454 Casull & 350lb Boar

2471 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Mike C, Mar 3, 2003

Varmint Hunter

Discussion Starter · Mar 1, 2003

I am new to the board but have been shooting for 20 years.
I have a SRH 454 being delivered just in time for a boar hunt. The outfitter has many 350lb boar at his location and I hope to be able to take one with this gun.
I am accustom to heavy 44mag loads and will start with moderate loads in the 454. At moderate velocities, which bullet will be best for this critters, Hornady 240 XTP MAG, Hornady 250 XTP, Hornady 300 XTP MAG? These are the bullets that are being shipped with my dies. I liked the Nosler 260 Partition but they were not available when ordering. I have very little time to put this together so will use one of the three bullets mentioned.
Your opinion?
Thanks VH

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Graybeard

· #2 · Mar 1, 2003

The Hornady 250 XTP is NOT made for the pressures or velocity level of the .454 Casull. I'd advise against it's use. Of those mentioned I'd go with the 300 XTP. BUT I don't think any JHP is the proper medicine for a 350 pound hog.

The Freedom Arms bullets (both of them) and the Sierra JSP are hard bullets better suited to such use if jacket bullets are what you wish to use. Me I'd use a hard cast.

GB

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Varmint Hunter

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 1, 2003

GB,

I thought that the XTP MAG bullets were very tough and resisted expansion. I was a little concerned that they wouldn't open at all. Have you had any bad experience with the XTP MAG's on big hogs?
It's not too late and I can get some 300gr hard cast bullets from Cast Performance if its necessary.

Funny thing is that my hunting buddy is shooting regular 300gr XTP's from a 44mag rifle. Uh-oh :roll:
VH

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MS Hitman

· #4 · Mar 2, 2003

Most jacketed bullets (read hollowpoints) will not penetrate to the level you need on big hogs, especially big bad hogs. The Freedom Arms JSP are designed to penetrate and function at the operating pressures generated by this round. The XTP-mags have a heavier jacket that will resist blowing up in the forcing cone, but if you hit a bone or heavy gristle shield, it most likely will open up and your penetration go south. The XTPs are great on thin skinned game such as deer.

You will get better penetration from a hard cast flat point bullet traveling around 1200 fps than you will from an XTP at around 1500 fps. Penetration adn ability to break bones is what you need to do on this type of game.

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Mike C

· #5 · Mar 2, 2003

Hogs

MS Hitman hit the nail on the head, faster isn't always better or even neccesary. The "need" for tougher bullets in pistols and rifles has come about because of the high velocity loadings now days.

In the 80's I shot many thousand 250xtp's out of the 454, back then it was considered a reasonably priced premium bullet. I saw that if I went above 27gr of 2400 the accuracy went away, it was the bullet distorting in the cylinder gap from pressure that was above the design limit.

Revolvers do not have enough velocity for much shock effect unless you are shooting some kind of frangible bullet like the glaser safety slug, but they are useless on game. If you stay around 1250 fps even a soft bullet will kill game cleanly. Consider that the american buffalo was hunted to near extinction with soft lead bullets @ 1300fps at the muzzle and they were shooting through them way way out there.

I shoot cast becasue they are cheap and good, I load to a velocity that is comfortable to shoot so I am comfortable shooting a couple hundred in an afternoon's practice. That way when you get a shot you will be good enough to instantly shoot your pig right in the eye. Oh by the way I have killed no less than 50 hogs with a .44 special charter arms firing a cast 250 @ 900fps that way. It's a lot easier to run after dogs with a little gun in your back pocket than a big revolver in any kind of a holster.

Mike C

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Varmint Hunter

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 2, 2003

Since I am only shooting 350lb hogs and not 2,000lb buffalo :grin: ; I figured that the right bullet at moderate Casull speed would be sufficient and allow for a quick follow-up shot if necessary.
Was able to get some Swift 300gr A-Frame bullets which should provide the best of both worlds, expansion & penetration. However, I would like to shoot them at about 1,300 ft/sec if that is enough to get the job done humanely.
Could you suggest a load that may be appropiate? Handgun is a SRH 7.5". I have Win 296 and Hodgdon Lil'Gun on hand which should work for this combo. H110 is on backorder :?
VH

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thomas

· #7 · Mar 2, 2003

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thomas

· #8 · Mar 2, 2003

Mike C

What revolver were you using in the 80's?
Seems most any revolver chambered for a 454 back then was a modified ruger or a Very top of the line firearm.
I have one based on a modified ruger.
Which was yours?
My ruger would no way handle that load.
Also as far as Expansion? I have not had a 300 XTP blow up in on a Boar
I have only taken them to 300lbs but the 300XTP mag is a Hard bullet that does not expand well. For deer hunting I use a 240 since the 300 only punches a clean hole more like a Hard cast.
tom

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Mike C

· #9 · Mar 3, 2003

454

Thomas: I bought one of the first FA's that came as a field grade model, It cost $835.00 if I remember correctly. That revolver has well over 40,000 rounds through it so far. Only failure has been one trigger return spring which broke about two years ago. I did have a new barrel installed last year, the original was eroded at the forcing cone a bit.

I have never had bullet failure either Thomas, anything I ever hit well laid right down. Hogs where we hunt in the palmettos with dogs are shot at usually less than 30 feet, aim for the eye and you get the brain.

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