Chasam60

I have read a lot on Barnes bullets,but have never tried them.My nephew shot a 5pt last week with a Federal 12ga Barnes expander. Recovered bullet was awsome. I want to shoot some in the Omega. My question is what is the difference between the expander MZ and the Spitfire?

Charlie

cayugad

The design of the nose and the debth of the hollow point. I personally like the Expanders. I shot some of the TMZ and did not like them at all. But Barnes are all copper and they expand with nice sharp edges, hold together perfect, and do the job...

TC209x50

I like the spitfire's because they seem to have less drag. They seem to be a little better suited if you have a little brushy conditions. Not that it should influence you to take a bad shot though. Just shot a buck at 100 yards and it went through both front shoulders breaking both shoulders and legs bullet went clean through. Also shot another and it blew completely through it as well, the exit wound was amazing.

gleason.chapman

I am researching to go to a Barnes Bullet for my Savage 10ML2 smokeless muzzleloader. The Expander is a huge hollow point and the Spit Fire is a small hollow point that allows for more deep penetration. There are several different Barnes bullets that you use in a ML with different sabots, here they are:

Barnes #45105 275g XPB BC of .141, usiing HPH12
Barnes Expander MZ 300g #45131 BC .207, using HPH12
Barnes Origona 300g #457010 Spitzer SP BC .291, using MMP Orange or Crushed Rib Sabot ("Marriage made in heaven" is what one Savage shooter saidabout the crushed ribsabot and bullet combo in his Savage--fits "just right")
Barnes X-bullet 300g XFN 45832 BC .204, using MMP Orange
Barnes X-bullet 300g FB 45802 BC .235, using MMP Orange

Here is what I have read about the Barnes bullets for MLer use. Use the Expander for deer sized game because of the huge hollow point, it expand really well at low velocities, it would not go deep enough for elk sized game.

The Barnes XPB 275g is a pistol bullet, use that in deer size game (up to 400 lbs) for deeper penetation than the Expander, it has a hollow point not as deep as the Expander.

Barnes Origonal, is not all copper, but it retains over 70% of weight, use in 300g up to elk size game. Considered a very good bullet by several good Savage ML Shooters. Note the ballistic coefficient of this bullet is much higher than than all the other Barnes bullets. 222 yards MPBR in a Savage at around 2000 fps MV.

Barnes X-bullet 300g XFB is a boat tail X bullet. Retains 100% of weight. I don't know a lot of people who shoot this in a ML, but some do and love it.

Barnes X-bullet 300g FB is a flat base all copper X bullet, the flat base shoot better in MLer because of the sabot are all flat on the bottom. Retains 100% of weight. Several good Savage shooters shoot this in with the MMP Orange sabot.


I like the fact that the Barnesalways shoot thru game, always expand on impact to about 2x the bullet diameter. Always penetrate bone and never fragment on bone. Never fragment when shot at 2500 fps with some Smokeless powders (4198 for example). I like that they retain 100% of weight for the Expander, TMZ and X-bullet. The TMZ did NOT shoot good in my Savage. I want to play with different sabots for the Barnes.
That all I know based on my reading Cabelas Product Reviews, MidWay product reviews this forum and Doug's Savage Forum,
Best wishes
Chap Gleason

HEAD0001

I shoot the Barne's TMZ in my Knight Long Range Hunter. They really shoot well. So far I have shot them to 200 yards. I have a friend who just shot an incredible 11 point in Illinois at 210(lazered) yards. The deer went about thirty yards. He put the bullet right in the boiler room. I just wish the darned things were not so expensive. It is expensive to practice with them. I have no idea why they are so expensive, I guess it is just because they can get it.

I shoot one shot every time I go to the range. My only interest is how the rifle shoot's the first shot. I can keep every shot inside a one inch circle at 100 yards. Tom.

gleason.chapman

The TMZ 290g is what I tested in my Savage, with the supplied sabot. They are a very aerodynamic bullet, with excellent penetration, expansion and terminal performance. I wished they worked in my rifle. I have heard of some guys "Kurling the bullet' to get them tighter in their bores. They do the Kurling by taking two files and rolling the bullet in the files. This roughs up the outter jacket of the bullet just a bit (.001) and makes it stick to the sabot a bit better. That .001 is good enough to make it tighter in some bores and makes it shoot more accurate. They even have a tool to do this now:

http://www.martindaleco.com/pdfs/Electricians_Hand_Tools/Knurling%20Tool.pdf


I have NOT tried this kurling technique, but some report excellent groupsfrom doing this. Seems like a lottta work to me to use a particular bullet. I will hunt for another Barnes bullet that flys well with some sabot (Harvester black, harvester crushed rib, MMP12, MMP Orange, will buy some Crush Rib Red for Savage).
"That is all I know about that." Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump.
Chap Gleason

sjsfire

I'm sold on the Barnes Expander MZ for hunting. I dropped two Illinois deer this year with the 300gr. I also shoot the 250gr with excellent results. I'll shoot other bulk bullets thru the off season just screwing around but opening day I'll have a Barnes bullet loaded.

Chasam60

Thanks to all-I will probably go with the 250 expander. We seldom see a deer around here over 150. Average closer to 120. As for price,Buying Nosler partitions in bulk plus the sabots,the Barnes are just a little cheaper. A wise man told me once that when it comes to fishing tackle-buy the very best you can afford. I think the same should apply to your hunting load. You may only get one chance-you better make it good. Isn't that why we shoot MZ anyhow?

Charlie