Help me pick a new bullet please!

[180splitg3]

Hey guys. I have been using TC Shockwave 300 grain bullets the past 5-6 seasons. Last year I shot a doe - thankfully she went down in sight as the blood trail was very poor. Complete pass through shot at 20 yards - small entry hole and tiny exit hole. A few days ago my son shot a doe with my MZ and we had almost the same experience. He hit her in front of the hind quarter and the exit hole was right behind the shoulder (again full pass through - she was quartering away). Not one drop of blood anywhere. I got lucky and followed her tracks and found her dead about 100 yards away from where she was hit.

I have been wanting to try the Barnes expander bullets and think I may give them a try next year. I'm just trying to decide which one and whether I should move to a 250 grain bullet. I shoot 2 triple seven pellets (100 grains of powder) in my CVA kodiak pro MZ. I would love to hear what bullets you like to help me make a decision. Thank you!

 

[sabotloader]

Hey guys. I have been using TC Shockwave 300 grain bullets the past 5-6 seasons. Last year I shot a doe - thankfully she went down in sight as the blood trail was very poor. Complete pass through shot at 20 yards - small entry hole and tiny exit hole. A few days ago my son shot a doe with my MZ and we had almost the same experience. He hit her in front of the hind quarter and the exit hole was right behind the shoulder (again full pass through - she was quartering away). Not one drop of blood anywhere. I got lucky and followed her tracks and found her dead about 100 yards away from where she was hit.

I have been wanting to try the Barnes expander bullets and think I may give them a try next year. I'm just trying to decide which one and whether I should move to a 250 grain bullet. I shoot 2 triple seven pellets (100 grains of powder) in my CVA kodiak pro MZ. I would love to hear what bullets you like to help me make a decision. Thank you!

Could I suggest another bullet? Might take a look at the Lehigh Defense .452x265 or if you are mainly hunting deer the Lehigh 451x230CF-HP is a REALLY a good bullet.

Here is a link to the 230

.451 caliber, 230gr Controlled Fracturing® Lead-Free Hunting Muzzleloader Bullets

Buy .451 caliber, 230gr Controlled Fracturing® Lead-Free Hunting Muzzleloader Bullets at Lehigh Defense for $ 21.42. Shop Bullets Online!

www.lehighdefense.com

This is a computed Ballistic Sheet for that bullet. The bullet was shot using 120gr. vol of BH-209

If you are hunting elk - the 452x265CF-HP is the way to go.

.452 caliber, 265gr Controlled Fracturing® Lead-Free Hunting Muzzleloader Bullets

Buy .452 caliber, 265gr Controlled Fracturing® Lead-Free Hunting Muzzleloader Bullets at Lehigh Defense for $ 26.78. Shop Bullets Online!

www.lehighdefense.com

Both of these two bullets have a very high Terminal Ballistic rating

Hope this might help

 

[huck]

I shoot Hornaday SST low drag out of my traditions tracker . most of my shots are 60 to double that or a little more .never had a recovery issue .

 

[ENCORE]

The Barnes Expander in either weight is a top performing bullet.

 

[Ridgerunner8]

I have been using the Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300 grain bullet with 100 grains of BH 209 in my Traditions Vortek. I shot a couple doe with it. Both less than 100 yds with complete pass through and good blood trails.

 

[Carr5vols]

No excuses bullets work well for me.

 

[browning2480]

Federal Bor Loks have been working good for my group

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve had good luck with the Barnes 290 tmz and Parker BE275

 

[180splitg3]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I feel like if a bullet passes through a deer, the exit hole should be larger than the entry - maybe this is incorrect. I feel like my TC Shockwaves just slide through with no expansion. Maybe I'm expecting too much...

 

[OXN939]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I feel like if a bullet passes through a deer, the exit hole should be larger than the entry - maybe this is incorrect. I feel like my TC Shockwaves just slide through with no expansion. Maybe I'm expecting too much...

Nah that tale of Shockwaves penciling through is as old as time- had it happen to me once back in the day. Put whichever of those Barnes groups well for you (likely any of them) through the vitals of a deer and your issues will be resolved. This was a T-EZ 250 vs whitetail buck from this year, I've killed several large deer with them over only moderate charges and they have all produced blood trails Ray Charles could have followed

 

[KMSbuck]

I also use the Barnes T-EZ in 250 grain or the Barnes XPB in 275 grain. I’ve taken 13 deer since I switched to either of those loads at ranges from 15 yards to 150 yards. The furthest any deer has gone is about 50 yards, which was only one buck I hit a tad far back, and nearly all the others actually dropped in their tracks or took less than five steps. Complete pass through on all, except for one doe I shot head on and I recovered the bullet against the skin of a hindquarter. The Barnes work great.

 

[Curvebow]

I use Federal Bor Lock, 50 caliber, 295 grain I think they are. They shoot well and leave good blood trails.

I've tried Barnes before, but their sabots suck - hard to seat even with a clean barrel. For a second shot, I about needed a mallet to seat them. While I have no doubt that the projectile is great, I'm not cleaning in the field between shots. That's a deal breaker.

 

[ENCORE]

I use Federal Bor Lock, 50 caliber, 295 grain I think they are. They shoot well and leave good blood trails.

I've tried Barnes before, but their sabots suck - hard to seat even with a clean barrel. For a second shot, I about needed a mallet to seat them. While I have no doubt that the projectile is great, I'm not cleaning in the field between shots. That's a deal breaker.

Using pellets?

 

[Curvebow]

Using pellets?

I use Black Horn 209, 100 grain equivalent (74 grains weighed). I’ve never shot over 100 yards, so I haven’t tried 120 grains of the BH. I used to use 150 grains of 777 pellets.

 

[westslopelaker]

I use the 270 grain copper federal bor-locks on elk and mule deer. It knocks the snot out of them and it is very accurate in my CVA

 

[tracker12]

Best bet for a blood trail is pass thru with a double lung or heart shot. That being said yeah shot if different. I have made lung shot that the blood trial was amazing. Others the bleed inside and weak trail. As far as bullets I like the Barnes MZ expanders and recently went with the LeHigh Defense 230 as Sabotloader mentioned. Its basically the same as the Barnes.

 

[Chromeslayer]

Barnes expander

 

[HighDesertDad]

Federal Bor Loks have been working good for my group

Think I'm going to try those out next year.

 

[cnymuzguy]

289 Remington Copper solids. Pretty much the same as Barnes Expanders. They don't have the best BC with the open nose but great out to 200ish yds. Got some for sale in the classified. Killed deer with them and they worked perfectly. I use a .45 now, so don't have a need for them.

 

[Jmort1754]

I shot the new hornadys this year out of my optima and 260 pt gold out of my vortek striker fire.

Shot 2 deer with the hornady bullet, both pass throughs both easy to follow blood trails. First doe was shot at 120 yards quartering away entered just behind liver exited off shoulder expanded well blood trail was easy enough my color blind brother could see it.

Buck was shot at 80 yards was a bang flop, high shoulder.

I will shoot them again.