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I just don't have the time to cast bullets these days. Hopefully, that will change in the near future but for now I really need to keep life simple and stick with jacketed bullets in my .44's. I've loaded practically all of the mainstream (Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc.) bullets but other than cast I only have experience with game (in the .44) with the 240 XTP HP and Sierra 240 JHC. The former performed exceptionally well on a good sized buck over 18.5 2400. The latter failed miserably on a large hog shot six times (and dropped violently six times) only to get up each time and travelled probably half a mile through thick brush before we lost it). It was loaded over 24 H110. I'm mighty unimpressed with the Sierra bullet on hogs as I was close enough to see every shot hit exactly where I was aiming and every round should have been instant lights out except for the first shot through the shoulder that dropped him in a creek and turned it red with blood and it should have at least been terminal. So, I really like the XTP's but I wonder how well they will hold up on hogs. The other bullet I really like is the 240 Gold Dot SP. Inthink it would be great on hogs but wonder if it would open up on deer. I haven't tried the hollow point version but it might be a good compromise. Anyhow, I'd be interested in your experiences, especially if you have one bullet that you've used on both with good results. I do understand one animal doesn't always give a full picture of a bullets general performance. I'd really like to settle on something that does well on both deer and pigs because in Texas you are likely to run into both on any given hunt. The Gold Dot/Deep Curl is a bit costly compared to the XTP's but it may well be worth it.

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And the Speer 300gr plated soft points.

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I'd have to get a taller sight from Bowen for my Redhawk though. The factory rear didn't even hardly have a slot cut for windage so I put a Bowen rear on it. It's all the way down with my 240 loads. Anything heavier would require a new sight but I will probably order one anyhow. I'm not real impressed with the front sight anyway. I don't remember my older Redhawks having such cheap sights on them. They have improved so many things but they seem to really be cutting corners on sights, at least judging by my Redhawk. The front looks like it was home cast in a homemade mold.

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suppliers out there like montana bullet works and others http://montanabulletworks.com

i believe for large game other than deer say, the cast bullet is a better more consistent option. and the prices are reasonable too.

i don't know when i will have time to cast bullets again, except occasional specialty items.

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In 45 Colt. Worked like a champ and dropped right there. Wonder if they are still in business?

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.

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made and shipped some 25/20 bullets to me while recuperating.

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but I have shot deer with the Sierra 240 at about 1150, various 240 SWCs at about that speed and the 300 grain XTP at an honest 1300+. All of them worked fine and the 300 XTP expanded some with a bad high lung hit on a good size doe. I think it would be fine on hogs but I'd be real tempted to run Hunters Supply hardcast 300's on them. It's a good accurate bullet that penetrates better than anything else I tried in a 44.

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Offers hog hunts and they provide everything. Never done it but they use Ruger 77/44's with an integral suppressor, night vision scopes and handloaded ammo running 300 XTP's @ 1050 fps and it drops them like a rock. Keith Warren has some good videos on YouTube of hunts out there. I was impressed with the performance.

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Also Creeker sells a few bullets here on board..........Mt Baldy has keith bullets as does Mr Mace over at Lead Head bullets.

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two. Sometimes it's just more convenient.

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For pigs, elk I would think you would want 300gr jacketed or heavier than 240 in hard cast.

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hogs so, in my very humble opinion, I don't think it much matters to the hog or to his demise which bullet you use as long as it is accurate. I prefer the XTP just cause it works in both the carbines and the revolver and pistol.

--
Sincerely,

Hobie

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I normally use cast in my .44s but have shot seer with 240gr XTP and they work just fine. We have used the 270gr gold dot and 300 gr SP in. Kathryn's .444 and for hogs I prefer the 300gr SP. The 270 gr Gold Dot works great on deer but penetration was lacking on a big boar. But we are talking about a MV or around 2300 FPS so it is a tough bullet.

I have done some expansion testing with the 270gr Gold dot at around 1300 FPS and I didn't get a lot of expansion, but it penetrated well. I wouldn't hesitate to try the 240gr Gold Dot SP then it should hit close to your current POA.

I am impressed with most of the Gold Dots I have tested. The only complaint I have with them is they seem to have a little narrower velocity window than something like an XTP. But if you are in that window they are hard to beat. I shot a small deer with a 230gr GD out of my Baer .45 pushed to about 950 FPS. It left a HUGE hole through the deer. Looked like a high velocity rifle wound.

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that wound track from the ACP. I may try the GD HP and see how they do. That Sierra I shot the hog with six times was truckin along pretty fast out of a 6.5" barrel and it was a fairly large hog. These days I've been staying around 18.5 grains 2400. It's mild mannered and runs around 1100 fps or so for the shorter barrel guns. That may be too slow to open a GD but it may actually help an XTP penetrate deeper on a large hog.

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Deer are easy to kill, use whatever you want, within reason. Hogs and elk are a lot tougher.

I have tried the Speer 270 on hogs, with disappointing results due to bullets coming apart and failing to penetrate.

Ditto for 240 XTPs on the elk, disintegrated bullets and poor penetration.

I've also killed a few hogs with Keith loads and have no complaints.

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I swore I'd never use a jacketed bullet again on a hog after that last fiasco. I should probably just stick to the Keith bullets. They work well on deer too.

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