# Winchester Deer Season XP review



## Brandon_SPC2 (Aug 4, 2016)

After looking over the web for decent reviews I was left with figuring out how these would perform on game. All my hunting “career” I have been using Hornady SSTs (when they had the custom line) and Interlocks (great bullets). But I wanted to try something else because I have never been able to get the superformace line to group well, which then I turned to Hornady’s American Whitetail line (Interlocks). This year I thought I would give something else a try and it was the Deer Season XPs. I remember a while back, SICF shooting a deer with them and mentioning how the exit was like a golf ball size hole. 

So this year I decided to use them, in the .270, but was a little skeptical because it pretty much looks like a huge hollow point with a plastic tip and I couldn’t figure out if the jackets were thinner, the same, or thicker than the SSTs. I was worried about having a more explosive result than the SSTs but that wasn’t the case. Now granted I am sure if I hit a shoulder that might change. 

The buck I shot was quartering away at maybe 80-100 yards and impact velocity was probably around 2750 fps. When he was hit he mule kicked, ran about 40 yards and crashed in some bushes. When I got down it was very easy to pick up the blood trail and follow the trail to where he was. After looking him over, the exit was about the same size as a 50 cent piece. For the price of these loads ($18-$21), the accuracy I got from my rifle and the performance on target I think I found a more budget friendly option along with Hornady’s American Whitetail line.

Now granted I am not letting this one buck be the review so hopefully I will have more to show y’all this year but I thought I would give a review on these for anyone thinking about using them. Sorry I was only able to get the pictures I have below.

Second picture I added the red lines to show the bullet track path.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

I think they work pretty good. The buck I shot last year was broadside and the bullet left a good hole and plenty of blood! The year prior it hit some spine and busted all up, did it's job for sure. I thought they were kinda hoaky when I got em but that was all Walmart had.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Looks like somebody gave your buck a broadhead haircut


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## Brandon_SPC2 (Aug 4, 2016)

sure said:


> Looks like somebody gave your buck a broadhead haircut


I was thinking the same or he was lazy and decided to go under some barb wire versus jumping over.


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## Outside9 (Apr 30, 2008)

Winchester is all I shoot in my deer rifles. Been my choice for 20 years or more.

For the last few years I order my bullets online, well before hunting season. I don't want to find myself in desperation mode looking for cartridges.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Brandon, that was a fine buck you got. Is that the rifle your GF gave you? If so, good job on bloodying it up!

I don't know if you've kept up with my two kills this year, but I used SSTs on my 182# buck and didn't even scratch the far side of his ribcage, much less get an exit, and an exit wound is important to me for trailing purposes, so I went to the GMX bullet and smacked a 100# doe and got a nice exit wound. But, like you, I'm not completely sold on one kill on a deer half the size of what I hope is my next deer. If I get disappointed, I'll dang sure try the Winchesters.


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## Brandon_SPC2 (Aug 4, 2016)

Bodupp said:


> Brandon, that was a fine buck you got. Is that the rifle your GF gave you? If so, good job on bloodying it up!
> 
> I don't know if you've kept up with my two kills this year, but I used SSTs on my 182# buck and didn't even scratch the far side of his ribcage, much less get an exit, and an exit wound is important to me for trailing purposes, so I went to the GMX bullet and smacked a 100# doe and got a nice exit wound. But, like you, I'm not completely sold on one kill on a deer half the size of what I hope is my next deer. If I get disappointed, I'll dang sure try the Winchesters.


Thank you and yes sir that is the rifle she got me for Christmas. Yeah I will say out of all the deer I have shot with the SSTs I have maybe only had 3-5 pass troughs. But I have never lost a deer due to bullet performance and every deer I have shot with a SST has either been DRT or didn't go farther than 40-50 yards. Most that arn't DRT stumble a few steps and fall over.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Brandon_SPC2 said:


> Thank you and yes sir that is the rifle she got me for Christmas. Yeah I will say out of all the deer I have shot with the SSTs I have maybe only had 3-5 pass troughs. But I have never lost a deer due to bullet performance and every deer I have shot with a SST has either been DRT or didn't go farther than 40-50 yards. Most that arn't DRT stumble a few steps and fall over.


Yep, never lost one to the SSTs and most are DRT. I suppose they go off like a grenade inside, but I still want an exit.


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## auburn17 (Oct 29, 2008)

I shot SST's out of my 7-08 and didn't like them at all. They grouped fine but deer were either DRT or run up to 50 yards with no blood trail at all except where they finally fell. What worried me was the one that could run further and have no blood to follow.

I went back to Core Lokts and haven't had a problem since and will shoot them as long as I can buy them. I did buy a box of these Winchesters last year when they were on sale, but haven't shot them yet.


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

I switched to the deer season XPs in my .270wsm last year. I was skeptical at first, thinking it was a little gimmicky. but the first doe I shot ran about 30 yds and had a blood trail about a foot wide. I was sold at that point. yall got me wondering about my 7-08 choice though - hornady superformance SSTs. had fine results thus far. knock on wood.


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

thanks for report, pics, and review.

gonna get a box, or two, and put some groups on paper.

congrats.


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## Brandon_SPC2 (Aug 4, 2016)

K-Bill said:


> I switched to the deer season XPs in my .270wsm last year. I was skeptical at first, thinking it was a little gimmicky. but the first doe I shot ran about 30 yds and had a blood trail about a foot wide. I was sold at that point. yall got me wondering about my 7-08 choice though - hornady superformance SSTs. had fine results thus far. knock on wood.


SSTs you will still be fine. Like Auburn said you generally wont have a blood trail. But in my experience I have shot enough with a SST to know if you place it in the lungs those deer arn't going very far. Just pay attention to where they run and when they are out of sight they shouldn't be much farther. That's if they make it that far. SST is still a great deer stopper and they serve their purpose to a T based on how hornady designed them.


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