Who uses & likes Hornady XTP 250 Grain .452 Bullets for Whitetail Deer?

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May 17, 2025
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Do these do a good job of expanding at 50 to 100 yards? Is there a better hollow point that expends better? What sabot have you used with the Harvester Crush Rib or Premium Short Black or maybe MMP HPH 24? (Have a .50 Cal using Fed 209A Primers and BH209)
Not heard much talk about these just wondering if they are worth trying.
What is your experience if you have used them? Looking to try something different?
Thanks
Knight Extreme
 
XTP's are the original "long range" saboted ML bullet, as well as the bullet that the first smokeless ML (by Henry Ball) was designed around. They aren't the latest fad, but if your rifle will shoot them, they're tough to beat out to 200 yds, plus cheap to buy in bulk. Contrary to much popular belief, if you use a good ballistic calculator, it'll show you that there's really no advantage to a plastic tipped bullet inside of 200 yds.
 
No ballistic calculator, no chronograph but some mention that fps for some projectiles don't work well under xxxx fps, some do better at slow to medium fps. As mention my shots for the most part under 100 yards and using a Knight DISC Extreme doubt I will ever get it over 2200 fps as don't plan on using more than 100 grains by volume of BH209 Powder.
Not a history buff of how long these XTP have been around just read an article about them & seem to expand well.
Thanks for the info.
KnightExtreme
 
I’ve used them for years with Harvester sabots. I used them with 100 grains of T7, 150 grains of T7 and now with Blackhorn 209. In several rifles, they’ve been accurate and worked well. I now use the .452 FTX, but wouldn’t hesitate to use the XTP again if I had to.
 
I've killed a handful of deer with the 45/250 xtp over the years. I'll say this:

The Hornady 250 XTP will expand reliably well down into .45 Colt (Ruger pressure level) speeds.
The Hornady 250 sst designed for muzzleloaders or .450 bushmaster, doesn't expand nearly as well at slower speeds. I like to keep them above maybe 1800' or so.
The Hornady 45/300sst designed for muzzleloaders has a higher BC than the 250 sst, and will hold its speed better at longer ranges, and is in my opinion a better bullet, not because you need 300 grains to kill a deer, but because it holds its speed better. I've hit deer with them at 2400' (smokeless .50 with H4198) and they still hold together. But they won't expand down at low speeds like the plain XTP pistol bullets will.


If you're hunting within 150 yards (perhaps a little more) the XTP is perfectly sufficient.
 
As mention my range is "not" long range I would thinking anything 200 and over is long ramge as I mentioned my range distance is 50 to 100 yards at max. So I am not looking to stretch out that distance as my shooting lanes are just over 100 yards. Measure them this summer just to confirm that distance. Past that for another 50 yards are 4 ft tall field ferns and would take some "work" to take them down long term a lot of herbcide as mowing does little as they return every Spring. As I have attempted mpwing and they still return.
Just what I have tried to length my lanes...
Will have to buy a 12 pack of the XTP and see how they will group.
Also saw Precision Rifle Extreme Elite .50 Cal. 260 Grain as another hollow point. Heard good things about these but few talk about them. (from back in early mid 2000's.)
KE
 
Buy a box of Hornady XTP .452 250 grain and buy a bag of matching Harvester sabots for .452 bullets. It’s typically a lot cheaper that way.
 
Not sure you can Buy the XTP in bulk did not see them listed on the "Harvester" Website. The only Sell the .50 Cal 250 Grain in a 12 Pack. Google Search for this Bullet and also no 1 sells them in Bulk. You can get a 12 Pack for 10.99 so $00.92 each is not that bad. Why would you buy a 50 pack of Harvetser Premium Short Sabots if you might be able to just by the 12 Pack with them. Will reach out to Harvester and see what they advise. I am one not needing to buy something then by replacement Sabots just to shoot them. And They do not sell just the .50 Cal 250 Grain which are really .45 cal bullets. Just make it easy and buy them with your chosen sabot and be done...
Which if I can get tem with my chosen Sabot for the same price I will...
Thanks to all that used the XTP 250 Grain Sabots and Bullets. Will try them in 2026 too many things to get done before Deer Season... Just planning ahead...
KE
 
Not sure you can Buy the XTP in bulk did not see them listed on the "Harvester" Website. The only Sell the .50 Cal 250 Grain in a 12 Pack. Google Search for this Bullet and also no 1 sells them in Bulk. You can get a 12 Pack for 10.99 so $00.92 each is not that bad. Why would you buy a 50 pack of Harvetser Premium Short Sabots if you might be able to just by the 12 Pack with them. Will reach out to Harvester and see what they advise. I am one not needing to buy something then by replacement Sabots just to shoot them. And They do not sell just the .50 Cal 250 Grain which are really .45 cal bullets. Just make it easy and buy them with your chosen sabot and be done...
Which if I can get tem with my chosen Sabot for the same price I will...
Thanks to all that used the XTP 250 Grain Sabots and Bullets. Will try them in 2026 too many things to get done before Deer Season... Just planning ahead...
KE

Buy them in the 100 packs as handgun component bullets. I'm pretty sure I have some (and also some speer .45 250 gold dots) on my bench. The Speers open up at much lower speeds. I think they'd be explosive even at blackpowder sabot speeds.
 
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