Barnes TMZ

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve used powebelts and SST’s in the past with ok performance, Powerbelts would fragment the butchers always cried about them the SST’s were super accurate but pencil entrance and exits not much blood. I heard about the Barnes and tried the 250’s this year and have been super impressed. Great groups with blackhorn which I just started using this year also, as long as I had the right primers. While target shooting I hit concrete found the bullet and weighed it and it only lost 1.5 grains. First deer was double lunged at 119 yards and didn’t make it 50 yards, golf ball sized exit and destroyed both lungs, today I took my furthest shot 196 yards perfect heart shot with the same golf ball sized exit it didn’t go 50 yards again. Super happy I thought I’d share

 

[BAKPAKR]

I used the 290 TMZs on a bull elk. He just stood there after the first hit behind the shoulder so I reloaded and shot him again in the same place. He didn’t take a step from the first shot until he dropped. The heart and lungs were about gone and both bullets exited (broadside shots). I was impressed with the results but then Idaho changed the muzzleloader regs and I could not use them the next time I hunted there.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I used the 290 TMZs on a bull elk. He just stood there after the first hit behind the shoulder so I reloaded and shot him again in the same place. He didn’t take a step from the first shot until he dropped. The heart and lungs were about gone and both bullets exited (broadside shots). I was impressed with the results but then Idaho changed the muzzleloader regs and I could not use them the next time I hunted there.

That’s impressive, why can’t you use them in Idaho anymore?

 

[Jkrugster]

Great post. I’ve had decent luck with hornadys. But I’m going to try those next season. Thanks

 

[BAKPAKR]

That’s impressive, why can’t you use them in Idaho anymore?

Due to a change in the Idaho regulations, the use of sabots is no longer permitted during the muzzleloader only season and the “projectile” must be within .010 inch of bore diameter and be made of lead or lead alloy. IDFG must have decided that
there are not many California condors eating the animals that get away.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

That seems crazy but atleast you can hunt with rifles in ID in MA where I live you can’t hunt deer with a rifle

 

[KChunter71]

I’ve been shooting sst 250. 3 deer this year and not much of a blood trail. Glad for good shoot placement. Might have to grab some and see how my TC likes them

 

[CodyB]

From experience the 290 TMZ in a yellow crushed rib sabot are a great combo for the TC muzzleloader.

 

[Bucky]

I’ve used powebelts and SST’s in the past with ok performance, Powerbelts would fragment the butchers always cried about them the SST’s were super accurate but pencil entrance and exits not much blood. I heard about the Barnes and tried the 250’s this year and have been super impressed. Great groups with blackhorn which I just started using this year also, as long as I had the right primers. While target shooting I hit concrete found the bullet and weighed it and it only lost 1.5 grains. First deer was double lunged at 119 yards and didn’t make it 50 yards, golf ball sized exit and destroyed both lungs, today I took my furthest shot 196 yards perfect heart shot with the same golf ball sized exit it didn’t go 50 yards again. Super happy I thought I’d shareView attachment 142478

I have been thinking of switching to that exact same combo. What primers you using with the Barnes and blackhorn? I use the federal right now

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I have been thinking of switching to that exact same combo. What primers you using with the Barnes and blackhorn? I use the federal right now

So I had the regular CCI primers not the magnum and had a misfire and a hangfire with the blackhorn breach plug in my accura, switched to federal 209a and the firrochi and haven’t had an issue since

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve been shooting sst 250. 3 deer this year and not much of a blood trail. Glad for good shoot placement. Might have to grab some and see how my TC likes them

I had a couple double lung shots with SST’s and all the blood pooled up inside luckily I saw them go down after 100-200 yards but nothing on the ground, I started taking neck shots with the closer stuff inside of 40 because of lack of blood, I did shoot two in the neck that never took another step with the SST, the TMZ have been superb so far and fly great

 

[cornfedkiller]

Another satisfied Barnes user here..

Shot the SST's and was also getting 50 caliber entrance holes and 50 caliber exit holes. Switched to the 290 TEZ (same bullet as TMZ but different sabot if I recall correctly), but use a black Harvester crush rib sabot because its easier to load. With an Accura MR, Blackhorn, and Federal magnum shotgun primers, I shoot under 1 MOA and my blood trails are much better!

 

[Downeaster]

Thanks for posting this. Tried 250gr SSTs and blackhorn on deer, wasnt impressed with the expansion at all (accuracy was great). Honestly, 240gr xtps were magic for me for over a decade when i lived back east. Over 150 yds not the best accuracy, but moa at 100. Prob recovered a handfull, and all were either 85 or 86% weight retention.
We had lots of damage permits back then and truckloads were taken. Xtp was automatic.
Good to see the Barnes performing in such an outstanding fashion. The SSTs were souring me on tipped muzz bullets.

 

[livingandlearning]

Switched to the 290 TEZ (same bullet as TMZ but different sabot if I recall correctly)

I believe the tez is a flat base bullet and the tmz is a boat tail. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[cornfedkiller]

I believe the tez is a flat base bullet and the tmz is a boat tail. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

I just looked it up and you are correct.

 

[OXN939]

I just looked it up and you are correct.

You guys are both correct. T-EZs have a flat base whereas T-MZs are slightly boattailed, giving them a marginally higher BC. They do come with different sabots- those provided with the T-MZs are significantly greater in diameter than those that come with the T-EZs. In my experience, T-EZs as shipped from the factory fit snugly in most .501ish diameter factory barrels.

Both outperform SSTs by a long shot in terms of terminal ballistics. But, word to the wise, Walmart will be getting rid of blackpowder gear at clearance prices this time of year and SSTs fly almost identically to T-EZs in every rifle I own, so I always pick up a few packs of SSTs on the cheap for the range.

 

[Tall_Timber.Productions]

290 Barnes has been a very accurate bullet for us also!

 

[Michiganmuzzy]

SSTs are supposed to work better at higher mv. Barnes mz and their other ML bullets are designed to work well at lower speeds common to MLs. I prefer the Barnes bullets myself. But if you put the SST on really hot loads they do quite well on deer and other midsize animals. Long dist accuracy is great too if you need it.

 

[Gocougs]

That is my favorite bullet hands down! I have had awesome results with them everytime.

 

[Tradguy]

Out of my CVA optima the Barnes TMZ has been a proven killer. Took a mule deer here in Kansas last year on public ground. Shot was 210 yards, dropped the buck where he stood. Very impressed with the expansion and amount of trauma.

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