450Bushmaster.net

So, I'm new to reloading the 450. I've been reading many of your guys posts to gain some knowledge , tips and tricks to reloading this bad boy! I haven't noticed anyone loading the 200 xpb, is there a reason not to? Does anyone have any comprehensive load data? Any suggestions on other bullets( preferably barnes)? Or other solid coppers? I will be loading this for a deer hunting round and would like to think it would be an awesome hunting round! Thanks in advance.

Welcome aboard OM;

The Barnes 200gr XPB, IMHO, is the perfect round for the standard 1:24 barrels most of us have. I have done extensive testing with it including water shots simulating hits out as far as 195yds. Using Lil Gun and Rem 7 1/2 primers from a 20" barrel, it safely achieved 2500fps. To present an analog to that performance, that beats a 30-06 pushing the same weight bullet and who would dispute the knockdown reputation of the venerable 30-06? Due to differences in BC, the 200gr XPB bullet in the 450b does not have anywhere near the long range ballistic performance of the same weight bullet in a 30-06, but then when hunting out past 100yds of northern Minnesota bush, I myself would grab a different caliber anyway. Plentty of kills with the 450b have been made by other members out past where I stop using my 450b, but that is a matter of personal preference. Here are some links but let me give you my favorite image of the 200 XPB "ammo porn" from a water shot:



That test is covered in Part 1 of my testing. Here's a link to a final post listing links to 4 Parts of previous testing I did. They are all good reading so grab a cup of coffee ad have at it. The last link simulates water shot results further downrange. I might also mention that testing was done with the 275 XPB also.

XPB Testing Meta Link.

Enjoy and use Google to search this forum for other already plowed ground. Fomat your search query beginning with site:450bushmaster.net which tells google to look specifically at our forum for contents with the search terms you add to it. That works for any forum.

Hoot

man that's a pretty bullet

devious169-
Welcome to the 450B forum. We hope you will find helpful info here, and be able to contribute helpfully from your own experience.

For your specific question about loads for the 200-geain XPB, the best starting place is the data set from Lyman. Data for the 450B with the 200-gr XPB is included in the 50th edition of the Lyman Handbook. (See illustration below.) It's tested data produced by a reputable and reliable source.

If you are using the Hornady dies and have not worked with a 4-die set previously, be sure to seek out the numerous threads about the problems associated with the set. The problems are due to Hornady's not making the effort to produce a usable instruction pamphlet for the 450B die set.

Because the 200-grain XBP is a little lighter than usual, be sure to read threads in the forum on how to crimp the bullet for best powder burn and accuracy.

Here's a thread from 2011 about the 200-grain XPB that includes a post I wrote listing some prior informative threads: Barnes XPB 200 Grain

In addition to the links provided in Hoot's meta-link post, here are some other threads about this bullet you might find to be helpful:

• 200gr xpb and h110
  
  
• using 200 grain bullits in 450
  
  
• 450B Lead-Free Loaded Ammo - Available?

Let us know how these bullets work for you.
--Bob
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.image linked from midwayusa

After all the info that hoot and pitted bore have given,I think I may put the 200 xpb on the back burner for now. With saying this what would you fellas recommend for ethical kills out to 300 yds?

Barnes 275 TSX has a minimum velocity of 1200fps. So if you can (safely) push it past 2100fps, that should get you 300yds or so, depending on some variables.

I was digging through some old info on remington hog hammers. Apparently a few years ago they loaded them with 275 tsx bullets and pushed them 2140. Too bad they are non - existent. I'd really like to of bought a box just to have a few on hand for checking against reloads.

devious169 wrote:After all the info that hoot and pitted bore have given,I think I may put the 200 xpb on the back burner for now. With saying this what would you fellas recommend for ethical kills out to 300 yds?

It depends on what your are shooting. Check a ballistic calculator for the energy left at that distance. It may not be enough for a big deer. At 200 yards, it is not enough for an elk. Ask me how I know. That's in addition to being able to compensate for the drop at 300 yards.

devious169 wrote:I was digging through some old info on remington hog hammers. Apparently a few years ago they loaded them with 275 tsx bullets and pushed them 2140. Too bad they are non - existent. I'd really like to of bought a box just to have a few on hand for checking against reloads.

devious169-
My memory is often faulty (ask my wife), but I cannot recall that Remington ever released Hog Hammer ammo in 450B for retail sale. They published ballistic info, and assigned it a product number (#27706), but I never read any reports on this forum or elsewhere of actual sale and follow-up field reports.

Remington produced some trial pre-production ammo that was used by some writers for publicity. There's a still-active link to such an article in this thread from 2014: Recent article.

Midway still lists it on their site, but shows "discontinued". If you look closely, the image of the ammo shows it's a box of 30-06.

If any forum members know of a box actually purchased in a retail store or online, I'll be happy to be corrected.
--Bob