Lets talk about TC Shock Waves

[MLhunter83]

Muley Hunter from your experience, have you had better results with the Barnes over the PT Gold?

 

[ENCORE50A]

200 Grain Shock Waves that is.
I bought a bunch of them for cheap some time ago and they shoot lights out of my Big Horn with 110 grains of 777.......Want to use them on deer in my home state of Michigan

Some people like them but some hate themWhat's your findinds ?

I have always used Barnes Expanders on deer but want to use these up and will save a few $$$$$$$$$$$$$ doing so

My 2¢.............

I've always agreed that the Shockwave/SST can be a very accurate bullets, however there have been many bad reports in hunting whitetails. Now some may say it was the shooter and his/her poor shot placement. We all know that shot placement is critical but, still some bullets may fail to perform properly every time, even with proper shot placement. If the whitetail expires, then the bullet must have performed perfectly, right?

Like muley stated, other than the price, Barnes is an exceptionally consistent performing bullet and you rarely hear anything bad about the bullet. IMO I'd shoot the Shockwaves up at targets for practice and remain with Barnes for hunting.

These photos of recovered bullets will probably create quite the conversation but, the evidence is clear........ ALL recovered from whitetails.







Now a Barnes TMZ:



Barnes Expanders:

 

[Muley Hunter]

Muley Hunter from your experience, have you had better results with the Barnes over the PT Gold?

For all the inlines i've owned. I've never hunted with one. I always used a sidelock. I just bought n Accura MR, and this may be the year I finally do. My experience with Barnes bullets are with CF guns. The Barnes were outstanding in those guns. I base my faith in the Barnes in those guns. I've also shot the muzzy Barnes in tests to see how they expand, and stay together, and they impressed me.

With that said, i'm like everybody else. I pay attention to what others report on Bullets. I've never seen a bad report on the muzzy Barnes bullets. They all expand like they should, retain almost all their weight which almost always gives good penetration. Even when hitting bone. You can't ask a bullet to do more than that.

Other bullets can perform good too, but when I read a couple of reports of failure I lose interest in using them. The SST, Powerbelt fall in this category. I've also seen the PT Gold fail in some tests too, but the author is questionable. I'd use them on deer, but probably not elk. My plan is to practice with PT Gold, and hunt with Barnes.

This is how I practice. The first thing I do is sight the gun in with the Barnes bullets with a hunting load of powder. Once it's sighted in I never touch the sights again. It's ready to go for any hunt. Then I shoot the PT Gold bullets, and keep adjusting the powder until it hits the same POI as my Barnes hunting load. This way the gun always stays sighted in for hunting, but I can practice with a cheaper bullet.

Of course it would be easier to just practice, and hunt with the PT Gold. I'd do that if all I hunted was deer.

 

[Anonymous]

Very few would disagree on Barnes being a much better performance bullet. But the reason why Shockwaves/SSTs outsell the similar looking Barnes is price. Folks like me cringe when we pay more than 75 cents for any ML bullet. Personally, I try to stay to stay in the 60-65 cent range.

The only reason I paid 85 cents (on sale) for my Precision Polymer Tips is because it's the only polymer tip/spire point available in 180 grains and 50/40 caliber.

 

[Anonymous]

Encore from looking at your pictures maybe that's why I've never recovered one from a deer......

 

[Creekrunner]

Encore from looking at your pictures maybe that's why I've never recovered one from a deer......

 

[Muley Hunter]

Very few would disagree on Barnes being a much better performance bullet. But the reason why Shockwaves/SSTs outsell the similar looking Barnes is price. Folks like me cringe when we pay more than 75 cents for any ML bullet. Personally, I try to stay to stay in the 60-65 cent range.

The only reason I paid 85 cents (on sale) for my Precision Polymer Tips is because it's the only polymer tip/spire point available in 180 grains and 50/40 caliber.

Do like me. Hunt with Barnes, and practice with a cheaper bullet.

 

[MLhunter83]

On the 200 grain shockwaves the deer I've shot have been anywhere between 15-110 yards. I've shot quite a few deer with them, but only recovered one bullet. It was a mature buck, I had to make a quick shot and ended up shooting him in the shoulder at 40 yards away, the bullet appeared to open okay I thought and dropped him right on the spot. However, on a few of the deer I've shot where I got a pass thru-entrance and exit in the lungs, I've recovered pieces or fragments of the bullet in different places throughout the deer while skinning. I'm going try the Gold's or Barnes next.

 

[sabotloader]

On the 200 grain shockwaves the deer I've shot have been anywhere between 15-110 yards. I've shot quite a few deer with them, but only recovered one bullet. It was a mature buck, I had to make a quick shot and ended up shooting him in the shoulder at 40 yards away, the bullet appeared to open okay I thought and dropped him right on the spot. However, on a few of the deer I've shot where I got a pass thru-entrance and exit in the lungs, I've recovered pieces or fragments of the bullet in different places throughout the deer while skinning.

I do not have a lot of faith in most any Hornady bullets especially the pointy ones. They are certainly accurate and flat shooting but I do worry about their 'terminal performance'. They can and have penciled their way through deer at close range and they have fractured into pieces for me in testing.

These are not STS or Shock waves but in my estimation they failed. Actually because of this I do not trust them - even knowing often they work very well.

I'm going try the Gold's or Barnes next.

If I could I would like to suggest you look very closely at Lehigh/Knight Bloodlines. I have been using the 40x200 gr. Bloodline for several years now and the 'Terminal Performance' they provide is outstanding even at 211 yards and I am sure some beyond but that is the my longest harvest on a Whitetail.

You can find the 40x200 in this group pic.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Bloodline bullets look good, but they cost even more than Barnes. You see how many won't use Barnes, because of the price.

 

[MLhunter83]

I'm going look further into the Lehigh/Bloodlines too. Thanks for the info. Sabotloader.

 

[sabotloader]

I'm going look further into the Lehigh/Bloodlines too. Thanks for the info. Sabotloader.

Just as an example I would show you this... this buck was shot with a 40x230gr Bloodline - range about 40' the animal went directly down...



This does was shot at 113 yards - she was able to turn 180* before she went down.



The point I am trying to make the bullet seems to performs equally well through all ranges... If you do try it I really hope it works as well for you as it does for me.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Who's the old guy?

 

[MLhunter83]

Looks like they do a heck of a job on deer, nice Buck by the way.

 

[rat trapper]

I've shot a lot of deer with the 300 grain shock waves and not had any problems. Not a fan of the yellow easy loading sabots, but the black ones work for me.

 

[Al-53]

I my self like the barnes or Blood lines...but I have used and taken deer with both the SST (shockwaves) and also XTP's with no problems...I find that people hunting in areas that will allow a shot of 100 or less yards load the rifle with maximum powder loads like they were shooting 200+ yards...well these bullets have a set FPS where effective and work properly...if pushed to fast they either grenade on contact or push right through if no bone hit...

where I hunt I have shots mostly out to 70 yards maybe a 100 tops...I use a 90 grain charge and the bullets perform as they should...

but as far as a all around performance bullet...Barnes or blood Lines are great..solid copper or brass bullets so no jacket seperation...and can be pushed to the limits...

I wish the good bullets were still around...A frames..deep curls..gold dots..partitions...Swift...

 

[ronlaughlin]

....I wish the good bullets were still around...A frames..deep curls..gold dots..partitions...Swift...

Partitions...one wish comes true.

 

[Al-53]

thanks Ron....I see they have some gold dots also....those 300 grain partitions will take any game down ..and no fear of fragging or seperation...I have them for my small caliber varmit rifles and they are great...and I shot a deer with my 243 loaded with a Part. bullet at 195 yards and dropped right there...recovered bullet was a nice mushroom...inside wound channel was intense..lol...

I am placing an order today for some bullets on Wideners today..some good oldies there...

 

[Anonymous]

That might be the only website on earth that has any Partitions left. Get em' before they're gone forever. Been discontinued for years now.
I may have ordered three boxes, had they been .452s instead.

 

[GM54-120]

That might be the only website on earth that has any Partitions left. Get em' before they're gone forever. Been discontinued for years now.
I may have ordered three boxes, had they been .452s instead.

Then you may want to avoid most Barnes also. Many, if not all the Barnes 45cal bullets actually measure .451ish. IIRC the last time i measured the Partitions i got roughly .4515 or slightly larger. I still have several boxes of them from Wideners.