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Hello all,

I recently purchased what what described as the Hornady 300 gr XTP Mag but after I received them they were not the mag version and the retailer would not accept a return. The Hornady only lists the MAG version on their load tables, I asked Hornady if it was still possible to use these instead and they suggested that I use the Mag version but didn't exactly say that I couldn't use these. Which I can understand since they don't want to take liability for something they don't publish load data on. Does anyone have any experience with loading the 300gr XTP that can verify that the bullet safe for the BM?

Any help appreciated.

It will work just fine. They also don't "recommend" using the 250 XTP but I do and it is both accurate and devastating on thin skinned game. The MAG XTP's are so tough that they often suffer from lack of expansion at further distances as velocity slows.

Thanks s4s4u I appreciate the info, nice to know I can use them.

I was looking through another post that you made about the 250gr XTP (http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16989&p=64687&hilit=300+xtp+300+grain+XTP+#p64687) where Texas Sheepdawg mentioned the jackets being weaker on the non mag XTP and whether they could hold up in the faster 1:16 twist rate. The twist rate of my barrel is 1:16, should I be concerned? I was going to start on the low side of a powder charge, as suggested by Hoot on another post, for my load development since most load data is recorded from a 1:24 twist barrel. But is that going to help the weaker jacket issue?

SoCal Shooter wrote:I was looking through another post that you made about the 250gr XTP (http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16989&p=64687&hilit=300+xtp+300+grain+XTP+#p64687) where Texas Sheepdawg mentioned the jackets being weaker on the non mag XTP and whether they could hold up in the faster 1:16 twist rate. The twist rate of my barrel is 1:16, should I be concerned? I was going to start on the low side of a powder charge, as suggested by Hoot on another post, for my load development since most load data is recorded from a 1:24 twist barrel. But is that going to help the weaker jacket issue?

There are other factors that come into play with jacket shedding, such as how sharp and jagged are the edges of the rifling. That's where the jacket gets cut to the extent that excessive RPM's may make them come apart. As long as you are not using electro-plated, thin jackets, I doubt that you need to worry. Add to that the lower velocity of heavier bullets and your only concern will be how they perform once they hit your quarry. Given how this caliber sheds velocity over distance, they may wind up being an asset with longer shots.

Hoot

SoCal Shooter wrote:I was looking through another post that you made about the 250gr XTP (http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16989&p=64687&hilit=300+xtp+300+grain+XTP+#p64687) where Texas Sheepdawg mentioned the jackets being weaker on the non mag XTP and whether they could hold up in the faster 1:16 twist rate. The twist rate of my barrel is 1:16, should I be concerned? I was going to start on the low side of a powder charge, as suggested by Hoot on another post, for my load development since most load data is recorded from a 1:24 twist barrel. But is that going to help the weaker jacket issue?

The XTP lacket is thinner than the MAG jacket, but it is not "thin". Granted my barrel is a 24 twist and my buddy who has been using the XTP's in his 460 has a 20 twist, but I doubt a 16 is going to shed the jacket. Shoot them into some water jugs and see what they look like, you aren't going to hurt anything. The 300 will be going slower than the 250 so RPM's will be even less.

Hoot wrote:

SoCal Shooter wrote:I was looking through another post that you made about the 250gr XTP (http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16989&p=64687&hilit=300+xtp+300+grain+XTP+#p64687) where Texas Sheepdawg mentioned the jackets being weaker on the non mag XTP and whether they could hold up in the faster 1:16 twist rate. The twist rate of my barrel is 1:16, should I be concerned? I was going to start on the low side of a powder charge, as suggested by Hoot on another post, for my load development since most load data is recorded from a 1:24 twist barrel. But is that going to help the weaker jacket issue?

There are other factors that come into play with jacket shedding, such as how sharp and jagged are the edges of the rifling. That's where the jacket gets cut to the extent that excessive RPM's may make them come apart. As long as you are not using electro-plated, thin jackets, I doubt that you need to worry. Add to that the lower velocity of heavier bullets and your only concern will be how they perform once they hit your quarry. Given how this caliber sheds velocity over distance, they may wind up being an asset with longer shots.

Hoot

Thanks for the clarification Hoot, I appreciate your input.

s4s4u wrote:

SoCal Shooter wrote:I was looking through another post that you made about the 250gr XTP (http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16989&p=64687&hilit=300+xtp+300+grain+XTP+#p64687) where Texas Sheepdawg mentioned the jackets being weaker on the non mag XTP and whether they could hold up in the faster 1:16 twist rate. The twist rate of my barrel is 1:16, should I be concerned? I was going to start on the low side of a powder charge, as suggested by Hoot on another post, for my load development since most load data is recorded from a 1:24 twist barrel. But is that going to help the weaker jacket issue?

The XTP lacket is thinner than the MAG jacket, but it is not "thin". Granted my barrel is a 24 twist and my buddy who has been using the XTP's in his 460 has a 20 twist, but I doubt a 16 is going to shed the jacket. Shoot them into some water jugs and see what they look like, you aren't going to hurt anything. The 300 will be going slower than the 250 so RPM's will be even less.

I'll give that a try and see what the results are. If anything out of the ordinary happens I'll post an update to this thread. Thanks for the advise, I'm new to loading BM so I'm taking my time gathering information so I get it right.

The 300gr XTP version has the same as the construction as the 250gr XTP, and 300gr mag the same as the 240gr mag. Both just longer in length.

Al in Mi wrote:The 300gr XTP version has the same as the construction as the 250gr XTP, and 300gr mag the same as the 240gr mag. Both just longer in length.

Thanks for the picture Al, it puts the jacket thickness in perspective. It's not much thinner then the Mag but substantially thicker than the Speer in the middle. The barrel is new but I plan to run some Hornady 250gr black through it for testing before moving to hand loaded ammo. I'm thinking that should smooth out the rifling.