Barnes .451 250gr XPB

Omega45 · 03-25-2011, 12:24 PM

I ran some 100yd groups today through the Pro Hunter w/ Encore Bergara barrel using some Barnes .451 250gr 454 Casull XPB pistol bullets. Targets show 100 and 110gr charges. On the 110gr target I flinched on shot 3, hence the high one. A 4th was shot and dropped right into the group. Bullets weighed 250gr before I shot them and the two I dug out of the dirt mound weighed 250gr also. 100% weight retention! The only difference I can see by looking at a Barnes XPB pistol bullet and a Barnes MZ is the XPB has a cannalure around it. Sorry about the picture quality, I am no photographer!

Gm54-120 · 03-25-2011, 12:28 PM

Nice shooting and i never could see any performance difference between a MZ and XPB either. Have you tried kurling any copper bullets yet?

Omega45 · 03-25-2011, 12:37 PM

They load really easy so Knurling them up would not hurt. I do not have any files on hand though. With 100gr recoil was basically non existant. Stepping up to 110gr recoil was still pretty mild.

Gm54-120 · 03-25-2011, 12:46 PM

Try the Barnes .458 250gr with the big hollow point sometime. In a black crushrib it may perform extremely well.

Omega45 · 03-25-2011, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gm54-120

Try the Barnes .458 250gr with the big hollow point sometime. In a black crushrib it may perform extremely well.

They are on my to do list..

builder459 · 03-25-2011, 01:48 PM

If i remember correctly after reading about them on the barnes site they need a little more fps to open than the M/L barnes offerings. Ray

Omega45 · 03-25-2011, 02:13 PM

With 110gr of BH209 I am pushing the 250gr XPB faster then most load data I found for the 454 Casull. It opened perfectly and retained all its weight. At 1800-1900fps the .458 250gr will more then likely retain all its weight and petal into 6 razor edges too.

Gm54-120 · 03-25-2011, 05:53 PM

I just checked the load data on Barnes website for the 250gr Casull. The max load they have listed is about 1500fps+ with that bullet in handgun. Although im sure it could handle much faster speeds.

The 45/70 data for a Barnes 458 250gr can exceed 2500fps in the upper end loads for strong actions. Thats pretty similar to what a Savage can do with the same bullet and even the same powder. Its possible this one is a bit tougher but ive looked at them. They looked really similar to the .452 250gr XPB, im pretty sure they would still expand at sub speeds too.

50S&W 275gr data is really close to the the 54x50 speeds a GMB54 can achieve with the MZ 275gr bullet. Ive used both and besides the cannelure, i couldn't tell a difference in the two 50-275gr bullets. Ive shot these from mild to max and not one failed to expand on media or produce a quick humane kill. Its one of my favorite bullets but the BC really sucks if you want to shoot much past 100 yards.