54 Cal Conicals/Hornady Great Plains?

[ShooterAZ]

I'm trying out some different stuff for my 54 Deerstalker. I bought a couple of different style/weight of Powerbelts, they shoot very accurately, but I've been reading some reports on them failing on game. The 54 425gr Hornady Great Plains also shoots quite well and shows some promise. This would be for AZ Mule deer/Elk hunting. The one thing that concerns me about this one is that it is a hollow-point. Do any of you guys use the Hornady Great Plains? If so, what has been your experience? 90 gr of Goex 2F is an accurate, powerful load in my Deerstalker.

[wgr]

if that combo. shoot good go for it . there is not deer are elk it wont put down

[Omnivore]

What wgr said. There's no way a slug of that mass is going to "fail" to do its job. The most accurate load is the one to use in your case.

I use a 50 cal Deerstalker on our Northwest white tail, with 110 grains Goex pushing a tightly patched round ball. I do not consider that load to be underpowered at all for deer. For elk I might want to go to a heavier projectile, but I'd have every confidence in it if I had a good, broadside shot at under 100 yards. Full penetration through the heart/lung area is NOT a lot to ask—That’s soft tissue and light bone.

It's those quartering shots where you need more penetration, but I measured (by sticking my ram rod through the would path after the deer was skinned) 25 inches of penetration with my round ball load. I had hit a muscular, mature buck at about 85 yards in a quartering away shot. The ball (that’s 180 grains of lead) hit the near hip, penetrated that, went all through the guts, busted the liver, passed through the diaphragm, through the far lung, busted a rib on the far side on the way out and stopped just under the hide. I had another, more broadside shot bust the heavy bone in the off-side shoulder and then exit. I have every confidence in that load for deer at under 100 yards.

It’s not always predictable though. Strange things can and do happen, but your far heavier slugs WILL penetrate better than my PRBs, meaning you have a good deal of extra margin.

Which ever load gives you the most confidence in hitting where you aim is therefore the correct load.