What sabot bullet combo for deer out to 100 yards

[MrTom]

The Furys mentioned are bonded.

I shoot 77 weighed grains of Bh209 under a 250 grain Barnes in my Accura V2 with a black sabot and its a very accurate load.

 

[LBAhunter]

I gave my 2003 TC Encore to my son, and I bought a new CVA 50 cal Acura direct from cva. I’d like to continue using blackthorn lose powder but I’m interested in expansion, not necessarily conical plastid points for long distance shooting. I’ve had great success with Barnes and Hornady. What do you suggest I try in a hollow point type bullet ? Easier loading is important too. Thanks!

Start out at 63grW of BH209 with MMP smooth black sabot or Harvester, whichever is a more snug fit with a Barnes XPB 200 or 225gr bullet. Work up to the accuracy you want. Probably, accuracy will be good all the way to max but I would probably stay around 70gW of BH209. I shot the Barnes 45ACP 185gr TAC-XP in a MMP smooth black sabot with alittle over of 70grW of BH209 in my CVA Optima V2 50. I had no problems killing deer to 100yds. You won't have to worry about the Barnes XPBs grenading and with that big ol' hollow point it will expand.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

Midway sold a bunch of Deep Curl blems a few years ago, just about the time Speer discontinued them. i grabbed a couple boxes. I planned to load them in 450bm but ive been so happy with the XTPs that i never bothered to try the DCs.

I'm going to stay with the 240 xtp and the cheap shots I have got hundreds of xtps and sobots I bought them separately. I stock in bulk now.

 

[bronko220002]

Midway sold a bunch of Deep Curl blems a few years ago, just about the time Speer discontinued them. i grabbed a couple boxes. I planned to load them in 450bm but ive been so happy with the XTPs that i never bothered to try the DCs.

I'm sure you could sell them. A lot of guys looking for them.

 

[MrTom]

Back when I first bought my Accura V2 I bought a mess of bullets to try, including 4 weights/ 2 diameters of the deep curls and as many versions of the Swift A-frames. I bought several boxes of each weight/diameter and still have plenty to play with. Not at all sorry for laying out the kind of money I did to get these pups, but at least I have them. Tough to find either in today's marketplace.

And Bronco..... everyone has to decide what load/charge is right for his gun or his needs. There's no magic number that fits everyone. What I load to hunt with or poke paper with works for me so that's what I load and shoot.

 

[Ode1891]

Back when I first bought my Accura V2 I bought a mess of bullets to try, including 4 weights/ 2 diameters of the deep curls and as many versions of the Swift A-frames. I bought several boxes of each weight/diameter and still have plenty to play with. Not at all sorry for laying out the kind of money I did to get these pups, but at least I have them. Tough to find either in today's marketplace.

And Bronco..... everyone has to decide what load/charge is right for his gun or his needs. There's no magic number that fits everyone. What I load to hunt with or poke paper with works for me so that's what I load and shoot.

Do you think someone who finds a load and bullet combo, from the exact same gun I have, might likely give me the same result ? My question should have included that. When I bought Barnes spitfires I was satisfied with the groups from my encore. So if somebody had an exact encore, I’d suggest 100 GR by volume of BH and Barnes TMZ in 290 . I figured with all the vast experience here, I might save a few hundred shots and dollars.

 

[MrTom]

Guns, even though identical, can shoot different from one to another. People are different and won't be shooting identically. For the most part guns and loads won't be far off so if someone chimes in with a load that is used in a gun like yours, start with it.

 

[smokepolehall]

I am just curious as to what i am missing on shooting those heavier bullets ?

 

[bronko220002]

That is a potent load and still under the max but IMO much more than you need for deer <100 yards. I'd see what accuracy you get with 80 and 90 grs.

My usual 77 grain by weight charge equates to roughly 110 grains by volume so no you're in the ball park. Keep in mind that some of these heavier or saboted bullets like to be pushed hard, meaning a heavier charge.

I didn't say it was a max charge. I said it was a potent charge. IMO I don't think you need to push a bullet that hard unless that is where you're getting your best accuracy and/or shooting long range.
I get sub MOA accuracy with 68 gr (wt) of BH so I wouldn't even consider going any heavier. No deer is going to know the difference.

And Bronco..... everyone has to decide what load/charge is right for his gun or his needs. There's no magic number that fits everyone. What I load to hunt with or poke paper with works for me so that's what I load and shoot.

Mr Tom I'm not arguing with you. In fact if you re-read my post above I said that I don't think you need to push a bullet that hard UNLESS THAT IS WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR BEST ACCURACY.
Each ML is different and what works for you or me may not work for someone else. Why not start with a lower charge and work up instead of going to max or almost max right off the bat. All we can do is relay our experience.

 

[Ode1891]

In my case, with bullets it came down to what was available. Seems like it was a long time ago I found only 290 gr + bullets available where I bought from. When I went with blackhorn, a very knowledgeable guy said to load 110 - 120 by volume and I’d be good at my distances. Once I sighted in and liked the grouping, I stayed with that combination.

Every year I sight in again to check the poi and hunt. I’d go back in the 225 - 250 arena , which is what I used to shoot many years ago, if I could find those bullets. The bullets I shoot are absolutely overkill for deer. But it’s just the way things worked out based on what was available. With this new rifle it’s the first time since 2003 that I’m searching for other load options.

Can I buy the ez load spitfires from Barnes in lose bulk, the exact bullets? And also the ez load sabots from Barnes n lose bulk, , the exact sabots? F so I’d buy them in a lower weight and try lower powder loads. But I’m not planning to shoot as much as it’d require to sift through various bulk sabots and bulk pistol bullets to find a good match.

Sorry to ramble.

 

[MrTom]

Can I buy the ez load spitfires from Barnes, the exact bullets? And also the ez load sabots from Barnes, the exact sabots?

Muzzle-Loaders.com has the 250 Barnes Spitfire TEZ with the EZ load sabots you're looking for. And they have the 290's right there too.

Try this link.

https://muzzle-loaders.com/collections/bullets/products/barnes-tez-bullets-250-grain

 

[earlwb]

I think that with a .50 cal anything would work well on deer and a lot of other animals too. Round balls, conicals, minie balls, and sabot bullets. Granted a 40 or 45 cal bullet is smaller in the sabot but it is still a big bullet. With the moderate velocities that muzzle loaders throw bullets down range at all of the bullets should do fine. Nowadays trying to find a specific bullet tends to be an exercise in futility often too. You are pretty much stuck with whatever you can get.

 

[Ode1891]

Muzzle-Loaders.com has the 250 Barnes Spitfire TEZ with the EZ load sabots you're looking for. And they have the 290's right there too.

Try this link.

https://muzzle-loaders.com/collections/bullets/products/barnes-tez-bullets-250-grain

Thanks for your tip. Getting back to previous replies about buying separate packs of sabots and a quantity of bullets, does anyone sell , for instance a 50 or 100 quantity of just these bullets and these sabots? Or is the only way to buy these in combo packages ? Thanks

 

[Ode1891]

I think that with a .50 cal anything would work well on deer and a lot of other animals too. Round balls, conicals, minie balls, and sabot bullets. Granted a 40 or 45 cal bullet is smaller in the sabot but it is still a big bullet. With the moderate velocities that muzzle loaders throw bullets down range at all of the bullets should do fine. Nowadays trying to find a specific bullet tends to be an exercise in futility often too. You are pretty much stuck with whatever you can get.

I get it. When I hunted in rifle counties in northern and central PA in the 70s and 80s the heaviest bullet I shot from any rifle was a 180 and that was like a canon ball…especially from my KMart Remington 30-06. A hit in the solarplex destroyed both shoulders and much of the front loins and the exit whole looked like a baseball pass thru. A shot I’ve only done when dropping the deer immediately on the spot was the goal.

 

[retrieverman]

I spent 20 years thinking I needed to use “premium” hunting bullets to kill a deer, but in reality, deer aren’t that hard to kill and plain old lead bullets work just fine if you put the grease where the squeak is.
I’m currently using Harvestor black crush rib sabots with a 325 gr cast lead bullet in my tradition and inline muzzleloaders.

 

[Hausser1]

Midway sold a bunch of Deep Curl blems a few years ago, just about the time Speer discontinued them. i grabbed a couple boxes. I planned to load them in 450bm but ive been so happy with the XTPs that i never bothered to try the DCs.

I wonder how those DCs would shoot in a classic rifle like say, oh I don't know, maybe a new MK85?

 

[smokepolehall]

Ok i will just out right ask why do you need a bullet that weighs over 250 gr shooting a deer ? I have killed a pick-up truck load of them with 40 gr bullets

 

[MrTom]

Thanks for your tip. Getting back to previous replies about buying separate packs of sabots and a quantity of bullets, does anyone sell, for instance a 50 or 100 quantity of just these bullets and these sabots? Or is the only way to buy these in combo packages? Thanks

The Barnes site only lists the TEZ and TMZ only as a muzzleloader bullet and only as a bullet/sabot package. Barnes pistol and some rifle bullets are sold in smaller quantities too, than, say, Hornady or Speer pistol bullets.

The key word in sales it seems, is "muzzleloader". Hornady's XTPs are sold all over with sabots as "muzzleloader" bullets in units of 15 to 20, while they're the same identical bullet found in boxes of 50 to 100 sold as pistol reloading bullets but without the sabots. Personally, I won't buy anything that's sold as a "muzzleloader" specific product other than some cleaning supplies and, of course, powders. And when I need to buy powder, I only have to shop for T7 fffg and Blackhorn and both are locally available. So, regarding those Barnes TEZ package bullet/sabots.... if you are set on using them, you need to pay the piper.

 

[Ode1891]

Ok i will just out right ask why do you need a bullet that weighs over 250 gr shooting a deer ? I have killed a pick-up truck load of them with 40 gr bullets

250 is overkill. And recoil is like an elephant gun. Only reason has been availability.

 

[brad502a]

Am I loading too hot with 105 by volume of BH209

If you are using tubes to measure powder, you don't really know, get a "real" powder measure.