Loading for hunting with a pistol carbine.

[AJC1]

Based on what little information there is in sales adds, do people here load with jsp over jhp bullets for hunting medium game. The theory they pitch is an in between a fmj and a jhp. Is this realistic and does it actually play out like they say. I could only guess that the added velocity of a carbine/levergun would help, is the goal still to push them as hard as possible for good terminal performance. I haven't seen any charts for optimal performance like I have saved for the xtp series.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The only PCC’s I use are .357 and I look for a wide flat nose or a Spitzer Soft Point I can drive to around 900fps at 150yds. I do not push for maximum velocity, I load specifically for that velocity range with a150yd zero and a dead-on first-shot hit inside a hand-span at that range. I’ve never seen any sense in putting velocity over accuracy in a hunting load.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Don't know how this correlates to PCC. But my brother has a 11" barreled 44 mag. He gets better results from Hornady 240 FN than 240XTP. Both equal dead deer. But he gets less destruction from the FN.
In 9mm I would look for a 147 hollow point. It needs all the help it can get. I've seen the standard 40 tcfp drop hogs like a rock. This is from a compact pistol. The carbine velocity will only help it. If I run hollow points in handguns. I like heavy ones to ensure penetration. I used to go the other way. But had poor results from high velocity light bullets.

 

[AJC1]

Don't know how this correlates to PCC. But my brother has a 11" barreled 44 mag. He gets better results from Hornady 240 FN than 240XTP. Both equal dead deer. But he gets less destruction from the FN.
In 9mm I would look for a 147 hollow point. It needs all the help it can get. I've seen the standard 40 tcfp drop hogs like a rock. This is from a compact pistol. The carbine velocity will only help it. If I run hollow points in handguns. I like heavy ones to ensure penetration. I used to go the other way. But had poor results from high velocity light bullets.

Well sierra has the jsp which I currently have loaded, a jhp which looks like a standard SD bullet and a jhc which if I were to guess would be like the xtp mag with a higher antimony core. I'm not chasing velocity per sei other than to ensure I'm getting the bullet in its properly functioning window.
https://www.sierrabullets.com/product-category/protect-specialty/page/2/

 

[ballman6711]

I like the Sierra jsp in my 357 pistol, and wouldn't hesitate to use that bullet on an animal of reasonable size, especially if run through a rifle. I have on a few occasions used my 357 lever gun to hunt deer, using a 158gr jsp bullet, but I never got a shot at one. I wouldn't personally use a hp bullet for hunting unless I had no other option (think survival) since I feel they would expand too fast and may not penetrate to the vitals.

chris

 

[EricBu]

Based on what little information there is in sales adds, do people here load with jsp over jhp bullets for hunting medium game. The theory they pitch is an in between a fmj and a jhp. Is this realistic and does it actually play out like they say. I could only guess that the added velocity of a carbine/levergun would help, is the goal still to push them as hard as possible for good terminal performance. I haven't seen any charts for optimal performance like I have saved for the xtp series.

I've hunted with 357, 44, and 45 Colt, and 50 BW (which I've included, because it uses handgun bullets). I've always either used a hard cast RNFP, SWC or JSP. I'm not a fan of HPs, as they really come apart and shed lead everywhere if you hit bone, and the few times I've been on a hunt where JHPs were used on medium game, where it didnt' hit bone, it also didn't expand at all and the HP was full of hide. When I raised pigs, I killed them with 38 FMJ or hard cast +P wadcutters, because the JHP would splatter on their tough skulls with 38 and there'd be pieces of copper and lead all over the dam place, and not penetrate, nor put them down quick, but the fmj or WCs would punch a neat clean .38 caliber hole straight through their skull, without coming out the other side. 357 was too messy at muzzle distance. I'd also use something like the barnes buster or other encapsulated bonded flat point bullet. The solid copper and brass offerings seem interesting as well. 44 Mag, 45 Colt, and 50 BW will all take elk at reasonable ranges, though I've only used Tier 2+ loads in 45 Colt for this.

 

[Palladan44]

From my experience with JSP out of 357 mag handgun, they act more like FMJ ammo then they do any hollow point. Of course if you hit bone, it mushrooms but at handgun velocities, if you miss a rib you may get FMJ- like performance out of it, which is not ideal. Without the hollow point to generate hydraulic pressure to begin opening in soft tissue, the JSP can sometimes not expand much at all.

In 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum, I just Use plain Ole Hornady XTPs (158gr and 240gr respectively)and they expand reliably every time, and get good penetration, the 44 has sometimes exited the other side. The 357 I don't believe ever has.

My next choice in line after XTPs would be standard weight LSWCs of hardness 15 -18 They also do the job very well on deer sized game.
I personally don't see the need for JSP in handgun rounds when there are XTPs and LSWCs out there, out of handgun velocities that is.

I could see the merit of JSP ammo out of rifles/carbines with higher velocities to achieve great mushrooming and deep penetration.

 

[AJC1]

From my experience with JSP out of 357 mag handgun, they act more like FMJ ammo then they do any hollow point. Of course if you hit bone, it mushrooms but at handgun velocities, if you miss a rib you may get FMJ- like performance out of it, which is not ideal. Without the hollow point to generate hydraulic pressure to begin opening in soft tissue, the JSP can sometimes not expand much at all.

In 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum, I just Use plain Ole Hornady XTPs (158gr and 240gr respectively)and they expand reliably every time, and get good penetration, the 44 has sometimes exited the other side. The 357 I don't believe ever has.

My next choice in line after XTPs would be standard weight LSWCs of hardness 15 -18 They also do the job very well on deer sized game.
I personally don't see the need for JSP in handgun rounds when there are XTPs and LSWCs out there, out of handgun velocities that is.

I could see the merit of JSP ammo out of rifles/carbines with higher velocities to achieve great mushrooming and deep penetration.

I do intend to use a carbine, so that is my condrum. I did crono a 158 jsp at 1750 but I was not velocity chasing, I just happen to measure the top two loads at a friend's house because he had a crono handy. It's the only load out of that gun I've measured so I don't know if faster is reasonable with a different powder.