First-hand experiences with Barnes XPB bullets on game?

[Sergeant Sabre]

My Ruger SRH .454 with Leupold 2x scope will now be my primary hunting arm here in Michigan, USA. I am now looking at handloading options. I would like a bullet that will be adequate for elk, should the need arise (and it probably will, once it's financially feasible).

And now enter the 250gr .451" Barnes XPB. Seems kinda light for this caliber. I have spoken to Ty Herring at Barnes who asserted that this bullet is a good choice for elk and said that he has heard from customers who have used it for that purpose. He also reminded me of Barnes' two chief advertising points: Extremely high weight retention and no possibility of core-jacket separation.

But it still seems kinda light for elk. I'm sure the weight retention is high, but am I to believe that the 300gr Gold Dot, for example, will shed more than fifty grains of its wieght, and possibly shed its jacket?

I'm not convinced. So I turn to the forum(s). I have done a search on this and other forums, and have found no detailed accounts of the 250gr .451" XPB used on elk or larger game. (Perhaps that's because it's not that good of a choice. Actually, I have found painfully few reports of XPBs being used at all.).

Has anybody here had any experience with this bullet on game, especially on larger-than-whitetail game?

All comments welcome.

 

[bigmike45]

Sarge,

I have only used Hornady XTP's in my .41 mag Stainless Ruger Redhawk with a 2x Leupold scope. The combination took down a book Fallow several years ago at about 85 yards. The animal was shot broadside, with one shot through the chest/heart area. He took one step and collapsed. By the time I reached him he was no longer breathing. I have always wanted to try the Barnes bullets, due to their reputation but have never purchased any. The reason I use the XTP's was I was given some handloads a buddy made for his single action Blackhawk with the Hornady bullets to try. I used them to harvest a large Whitetail here in Texas. The loads are extremely accurate and the Whitetail dropped like a rock when shot at 48 yards. Since that first deer I have harvested over a dozen bucks and does. Only one has had to be tracked more that about 10-15 yards. He ran over 100 yards with both lungs gone.

Mike