200 grain Nosler bullets.... How do you like them?

[Ridgerunner665]

Tired of waiting on Hornady to run a batch of XTP's... Called them a couple months ago and they told me the end of October... Its near the end of November and still no 200 grain XTP's.

So, I decided "fork em", and ordered a box of Noslers... The 150's have shot extremely well in my G40 for range and practice, the most accurate load I've found yet uses the Nosler 150.

I've watched all the videos I can find, but there aren't that many on the Nosler 200.

The Nosler is a little shorter than the XTP, might mean I could push it a little harder than the XTP... But will it hold together at 1,325 fps+?

Now I know the XTP isn't perfect either, I've seen lots of them shed their jackets in both 40 and 45 caliber... Hell, a 230 XTP lost its jacket in a chrono of mine (Pro Chrono Digital) and failed to exit.... Yep, stopped and shredded by a cheap chronograph.

Any experience you have with the 200 grain Nosler would help.

[sqlbullet]

I have a bunch of them loaded up to about 1175 fps.  I doubt they will hold together at 1300+ fps personally.  I think any gain from velocity will be lost when the bullet shreds itself, IMO.

[Ridgerunner665]

Loaded a few of the Nosler bullets tonight, they do load easier than the XTP's... The Noslers can be seated with a flat seater plug without crushing the nose, at least as long as you don't try to stuff more than 12.6 grains of AA9 under it.

Tomorrow is the G40's first day hunting, I'll be using the 200 grain XTP's to hunt with, I have 18 loaded and left over from the last range trip.... Those are what its sighted in with.

I will be switching to the Noslers when those are gone.

[Ridgerunner665]

12.6 grains of AA9 was a little light under the Nosler...

Went to 12.8 grains with the CCI 350, a little bit of a squeeze to get it in there, but it works without crushing the nose of the bullet.

1,306 fps according to my new chrono (using IR lights) which was double checked against a friend's Labradar...the Labradar came up with 1,307 fps.

The 5 shots and the average are at 15 feet from the muzzle.

[Ramjet]

I have seen the 41 caliber Sierra 170 grain HP driven at obnoxious speeds and drop Elk with one shot.

I would think that 200 grain Nosler will do fine so long as you do your part.

I cast my own WFN 200 grain bullets and I feel if I need deep penetration on game larger than deer then that is my bullet of choice in my model 40 or Aremington Longslide and or my carbine.