40 S&W hollow points not expanding

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Workin Man

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I loaded up some Hornady 180gr XTP's and some 180gr Campro hollow points over 5 gr of universal. I shot these from a JR carbine at a range of about 20yds into a stack of 2x8 and 2x10 blocks. Most of the rounds made it through 3 boards and lodged into the 4th, with a few of the Campro's exiting the fourth board (in fairness there were no knots in the last board for the Campro's and the last board for the Hornady's was loaded with them). None of the recovered bullets showed any sign of expansion at all.

According to my Hornady 6th edition manual this is nearing their max load, but Lee lists as the starting load for the 180 XTP and it is just above the starting load in Lyman's manual. I think this is about as fast as I want to push the plated Campro's , but I am wondering if more velocity is the answer for the Hornady's. Or is my test media (wood) causing them not to expand ? Any thoughts, ideas or experience would be appreciated .


Thanks, Jim
 
AFAIK, Hornady XTP and Campros aren’t hollow points designed for expansion.
They’re hollow points so that you get a longer profile bullet at a lower bullet weight.

Maybe look at a bullet that has cut outs from the hollow point if you’re looking for expansion? Ie Speer Gold Dot.
 
Freedom Ventures said:
AFAIK, Hornady XTP and Campros aren’t hollow points designed for expansion.
They’re hollow points so that you get a longer profile bullet at a lower bullet weight.

Maybe look at a bullet that has cut outs from the hollow point if you’re looking for expansion? Ie Speer Gold Dot.
Click to expand...

You are right about the Campros but XTP should expand very well if within their expansion threshold. Boards are not a good medium for testing hollow-point expansion. Try bundled wet newspaper/magazines or jugs of water.
 
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B said:
You are right about the Campros but XTP should expand very well if within their expansion threshold. Boards are not a good medium for testing hollow-point expansion. Try bundled wet newspaper/magazines or jugs of water.
Click to expand...

This big time, a quality hollow point won't expand through hard medium like wood, after all you want it to expand in flesh, not wood. If you're truly curious on realistic results, craft or order some ballistic gel.
 
Thanks for the replies and advice. I don't have an a lot of old newspaper around, but I did have a couple 1 gallon jugs I could fill with water. I set the jugs up in front of a stack of boards (so the bullets could be recovered). I tested one round of the Hornady and one round of the Campro. The Hornady did expand quite a bit and stayed together well (recovered bullet still weighs 180 grs). The Campro still showed no expansion, but the bullet did not stay intact, one side sheared off. Both bullets shoot to the same point of impact, so I will run the Campro's for target shooting/plinking and IF I decide to hunt with this I will use the Hornady's. By the way, I was not aware of the fact that some hollow points were designed to give a longer profile with a lower weight. Good to know.

Thanks, Jim
 
Workin Man said:
Thanks for the replies and advice. I don't have an a lot of old newspaper around, but I did have a couple 1 gallon jugs I could fill with water. I set the jugs up in front of a stack of boards (so the bullets could be recovered). I tested one round of the Hornady and one round of the Campro. The Hornady did expand quite a bit and stayed together well (recovered bullet still weighs 180 grs). The Campro still showed no expansion, but the bullet did not stay intact, one side sheared off. Both bullets shoot to the same point of impact, so I will run the Campro's for target shooting/plinking and IF I decide to hunt with this I will use the Hornady's. By the way, I was not aware of the fact that some hollow points were designed to give a longer profile with a lower weight. Good to know.

Thanks, Jim
Click to expand...


Wet telephone books, or go to a used bookstore and fund a nice thick boock for cheap. Soak it in a bucket of water overnight.
 
Sounds like he got the results he was looking for. I use wet paper myself but water is ok too. Ballistic gel is great but very expensive. I have never found the Jello method to be much different than just plain water.
 
Just to clarify what I was thinking to begin with, my thoughts were that the boards would simulate hitting bone, like the shoulder for example. I can see the benefit of using wet paper over what I did today as it would also give an idea of the wound channel and depth of penetration at the same time. I am too damn cheap to spend money on actual ballistic gel so methods like this will have to do.

Thanks, Jim
 
Workin Man said:
Thanks for the replies and advice. I don't have an a lot of old newspaper around, but I did have a couple 1 gallon jugs I could fill with water. I set the jugs up in front of a stack of boards (so the bullets could be recovered). I tested one round of the Hornady and one round of the Campro. The Hornady did expand quite a bit and stayed together well (recovered bullet still weighs 180 grs). The Campro still showed no expansion, but the bullet did not stay intact, one side sheared off. Both bullets shoot to the same point of impact, so I will run the Campro's for target shooting/plinking and IF I decide to hunt with this I will use the Hornady's. By the way, I was not aware of the fact that some hollow points were designed to give a longer profile with a lower weight. Good to know.

Thanks, Jim
Click to expand...

What are you shooting these out of? and what are you planning on hunting with them?
 
At the link below the different manufacture and caliber bullets are tested


Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition Ballistics Test
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#40SW

Below Hornady ,40 cal 180 grain XTP fired into ballistic gelatin expanded to .50

659dff68a0463b687a1c9b18768a64a1.jpg


Below Remington .40 cal 180 grain Golden Saber expanded to .79

1c29eefb427e597c7c13c95d54fe8eb5.jpg
 
The 180 XTPs are more suited for the 10mm. Excellent expansion and penetration through all sorts of mediums. Golden sabers loaded to the same velocities peel back completely and nearly begin or do begin fragmenting. You can't have it all I guess.
 
Hornady XTPs in all calibres generally need to be driven pretty fast to get good expansion.
 
redryder said:
What are you shooting these out of? and what are you planning on hunting with them?
Click to expand...

As I mentioned in my original post, I am shooting these out of a JR carbine (non restricted semi auto rifle). I also said IF I decide to hunt with it. I will be doing some more testing at longer ranges for both accuracy and penetration before I can decide if it is even suitable for hunting. If it gets used at all, it will be for coyotes and other varmints. There is a good chance it will remain a backyard plinking rifle.

Jim
 
Workin Man said:
As I mentioned in my original post, I am shooting these out of a JR carbine (non restricted semi auto rifle). I also said IF I decide to hunt with it. I will be doing some more testing at longer ranges for both accuracy and penetration before I can decide if it is even suitable for hunting. If it gets used at all, it will be for coyotes and other varmints. There is a good chance it will remain a backyard plinking rifle.

Jim
Click to expand...

They would slam a coyote pretty good I'm thinking. Do you have a large coyote population around that area? Just curious, because I don't think there were any there many years ago.
 
It has been varying the last few years. 3 winters ago or so there was a pair that would watch me nearly every night when I was going down to the barn to feed rabbits and chickens. Unless I was carrying a gun, then they were nowhere to be seen. The winter before that most nights you could hear different packs howling back and forth to each other. They always seem to be around more in the winter than the rest of the year, though I haven't seen as many the last couple years..

Jim
 
I've shot coyotes with the Hornady Critical Defense 40s&w 165gr FTX. Expands very well and drops them like they got hit by a Mack truck.
 
Workin Man said:
What firearm were you using and at what range if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks, Jim
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Thureon Defense GA Carbine with a cheap Vortex 2-7x. I only take it out where I know shots are going to be 100 yards or less.

View attachment 208704

Groups with the Critical Defense ammo are around 2 1/2" - 2 3/4" @ 100 yrds. Plenty accurate for yotes at that range and under. Past 100 would probably still work but bullets start to drop fast and I can't be bothered guessing shots on something that's alive.

A pistol caliber carbine makes for a fun yote rifle if you can call them in fairly close.
 
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The XTP is made in several versions (different product numbers) in each caliber. Each version is designed for a certain impact velocity.

A defensive handgun could be a 3" 44SPL or a 6" 44 Mag. They should be loaded with different bullets.

If you are loading for coyotes at 75 yards, for example, get the XTP that expands well at the 75 yd velocity of your load.

The Campro is not designed to expand.

Hornady used to pack a little note in each box of bullets to remind you what velocity range is required for performance.

XTP bullets were designed for best performance at a range if impact velocities given below.
This range has been found to be optimum for maximum penetration and expansion.

#4510045 Cal-185 HP/XTP 750-1450 fps
#45140 45 Cal-200 HP/XTP 700-1250fps
#45160 45 Cal-230 HP/XTP 800-1250 fps
#45200 45 Cal-250 HP/XTP 800-1600 fps
#45230 45 Cal-300 HP/XTP 800-1700+fps
 
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