450Bushmaster.net

Anyone loading these? 45 Caliber (0.452") 300gr HP/XTP

Brownells has them in stock.........45 Caliber (0.452") 300gr HP/XTP 50/Box for $19

Welcome Aboard OM!

For the most part we recommend the Magnum version of the XTP's, due to the velocity produced in the 450b versus a handgun. The non-Magnum versions are more appropriate for handgun velocities.

The 300gr Magnum P/N is 45235 and are available from Midway for $25.99

Hoot

Thanks for the insight, I'll look into the Magnums.
I recently purchased a Bushmaster XM15-E2S and trying to get a grasp on reloading for it. Not a lot of info out there compared to the other calibers I reload for. Finding most of my info reading through your forum here.
My goal is to get a subsonic hunting load (suppressed 16" bbl)

Thanks and Merry Christmas

If you go with the 300 grain XTP mag you won't have any expansion at subsonic velocities. I seem to be the only one advocating for the regular XTP. It actually does very well at 1900 fps.

This is not true for the 250 grain XTP. One would be much better off with the 240 grain mag version.

Rklenke wrote:

This is not true for the 250 grain XTP. One would be much better off with the 240 grain mag version.

Yes, and no. I know a guy who is pushing the 250 XTP to excessive velocity in a T/C Encore 460 S&W and having devastating results on deer. It depends on what you want from it.

s4s4u wrote:

Rklenke wrote:

This is not true for the 250 grain XTP. One would be much better off with the 240 grain mag version.

Yes, and no. I know a guy who is pushing the 250 XTP to excessive velocity in a T/C Encore 460 S&W and having devastating results on deer. It depends on what you want from it.

Rifling twist rates on a pistol versus a rifle or a carbine are two different animals.
Just saying there may be other factors.

s4s4u wrote:
Yes, and no. I know a guy who is pushing the 250 XTP to excessive velocity in a T/C Encore 460 S&W and having devastating results on deer. It depends on what you want from it.

I suppose I should have clarified what I meant about not working well. I had decent accuracy at about 2300 fps with the 250s, and devastating expansion. However that bullet shed almost all of i's weight, meaning shallow penetration. This undoubtedly would leave some extreme damage broad side on a deer, but I personally would rather have the option for increased penetration for a quartering shot if needed.

That's all I meant by it, the bullet itself shoots just fine.

the concern of poor performance when metal meats meet is valid.. but some of these bullets need to be used with caution in this caliber due to the pressure limits they were designed to withstand.


the 250 xtp (#45200) for example is designed as a 45 LC bullet and engineered to operate in those pressure ranges. when you bump the chamber pressure up, the base of the bullet becomes at risk for deformation on firing and and potentially bulge the base of the bullet and wedge it (and the brass holding it) into the sides of the chamber causing a (possibly) catastrophic pressure spike as the bullet wont move down the barrel like its supposed to.

now again, since this thread is about subsonic usage - that becomes less of a safety concern, but one should always proceed with extreme caution when venturing outside of the design parameters of any component.

Do you have any first or second hand knowledge of that ever happening, or is it all theoretical?

that comes direct from hornady tech support - buddy of mine had found a bunch of the 250 xtp (#45200) cheap and asked about them.. i didnt know so i went to the people who did - hornady

here's a screenshot of THEIR response.






generally speaking - i do everything in my power to share information that to the best of my knowledge is accurate. obviously we can all be proven wrong even with our best efforts in play, but i'm not the type of guy to make something up because i'm biased against something.

so to answer your question directly - no i've never experienced that circumstance happening. so yes to me its all theoretical.

But i'm betting its safe to say that if hornady is giving out that kind of warning about one of their products - they probably did in their testing at some point. which is probably why the bullet doesnt show up anywhere in their manuals for the 450bushmaster even though its the right diameter and weight class for the caliber.