Hornady 44cal 265gr Interlock on deer..results with pic

[218bee]

154055 Worked up a load for my new TC Impact consisting of 95gr Goex 2F, CCI 209, Hornady 265 Interlock and Harvester Crush Rib sabot.
This load shot extremely well for me during my testing of my new toy this fall so I settled on it for this years deer season in Illinois. Had a comment from "Pyro-Black" (I think), where he heard these bullets do not expand well and was curious if I was able to use one on a deer how they performed.
So, opening morn I shot this young 2yr old 7pt at about 80yds. Entrance just clipped a rib, didnt break it saw where bullet just shaved a little notch in it,bullet passed thru both lungs and destroyed them, took picture of exit hole on off side. Not a great pic, deer was hanging so i taped bullet next to hole to get idea of size. Exit hole about the size of a quarter with as you can see some tissue damage to surrounding area..ie bloodshot.
Since hole is fairly round I conclude bullet did in fact expand, if it had tumbled I think more of an oblong hole.
I was confident in this load as it was accurate and even if it did not expand at all it would put a deer down if I did my part.
Oh yeah, deer ran about 30yds and did a nose dive dead.

[rodwha]

I've wondered about that Hornady .444 bullet as they have them screaming from their cartridges. I'd be interested in their FTX design but wouldn't be fast enough to expand. Figured their .44 mag bullets was about as best as could be done in that caliber.

*EDIT*

Looking at the pic (using my phone) it appears as though the bullet didn't expand or deform at all. Seems it is built for much higher velocity. Seems it behaved like a solid. And maybe that's fine as its not a small caliber...

[quilbilly]

Don't even need to use that Hornady. A few years back when I was younger and still elk hunting, I used a cast 265 gr SWC in my T/C Greyhawk on a huge lead Roosevelt cow elk from 60 yards. The last image I had before the field disappeared in blackpowder smoke was of that elk lifted completely off the ground with feet rotating skyward. Nowadays if I choose to hunt elk again with a modern firearm, I will load my 444 down to the same velocity as the muzzleloader (MV about 1650).

[218bee]

The bullet in picture is not the one fired, that bullet exited and is long gone.
I just put that next to exit hole for size comparison

[rodwha]

Ahhh, gotcha. No wonder, though it is hard to say even blown up on my phone. It gets a bit fuzzy quick.