Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Talk about your 450b reloading experience, ask questions, etc...

Moderator: MudBug

Forum rules
Please try and keep it safe!

This information is the responsibility of the community, not the forum. 450bushmaster.net is not responsible if you blow yourselves up.

Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby S-57 » Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:24 pm

Hello everyone Thank you for letting me join your group :D
I have a 20 inch Bushmaster upper and a Ruger American Ranch. I did some reloading a few years ago and now that Ohio will let us use the 450 and I am not happy with Hornady's performance on Deer. They are a little to explosive for me as I don't want all that lead and shrapnel in my meat. I have shot the Barnes bullets in my muzzle loader for years and really like them so I want to try reloading my own. I am hoping that Santa will bring me a Lyman Reloading Manuel and a Chronograph, I will be loading Lil'-Gun and Rem. 7-1/2 small rifle pri. I have only crimped 45acp rounds and I am not sure where to crimp or how much? I do believe that it head spaces of the mouth of the case so I don't want to crimp to much. What over all length do you guys use with this bullet? What charges of Lil'-Gun are you using? My hope is to be able to shoot one round in both guns so I guess that I will have to load for the Bushmaster upper and see how the Ruger likes them. Hornady Custom will shoot less that an inch in both guns as long as I do my part. Any other information will be much appreciated. Thank You
Merry Christmas to all and may God bless you and yours:)
S-57
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:48 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Hoot » Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:50 pm

Welcome Aboard OM!

The 200 XPB is my go-to deer load for the same reason as yours. I have had good results seating the bullet (ready for broken record?) so that the furthest forward driving band groove is barely visible peeking out of the mouth. I then drive the taper crimp down into the groove to a resulting diameter of .475 using the shortest case of the group I'm reloading, to set the crimp die height. That will net you crimps in the vicinity of .474-.475 depending upon the length of the case. To my recollection, that's a COL around 2.15-2.18 inches. Make sure you measure the crimp diameter as close a possible to the edge of the mouth.
I do that by setting my micrometer at .475 and locking it down. I then see if the lips on either side barely pass through it at the same time, as I move the bullet forward through the mic jaws. If not, I adjust the die down a fraction of a turn, lock it with the set nut and try again. I do not leave it unlocked while trying to find the setting. Those threads have slop in them. That is for my 1:24 twist AR upper. I can not advise you on a faster twist barrel such as the RAR bolt action. You'll need to find that one out for yourself through experimentation. Perfect choice in going with Lil Gun and 7 1/2's. Charge weight works across a wide range, yielding several accuracy nodes. OCW Don't go there right out of the gate, but my rifle likes 40 grains. I worked up to that starting with 36 grains and jumping up 1/2 grain per change.

Good Luck and let us know how you fare.

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby S-57 » Fri Dec 22, 2017 2:15 pm

Thank you for the warm welcome and your helpful information also for the link. There was a lot of good information there that makes sense, that I did not know. I look forward to getting started and will try to keep you updated.
S-57
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:48 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Gifters » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:29 am

Can you post some pictures of your loads, targets, deer, heck gun too
Gifters
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 7:11 am

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Al in Mi » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:51 pm

Gifters wrote:Can you post some pictures of your loads, targets, deer, heck gun too


not with the 450, but same bullet

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15508
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Bmt85 » Sat Jan 20, 2018 2:23 pm

Hoot covered it well, as usual. I did it the same way he describes and had great results. Most charge weights an inch or so, I worked up over 40gr with a stab crimp, of course I was watching everything, and it was safe in my Bushmaster upper. Ended up with cloverleaf groups, however, almost all charge weights were around an inch. The 200 xpb is a very forgiving bullet in that upper, haven't had a chance to run them in my other uppers yet.

Performance of the 200xpb is very good, too. Took a small buck at about 25yds, bullet hit a rib going in and going out, still fully expanded and a nice 1.5-2" exit wound. A lot of blood speckled with lung matter. Buck basically army crawled for I think 10yds or so. I think it's a nice option for deer and hog out to 100yds.
Bmt85
 
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed May 18, 2016 11:13 am
Location: S.E. Michigan

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Firehunter » Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:06 am

How much difference in drop at 200 yards are you guys getting with the 200 gr XPB vs. the 250 gr FTX or 275 gr XPB? Will it be effective on deer at that range (200 yards)? I just recently got my Ruger American and have started working up some loads for it.
Firehunter
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2018 11:50 am
Location: N.W. Ohio

Re: Reloading 200 grn. XPB

Postby Hoot » Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:59 am

Firehunter wrote:How much difference in drop at 200 yards are you guys getting with the 200 gr XPB vs. the 250 gr FTX or 275 gr XPB? Will it be effective at that range (200 yards)? I just recently got my Ruger American and have started working up some loads for it.


Welcome Aboard OM!

There is some good documentation for the 200 XPB in this series of threads. Links Here

In a nutshell: Loaded for the maximum safe (IMHO) velocity using a 1:24, 20" AR upper, my water shots showed a failure to expand at all on semi soft tissue hits at 200 yds. That was leaving the muzzle at 2500fps. Its still plenty lethal unexpanded, traveling at 1600fps at 200 yds. If you factor in hitting a rib or other bones, I feel that expansion will occur similar to hits in semi soft tissue at closer range.

If you are using a short carbine length AR upper (16"), the velocity and effective soft tissue expansion range will be reduced. I can not speak to what you achieve with a bolt action since having two AR uppers in this caliber, I don't need or have a bolt action variant. Where I hunt up in northern MN woods, a shot beyond 75yds would be highly unlikely unless I saw one standing in a straight stretch of logging trail on my way in and out or across a slough. If I knew that my only possible shot would be at or beyond 200 yds, I'd use a different caliber upper. I'm not stuck with just one caliber up where I hunt. (not shotgun/handgun zone).

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota


Return to Reloading for the 450b

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 13 guests