hornady HAP vs XTP ?

i want to move to shooting full bore aka sabot less on my smokeless .45 Patriot . i'm looking for cheap but fairly accurate bullets for punching paper and woodchucks . wanted to stick with something close to 200 grains since i use barns 195 copper in a LB sabot for deer . it's a smokeless ML and i won't be shooting heavy loads , probably 2400ish with these bullets . i consider myself still new to this gun and i will shoot heavier loads as i get more experience with it but at this time this is where i'm comfortable . i'll NEVER be shooting shoulder buster loads like ENCORE or Deputy ! LOL . this little .45 patriot isn't designed for those loads anyhow .

i've seen good comments about the XTP and the HAP and was curious about y'alls thoughts on them and if there's something else very budget friendly to consider . i've read a few comments elsewhere that the HAP is slightly more accurate with pistols but doesn't expand like the xtp ..... how well or if it applies to longer barrels , i have no eye deer ??? . i'm more interested in accuracy and not performance on deer for these . i won't be shooting 1000 yards with these . i think 450ish is about as far a field as i have access to . won't be shooting at chuckies beyond 200 yards . i don't want to spend a dollar or three per bullet at this point .

JeffB1961 said:

i'll NEVER be shooting shoulder buster loads like ENCORE or Deputy ! LOL .

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@ENCORE

250gr too heavy? @ $1.00 per bullet I know, but they shoot pretty decent.

Both the HAP and XTP are pistol bullets.
Hence they are built for a speed range of say 800-1,100fps.
Your charge is probably going towards the 2,400fps range.
I'd be surprised if your bullet makes it to the target. Especially at longer ranges.

Also.

How are you planning on loading said bullets?

You know the force taken to load a sabot from the muzzle.
Do you really think that you are going to be able to engrave the rifling on the bullet with hand power?

Stick to the sabots.

i'm getting mark woodman's adjustable sizing die and the lee hand press .
i'm not looking for extreme long range accuracy yet . i'll be shooting 200ish yards wanting to get familiar with full bore . i already shoot with sabots . are you familiar with using an adjustable sizing die to custom fit the bullet to the barrel ? FWIU they won't size solid copper bullets but jacketed will do just fine . the barrel is a .45 brux .

i had forgot about the fury . thanks for the reminder Deputy .
thanks folks

JeffB1961 said:

................. .
i'm not looking for extreme long range accuracy yet .

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Oh just wait LOL.................. The rabbit holes have no bottoms.

Will be watching where this goes ......

i understand and i hope to get there , that's why i invested in the brux . i just want to get comfortable with cheap stuff so i'm not polishing a turd on more expensive stuff .

JeffB1961 said:

i just want to get comfortable with cheap stuff

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When I first got into the SML game I started with one of Hankins CVA conversions….and used Fury bullets right off the bat. I had no trouble shooting groups well under a minute at 200 yards with them. Give 'em a try…

JeffB1961 said:

i understand and i hope to get there , that's why i invested in the brux . i just want to get comfortable with cheap stuff so i'm not polishing a turd on more expensive stuff .

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Wow the SML are intriguing for sure.

thanks M1 . this patriot will never have a power belt in it . pittmans are on the to get list later on . i'll be using the barns expander MZ in a sabot for deer and the cheap stuff will be for paper and chucks .