Hornady XTP vs Steel Plate

[Jonesy814]

The weather over the weekend was finally good enough to allow some shooting. One of my targets was a quarter inch thick steel plate measuring about 8"X10" which was hung by rope from hooks in a post. When finished shooting and while gathering up target stands and all I found these bullets near the steel plate. They are 125gr XTP's loaded for 38 Special with 4.5gr of Tite Group powder and fired from a 4 inch S&W model 64. The one on the right measures 1.25" at the widest point and my powder scale which only goes to 110gr didn't even come close to weighing it. The left hand one weighed 105.5gr. I was impressed that they held together so well

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

View attachment 232294 View attachment 232295 The weather over the weekend was finally good enough to allow some shooting. One of my targets was a quarter inch thick steel plate measuring about 8"X10" which was hung by rope from hooks in a post. When finished shooting and while gathering up target stands and all I found these bullets near the steel plate. They are 125gr XTP's loaded for 38 Special with 4.5gr of Tite Group powder and fired from a 4 inch S&W model 64. The one on the right measures 1.25" at the widest point and my powder scale which only goes to 110gr didn't even come close to weighing it. The left hand one weighed 105.5gr. I was impressed that they held together so well

I absolutely love the Hornady XTP's. I use them exclusively in my .44 special handloads for a Taurus model 445 2" revolver. Last year, a friend and I did some ballistic gel tests with them using pretty light loads. I wish I still had the pictures of the expanded bullets, but, using basically a full case of Trail Boss and 250 grain XTP's, we measured just over 800 fps muzzle velocity and they expanded in the gel to about 60-75 caliber. Penetration was close to 4 inches sometimes a little more into the gel and we put a piece of regular denim cloth in front of the gel to simulate a shirt.

Factory ammo with the XTP's or proper handloads should really perform. I use them in my 18" .44 mag Encore single shot carbine as well and while we haven't done any penetration/expansion tests with those loads, I expect quite a bit more expansion and around double the penetration with them in the full house load.

Jim

 

[splattergun]

pretty spring flowers!

 

[Reloadron]

pretty spring flowers!

Yeah, they be mighty decative, mighty decative indeed.

Ron

 

[Walkalong]

Here is the backside of a plated bullet after striking AR 500 steel. If they are moving fast enough nothing remains intact.

 

[murf]

my favorite bullet!

murf