barnes tmz not so sure

[jbender]

I am new to muzzle loading and only have this years experience to pull from but I am shooting a 295 grain hollow point power belt bullet and I stumped my deer from 198 yards in wheat country last week.  the deer went straight down and didn't move.  When I bought my muzzle loader I started with TC sabot bullets and didn't have very good luck with accuracy over 75 yards but the Power Belt bullets shoot very well through my gun and the stopping power was very good.

[Lowedog]

Sorry to hear that you lost the buck.  If he went down hard on impact I would assume the bullet hit hard enough to expand. 

[ML_Hunter]

I've taken both a deer and an elk using the Barns Bullet. The deer dropped in its tracks, 50 yard shot.  The elk went 200 yards before going down but had one heck of a blood ROAD to follow too it, 100+ yard shot.  I like the barns bullet, and it shoots very well from my rifle.

[HardCorpsHuntr]

First year for me using a ML.  I used Barnes TMZ 250 grains.  I stoned my buck in his bed at 70 yards with a heart shot through the brisket and my second deer tag was a broadside 90ish yard shot.  She ran about 10 yards and rolled another 100!!!  I was very impressed.

[50CalJim]

First year for me using a ML.  I used Barnes TMZ 250 grains.  I stoned my buck in his bed at 70 yards with a heart shot through the brisket and my second deer tag was a broadside 90ish yard shot.  She ran about 10 yards and rolled another 100!!!  I was very impressed.

Did you happen to recover the bullet? If ya did whats it look like.

[Lowedog]

Here is the 250gr TMZ I found in my elk last year.  Took out both lungs and was lodged in the thick muscle flank covering the ribs on opposite side.

[50CalJim]

Thanks! I just started working with this same Bullet a couple weeks ago. Looks like it performs well.

[G.R.K]

Why when a animal is not recovered is it a bullet or component problem?Barnes TMZ will expand at 1100 fps and has no listed max velocity. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Why when a animal is not recovered is it a bullet or component problem?Barnes TMZ will expand at 1100 fps and has no listed max velocity. 

most likely the great shot was in fact not all that great. Put anything through the heart or lungs and dead deer. End of story. I don't buy the not expanting at higher velocity either.

[demontang]

Ive seen a 40gr vmax that didnt expand at close range this last year, contacted hornady and they said it happens some times. Its called bullet failure and it happends at random
Sorry for your luck Id keep looking for the deer it might be laying out there 400yds away dead

[ML_Hunter]

you said you had a decent blood trail before you lost the trail.  If you had good amounts of blood, then you most likely have a deer down.  Its probably not far from where you lost blood. 

[huntnnw]

this is a BArnes MZ I pulled from my elk yesterday

[3dsheetmetal]

Last January I shot a cow elk at 128 yds. perfect shot through both lungs. I watched as she walked about 100 yds. before she just fell over.I used the Barnes TEZ 290 gr. which when I skinned it out the exit hole was the same size as the entrance hole.So I assume it didn't expand at all.Which could prove to be a problem if you get less than a perfect shot.So I probably will use something else from now on.

[huntnnw]

I am with the great shot not being a great shot...u can punch a field tip arrow thru a deers lungs and its dead! nothing will survive with 2 holes in lungs or a hole in heart. U can hit one lung and miss major arterys and animals can live for hours!

[Kowsrule30]

I've shot deer and so have my Dad 75 yards and closer on four or five occasions and the bullet didn't expand.... Just punched a small entry and exit hole.... I would've swore I missed from no reaction if I didn't see the thing run away and fall over.....