Barnes Spit-fire tmz

[WNYBuckHunter]

Anyone using these? I was eyeballing the 290gr ones to try for next year. Just would like to hear reviews on their performance and longer range accuracy. I might be heading out to Colorado for Mulies and Elk, and want to do the trip with my Muzzle Loader. I use SSTs and Shockwaves now, just not happy with the blood trails so im looking at other options.

[CuseHunter]

No personal experience, heard rave reviews on Barnes ML sabots though.

[Lawdwaz]

Anyone using these? I was eyeballing the 290gr ones to try for next year. Just would like to hear reviews on their performance and longer range accuracy. I might be heading out to Colorado for Mulies and Elk, and want to do the trip with my Muzzle Loader. I use SSTs and Shockwaves now, just not happy with the blood trails so im looking at other options.

 

You going to use the ML during the early ML season or rifle season? 

[WNYBuckHunter]

Rifle probably. Early ML season is not OTC, its by drawing.

[Doewhacker]

More importantly, when do we leave? 

 

Me and the boys are coming along.

[Chromeslayer]

I shoot the 250g out of my encore...u will not find a better performing bullet... iv never been a fan of the sst/shockwaves ... lack of bloodtrails, bullets not expanding... u wont have any of those issues with the barnes... lots of blood and huge wound channels

[phade]

I'm dropping the SSTs too. They shoot great, but I'm just not sold on the expansion/blood trails.

 

Moog shoots Barnes and they are accurate. He drilled a doe freehand at 80 yards with one and it went right where he put it. It looks like expansion took place based on the channel and the energy spent into the deer.

 

I was surprised at the lack of blood on the ground though - we both noted it. The shot really couldn't have been much better at all, tucked in the pocket right behind the shoulder and right around the top of the heart. He pushes a fair amount of BH209 so that thing was moving.

 

She went down fast though...30-40 yds.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats not what I wanted to hear phade lol

[Doewhacker]

Ever try Conical's? I'm not sure how they would do out of a 1-28 twist though.

[phade]

Thats not what I wanted to hear phade lol

 

Barnes is pretty much the most often recommended MZ bullet. It definitely did its job, channel was much more noticeable than any SST kill I've had.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with it just being MZ. He shoots max 120 gr, too. I don't think it exited either - hit off side shoulder. If Barnes didn't leave a good trail, I'm not sure much would have in that situation.

 

Harvester makes some good options beyond their popular crush ribs. I plan on trying them out. I have their low-end variant of the XTP and they were accurate when I used them out of my wolf. I killed a doe last year with a single 50 gr 777 pellet and the 300 gr harvester.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Like what Doe?

[Doewhacker]

I only know what I use, I'm pretty limited with knowledge of bullets but..I shoot Hornady Great Plains Bullets in 385 Grain. Just ordered three boxes from Cabelas last night actually, $12.99  for 20. For me, they work great, but I have a 1-48 twist. I am going to try them out of my wife's in-line when I get time.

[phade]

I think No Excuses is another popular variant.

[moog5050]

Phade

 

When I butchered that deer, there was en exit wound behind the opposite shoulder.  Still, almost no blood trail.  Thank goodness it piled up so close.  It may have exited the cavity and lodged in the opposite shoulder, but I really didn't check closely nor did I remove the meat from the front shoulder while butchering.  Too cold and wasn't worth the effort for the small amount of useable meat there.  I was surprised to find the exit wound.  I was using 110g of 209.

[moog5050]

WNY - even without a good blood trail, they were accurate and I will continue to use them.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Well, the SSTs/Shockwaves are accurate, just not much for blood trails.

 

Doe, what kind of accuracy do you see at ranges over 100 yards with those types of bullets? Im actually wondering about accuracy out to 250 - 300 yards.

[Doewhacker]

Well, the SSTs/Shockwaves are accurate, just not much for blood trails.

 

Doe, what kind of accuracy do you see at ranges over 100 yards with those types of bullets? Im actually wondering about accuracy out to 250 - 300 yards.

 

250-300?  No clue, I have Iron sights and have never attempted that distance. I am going to do 200 at the range with mine for fun but that won't be any kind of indication of how they will perform obviously. I can set you up with a few if/when we meet up if you don't have a winner before then.

[phade]

Phew at those distances....definitely look at the polymer tipped sabots. I know conicals have a following, but that's long-range bombing with today's greatest MZ rifles.

 

The one I couldn't think of from Harvester was the PT Gold - that's designed for long-range accuracy and seems to be very popular with those who tends to push limits on distance with the MZ.

 

Be sure to try both red regular and the crush rib sabots with your rifle and the BH209.

[moog5050]

Thats a bomb with an MZ.  I think any bullet/powder combo will require a lot of holdover at those distances.  Plus with a larger bullet and speeds much less than a rifle, even slight wind will be factor.  Why not use a rifle if you are spending that type of cash on a trip? 

[phade]

Here's some decent info on the PT Gold and long range shooting. Easy read.

 

http://harvestermlhunter.blogspot.com/2009/11/should-i-shoot-hunt-with-260-or-300.html

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats a bomb with an MZ.  I think any bullet/powder combo will require a lot of holdover at those distances.  Plus with a larger bullet and speeds much less than a rifle, even slight wind will be factor.  Why not use a rifle if you are spending that type of cash on a trip? 

 

I know Ill have to hold over. I run out to 200 yards with 70 grains of BH209 and a 250 grain SST now. Pushing the charge up should get me out there easily. Right now, its sighted at 100, and I know I need to hold 8 inches high at 200, It gets a pretty good group out there.

 

Its going to be pretty much DIY, my cousin is "guiding" me. The money wont be all that much. I set a goal to take every species of deer on the continent with this Muzzleloader when I built it.

[moog5050]

Good luck.  I look forward to your report.   Have to imagine we are talking 2 feet or more of holdover at 300 with a 100yd 0, but am curious as to what you find.   That is a poke for an MZ for sure.

[phade]

That's insane on the 1-200 drop...only 8 inches at 70 gr of BH209? That's impressive.

 

Most I've seen ballpark in the 10-12" with more gr.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yeah I was a bit surprised too, figured Id have more of a hold over than that. Im probably going to zero the gun at 150 when I go out there, which should put me at a center of the vitals dead hold out to 200 with the bigger charge on something the size of a Mulie or Elk. It will be all about testing and practice. I want to have the extra range just in case something is standing there at 275 yards lol

[moog5050]

Interesting chart here:  http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/277637-blackhorn-209-a.html

 

Might give you an idea.  The second chart uses a 300g at 120g of 209 and shows a 26" drop at 300yds with a 3" high 0 at 100yds.