Barnes MZ 250gr Terminal performance (Graphic!!)

[klundin2000]

ML season started today in Michigan. Last night I talked my buddy (Michigan resident) into using my Knight LRH with Barnes MZ 250 gr instead of using his CVA with powerbelt bullets. Sadly, my ML was still loaded from last week when I was gun hunting in Wisconsin. Anyway...he shot many deer with powerbelt bullets with mixed results. The over riding comment he kept saying was "the powerbelts seem to just blowup!"

I told him that I'm positive the Barnes MZ would not blowup like his powerbelts.

This morning about 9:00 am a big doe came by him at about 50 yards. When he shot, the doe bucked a little and ran about 10 to 15 yards and piled up on her nose. After seeing the deer, it's a wonder it made it that far. My buddy told me that if he was shooting powerbelts, there would only be one hole in this deer.

Load information. Knight LRH with 80grains(weighed) of Blackhorn 209, Fed 209A primers. The velocity of the 250 grain bullet averaged 2070 fps.

Entrance wound.


The exit would after breaking the leg bone.

[bossmoss]

Barnes make a heck of a bullett. I am thinking of switching to them. Killed 2 deer this year with shockwaves same size hole on both sides. Did the job neather deer went 30 yds so can't complan.

[cayugad]

That is the way to stop them... Barnes are a good bullet without question.

[BOWHUNTERCOP]

I used them in my Knight with excellent results like your friends. Now I'm using Barnes EZ load (blue sabot) in my Triumph with great groups and performance

[OregonHunter5]

i hear there hard to load?

[stretch56]

congrats to your buddy Barnes makes a great bullet I don't remember ever seeing a bad report on their performance like a couple of their competitors

[driftrider]

I don't have much trouble loading the 300 grain Expander MZ in my Savage 10ML-II with the supplied MMP sabot. They require firm pressure, but it's not excessive. T/C bores are notoriously tight, so if you shoot a T/C, your mileage may vary. The 300 grainer is the most accurate in my Savage, they always seem to expand well because the exit holes are always 1" or bigger depending on where it is, and I have yet to recover one because they always go through. After all the negative stories I read, I wouldn't hunt with a Powerbelt if the company sent them to me for free (I'd probably plink with them, though... ).

Mike

[klundin2000]

OregonHunter5

My LRH likes a very tight fit...especially with Blackhorn. I get tighter groups with the 300MZ than the 250 MZ. But if I can get close to 1 MOA with the 250's why not use the lighter bullets...since I'm only shooting deer.

The trick is to find the right sabot with the bullet. I'm using the black HPH-12 sabots (thicker) if these are too tight. Try the HPH-24 sabot.

[SWThomas]

Very nice!

[Champlain Islander]

I have trouble loading them in my TC. Great performance and accuracy but difficult to load in a hunting situation.