Barnes expander mz 195 grain 45 cal bullet

[ericmeverson]

I decided on myself getting a 45 caliber cva accura v2 thumbhole stock and a konus pro 3x10x44 scope in the kit stainless model. It's going to be a deer killing machine. Now as far as loads I was going to go with triple 7 and bullets I wanted to try the power belt platinum 223 grain bullets first then If those don't go to good which I have no doubt in my mind they will go good then I wanted to try the Barnes mz expanders 195 grain ones. Has anybody had any experience with these bullets. Any pics with groups. Thanks

 

[J E Custom]

I decided on myself getting a 45 caliber cva accura v2 thumbhole stock and a konus pro 3x10x44 scope in the kit stainless model. It's going to be a deer killing machine. Now as far as loads I was going to go with triple 7 and bullets I wanted to try the power belt platinum 223 grain bullets first then If those don't go to good which I have no doubt in my mind they will go good then I wanted to try the Barnes mz expanders 195 grain ones. Has anybody had any experience with these bullets. Any pics with groups. Thanks

I have tried many different bullets for my 45 and 50 caliber Muzzle loaders and so far the MZ Expanders are the best I have found. They hammer deer and hogs at the distances I shoot (Normally under 300 yards with the Muzzle Loaders).

The bullets I have recovered have had perfect expansion and the petals were near perfectly
the same.

J E CUSTOM

 

[ericmeverson]

Awesome. I'm glad to hear that.

 

[sourdough44]

I've drifted to my Knight 45 Cal Elite the last few years. I shot a few deer with the 195 grain Barnes, and then one deer and a coyote with the 200 grain Hornady XTP. For my Knight bore I like the fit better with a light blue Harvester 'crush rib' sabot.

My load for both is 110 grains(volume) of Blackhorn 209. If you are able, I would move over to B209 powder. It has a few particulars, like a hot primer, but not hard to work with.

With 110 grains of B209 my chrony had a 2218 FPS with the 195 grn Barnes bullet. I have to do more extensive testing, but both bullets went into an elongated hole at 50 yards.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Two comments cross my mind as I read your post.

First, as already mentioned, think really, really hard about using Blackhorn 209 as your powder. Yes, it costs a bit more but in the opinion of many it's well worth it.

Second, avoid the Powerbelts. Google them if you wish, but no other muzzleloading saboted bullet with as many bad reviews regarding performance on game. I would take the Barnes any day over the Powerbelts, but then you couldn't give me the Powerbelts. Never used them, never will.

One other thing - I've been looking at the CVAs a lot recently as I have been looking to buy another muzzleloader as well, but don't see on their site an Accura V2 thumbhole in 45 caliber. Did you find a discontinued model, or might you have a link to it?

 

[meatyrem]

Yup what they said

drop the powerbelt idea

Stick with the Barnes

Go with Blackhorn 209 and hot cci or Winchester primers (no triple 7 primers, too many hangfires, or the remington cleanbore, not hot enough)

and if there are any issues with accuracy after trying different amounts of powder, go with the harvester crush rib sabots and that should shrink your groups down