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riverratt · September 15, 2021, 05:06 AM

I'm not familiar with the cast offerings you listed but I'll weigh in with what experience I've had.

I've used 230gr +p in a .45 ACP and 180gr in .40 S&W to take a few deer. Both were XTP bullets and of the three deer I shot none had an exit wound (2 with the .45 and 1 with the .40) on 2 of the deer the expanded round came to rest against the ribs on the opposite side and the other resting just under the hide. The 10mm giving higher velocity may provide a bit more penetration or it may give the same penetration but expand a bit more. Either way none of these deer left anything remotely close to what I would call a trackable blood trail but died inside of a hundred yards.

I've killed several deer with a 265gr .43 cal rnfp traveling at 1300 fps out of my .44. The blood trails are short and typically good, always a full passthrough.

I've also taken 1 deer with a 158gr rnfp out of my 9mm traveling at 1000fps. Full passthrough with a marginal blood trail of about 75 yards or so. If it were me I'd choose one of the hardcast bullets if they shot good but that's just my opinion.

September 15, 2021, 05:06 AM	#5
riverratt Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2014 Posts: 314	I'm not familiar with the cast offerings you listed but I'll weigh in with what experience I've had. I've used 230gr +p in a .45 ACP and 180gr in .40 S&W to take a few deer. Both were XTP bullets and of the three deer I shot none had an exit wound (2 with the .45 and 1 with the .40) on 2 of the deer the expanded round came to rest against the ribs on the opposite side and the other resting just under the hide. The 10mm giving higher velocity may provide a bit more penetration or it may give the same penetration but expand a bit more. Either way none of these deer left anything remotely close to what I would call a trackable blood trail but died inside of a hundred yards. I've killed several deer with a 265gr .43 cal rnfp traveling at 1300 fps out of my .44. The blood trails are short and typically good, always a full passthrough. I've also taken 1 deer with a 158gr rnfp out of my 9mm traveling at 1000fps. Full passthrough with a marginal blood trail of about 75 yards or so. If it were me I'd choose one of the hardcast bullets if they shot good but that's just my opinion.