In your opion what do you think is the best penitrating bullit out there excluding cast bullits

I'd guess the Sierra 300gr. JFP, it has quite a hard core (6% antimony per Sierra) and a nice flat nose for a good wound channel.

Why do you want to exclude cast bullets if penetration is the goal? Are you prohibited from using cast where you live?

I think the 300gr hard core bullets from Freedom Arms might hold together better and pentrate deeper at max velocity than the Sierra.

I have had the best results with the 300g Hornaday XTP It expands rapidally and forms almots a ball shape at about 1 1/2 times dia and excellent weight retention. The Speer and Barnes 300g tested both expanded to a larger dia and thus did not pentrant as far. I agree with what was said about the FA 300g bullets, they will pentrant almost like a cast bullet as the core is very hard. All my testing was done with a FA .454 at 1700 fps+ I would assume you should get similar results at 45 colt speeds. I would be happy to supply you with a few of each bullet if you want to test some reloads yourself.
I also concur with the other response of max pentration = heavy hard cast bullet

This may be kinda off the topic, but check this link. It answered ALOT of my questions.
http://www.shootersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3843


Chirs~
;)

I must agree a little with jdt634. I found that the Speer 300 gr is a very well constructed bullet. I have shot this into gravel and had it expand violently however I have never got this bullet to seperate from the jacket. It can be mushroomed so that the jacket is paper thin and still have lead stuck to it or hit a steel dinger and have little pieces of jacket with lead still stuck to them.
I understand that Speer uses a electrolises (sp) to plate these bullets. They use the same process on the 400 gr 475 Gold Dot and it also is a tough bullet.
I would still use a 350gr WLN if I was hunting with my 45 Colt.:D