40CAL 155gr MONTANA GOLD-NO EXPANSION?

SQUAREKNOT · August 23, 2010, 03:27 PM

I lined up 5 one gallon milk jugs full of water and fired a 155gr Montana Gold bullet at 1230FPS at them. I did this twice. It went through 4 of them and missed the fifth jugs. The jacket came apart in #3 and #4 partially. I recovered no slug from the jugs. All had small holes (no expansion). I do believe I recovered one slug from the gravel and it looked to be a 40cal. double ended wad cutter.
I then shot two 135gr Nosler JHP @ 1307fps and the jugs blew up!
Any one else tried this?
A friend shot a deer with the 180gr JHP in the .40 and both shot went straight through-in and out same size.

mjm · August 23, 2010, 03:52 PM

Several others had the same/similar experience. See these threads:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405165
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399262

I use their FMJ bullets.

bullspotter · August 23, 2010, 05:57 PM

I shoot tons of MT bullets, almost exclusivly in my pistols, Look at the price, I think they are more of a high end shooting bullet, not a high performing expanding hollow point bullet. If you want a superior performer you need to look at gold dot, xtp ext, not bulk bullets.

Now on the other hand, I shoot the 165 grain MT Gold HP in my 40, and the expainsion was acually impressive to me. You may want to slow them down some, they may be blowing apart at the 1230 FPS your loading them at. For SD and hunting all I carry is Gold dots, I use the MT gold for compitition shooting and plinking.

SQUAREKNOT · August 24, 2010, 07:54 AM

IF I had been awake I would have noticed that Nosler and XTP by Hornady
were about the same price if you look around a bit.
These bullets will be shot up for target work till they are gone. Thanks for the answers everyone

spencerhut · August 24, 2010, 09:11 AM

The Montana Gold JHP are not intended to expand. All Montana Gold bullets are for target shooting. Some people like JHP because they are more accurate or because there is no exposed lead in the base like you have with FMJ.

demigod · August 24, 2010, 09:39 AM

This is how the old Hornady XTP bullets used to work. The last bunch I tried expanded pretty well. But the Old XTPs wouldn't expand in bare water no matter what I did.

I carry Gold Dots or Ranger ammo anyway.... so I was just shooting the water for fun and informal research.

August 23, 2010, 03:27 PM	#1
SQUAREKNOT Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2008 Posts: 263	40CAL 155gr MONTANA GOLD-NO EXPANSION? I lined up 5 one gallon milk jugs full of water and fired a 155gr Montana Gold bullet at 1230FPS at them. I did this twice. It went through 4 of them and missed the fifth jugs. The jacket came apart in #3 and #4 partially. I recovered no slug from the jugs. All had small holes (no expansion). I do believe I recovered one slug from the gravel and it looked to be a 40cal. double ended wad cutter. I then shot two 135gr Nosler JHP @ 1307fps and the jugs blew up! Any one else tried this? A friend shot a deer with the 180gr JHP in the .40 and both shot went straight through-in and out same size.

August 23, 2010, 03:52 PM	#2
mjm Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Posts: 84	Several others had the same/similar experience. See these threads: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405165 http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399262 I use their FMJ bullets.

August 23, 2010, 05:57 PM	#3
bullspotter Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 308	I shoot tons of MT bullets, almost exclusivly in my pistols, Look at the price, I think they are more of a high end shooting bullet, not a high performing expanding hollow point bullet. If you want a superior performer you need to look at gold dot, xtp ext, not bulk bullets. Now on the other hand, I shoot the 165 grain MT Gold HP in my 40, and the expainsion was acually impressive to me. You may want to slow them down some, they may be blowing apart at the 1230 FPS your loading them at. For SD and hunting all I carry is Gold dots, I use the MT gold for compitition shooting and plinking.

August 24, 2010, 07:54 AM	#4
SQUAREKNOT Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2008 Posts: 263	IF I had been awake I would have noticed that Nosler and XTP by Hornady were about the same price if you look around a bit. These bullets will be shot up for target work till they are gone. Thanks for the answers everyone

August 24, 2010, 09:11 AM	#5
spencerhut Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 147	The Montana Gold JHP are not intended to expand. All Montana Gold bullets are for target shooting. Some people like JHP because they are more accurate or because there is no exposed lead in the base like you have with FMJ.

August 24, 2010, 09:39 AM	#6
demigod Junior member Join Date: March 13, 2008 Location: AZ Posts: 1,129	This is how the old Hornady XTP bullets used to work. The last bunch I tried expanded pretty well. But the Old XTPs wouldn't expand in bare water no matter what I did. I carry Gold Dots or Ranger ammo anyway.... so I was just shooting the water for fun and informal research.