Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry

Which bullet?

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dmanwarren
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Which bullet?

Post by dmanwarren » Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:46 pm

Hey all. I'm planning on doing a whitetail doe hunt later this week with my BBS 41 mag and hoping for some opinions on which bullet would be best. I have lots of experience in the bowhunting department with my traditional equipment but not so much with a centerfire. I have taken some does in the past with my pistol with factory JSP but I'd really like to use some loads of my own. Here are the 3 combo's that I have worked up.
1. 210 grain XTP at 1800 fps.
2. 215 grain coated SWC Missouri Bullet Co. at 1750 fps.
3. 225 grain coated RNFP Missouri Bullet Co. at 1680 fps.

I plan on shots being under 75 yards and all these loads are staying inside a 6" circle at 100 yards. For some reason the RNFP prints about 3" higher than the other 2 but I can compensate for that. Anyone with live game experience with these types of bullets I would really appreciate your input. Thanks, Dave
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JEBar
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by JEBar » Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:32 am

given proper bullet placement, all three are more than capable of taking down a deer .... my personal preference would be for the XTP's because being a jacketed bullet it can be fired at a higher speed that should give it a flatter trajectory .... I do not use XTP bullets but they are designed for hunting and have an excellent reputation for controlled expansion that makes them a solid choice for big game
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Abnermal
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by Abnermal » Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:45 am

Have used the .44 240xtp in a sabot to take several deer with a muzzleloader. Always did very well for me.
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I can remember saying I'd never own a GLOCK,never own an AR15 and never get married. I found out that never is a long,long time!

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dmanwarren
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by dmanwarren » Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:09 pm

Decided to go with the XTP, it did a wonderful job at 52 yards.
IMG_20180107_170904192.jpg
IMG_20180107_170904192.jpg (3.47 MiB) Viewed 2274 times
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JEBar
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by JEBar » Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:17 pm

nice .... how about some details about the hunt
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dmanwarren
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by dmanwarren » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:59 pm

Details..... Finally got a break from the really cold temps today so I settled into a treestand around 3:00 just off a bedding area about 150 yards away. The terrain dictates that I can get into this stand undetected with north winds which we had today. There is quite a bit of browse close to me between the bedding and feeding area so I was hoping they would mill around some if they were indeed bedded there. Within 20 minutes of getting set up I was catching movement and things were looking up. Here is a view of where I was hoping deer would come through. Took this picture back in early Dec. while I was bowhunting this stand.
IMG_20171221_154534144[1].jpg
IMG_20171221_154534144[1].jpg (6.1 MiB) Viewed 2253 times
As some might know from previous threads I set this rifle up with my dads scope that was on his favorite hunting rifle he used many years ago. Dad passed on in Dec. a year ago and as I was waiting for these deer to come in where I had shooting lanes I found my self reflecting back many years ago when we did some rifle hunting together. I wonder what he would think knowing that old scope was still being used and clear as the day he bought it. Anyways there were 7 deer all does and yearlings in this bunch and they were in no big hurry to get on out to their main feeding area. After 45 minutes of browsing along they were finally coming into the area where some shots would become possible. First was two yearlings into the clearing that I was hoping for and a few minutes later a mature doe finally hit the clearing. I had previously ranged that trail and it was 52 yrds. next to that dark Y branched tree you see in the upper center of the picture. Perfect distance as I was zeroed at 75 and knew 50 wouldn't be much difference.

I had watched these deer long enough that the jitters were gone and executed the shot the way I was taught so long ago. Inhale, exhale and squeeze. The bullet impacted right behind the shoulder and she bucked straight back on her rear end and momentarily went down. She got up and bolted about 30 yrds. and crashed within sight. Upon inspection during field dressing I had center punched both lungs with an entry and exit hole completely obliterating the lungs. Kind of wished the bullet would have stayed in her so I could have inspected it but it was obvious it did it's job. Then the work set in, I had to get her back across that creek and the ice was cracking pretty good when I crossed to go get her. Thankfully I remembered a drag rope so I could distribute the weight going back across. Loaded her up and headed for home, got her hung up and went inside for supper which was vegetable venison stew the wife had simmering on the stove for me. That meal was perfect for finishing off a great day. Thanks for looking, Dave
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Abnermal
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by Abnermal » Mon Jan 08, 2018 2:52 am

A wonderful story. Sounds like the results I got from my muzzleloader using the XTP. Dropped one or two in their tracks but usually they would run a few yards and crash land. Venison stew sounds wonderful. My wife won't even touch wild game. City girls!
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I can remember saying I'd never own a GLOCK,never own an AR15 and never get married. I found out that never is a long,long time!

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JEBar
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by JEBar » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:50 am

thanks for taking us along on the hunt .... I really enjoyed it .... my hope is I can one day get back out into the woods .... stories like yours are highly motivating .. 8-)
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Vaquero
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by Vaquero » Mon Jan 08, 2018 2:36 pm

Nice, and enjoyed the details.
Congrats
I myself am about to start working up a load for my Henry using a 280 gr BTB.
Gonna start around 17.0 grs of H110.
Oh and mine hasn't seen a jacketed bullet since it left the factory.

RP
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Re: Which bullet?

Post by Oksrt » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:26 pm

What load you using on the 225 missouri bullet? I just got some to try.
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