the copper jacket if it had been pushing 2000 fps.

HH All!
Skillet


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## nmubowyer (Sep 11, 2007)

nice rifle, i like


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Interesting little shooter you have there...

My go-to load is built around a 300 grain 44 cal XTP in a Harvester Crush Rib Sabot. I love how the 300 penetrates and holds together so well at ML velocities.

Love those XTP's!!!


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## Skillet (Feb 19, 2008)

One of the things that first attracted me to shooting front-stuffers was how inexpensively you could shoot them.

All of my rifles and pistols are .45s and I've been casting my own 245 gn TC "Maxies" for years now. Ammo gets really cheap when you 'roll-your-own' and those heavy conicals give the .45s enough power for just about anything you'd want to hunt in the lower 48.

They've proven to be deadly on hogs, javelina, whitetail and even big mule-deer for me.

Unfortunately, "Shorty" hasn't given good results with the Maxies in the accuracy department. I was able to work up a good load with the XTPs and sabots for it. Buying the bullets and sabots in bulk renders pretty good economy and they seem to be pretty deadly as well!

Call me cheap, but I hate to pay a buck a shot for projectiles. The XTPs seem like a good compromise.

HH!
Skillet


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