Hornady FTX Bore Driver

[COElkChaser]

I just ordered a pack of these today, anyone use them yet? I see they're pretty new...

I'm running Fury's in my TC for my cow tag in a couple weeks, but always interested to try new options for the future.

 

[Addicting]

I tested these and they perform well, Hornady did a good job designing these.

First they load very nice, the best loading bullet I’ve tried. I’ve shot 20 or so brands and these are easily the top of the pile.

For speed they were right at 2000 fps at the muzzle with 110g of BH209 by volume. My CVA Accura V2 has a 27” barrel and I was using Federal 209a primers.

I recovered 5 bullets from the 200 yard berm. Impact velocity was 1350 fps. The angle of the berm mushroomed all the bullets with a slight angle to them. Retained weight was averaging 280 grains.

Lastly accuracy, they shot great. Of all the 300 class bullets I tested these easily grouped the best. My rifle likes 250 grain bullets around 1800 fps. It will cloverleaf one hole them at 100 yards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t like 300 class bullets traveling fast. So to average 1.5” three shot groups I was happy. Barnes, Thor, Thomson Center Shockwaves, and Hornady SST we’re all 3” or larger groups.

I aired them out to 200 yards even with there not so great BC they continued to shoot good. The group open up to 4” but I attribute that to my sore shoulder and only having a 9 power VX freedom scope. I feel confident that will improve with a fresh shoulder and some patience.

 

[grizzly63]

I was shooting them with 90 gr 777 and they are the most accurate bullet for me so far. 3" @100 does not seem that great but with a 1x scope. I'll take it. Got a batch of 385 great plains to try this weekend in a couple of different guns. Also got some 240 pa conicals to try in a Traditions 50 cal pistol. Glad to hear they opened up OK. Might bring a couple of 5 gallon pails with wet clothes inside and see if I can recover one. The boredriver, that is.

 

[Addicting]

Retrieved from a cow elk at 250 yards. About 18” of penetration, impact velocity was around 1100fps, and retained weight was 261 grains. She tipped over after running 30 yards.

 

[TXLonghorn]

I tested these and they perform well, Hornady did a good job designing these.

First they load very nice, the best loading bullet I’ve tried. I’ve shot 20 or so brands and these are easily the top of the pile.

For speed they were right at 2000 fps at the muzzle with 110g of BH209 by volume. My CVA Accura V2 has a 27” barrel and I was using Federal 209a primers.

I recovered 5 bullets from the 200 yard berm. Impact velocity was 1350 fps. The angle of the berm mushroomed all the bullets with a slight angle to them. Retained weight was averaging 280 grains.

Lastly accuracy, they shot great. Of all the 300 class bullets I tested these easily grouped the best. My rifle likes 250 grain bullets around 1800 fps. It will cloverleaf one hole them at 100 yards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t like 300 class bullets traveling fast. So to average 1.5” three shot groups I was happy. Barnes, Thor, Thomson Center Shockwaves, and Hornady SST we’re all 3” or larger groups.

I aired them out to 200 yards even with there not so great BC they continued to shoot good. The group open up to 4” but I attribute that to my sore shoulder and only having a 9 power VX freedom scope. I feel confident that will improve with a fresh shoulder and some patience.

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I was just about ask about these. Thanks for the info.

 

[TXLonghorn]

Retrieved from a cow elk at 250 yards. About 18” of penetration, impact velocity was around 1100fps, and retained weight was 261 grains. She tipped over after running 30 yards.

View attachment 235086View attachment 235087View attachment 235088

I just have two questions, are they easy to load in a fouled barrel and how many shots did you take between cleaning?

 

[Addicting]

I just have two questions, are they easy to load in a fouled barrel and how many shots did you take between cleaning?

Super easy to load. At the range I swabbed every shot because I could. In the field you could easily go 10-20 with BH 209.

 

[TXLonghorn]

Thats good to know. Im going to try some.

 

[Jmorton1]

I shot 10-20 at the range without cleaning, 110 of BH 209 no issues

 

[TXLonghorn]

I tested these and they perform well, Hornady did a good job designing these.

First they load very nice, the best loading bullet I’ve tried. I’ve shot 20 or so brands and these are easily the top of the pile.

For speed they were right at 2000 fps at the muzzle with 110g of BH209 by volume. My CVA Accura V2 has a 27” barrel and I was using Federal 209a primers.

I recovered 5 bullets from the 200 yard berm. Impact velocity was 1350 fps. The angle of the berm mushroomed all the bullets with a slight angle to them. Retained weight was averaging 280 grains.

Lastly accuracy, they shot great. Of all the 300 class bullets I tested these easily grouped the best. My rifle likes 250 grain bullets around 1800 fps. It will cloverleaf one hole them at 100 yards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t like 300 class bullets traveling fast. So to average 1.5” three shot groups I was happy. Barnes, Thor, Thomson Center Shockwaves, and Hornady SST we’re all 3” or larger groups.

I aired them out to 200 yards even with there not so great BC they continued to shoot good. The group open up to 4” but I attribute that to my sore shoulder and only having a 9 power VX freedom scope. I feel confident that will improve with a fresh shoulder and some patience.

View attachment 227949View attachment 227950

Good info here. Test drove some yesterday based on this review and found they are indeed way more accurate in my TC than the SST i had been using. Good call guy.

 

[Addicting]

Shot a deer with these tonight. It was around 15-20’ and impact was around 1925’ per second. Bullet completely came apart and only 3 chunks were recovered. Did not have an exit wound and deer traveled close to 100 yards. Good blood trail and easy recovery. Honestly surprised that the deer made it that far.

 

[Flintlock hunter]

You have my attention with the performance of those Bore divers.
My only inline is a Thunderhawk, which puts Hornady SST's into decent 100 yd groups, but these new ones sound even better.

 

[Addicting]

You have my attention with the performance of those Bore divers.
My only inline is a Thunderhawk, which puts Hornady SST's into decent 100 yd groups, but these new ones sound even better.

They just load so much nicer and I have been thoroughly impressed. I’ve shot muzzleloader for around 30 years and these by far are the best I’ve used.

 

[bobcat_trapper]

I shoot a CVA Optima V2 50 cal LR nitride rifle. I was shooting hornady 250gr sst bullets. 84 grs blackhorn by weight. No issues with them. I shot 5 deer with them all dropped. Both bullets was very accurate out of my ml. I was in bass pro in Springfield Mo. I came across 6 packs of hornady 50 cal 290gr bore driver. They where marked down to 15.00 per pack. I bought all 6 packs. I didnt kill anything with them. I let deer walk trying to kill a bear.

 

[Flickted]

I tested these and they perform well, Hornady did a good job designing these.

First they load very nice, the best loading bullet I’ve tried. I’ve shot 20 or so brands and these are easily the top of the pile.

For speed they were right at 2000 fps at the muzzle with 110g of BH209 by volume. My CVA Accura V2 has a 27” barrel and I was using Federal 209a primers.

I recovered 5 bullets from the 200 yard berm. Impact velocity was 1350 fps. The angle of the berm mushroomed all the bullets with a slight angle to them. Retained weight was averaging 280 grains.

Lastly accuracy, they shot great. Of all the 300 class bullets I tested these easily grouped the best. My rifle likes 250 grain bullets around 1800 fps. It will cloverleaf one hole them at 100 yards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t like 300 class bullets traveling fast. So to average 1.5” three shot groups I was happy. Barnes, Thor, Thomson Center Shockwaves, and Hornady SST we’re all 3” or larger groups.

I aired them out to 200 yards even with there not so great BC they continued to shoot good. The group open up to 4” but I attribute that to my sore shoulder and only having a 9 power VX freedom scope. I feel confident that will improve with a fresh shoulder and some patience.

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I got some of these today for my CVA Wolf. My gun was sighted in with 240 grain bullets and 100 grains of powder pellets. I wonder if I will have to re-zero these 290 grain bullets? Most of my shots will be under 80 yards. Thanks for any opinions!!

 

[Addicting]

I got some of these today for my CVA Wolf. My gun was sighted in with 240 grain bullets and 100 grains of powder pellets. I wonder if I will have to re-zero these 290 grain bullets? Most of my shots will be under 80 yards. Thanks for any opinions!!

???

You have to rezero when you change things.

 

[Flickted]

???

You have to rezero when you change things.

Usually that is true.

 

[Addicting]

Usually that is true.

Nope, it’s always true.

 

[Walkathon]

You should check to see where the new bullets are impacting. It probably (edited-may have) changed. Edited my post- sounds like you have a bunch of experience, more than I do. Side note- different Hornady bullet but I used FBP and it worked great on deer. I've used the Power belts in the past, and didn't lose any deer, but the Hornady FBP seemed to hold together better. Good luck this season!

 

[Flickted]

Nope, it’s always true.

I won't dispute that. I've been shooting since I was 8. In my 60s now. I've killed a lot of deer and turkeys in my time, too.