Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Info on Hollow Points

Been trying to find some info on semi-jacketed HP�s (like Rem.) compared to the premium Sierra, Hornady HP�s for my 44mag & 45 Colt hand loads. Things like which expands easier, semi or full jacketed ? And what kind of velocities do they need to expand ?

You might want to try "Reloading-Big Game Rifles". I think they get more hits there on this subject. In general, I think they tend to recommend hard lead, non-HP bullets for big game and the jacketed and semi-jacketed for self-defense. I tend to shoot both in my .44 and .45 loads. Lead at the lower end of the velocity chain and jacketed at the top end.

If I were going hunting today with either one I'd go against tribal knowledge. I'd use the hotter, jacketed HP's just because I believe in the need for speed. But, then, I'm really not a handgun hunter and don't have any rifles in these two calibers. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Howie,

Try the Speer GoldDot JSP (not the JHPs) in your .44 Mag or .45LC carbine loads. I'd wager that you'll be mightily pleased by the terminal performance.

I shoot levers, but will probably buy a 44 mag/spcl handgun soon. I was figuring the same thing, semi-jackets would be a good personal defense bullet, but could cross over into deer, full-jacket�s would be good for deer and over to bear. And then there�s the soft-point, flat-nose. That�s the way I figured it, but I just read somewhere that Win. �Silvertip� open at very low velocity. Which makes me wonder if I have it wrong.

As for the minimum velocities. I figure if I have a load that�s groups nice and I have all the downrange velocity info, if I knew the minimal velocity in which that bullet will penetrate and expand best I�ll know the optimum range of that load.

Howie,

The Speer GoldDots are just about the catsazz for PD or hunting, IMHO. Both the JHP and the JSP versions are semi-jacketed, the difference being that the JSPs are a flat soft-point, whereas the JHPs are a flat hollow-point.

JHPs open up much faster and at lower velocities, making them better for revolvers and PD loads. The JSPs are tougher, opening up a bit slower, hanging together better at higher velocities, and penetrating more; making them better for hunting applications.

In the .44 Mag, the JSP GoldDot is about a 150 yard load; which is about the maximum accurate range of that load out of a carbine anyway (drop become SEVERE after that); the JHP out of a revolver is a solid 75+ yard round, if you're up to it.

I tried several different ammo and spoke to another 44 mag lever user and we both got the best accuracy with sjsp Magtech 240 grain ammo. They are really flat nose. I am planning on using it on deer at one location where shots will be under 100 yards. I just don't see me taking shots with open sights anywhere near 150 yards. Not flaming, just talking about myself here. Give the Magtech a try- it is dirt cheap at usually about $13 or less for a box of fifty.

Howie

If you are loading these bullets in a carbine at max then they should all expand well as they are made for pistol velocities. I have a win 94 trails end in 44 mag, and have used heavier bullets for hunting. I now use the 270gr Speer gold-dot in my Ruger deerfield, but if i wanted a real good expander i would just look to 200gr bullets. A 200gr gold-dot could probably be driven close to 2000fps out of a 20" carbine, and should hold together. Theres also the 200gr Barnes X which should penetrate as well as expand, great at those velocities.

My limited understanding on HP's limits my use of them to shooting into a target. My using them on Deer hunt: 444/rem 240 HP [for hand guns] ONE TIME, prohibits me from ever using them AGAIN.

In my humble opinion a big solid slug at a reasonable velocity is the best in all circumstances. Heaven forbid the necessity of shot placement!


My recollection about HP's: their optimum performance is within a certain range at a certain velocity. Hunting conditions seem to provide at the moment -in most cases- either too close or too far at which point performance is questionable.

My Deer hunt: shot a Doe at 100 yards using 240HP/rem. Impact right front shoulder at base of neck. HP exploded, scooped out flesh and meat leaving a crater the size of a softball in the Doe's body. When I saw the shot placement Doe should have beed dead on impact, instead she was laying on the ground scratching and clawing to get a way. She was going around in a bloody circle.

Nearly made me cry and give up hunting right then and there.... SCREW HP'S FOR HUNTING.


Handgun HP's at rifle velocities....a moral and ethical travesty using them for hunting...


Just my humble opinion.