Issue with TC 250gr Shockwaves expansion

[FatBoy...]

I harested my first two deer with a muzzle loader yesterday. CVA Optima using 100gr of Pyrodex with a Thompson Center 250gr Spire Point. One at 37 yards and one at 30 yards. Not one drop of blood or a hair anywhere around the shot. No blood trail to either deer. After skinning, both were 100% pass through with ZERO expansion.

I can't imagine I am doing something wrong with these unless these need a magnum load to expand.

After talking with a couple guys I hunt with they appear to be having similar issues with powerbelt (tipped) so I am soliciting advice on a bullet that will open up an exit wound big enough to get a blood trail.

I have picked up a box of the TC TXCs for this Friday, but I'm curious about what others use that gets results.

FWIW, the bullets did the job. Neither went further than 35 -40 yards. Both deer had both lungs, top of the heart and far shoulder punched. That said, 40 yards in briar thick pine 20 minutes after dark sucks to search in with no trail to follow.

 

[ENCORE]

Probably get an argument going but, you're not the only one, with either of the bullets you mentioned. Although the Shockwaves can be a extremely accurate bullet, there are some inconsistencies with its performance on whitetail.
Some will argue that pellets are the problem. Others will argue that shot placement was the problem. Some have excellent success. It can be argued to death by some who feel like you're calling their baby ugly.

Want a bullet that performs as designed, 100% of the time and down to velocities of 1,100fps? Barnes. Either the TMZ, T-EZ or Expander.

Recovered Shockwave:



Another:



Its brother, the SST:





A recovered Barnes TMZ:

 

[FatBoy...]

I looked at the Barnes today but they only had 45 cal in stock.

One malfunction I could see as a fluke but two in two hours, no. Unless I've got the MV wrong, etc. If you MUST hit the near shoulder for expansion that seems flawed to me, on a bullet that's not advertised as bonded.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I took my first MZ deer last year with a 250gr bonded Shockwave. My bullet went through the doe at 75 yards, including hitting the spine, and stopped at the offside hide. It was recovered and looks similar to Encore's first photo, with just the plastic tip gone and a bit of the nose pushed in. Use a Dremel to smooth it a bit and I could re-shoot it.

On one had I can't complain, as it was a dead deer.
On the other, I used a Barnes 290 T-EZ this year to nail an elk at 189 yards this year, and it did a much better job. I'll see how that combo does in a few weeks on a whitetail doe.

 

[Tonyencore]

I was a Hornady SST user for many years but the lack of a blood trail led me to try something different. Another forum turned me on to Barnes 250 TEZ a number of years ago. I can't imagine shooting anything else. Awesome expansion and weight retention along with great blood trails, even with deer that aren't center-punched!! Reduced loads for my daughter netted the same results. This bullet expands at wide velocity ranges and holds together. To me it's a no brainer-----Barnes 250 TEZ with Blackhorn 209.

 

[daddy o]

Same story for me as some of the others. Over the years my son and I have taken approx 6 deer with the TC Shockwaves. Recovered all but one and had very little blood trails on all but one. I switched to Barnes TEZ and haven't looked back. I have only taken one deer so far with the barnes. At 37yds with 110gr BH209. Exit hole I could put my fist in and sprayed blood for the entire 30yds it ran.

 

[ohiohunter]

This is a common issue, though I have read countless success w/ the 200gr shockwaves. Perhaps its the velocity??

Either way I like barnes out of my mz. It would be awesome if barnes made a 200gr 50cal. I have a collection of recovered barnes... all awesome expansion.

 

[ATH]

The typical complaint with the 250 is over-expansion and fragmentation.

I've not shot a lot of deer with the 250, but those I did went down quickly and no bullets were recovered. I shot over 100 deer with the 40cal 200gr SW, with nothing but good results at ranges out to 400 yards. The only negative to report is that driven at smokeless velocities of 2800fps, one must be careful at ranges under 100 yards as they will grenade if they contact bone. But at BP velocities, they were perfect for me.

Blood trails are a curious thing. If you shoot high in the chest, the blood can pool low and not exit. Unless you choose a bullet which blows a massive hole....and destroys a lot of meat if you place it wrong...sometimes they won't bleed much.

 

[FatBoy...]

I had zero expasion. 45 cal in and 45 cal out. Ultimately the bullets killed the deer but I expected expansion and a blood trail, even with a mid level hit and just didn't get that. I haven't run these through a chrono but I would expect around 2600-2700fps.

Haven't brought the ML back out since rifle started last Saturday.

 

[Nomosendero]

I had zero expasion. 45 cal in and 45 cal out. Ultimately the bullets killed the deer but I expected expansion and a blood trail, even with a mid level hit and just didn't get that. I haven't run these through a chrono but I would expect around 2600-2700fps.

Haven't brought the ML back out since rifle started last Saturday.

Wow, with your load of 100 gr. of Pyrodex I would have guessed 1900 or so

 

[FatBoy...]

You're probably right. I mistyped. Working on Centerfire loads and mixed up MVs.

Wow, with your load of 100 gr. of Pyrodex I would have guessed 1900 or so

 

[pooldoc]

I have 2 50 cal Knights(a Long Range Hunter and a Master Hunter) with bare primer breech plugs that I use for all of my big game hunting. For 2 plus years my standard load was 110 Gr of BH 209, Harvester's black crush rib sabot, Federal 209 A primers and Hornady 300gr SST bullet(same bullet as Shockwave). The bonded Shockwave also made by Hornady for TC has a heavier copper cup designed for greater penetration in elk and moose sized game. That load was very accurate and while it accounted for several WT deer, an Aoudad ram, a nice Fallow buck and a bunch of feral hogs I was very concerned about the inconsistent bullet performance. I never recovered one that failed to expand like the ones pictured elsewhere in this post; but I found a couple of copper cups only with lead everywhere and several pass through's with minimal internal damage Mid season last year I changed to Harvester's 300 gr. PT Gold using the regular Winchester 209 primer. The one bullet I recovered held together and did the job. It's even more accurate than the Shockwave. So I'll ride this horse til a better one appears.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I used to shoot the 250 gr SST over 100 gr of powder and similar results. Some times they worked, sometimes they didn't. But after shooting an elk this year with a 300 gr THOR, at 100 yds, I'm switching to THOR bullets. Quartering on shot, bullet entered to the rear of the shoulder and exited in front of the last rib, and left a lot of damage behind it. After finding nothing but positive reviews online I decided to give them a try. They are very accurate, and very deadly.

 

[midwesthunter]

Have had same problems with shock waves and the sst, I switched to dead center bullets, haven't looked back