Hornady XTP & SST bullets

[Peytoncreekhunter]

I usually shoot Hornady 44 caliber 300 grain xtp bullets. But for some reason those are hard to find sometimes so I decided to try some 45 caliber 300 grain xtp bullets and I bought some 44 caliber 300 grain SST as well. I shot to compare and as I expected they all shot about the same. The blue mark is the 45 caliber xtp, yellow mark is the 44 caliber xtp and the aqua mark is the 44 caliber sst. This was with 100 grn of pyrodex by volume out if my Remington 700mlss at 50 yrds. They all shot about 3 inches low at 100 yrds.

 

[deermanok]

Looks like they all shoot pretty good for you.

 

[ElDiablo]

Looks about right. I probably wouldn’t expect much difference at close range.

 

[cherokee5425]

I've tried several bullets in my TC Encore and by far Hornady XTP's are the best performing bullets above all. Years ago I shot a doe right behind the left shoulder usings TC"s Shockwave bullet. After a few minutes I when over to gut her open, wanting to find the bullet to see how it looked as there was no exit hole. Upon examining the internals I couldn't find it. What I did find, as unbelievable as it sounds was a 50 cal. hole about 3" away from the entrance hole. Looking at the right side ribcage, I believe what happened was the bullet went in bounced off the opposite side ribcage and exited the left side. Another doe I shot with the Shockwave went about 50 yards. Not impressed with the Shockwave bullets at all. All deer shot behind the shoulder.
With the Hornady XTP's, ( used both .44 300 grain and .45 300 grain XTP"s), never had a deer go far. I only use Hornady XTP"s exclusively now.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

I've tried several bullets in my TC Encore and by far Hornady XTP's are the best performing bullets above all. Years ago I shot a doe right behind the left shoulder usings TC"s Shockwave bullet. After a few minutes I when over to gut her open, wanting to find the bullet to see how it looked as there was no exit hole. Upon examining the internals I couldn't find it. What I did find, as unbelievable as it sounds was a 50 cal. hole about 3" away from the entrance hole. Looking at the right side ribcage, I believe what happened was the bullet went in bounced off the opposite side ribcage and exited the left side. Another doe I shot with the Shockwave went about 50 yards. Not impressed with the Shockwave bullets at all. All deer shot behind the shoulder.
With the Hornady XTP's, ( used both .44 300 grain and .45 300 grain XTP"s), never had a deer go far. I only use Hornady XTP"s exclusively now.

The plastic tip don't help for expansion, it only good for arrowdynamiics in flight. XTP s are the best for expanding I use XTP and lead cheap shots 240 grn. For hunting out to 200yrds.it kills em all most drop in about 10 yards. I have shot the 50 cal. ELRs 325 grn. but they don't expand that well going to use for paper at 300yrds. on Friday to play a little if it's not rainy out.

 

[a cloud of smoke]

Ill give you another vote for the hornady xtp, last season I hit a doe just below the backbone mid back and she dropped on the spot, it made a nice big hole, and didnt lose any meat...

 

[earlthegoat2]

I've tried several bullets in my TC Encore and by far Hornady XTP's are the best performing bullets above all. Years ago I shot a doe right behind the left shoulder usings TC"s Shockwave bullet. After a few minutes I when over to gut her open, wanting to find the bullet to see how it looked as there was no exit hole. Upon examining the internals I couldn't find it. What I did find, as unbelievable as it sounds was a 50 cal. hole about 3" away from the entrance hole. Looking at the right side ribcage, I believe what happened was the bullet went in bounced off the opposite side ribcage and exited the left side. Another doe I shot with the Shockwave went about 50 yards. Not impressed with the Shockwave bullets at all. All deer shot behind the shoulder.
With the Hornady XTP's, ( used both .44 300 grain and .45 300 grain XTP"s), never had a deer go far. I only use Hornady XTP"s exclusively now.

Last year I shot a doe at 60 yds with a Shockwave 250. She was in a group of 7-8 does and I missed seeing exactly where she went since the smoke didn’t clear fast enough. It was a good squeeze and I know I hit her

I went to the spot of the shot and found nothing. I looked for over an hour and all I found was a pinprick of blood up on a weed about 2 ft up and 10 yds from point of impact. When I say pinprick that is not an exaggeration.

That was just one experience but I threw the rest of the Shockwaves away and am now going with a 385 GPB.

I always had long runs on deer shot with a 240 gr 44 XTP but at least they died in sight.

 

[ElDiablo]

If this is going to turn into an XTP vs SST (TC Shockwave) thread, mark me down in the SST column. I’ve killed scores of game from javelina to moose with .45 300 gr bonded shockwaves. They work great!

 

[smokepolehall]

The Jury is out here until i kill some tick toters using the SW's. I have killed them with XTP 200 gr .40 n kill them with the red tipped SST 200 gr .40. Killed them with .45 230 gr XTP's.

 

[jd24.5.48]

I've been hunting with the Xtp 240s for a long time and have nothing but praise for em! I'm going to be trying the 300grn Xtp out of my Accura V2 Lr as soon as warmer weather gets here!

 

[animater9]

I've tried several bullets in my TC Encore and by far Hornady XTP's are the best performing bullets above all. Years ago I shot a doe right behind the left shoulder usings TC"s Shockwave bullet. After a few minutes I when over to gut her open, wanting to find the bullet to see how it looked as there was no exit hole. Upon examining the internals I couldn't find it. What I did find, as unbelievable as it sounds was a 50 cal. hole about 3" away from the entrance hole. Looking at the right side ribcage, I believe what happened was the bullet went in bounced off the opposite side ribcage and exited the left side. Another doe I shot with the Shockwave went about 50 yards. Not impressed with the Shockwave bullets at all. All deer shot behind the shoulder.
With the Hornady XTP's, ( used both .44 300 grain and .45 300 grain XTP"s), never had a deer go far. I only use Hornady XTP"s exclusively now.

Thanks, I will try to add this to my notes! Very informative!

 

[Thumper87]

I've tried several bullets in my TC Encore and by far Hornady XTP's are the best performing bullets above all. Years ago I shot a doe right behind the left shoulder usings TC"s Shockwave bullet. After a few minutes I when over to gut her open, wanting to find the bullet to see how it looked as there was no exit hole. Upon examining the internals I couldn't find it. What I did find, as unbelievable as it sounds was a 50 cal. hole about 3" away from the entrance hole. Looking at the right side ribcage, I believe what happened was the bullet went in bounced off the opposite side ribcage and exited the left side. Another doe I shot with the Shockwave went about 50 yards. Not impressed with the Shockwave bullets at all. All deer shot behind the shoulder.
With the Hornady XTP's, ( used both .44 300 grain and .45 300 grain XTP"s), never had a deer go far. I only use Hornady XTP"s exclusively now.

What load are you using with the XTP’s? I just picked up a t/c pro hunter encore and not sure what I am going to shoot yet. I’m a newb to muzzle loading.

 

[Okie Hog]

Returned to muzzleloader stuff in 2000. First inline was a cheap old CVA Stag Horn rifle. i have that rifle today, it's fired over 4,000 rounds and the bore looks new. The bullet i used then was the 240 grain .430 XTP driven by 100 grains of Pyrodex. That bullet did a good job on deer and hogs.

In 2006 i bought a new Encore. From day one my load for that rifle has been the excellent 250 grain SST in a crush rib sabot.

i hear all kinds of tales about the SST bullet. Some claim the bullet totally comes apart. Others claim it "pencils through" without expanding. That bullet has killed about 75 deer and countless wild hogs for me.

This 384 pound hog was hit through both lungs at a distance of about 35 yards. Hog ran about 200 yards after being hit. The bullet path was over 19 inches long. Bullet was found under the skin on the off side.

 

[MrTom]

There have been long discussions on the pros and cons of both bullets, but the reality of either falls squarely on shot placement and loads levels. The best bullet and load is worth zip if it isn't put where it counts. Then there is the load behind the bullets. Both of these bullets will gernade if people push them with hyper high charge levels, like the 150 grain "magnum" charge. I can attest that dialing back on the charge rate will still give super accuracy in most guns and will provide super terminal results using either bullet. Powder will play into this a bit since T7 and BH209 both offer way more "energy", which goes right into bullet performance, however real blacks and Pyrodex and white hots still provide sufficient energy levels to make the bullets do what they're supposed to do at ranges to 200 yards - maybe more, depending on the animal.

Way back in time when T7 pellets hit the market and guns were advertised as "magnum" guns with three pellets loads, I shot deer with those hot 3 pellet loads using both the XTP and SST bullets and things did not end well with either. Dialing back the charges to more reasonable levels though, did show very decent terminal performance with both bullets.

 

[bronko220002]

Ive had really good accuracy with the 300 gr XTPs in several rifles but my groups were just so so with the SSTs. Possibly because of the bullet design.

 

[Thumper87]

I've been hunting with the Xtp 240s for a long time and have nothing but praise for em! I'm going to be trying the 300grn Xtp out of my Accura V2 Lr as soon as warmer weather gets here!

My local place had the 240 XTPs sabots and I grabbed a pack. Also grabbed triple 7 50/50 pellets. Will be the first time shooting my Prohunter so we will see how it goes haha

 

[cherokee5425]

What load are you using with the XTP’s? I just picked up a t/c pro hunter encore and not sure what I am going to shoot yet. I’m a newb to muzzle loading.

2 Pyrodex pellets.

 

[jd24.5.48]

My local place had the 240 XTPs sabots and I grabbed a pack. Also grabbed triple 7 50/50 pellets. Will be the first time shooting my Prohunter so we will see how it goes haha

I've never shot the pellets before. I've always used Pyrodex rs and around 90-100grn with the 240s. I'm now using 80grn of blackhorn powder with the 240s and a CCI 209M primer. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.