HP/XTP vs XTP MAG

[00buck]

Howdy to the fire

I have been loading up some 45cal .452 250gr HP/XTP'S for my Marlin rifle and they shoot nice! One ragged hole groups.

I have several boxes of bullets I purchased quite awhile ago and finally got around to loading them. But I have just noticed one box is a different bullet.

It is a Hornady 45cal. 452 240gr XTP MAG. I took one out of the sealed box to compare it side by side to the 250gr HP/XTP.
I can see the cannelure sits lower on the bullet by quite a bit. Meaning if I crimp in the groove the AOL of the cartridge will be to long for me.
I'm figuring it's not worth changing my dies around and trying to taper crimp out of the groove.

Thanks for letting me bounce this off you guys.
What would you recommend?

00buck

[C. Latch]

I've heard people say the MAG is a tougher bullet but not as accurate, but I've saw pictures of very tiny groups people shot with the MAG, so I can't answer that issue for sure.

I can say, from experience using the regular 250 XTP in a smokeless muzzleloader, that at impact velocities approaching 2000' the regular 250 XTP will turn itself inside out on even ribs and lungs. They're just not made for those speeds. I mean, yeah, they'll kill deer stone dead, but don't expect an exit wound. Even on a doe.

If I were you I'd trade them. I'd say shoot them if we were talking revolvers, but if they won't feed in your rifle, trade them off. But seriously, I'd be careful shooting deer with the regular 250 XTP. Don't try any texas heart shots, for sure.

[00buck]

I hear you.. and understand :)

I have been poking around on line and found it is a tougher bullet made for higher velocities.
I recovered a few of my regular XTP'S from our sand berm and they hardly opened up. Im not loading them near max .. a grain or two lower. But it seemed the sweet spot my rifle likes.
I have plenty of the regular XTP'S so I will probably trade the XTP MAGS off like you said.
I do have .45 colt Ruger New Vaquero revolvers I use for cowboy but I only shoot cast lead cowboy loads out of them.
Thanks for the quick reply...
00buck

[Greg S]

Look at a Hornady manual or their site concerning the velocity recommendations. I think it is somewhere in the 1400 fps zone you want to move up to the XTP/Mag for stuff like the Casual, 460 S&W and lever guns.

[NSB]

I've shot just over 50 deer with .357mag using XTP bullets and they all performed well at max velocities. I've also shot somewhere around fifteen with .452 XTP's and they mushroom very nicely, but still hold up very well even at the high velocities of my Savage ML2 using smokeless powders. I've never had a bullet problem using them. I have spent a lot of bench time using both the regular XTP's and the mag XTP's, and the mag versions did not shoot as well with any load as the reg XTP's did. I know theory sounds great and I know what the box says, but the deer all dropped dead and had massive tissue damage regardless of the angle shot or the distance using the regular ones. I've got to put a lot of stock in my own extensive experience using them and not dwell too much on the internet experts opinions. FWIW, I've also shot a good many whitetails with other bullets and most of them performed very well also. What I like about the XTP's is that they are readily available, very affordable which allows a lot of bench time shooting them as opposed to paying over a buck apiece for some of the higher end ones, and since all bullets seem to work well on whitetails except some miserable/mixed experiences with PowerBelts, I see no reason not to use them.

[Tackleberry41]

The mags are simply made for higher velocities. An XTP that would expand properly at say 1000 fps out of a 45 colt, wont stay together to well if driven to 1800fps out of 454 casull. And conversely a bullet made to hold together at 454 rifle velocity, wont open very well at lower velocity. I use the HAP bullets in 460 rowland ammo as I doubt an XTP made to work at 830 fps in a 45 acp will stay together so well driven 1300fps.

The crimp groove, again they are thinking ahead. A standard XTP used in a 45 colt for example, will crimp in a different place than a XTP mag in a 454.

[C. Latch]

I've got to put a lot of stock in my own extensive experience using them and not dwell too much on the internet experts opinions

Same here. I'm not believing anyone who trusts a 250 XTP at twice the velocity it was designed for.

[00buck]

I wish I had a chronograph to see what velocity I'm getting out of my Marlin Cowboy with the 24 inch barrel.
I'll try shooting some wet newspaper and see if they are expanding. Maybe the sand berm isn't making them expand.
Also I'm loading with 2400. Maybe another powder would be better.