195 Grain Barnes Expander

ronlaughlin · Aug 15, 2015

This bullet that Scott sent was tested this morning. It was shot through carpet, fiberboard, and water jugs out 25 yards. The powder load was 80g Blackhorn.

The bullet toasted the front jug, and ripped apart the second jug. The bullet made a hole in and a hole on the backside of the third jug, but stayed inside the third jug after bouncing off the fourth jug. It now weighs 195.2 grain.

ENCORE50A · Aug 15, 2015

Pretty bullet.

Widude · Aug 15, 2015

Yes, nice looking 'shroom'. I see many/most/of these bullets are captured inside the 3rd water jug. That seems to be with the same target material and powder charges. Of course another wild card would be to add some bone.

I would think the Barnes would do well bouncing off some bone too. I'm not usually grinding right to the hole, but an intact bullet could be a plus.

That all said I'm still drifting towards a 200 grn XTP in my 45 cal this Fall. Another option I like is the Barnes 195 grain bullet in a crush rib sabot.

ronlaughlin · Aug 15, 2015

The fiberboard is the "bone".

Anonymous · Aug 17, 2015

Midway is selling the 195 gr. for 83 cents right now. This bullet is noticeably better than the recent test conducted on the 200 gr. XTP. Performed perfectly - held all it's original weight. Sight-in with the less expensive XTP and fine-tune/tweak the target holes for Opening Day use with the Expanders. I wouldn't change that practice, even if the XTP was an inch more accurate. Deer kill zones offer enough allowances for a much better bullet.

But the top-dog in this lightweight 40-cal category is no-doubt the Lehigh CF.... at about one dollar a pill.

BuckDoeHunter · Aug 17, 2015

No, the 195 Expander is, if u don't like fragments going who knows where...

jims · Aug 17, 2015

The 195s work quite well on deer but I have never recovered one, all pass throughs.

Anonymous · Aug 17, 2015

The Expander sale at Midway apparently ended yesterday. Gogle-search online for the best prices.

GoexBlackhorn · Jul 2, 2023

That bullet did not go thru the first two jugs with that flowery nose. Odds are it 'finally' opened-up and blossomed inside that third jug.

This Barnes design is virtually identical to the once popular Buffalo Bullet lead design, that often was given low grades 15-20 years ago for it's lack of flowering at high / magnum load speeds.

Perhaps Ron could conduct another test of this bullet at lower speeds..... enough lower where the bullet flower shows itself inside a 2nd jug and not the third. Doing so may recover more of these bullets inside your our next whitetail deer captured during hunting season.

Ninering62 · Jul 2, 2023

Anonymous said:
The Expander sale at Midway apparently ended yesterday. Gogle-search online for the best prices.

Anonymous said:
Midway is selling the 195 gr. for 83 cents right now. This bullet is noticeably better than the recent test conducted on the 200 gr. XTP. Performed perfectly - held all it's original weight. Sight-in with the less expensive XTP and fine-tune/tweak the target holes for Opening Day use with the Expanders. I wouldn't change that practice, even if the XTP was an inch more accurate. Deer kill zones offer enough allowances for a much better bullet.

But the top-dog in this lightweight 40-cal category is no-doubt the Lehigh CF.... at about one dollar a pill.

Yes the sale is over. They are 1.17 ea. After 9.90 shipping they are 1.37 ea if you get 2 pks
I was on Barnes website too & both prices from them & Midway are the same 28.00 a pk

10acres · Jul 2, 2023

I just ordered both the Barnes and the Hornady from Natchez.

billyboy* · Jul 3, 2023

GoexBlackhorn said:
Perhaps Ron could conduct another test of this bullet at lower speeds..... enough lower where the bullet flower shows itself inside a 2nd jug and not the third.

Please see Ron's Test below with 50 Grains by Volume of BH 209

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/barnes-195g-expander-mz.31945/

LBAhunter · Jul 8, 2023

GoexBlackhorn said:
That bullet did not go thru the first two jugs with that flowery nose. Odds are it 'finally' opened-up and blossomed inside that third jug.

This Barnes design is virtually identical to the once popular Buffalo Bullet lead design, that often was given low grades 15-20 years ago for it's lack of flowering at high / magnum load speeds.

Perhaps Ron could conduct another test of this bullet at lower speeds..... enough lower where the bullet flower shows itself inside a 2nd jug and not the third. Doing so may recover more of these bullets inside your our next whitetail deer captured during hunting season.

Sorry but this makes no sense to me.
1st paragraph, is BS. There's no way to verify where it opened but that it did expand somewhere along the way.
2nd paragraph, it doesn't expand at high speeds.
Last paragraph, you want another test at a LOWER velocity to capture it expanding in the 2nd jug and recover them in deer?
Totally confused by this post....

MrTom · Jul 8, 2023

LBAhunter said:
Sorry but this makes no sense to me.
1st paragraph, is BS. There's no way to verify where it opened but that it did expand somewhere along the way.
2nd paragraph, it doesn't expand at high speeds.
Last paragraph, you want another test at a LOWER velocity to capture it expanding in the 2nd jug and recover them in deer?
Totally confused by this post....

Good call LBA.

smokepolehall · Jul 9, 2023

LBAhunter said:
Sorry but this makes no sense to me.
1st paragraph, is BS. There's no way to verify where it opened but that it did expand somewhere along the way.
2nd paragraph, it doesn't expand at high speeds.
Last paragraph, you want another test at a LOWER velocity to capture it expanding in the 2nd jug and recover them in deer?
Totally confused by this post....

Some want one hole in, i on the other hand prefer 2 holes in & out please.

jsteurrys · Jul 9, 2023

Shoot the 200 gr SST or XTP if you want a higher probability of only one hole. I prefer 2 holes and will continue to use the 195 gr BX.

bamawoodsman · Jul 9, 2023

I’ve shot the 250 45 xpander at 100 yards at just water jugs with no board or carpet. I basically got the exact same results as Ron did on the 195. Perfect flower expansion It went thru 3 jugs and stopped in the 4th. My load was 71 grains by weight of fffg triple 7. I’ve also shot a few deer with them. No complaints absolutely devastating.

Va Hunter · Jul 9, 2023

Here’s a Barnes 250gr TEZ that I shot a buck with. 130 yards it clipped the left shoulder, when through the right shoulder and came to rest under the hide. Retained its weight very well. 247.1 gr now

Va Hunter · Jul 9, 2023

Forgot to add pictures

LBAhunter · Jul 9, 2023

In my opinion, in this test I think the Barnes held up very well..
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/sml-bullet-captures.56994/

195 Grain Barnes Expander

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