Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

I have several questions about the various bullet and sabot combos out there. I was just informed on a different website that the T/C Shockwave is made by Hornady and is basicly the same bullet as the HornadySST. It was also sugested that I check out the Barnes Spitfire T-EZ. The barnes is an all copper bullet and the Shockwaves & Hornadys are copper jacketed over lead. So, for a 250gr. bullet is the Barnes longer to make up for the lack of dencity that the copper has? I couldnt find any specs on it. The Barns are quite $$$$$ so is it that much better of a bullet or is copper that much more by the pound than lead? I also live in CA and the DFG Handbook has some very vague and confusing restrictions on the use of lead bullets. So do I HAVE to use the Barnes in CA? If anybody can shed a bit of light on these subjects, it would be very helpfull.

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

What your restrictions are in CA I could not say and would not guess. Is the Barnes a better bullet then the T/C or Hornady??? Well that's a good question. Without doubt, if the Barnes are accurate, you will get extreme long range accuracy normally, very controlled expansion for bullet wounds, and they do not loose their weight or fragment 99% of the time. Its like they turn into a mushroom and open up and just plow through.

A lot of deer have been killed with Hornady bullets in SST, Shockwaves, etc. Are they a good bullet?? Some have excellent luck and others claim they blow through, no wound channel, no blood trails. I personally never shot a deer with a sabot so I will not comment on something I have no field experience with. All of my statements are from what I have read or been told.

Some other good bullets, if legal, Nosler, Speer, Parker Extreme... All are accurate, and from what I read work great on game. I still shoot conicals and roundball most the time when I hunt.

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

The price you are seeing for the TMZ is more reflective of the premium for being all-copper, which has everything to do with the cost of copper and nothing necessarily to do with performance or accuracy.

Far more people use the Shockwave/SST than the TMZ, so it's hard to get a good read on the TMZ. I've never tried it but have heard a lot of reports that it can be hard to get the bullet to shoot well in some guns. Based on this and experience with the SW/SST I would say the SW/SST is probably more forgiving.

As for performance again, there are not a ton of reports out there on the TMZ so I have no even second-hand opinion. If you ask those on here who have personal experience with the SW/SST, you will get a vast majority of positive reports with a smattering of negative ones. About the same as any other bullet.

Ballistically, pushed at the same speed I'd guess the TMZ would be a little flatter. Flat enough to justify the price? Not for me, which is why I've never tried them. I shoot too many in a year.

IMHO I think it's first important to pick a bullet that is very accurate in your gun, and put it where it counts. There are only a few choices out there I wouldn't trust on deer.

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

you could try the THOR bullets (conicals) they are all copper and come in 250 and 300gr.

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

HORNADY SST or T/C SHOCKWAVE are hard to beat for accuracy or paper piercing on the range
BARNES TMZ for hunting deer ,good blood trail ,and devastating ,if the hunter does his part ..but are more expensive ,but cost is no factor if only used for hunting ...

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

Since your hunting in CA, try the Barnes Spit-Fire T-EZ, not the TMZ, the TEZ is a flatbased bullet which shoot better in most guns. If it shoots accurate for you, I would go with that, since it is performance on game that you need. That said, however the SW is one accurate bullet, the 300g is better than the 250g SW, which has fragmentation issues and no expansion issues. Not every time, but there have been reports of fragmentation and lost game and long blood trails (400 yards, etc). Which is better for accuracy, I am going to have to say the SW, for Termianl performance I am going to have to say the Barnes T-EZ, for expansion I woudl sayBarnes.For penetration I am going to sayBarnes, since it almost always shoots thru to givegood blood trails. So which is better? the one that shoots the tightest group with the most consistencyin your rifle. If either bullet will NOT hold a 3" or smaller group in your MLer then look for another bullet--I like 5 shot groups myself.
Best Wishes,
Chap

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

Very happy to here from you Chap. I have read some of your stuff on other threads. I have come to the conclusion that the Barnes do fit all my needs. Now I just have to workthem intomy budget so I can shoot them at the range. They are pretty spendy. [:@]$$$$$[:@]Ishoot once a week as long as I dont get a honey-do list and weather conditions permit. Thanks for the advice.

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

Powerfisher
If you are any where near the Condor range then you have to use certified non-lead ammunition. Other than that I do not know of any regulations or even any special seasons. Lee

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

I guess if you can affort it the Barnes would be best, but I was speaking about hunting performance, not paper punching. See this group that I shot the 2nd time I shot my Savage:



I had never shot that good before in my life and I have never shot that well since. I would shoot SW for plinking and then about 2 months before hunting season switch over to the Barnes T-EZ. That is just me being frugal. Chap

PS I went with the Parker Ballistic Extreme last year, since I shot this group and expansion was a lot better. I like that bullet, shot 8 deer with it, most were boom flops or dead in 20 yards. I did have one fragment on a quarting to shoulder shot, so I switched to Barnes Origonals---Very tough bullet and the .290 BC is better than the SW. They are a bit too tough for deer however. Elk I would say perfect. I think I shot 6 or 7 deer this year with that bullet and most were dead in 20 or 30 yards, several boom flops, I did have one 30 yard shot that didn't expand much--that is what I mean too tough. So this next year I am shooting 300g Barnes TSX 45/70 bullet Flat Noseat about 2000 fps with 44 or 45g of 5744 or 55 or so of 4198 in my Savage. All of these are shot with a CR sabot. The TSX has a huge hollow point like a Barnes MZ. Chap

RE: Shockwave made by Hornady? Barnes a better bullet?
 

Im sure I can get a few packages of Barnes to hunt with. I can zero at 100yds with those and then stow them away for hunting then just shoot SSTs at the range. Im sure I canadjust for the different bullets without much trouble.
I live in Lake Tahoe CA. I will be hunting the Sierras. The Condor Range is way south of me. Best I can make out is the Condor Range is the only place that ya cant use lead. I will be going after Mulies & Blacktail. Mulies preferably. I am thinking about just buying bulk .45 solid copper hollow point bullets & a bag of sabots and do some sperimentin. A little hot glue or like in the nose and see what happens. What do you guys know about the Dead Centers?