I did an autopsy on a couple of hogs I shot and recovered the 45 ACP bullet I used on each of them. One was a 200 grain JHP; the other was a 250 grain cast.

The HP expanded from .452 to .581, and weighed 196 grains. I got it out of the exit-side half of the hog's shoulder.

The Cast bullet didn't exactly expand, it deformed and went from .452 to .434, and weighed 248 grains. I recovered it from under the skin on the exit side of the hog's head. Both shots were made at around 15 yards on hogs that were in my large trap. Both hogs died quickly and with no follow-up shot required.






I've used both kinds of bullets before and have found, not surprisingly, that the cast bullets will do serious damage to any and all bones they encounter. The JHP's are devastating on the organs and tend to have better "one shot stopping power" than the casts. If the casts don't hit bones, they pass right through, just like a FMJ, with a minimum of damage; only a .45 caliber hole.

I have experienced almost the exact same thing. All our trap hogs are head shot so it doesn't really matter.

I shoot mine out of a 45 colt. The cast bullets are probably 800-900 fps I dug one out of the dirt this weekend after it went through about a 100 lb sow's head it looked very similar to the cast ones you posted.

My jacketed bullets are sierra 240 grain JHC jacketed hollow cavity. They are 1,100-1,200 fps and will expand to almost double caliber when shot into a dirt berm, never recovered one from an animal, but they are bad medicine!