[critter]

This might just as well have gone under the revolver or under the reloading heading, but I thought it would be ok here. Mod's, move if you wish.

Gun: Ruger GP100. .357 Mag, 4" bbl
Bullet: 180 gr Hornady XTP
Powder: Blue Dot 9.5 gr
Range: 10'
Game: Feral hog (sow) 140 #
POI: Side of head half way between ear and eye--DRT!

Bullet was found just under neck skin, well expanded (appx .40 cal) back to second band (about 1/3 of bullet)

Very tasty tonight for supper! (The hog, not the bullet!)

[P95Carry]

Sounds well ''efficient''.

That load should in theory give about 1200 fps or a tad over .. (have you chrono'd?) ..... thus a useful 580 or so ft-lbs.

[critter]

No chrono but it 'seems to work' well and is quite accurate. I have recently done a lot of shooting with heavy for caliber bullets in handguns. They all seem to be quite accurate. Interesting stuff.

[P95Carry]

When I get to it .. I have some 300 grainers to cast for 44 mag and some 325's to try in the Casull - both gas checked ... I too like to go heavy .. hunting loads in particular. Have to work up the loads carefully tho.

[444]

Thanks for the real field test results. Sounds like it did a good job. Bullet held together after penetration of skull.
Very good.

[critter]

P95, both my Redhawk in .44 mag and Blackhawk Bisley LOVE hard cast 300 grainers and seem to shoot them even better with heavy loads of H110 and mag primers. Good luck with your 'heavies'.

[St. Gunner]

Used to shoot the same bullet over W296 powder a max load out of a 6 5/8" barreled Ruger Blackhawk. Those 180 XTP's really do well. I used em to shoot hogs over dogs and often after a frontal headshot would find the bullet someplace in the chest cavity even on large hogs 150lbs up to about 200lbs.

I shot a sow a few months ago that dressed 165lbs with my 4" Taurus in .357 and some factory 158gr hydrashoks. It was a running away shot out of some thick stuff, after she broke a bay and I didn't even find the sights, just squeezed off. Hit her in the ham, bullet hit the leg bone and stopped, 4" of wound cavity, bullet wrapped around the bone. I didn't expect stellar results, but that one shocked me. Range was about 15yds.
If the dogs hadn't been hot on her trail already I wouldn't have tried that shot, as it was they caught her about 50yds from the point of the shot and so I got to inspect the wound.

Had good luck with 150gr nosler sp also, don't remember which powder it might have been W231, but I wouldn't swear to it. Hit a few behind the shoulder quartering and pulled bullets out of the offside shoulder. Good performance, but not much expansion, some looked like you could load them again.

[444]

I would love to get in on some of this hog hunting.
How would someone from out of state go about it ?
I have a bunch of handguns sitting here chomping at the bit.