Moderator: MudBug
AboveTheBest wrote:We gave up on the FTX’s after not recovering a few and getting pass-thru’s. They might be great on bears or hogs, but we didn’t like them so well on deer.
Now we load up Non-Magnum XTP 250’s and have had nothing go more than 20-yards, most just drop instantly.
AboveTheBest wrote:We gave up on the FTX’s after not recovering a few and getting pass-thru’s. They might be great on bears or hogs, but we didn’t like them so well on deer.
Now we load up Non-Magnum XTP 250’s and have had nothing go more than 20-yards, most just drop instantly.
fox400 wrote:My personal experience with the factory ammo has been absolutely terrible!! Between my father and I, we have killed over half a dozen Michigan whitetails with the factory FTX bullet and we'll never use them again. My boss also had very similar experiences, as have a lot of friends of mine that use the factory rounds. Deer shot from 40 yards out to 144 yards....bullets did not pass through, very little blood trail, and extreme fragmentation. My boss drilled a buck at 40 yards, I saw the pictures after he skinned it, it was a picture perfect shot. About 2 inches behind the should, mid to slightly below mid body in height, broadside shot. The bullet exited...twice. One piece come out about 2 inches back from the entrance hole, the other piece exited back towards the front of the hind quarter and tore a 4" gash in the stomach on its way out. It killed the deer, but that's not the kind of performance he was expecting and field dressing the deer was not a very pleasant experience.
As for my father and I....we need expansion, not fragmentation and we need the bullet to pass through the animal for an optimal blood trail where we hunt. The deer we have killed with the factory ammo all died, but no exit wound, for us, and finding pieces of bullet all over inside of the deer is not the kind of thing we want out of bullet performance. In my opinion...the FTX bullet would be great for coyotes, but not for deer. I've since started reloading and my father and I have had excellent success with my hand loads.
Thom28 wrote:fox400 wrote:My personal experience with the factory ammo has been absolutely terrible!! Between my father and I, we have killed over half a dozen Michigan whitetails with the factory FTX bullet and we'll never use them again. My boss also had very similar experiences, as have a lot of friends of mine that use the factory rounds. Deer shot from 40 yards out to 144 yards....bullets did not pass through, very little blood trail, and extreme fragmentation. My boss drilled a buck at 40 yards, I saw the pictures after he skinned it, it was a picture perfect shot. About 2 inches behind the should, mid to slightly below mid body in height, broadside shot. The bullet exited...twice. One piece come out about 2 inches back from the entrance hole, the other piece exited back towards the front of the hind quarter and tore a 4" gash in the stomach on its way out. It killed the deer, but that's not the kind of performance he was expecting and field dressing the deer was not a very pleasant experience.
As for my father and I....we need expansion, not fragmentation and we need the bullet to pass through the animal for an optimal blood trail where we hunt. The deer we have killed with the factory ammo all died, but no exit wound, for us, and finding pieces of bullet all over inside of the deer is not the kind of thing we want out of bullet performance. In my opinion...the FTX bullet would be great for coyotes, but not for deer. I've since started reloading and my father and I have had excellent success with my hand loads.
What bullets are you using in your reloads?
I've had results similar to yours when using the factory ammo. I think Hornady would be smart to come out with a bonded bullet in 45 caliber.
fox400 wrote:,,,snip,,, I doubt I'll switch from the TSX, but I like to try new loads for no reason other than to try them.lol
Hoot wrote:fox400 wrote:,,,snip,,, I doubt I'll switch from the TSX, but I like to try new loads for no reason other than to try them.lol
You're in good company here Fox.
Hoot
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