How fast to push a 110 grain 38 cal XTP

A 110 hard cast bullet can probably be run up to 2,000 but at that speed you may have trouble making that stay stable and not strip or lead. If you get it all the way up to the potential velocities, 2-2.5 k fps, it's still not terribly certain that it's going to work. That tiny little bullet just isn't made for penetration.

I can't help thinking that it's going to hit like a round ball.

This whole thread has made my head hurt.
 
Thanks.
I was hoping for some actual advice on how fast you could push a 110 grain hard cast with positive results.
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First it depends on what "hard cast" means to you.

Second, it depends on what "positive results" you are looking for.

It first sounded to me like you are looking for a good hog bullet, in which case a heavier bullet was the prescribed solution. An XTP is a great expanding hunting bullet. An 18 BRN cast bullet with a wide meplat is a good non-expanding bullet. At 158gr they can both get around 1250-1135fps from a 6" revolver. It will travel faster from a carbine with a longer barrel. Both will provide desired terminal performance, pending upon the desired level of expansion and or penetration.

Then it sounded like you were obsessed with breaking velocity records with light bullets, which is adverse to its effectiveness as a hog hunting bullet. Terminal performance on hogs will be inferior with a very lightweight bullet. Soft jacketed lead tends to fall apart on impact. Softer cast lead might expand a little, but generally not, and will not penetrate nearly was well as heavier bullet. Cast that is too hard can shatter. Cast that is just right for the best terminal impact, will still give less penetration than a slower, heavier bullet.

So I guess its a matter of exactly what it is you are trying to achieve.
 
TimSr - I'll tell you how I got here.
I was given some 110's.
I normally use 158's and 180's on hogs but when I looked at the Hodgdon site and the max load was 2400 fps I thought "hmmm, that could maybe work for hogs".
Then I asked the question and it was pointed out to me that the bullet would never hold up to that velocity.
The hard cast question was just a tangent.
Thank you to everyone for the advice.
 
I don't know how big the pigs get where you hunt. Some of them that I saw back in tn were so big that the thought of running into one I n the woods literally frightened me, as I never carried a gun at the time.others that I have seen would be about the same as a deer in target hardness. 158 or bigger in a carbine would be a good minimum deer or hog load, you may be better off using a soft point with some exposed lead ..a hard lead in that weight would do well

I read a magazine article once that praised the forty as the ultimate pack weapon for non mountain states. Small bear, hogs, puma,angry cows, so forth.

That should tell you that a writer with a deadline has no scruples. I can't really imagine that a double stack magazine will make defense against animals any easier.

With all of the game taken with .32-20, 25-20, and even.30-30,history is on your side. A .357 in a rifle is close to the energy of a 30-30.
 
Marlin 357 1894 cp, Win 110 sjhp, vv-n110, Fed 100 primer

19 grains (compressed) = 2300 avg fps ex accuracy
20 grains (compressed) = 2380 avg fps very good accuracy

Done years ago as a matter of interest to test Speer data with standard primer using vv-n110, and newer twist rate 357 Marlin with lighter bullets. Officiuslly classified in the "splatter" load section.
 
I was given a bunch of 110 grain 38 cal XTP bullets.
I will be shooting these from a Ruger 77/357 with 1:16 rifling. I'll be using H110. Seems like I should be able to push these to 2400 fps fairly easily.
Will this bullet hold up to that speed? How about shooting a hog with this bullet?
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Might make for a good coyote load from the little carbine, but for hogs I think you'd be wasting your time and making the majority of them shot suffer more that what is ethical. Just too many better options out there just to use 'em, just cause they were free. Even hogs deserve to be killed quickly and humanely. It would also probably be a great range bullet and when driven to more modest speeds(1800-2000 fps), probably very little recoil with good accuracy. I'm thinking for the most part, this is a SD type bullet and like most SD type bullets not the best for hunting anything larger than small to medium sized varmints. Still, if they were free, I'd find a good accurate, pleasant shooting load to shoot paper or reactive targets with it.
 
I also think that it might be better loaded down a bit to 2,000 or so,and loaded with a 2400/4227 or similar powder.

If peak velocity is what you want, 110May be the best choice, but you may still be better off with less than peak velocity.
 
The thing is, Hornady only rates the 110gr .357" XTP to 1400 fps.
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In their 4th edition volume 1 they show loads with the #35700 HP/XTP at 2400fps on page 580 (357/44 B&D). Not sure why they would publish load data that exceeds their rating by 1000 fps.

Their minimum load for the 110 XTP is 1550fps out of a S&W model 27 revolver (p566), no way they would have starting loads above rated maximum speeds, what is your source?



That said that bullet would be one of the last on my list for hog hunting with that caliber.
 
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