{"id":199553,"date":"2024-09-27T14:57:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T19:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=199553"},"modified":"2025-11-05T06:08:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T12:08:51","slug":"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">20<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a handgun hunter, I primarily use jacketed bullets. My most pursued animal is likely the same as yours, what we call medium game. I define this as any animal under 250 pounds: deer, antelope, small feral hogs, etc. Normal jacketed handgun bullets work well for this size of game, and I\u2019ve had little reason to switch\u2014until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"226\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199556\" style=\"width:456px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913-150x106.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-first-cast-experiences\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">First Cast Experiences<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-an-alternative-handgun-bullet-option\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">An Alternative Handgun Bullet Option<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-powder-coating\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Powder Coating<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-hollow-pointing\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Hollow Pointing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-new-cast-bullets\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">New Cast Bullets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-home-cast-or-commercial\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Home Cast or Commercial<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-velocity-concerns\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Velocity Concerns<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-terminal-performance\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Terminal Performance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-a-handgun-bullet-made-for-you\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">A Handgun Bullet Made for You<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-know-your-limitations\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Know Your Limitations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-viable-useful-and-potent-bullets\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-level=\"2\">Viable, Useful, and Potent Bullets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-first-cast-experiences\">First Cast Experiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>My first experience with hardcast handgun bullets on medium game left me disappointed. I double-lunged a pronghorn with a .512 caliber 465gr. WFN bullet and had to shoot it three more times. Granted, all four shots were delivered within two minutes, but the antelope remained standing. Maybe it would have died from the first shot if I had waited. Still, the fact that it stayed on its feet didn\u2019t sit well, especially with chest, shoulder, and vitals shots. It was then I realized that expansion improves performance on light-boned medium game. Simply poking big holes might work, but expansion kills faster on this type of animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"627\" height=\"654\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_1456.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199557\" style=\"width:457px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_1456.jpeg 627w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_1456-288x300.jpeg 288w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_1456-144x150.jpeg 144w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Simply the wrong bullet for the job, too much bullet and not enough resistance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-an-alternative-handgun-bullet-option\">An Alternative Handgun Bullet Option<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t cast my own bullets and buy all my cast handgun <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/ammo\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\">ammo<\/a>. Most of my bullets have been solid, what the industry calls hard cast, with a hardness rating of 18 to 22 BHN. Despite recommendations for wide flat-nosed bullets as effective for medium game, even respected figures like Ross Seyfried experimented with expanding cast bullets for these animals. Seyfried advocated for expanding bullets in his article about the .475 Linebaugh in Australia. So, it became clear that a hard cast bullet wasn\u2019t as suitable as a good expanding bullet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3986.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3986.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3986-400x108.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3986-150x41.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardcast solids with various nose profiles, the first and last being long flat nose (LFN) and the rest being wide flat nose (WFN). The WFN supposedly better at handling medium game, my experience did not bear this out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-powder-coating\">Powder Coating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a time and place for solid hard cast bullets, but better solutions exist for medium game. When hunting big feral hogs, bear, or elk, a solid cast bullet penetrates and breaks big bones well. Any expansion is a bonus. Recently, finding jacketed bullets has become more challenging, so I\u2019ve kept up with new developments in cast bullet technology. Powder coating is one of those advancements. Powder coating allows more velocity with less lead residue compared to conventional wax lubrication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"185\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3989-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200085\" style=\"width:671px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3989-1.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3989-1-400x116.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3989-1-150x43.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cast bullet lubrication, R: is a beeswax type that tends to be rather sticky to the touch. M: is a more recent method that is less sticky and cleaner. L: is our new powder coated bullet, no sticky surface, and much cleaner to handle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hollow-pointing\">Hollow Pointing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another development\u2014though not exactly new\u2014is the use of pins in cast handgun bullet molds to produce expanding cast bullets. In the past, casters would drop a pure lead buckshot ball into a mold, followed by a lead\/tin mix, creating a cast soft point. Others would anneal or soften the nose after hardening by heating it just enough to undo the treatment. These methods were time-consuming and often unreliable. Hollow pointing using pins has improved. The method has been simplified, ensuring consistent results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965-1024x615.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199730\" style=\"width:633px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965-1024x615.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965-400x240.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965-150x90.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965-768x461.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3965.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The use of pins in these new molds makes making a variety of bullets much easier, different size of hollow cavity or a solid pin for a normal flat point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-cast-bullets\">New Cast Bullets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Powder coating and pin sizes now allow for tailored cast bullets, much like the difference between standard jacketed and premium bullets. Casters can produce performance levels that were impossible 10 to 15 years ago. They can create bullets that explode for light game, ones that perform like partition bullets with dramatic nose expansion, and traditional hard cast bullets that penetrate well on large game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"281\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3739.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199558\" style=\"width:352px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3739.jpeg 281w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3739-263x300.jpeg 263w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3739-132x150.jpeg 132w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In my early years of handgunning, there was no concern with finding components. A 240gr. Nosler bullet from my Redhawk was perfect whitetail medicine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-home-cast-or-commercial\">Home Cast or Commercial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I know someone who casts and powder coats softer bullets with hollow points. At velocities of 1000-1200 fps, they perform very well. I\u2019ve also used them at higher velocities, and they\u2019re effective. When I settle on a bullet that works for me, I buy at least 500, knowing I\u2019ll be set for a while. Cast bullets tend to be cheaper than jacketed ones, and finding a good home caster makes them even more affordable. Matt\u2019s Bullets is one small outfit that offers excellent products. His site lists suitable velocities and includes photos of bullets at various velocity levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-1024x157.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-1024x157.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-400x61.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-150x23.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-768x118.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-1536x236.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3956-2048x315.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Matt\u2019s cast bullets are a great alternative to the hard cast norm from most commercial casters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Several commercial cast handgun bullet companies now offer soft cast or hollow points suitable for hunting. However, you must read the descriptions carefully, as some bullets are designed for lower velocities, like those of the .44 Special or <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/search?keyword=.45%20acp\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\">.45 ACP<\/a>. These softer bullets perform well at lower speeds and are excellent for those not needing extra recoil or speed. Adding a gas check allows more speed with less barrel leading if the bullets are ordered that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-velocity-concerns\">Velocity Concerns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to push cast bullets over 1200-1250 fps, I highly recommend adding a gas check, even with powder coating. My experience with powder-coated bullets without a gas check at higher velocities showed great accuracy, but only for a limited number of shots. After less than two cylinders, barrel residue degraded accuracy. Adding a gas check allowed velocity and accuracy to be maintained regardless of the number of rounds fired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"522\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0058.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199560\" style=\"width:445px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0058.jpeg 522w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0058-245x300.jpeg 245w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0058-122x150.jpeg 122w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 522px) 100vw, 522px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The performance you expect from a premium jacketed bullet, Swift AF 210gr. from a 414sm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>More velocity doesn\u2019t always mean deeper penetration. It can provide a flatter trajectory, but at typical handgun distances, that benefit is minimal. Velocity stresses bullets, just as the medium it\u2019s shot into does. Mass-produced jacketed bullets are designed to perform over a wide range of velocities and in various mediums. However, they can\u2019t perform optimally at all velocities. A custom cast bullet made by a knowledgeable caster can meet your personal needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-terminal-performance\">Terminal Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For medium game, I want both expansion and penetration. I prefer complete penetration but will settle for almost complete. I plan for worst-case scenarios, like severe raking or facing shots, which need more penetration. Even for small deer or antelope, I expect at least 20-22 inches of penetration to ensure the bullet passes through the vitals. That\u2019s asking a lot from lighter-weight, standard jacketed hollow points, especially at magnum velocities. To achieve that, a premium jacketed <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/bullet-casting-101-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1208\">bullet<\/a> or a custom-cast bullet is often necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"298\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0183.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199561\" style=\"width:379px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0183.jpeg 298w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0183-279x300.jpeg 279w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0183-140x150.jpeg 140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 298px) 100vw, 298px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A soft cast, powder coated hollow point bullet made for my personal parameters accounted for this feral hog.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-handgun-bullet-made-for-you\">A Handgun Bullet Made for You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite guns for crawling through underbrush after wounded pigs is a Ruger in .500 Linebaugh. It penetrates well, so finding a bullet that expands reliably on medium game at my load\u2019s velocity was the challenge. My loads are mild at 990 fps. The custom jacketed bullets I\u2019ve used performed well but are expensive and require more velocity to expand. My alternate choice is a 485gr. powder-coated hollow point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"226\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199562\" style=\"width:418px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913-1.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3913-1-150x106.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The bullet from the above pig. Cast at 14bhn, and weighing 485gr. Recovered after 30+ inches of penetration and weighing 484gr. Performance you can expect from our newer cast bullets.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The performance delivered was exactly what I wanted. You might think 485 grains is heavy, but the weight, softness, and hollow-point size offer perfect performance. Most handgun bullets exit and are never recovered, but those that are show great expansion and penetration of 30 inches or more. This was on medium game, our most common quarry. Granted, the performance comes at sedate velocities, but it was tailored for that purpose. A .452 and .431 diameter bullet of 300gr. and 250gr. weight, delivered at 1400fps and 2270fps, performed similarly to the .512 diameter bullet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-know-your-limitations\">Know Your Limitations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If using a softer cast bullet without a gas check, I\u2019d prefer a powder-coated one and keep it under 1200 fps. Recently, I experienced what happens when a bullet is too soft and moving too fast. The pig, a small feral hog of about 100 pounds, was 58 yards away. I was using a custom Ruger .414 SuperMag, pushing a 250gr. hollow point at 1550 fps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0278.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199564\" style=\"width:448px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0278.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0278-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_0278-150x113.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The boar that stopped the 250gr. .41 caliber PCHP bullet, smallish at 100 pounds but a huge lesson learned.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"539\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/RenderedImage.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199565\" style=\"width:282px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/RenderedImage.jpeg 539w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/RenderedImage-253x300.jpeg 253w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/RenderedImage-126x150.jpeg 126w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The recovered fragments from the 250gr. PCHP bullet from my pig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I hadn\u2019t expected to need a tougher bullet. The shot was a severe raking one, and the high impact velocity kept the bullet from penetrating as deeply as I wanted. The internal damage was devastating, but without an exit wound, tracking was difficult. The pig traveled 80 yards, and without a blood trail, tracking took 30 minutes of back-and-forth searching. I eventually found the pig an hour later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"252\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993-400x158.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993-150x59.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Custom jacketed bullets by Hawk bullets, great bullets for those wanting jacketed options not offered by major bullet manufacturers. A bit pricier than a custom powder coated expanding bullet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-viable-useful-and-potent-bullets\">Viable, Useful, and Potent Bullets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>My first choice for medium game is a mid- to heavy-for-caliber bullet, pushed at near maximum velocity. However, I have several guns loaded with cast hollow points for the field. Don\u2019t dismiss cast bullets as useless. With newer innovations, they\u2019re viable, useful, and potent. Chosen carefully and used properly, a cast bullet can take medium game effectively. We\u2019ve just grown used to the ease and effectiveness of jacketed bullets. Sometimes, it\u2019s tough to teach an old dog new tricks, but this one is quite useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/hunt365.gunsamerica.com\/blogs\/10mm-double-stack-1911-eaa-and-girsans-new-hunter-10-is-field-ready\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\">10MM Double Stack 1911 \u2013 EAA and Girsan\u2019s New Hunter 10 Is Field Ready<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"567\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-1024x567.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199732\" style=\"width:565px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-1024x567.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-400x221.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-150x83.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-768x425.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-1536x850.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3967-2048x1133.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Examples of the variety of hollow points available, the pentagonal HP seems to open up faster. The gas checks allow more speed than the powder coating alone does.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><em>*** <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\" title=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a> ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My first experience with hardcast handgun bullets on medium game left me disappointed. I double-lunged a pronghorn with a .512 caliber 465gr. WFN bullet and had to shoot it three more times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":200086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1258,4321],"tags":[299,2061,1209,3366],"featured":[4078],"hunt365":[4089,4123,4116],"class_list":{"0":"post-199553","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ammo","8":"category-guns","9":"tag-ammo-2","10":"tag-bullet","11":"tag-hunt365","12":"tag-hunting-ammo","13":"featured-primary","14":"hunt365-hunting","15":"hunt365-pistol","16":"hunt365-shooting-and-archery"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hunt365 - Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you do it carefully, you can cast handgun bullets and craft yourself a highly effective tool for medium game hunting.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"My first experience with hardcast handgun bullets on medium game left me disappointed. I double-lunged a pronghorn with a .512 caliber 465gr. WFN bullet and had to shoot it three more times.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"252\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Trapr Swonson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Trapr Swonson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"20 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Trapr Swonson\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/aa54446219dfd2601600d8aebc0b09d2\"},\"headline\":\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\"},\"wordCount\":1682,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Ammo\",\"Bullet\",\"Hunt365\",\"hunting ammo\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Ammo\",\"Guns\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#respond\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\",\"name\":\"Hunt365 - Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"If you do it carefully, you can cast handgun bullets and craft yourself a highly effective tool for medium game hunting.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg\",\"width\":640,\"height\":252},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/\",\"name\":\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\",\"description\":\"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization\",\"name\":\"GunsAmerica\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png\",\"width\":286,\"height\":156,\"caption\":\"GunsAmerica\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/aa54446219dfd2601600d8aebc0b09d2\",\"name\":\"Trapr Swonson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Trapr Swonson\"},\"description\":\"Trapr Swonson,\u2026hunter, trainer, competitor, owner operator Trapr Ltd., \u00a0retired firefighter\/first responder, and Hunt365 writer. I\u2019d be called a traditionalist. I like and appreciate the latest tech, but really enjoy doing things the old ways. Experience\/Qualifications -USAF small arms instructor and competitor since the mid 1980\u2019s and continue providing small arms training to this day. -Started competing in archery and held state records, as well as part of the Texas state \u201cAll Recurve\u201d 3D team. Progressed to practical shooting competitions with handgun, rifle, and shotgun, and in early long range competitions. -Have represented the USA several times in international practical shooting. -Developed the best functioning and most reliable shortened stroke or \u201cstroke timing system\u201d modification for 3 gun-type Benelli Nova\/SuperNova shotguns. -Have hunted from Texas north to Montana and east to Minnesota plus some international hunts. -Currently retired after 27+ years as a firefighter, medical first responder. -Started a company that specializes in \u201cdestructive animal abatement\u201d, focusing on Canine, Feline, and Swine. Trapr Ltd. has been in operation since 2007.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/trapr-swonson\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hunt365 - Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative","description":"If you do it carefully, you can cast handgun bullets and craft yourself a highly effective tool for medium game hunting.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative","og_description":"My first experience with hardcast handgun bullets on medium game left me disappointed. I double-lunged a pronghorn with a .512 caliber 465gr. WFN bullet and had to shoot it three more times.","og_url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/","og_site_name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","article_published_time":"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":252,"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Trapr Swonson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gunsamerica","twitter_site":"@gunsamerica","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Trapr Swonson","Est. reading time":"20 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/"},"author":{"name":"Trapr Swonson","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/aa54446219dfd2601600d8aebc0b09d2"},"headline":"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative","datePublished":"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/"},"wordCount":1682,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg","keywords":["Ammo","Bullet","Hunt365","hunting ammo"],"articleSection":["Ammo","Guns"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#respond"]}],"accessibilityFeature":["tableOfContents"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/","name":"Hunt365 - Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg","datePublished":"2024-09-27T19:57:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-05T12:08:51+00:00","description":"If you do it carefully, you can cast handgun bullets and craft yourself a highly effective tool for medium game hunting.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993.jpeg","width":640,"height":252},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/handgun-bullets-an-expanding-alternative\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hunting Handgun Bullet Alternative"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","description":"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization","name":"GunsAmerica","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","width":286,"height":156,"caption":"GunsAmerica"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/x.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/aa54446219dfd2601600d8aebc0b09d2","name":"Trapr Swonson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e2f097c91a87a557a917b59a624de80383dce8cbd1c9397adc8956afffac38ce?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Trapr Swonson"},"description":"Trapr Swonson,\u2026hunter, trainer, competitor, owner operator Trapr Ltd., \u00a0retired firefighter\/first responder, and Hunt365 writer. I\u2019d be called a traditionalist. I like and appreciate the latest tech, but really enjoy doing things the old ways. Experience\/Qualifications -USAF small arms instructor and competitor since the mid 1980\u2019s and continue providing small arms training to this day. -Started competing in archery and held state records, as well as part of the Texas state \u201cAll Recurve\u201d 3D team. Progressed to practical shooting competitions with handgun, rifle, and shotgun, and in early long range competitions. -Have represented the USA several times in international practical shooting. -Developed the best functioning and most reliable shortened stroke or \u201cstroke timing system\u201d modification for 3 gun-type Benelli Nova\/SuperNova shotguns. -Have hunted from Texas north to Montana and east to Minnesota plus some international hunts. -Currently retired after 27+ years as a firefighter, medical first responder. -Started a company that specializes in \u201cdestructive animal abatement\u201d, focusing on Canine, Feline, and Swine. Trapr Ltd. has been in operation since 2007.","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/trapr-swonson\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/IMG_3993-150x59.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/126"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199553"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224462,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199553\/revisions\/224462"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199553"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=199553"},{"taxonomy":"hunt365","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hunt365?post=199553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}