Thor Bullet Experience...

[Darryl Dunsloppy]

Interesting experience this year with Thor 300gr bullets...shot a bull at 50yds broadside, slightly back but still in lungs. Full pass through and never recovered the bullet. Exit wound was small enough to make me believe that bullet did not expand at all.

Used same set up last year...100gr by volume of Triple 7 and 300gr Thor...Shot a bull last year at 34 yds and recovered bullet in offside shoulder (was slightly qtr away shot) Full retention of weight on expanded bullet that time.

Did I not hit anything hard enough to make bullet expand this year? Not enough velocity at range? Seemed very odd to me to get no expansion. Wondering if anyone has similar experience with any ML bullet not expanding.

 

[Marbles]

I'm no help, but will give the thread a bump to say if the bullet was called Mjölnir it might have worked better.... If you could lift it.

 

[BigK421]

If those are the 300gr, they have the polymer tip. I had a similar experience with Hornady SST bullets. They are not solid copper like the Thor, they are conventional jacket/lead design with the polymer tip. Definitely did not expand, the exit hole was the same size as the entrance. I've heard from some that the polymer tip can cause problems depending on your muzzle velocity. Once it happened to me, I went back to using standard hollow point bullets. Polymer tipped bullets really aren't necessary in a muzzleloader at standard velocities. I'm sure a lot of people have had great success with them and maybe I'm not pushing them at the right speed. I've never used a chronograph to measure my muzzle velocity.

 

[KnightExtreme]

I have heard similar things about the Polymer Tipped Projectiles. I asked in another thread about using the Hornady XTP 250 Grain Hollow Point ( there are other sizes). That some say work well and have good expansion. I think some like myself buy into the polymer tip will help with expansion. Maybe it does not impact something to make it expand. But we never get 2 shots exactly the same so it is difficult to know.
I will be trying out the XTP in 2026 don't have the time to test shoot them this year going to use Parker Ballistic Extremes 275 grain. Which are polymer tip. Hope they do the job if I have the opportunity to get a shot on a Whitetail.
KnightExtreme

 

[Marbles]

I have heard similar things about the Polymer Tipped Projectiles. I asked in another thread about using the Hornady XTP 250 Grain Hollow Point ( there are other sizes). That some say work well and have good expansion. I think some like myself buy into the polymer tip will help with expansion. Maybe it does not impact something to make it expand. But we never get 2 shots exactly the same so it is difficult to know.
I will be trying out the XTP in 2026 don't have the time to test shoot them this year going to use Parker Ballistic Extremes 275 grain. Which are polymer tip. Hope they do the job if I have the opportunity to get a shot on a Whitetail.
KnightExtreme

I highly doubt a polymer tip helps expansion, the polymer is way too hard. It would have to behave like a liquid to aid expansion.

It could certainly hurt it if impact velocity is too low to force it out of the way as you basically have a plugged hollow point.

The tips help with BC.

 

[ElDiablito]

I highly doubt a polymer tip helps expansion, the polymer is way too hard. It would have to behave like a liquid to aid expansion.

It could certainly hurt it if impact velocity is too low to force it out of the way as you basically have a plugged hollow point.

The tips help with BC.

They can/do aid in expansion. This is well known. The plastic tip drives into the hollow point upon impact, causing the bullet to expand.