• Help Support TNDeer:

Barnes Bullets in a ML

O

OldFart

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2000
Messages
2,064
Reaction score
683
Location
Aurora, CO 80012 USA
Greets fm CO
Yeah I know I'm an OF and make decisions based on very past info. But i still can't forget cleaning my .338 barrel after
shooting Barnes X bullets. I very nearly had to make a career out of getting all the copper out. In addition, I had hard extraction and severe primer flattening.
Do today's Barnes ML bullets give this problem? I would think not as the sabot would protect the barrel. I can't use sabots here in CO anyway but I also hunt in W TN, harvested 3 deer in ML season this year.
Thanks Ray
What are your overall experiences using Barnes ML bullets? Thanks Ray
 
Most Accurate ML sabot's I've shot.No worries on the copper fouling.Some have complained about seating down the bore being hard,I haven't had any trouble in that area either btw.Knight went to an easier sabot on there versions this year I haven't used those.
 
The sabot prevents the copper build up you've experienced in the past with centerfire bullets. I'm shooting the 250 gr. expander this season. Accuracy on the range has been excellent. I've yet to get the opportunity to do a field test on game though. I just haven't been out that much this season. I'll hopefully remedy that in the next couple of weeks.
 
How hard are these Barnes bullets to load? Is it nearly impossible to load them a second time without cleaning?
Wonder how they would work with some "aftermarket" sabots??
Thanks! Ray
 
I use the 300 grain Expander MZ with the thinner MMC sabots. You can get a pack of 50 sabots for around $10 shipped. They come in different diameters to accommodate varying bore sizes. My Encore will cloverleaf at a 100 with the Barnes. Will absolutely flatten a deer. I shot through a doe and through the 3 inch diameter tree behind it. I took a picture of the tree instead of the deer. I've shot deer from 10 to 170 yards with the Barnes and 100 grains of 777 with no failures.
 
For me the Barnes is the best all around bullet. I have killed Elk and Deer using 100 - 120 gr T7 and the 250 Gr Barnes TMZ. If you have a TC ML just about everything that shoots good loads hard That's been the case for me anyway. Now in my Knights they laod and shoot great.
 
I converted to Barnes 250 with the Knight easy load sabots this season and it was like shooting a different gun for me. I was shooting 245 Powerbelts previously and tightened my 100 yd group over an inch with the Barnes. They go all the way through a deer too.
 
OldFart said:
How hard are these Barnes bullets to load? Is it nearly impossible to load them a second time without cleaning?
Click to expand...

I had no trouble with'em in a couple of 50 Cal Rem 700's or a 45 Cal Knight. using Clean Shot & Triple Seven. I used both # 11 caps and Win 209's in the Rem, and only 209s in the Knight 90-100gr charges in both. 3 Shot groups at the range then Cleaned BTW.

Note on the 50 Cal with 209's accuracy sucked without the MMP Sub Base I tried before going back to # 11's.One might be able to go with the Newer Cooler Win Triple 7 209 and get by without the sub base.
 
Had problems with the second shot also, someone said it was the plastic from the sabot. A lot of guys on here shoot the powerbelts so im gonna give em a try.
 
I have looked at these and wondering what are the pro and cons of all copper have a wolf but will upgrad to and optima this year, are these much better than the shockwaves or matter of opinion, I also wondered of the copper residue..
 

Latest posts

Back
Top