Barnes spitfire/TEZ

[builder459]

Ok i am looking for real world opinions on the expansion on these bullets.from reading about them thier seems to be very little doubt about thier accuracy.but semi mixed reviews on thier being able to keep deer down once hit with one. i know the MZ expanders do a good job,what about these?guys using them in the condor/buzzard zones of california are loosing animals to these bullets.required bye law to use all copper in some zones where the condor/buzzards are present.thank you!

[Semisane]

If they're losing animals to Barnes Spitfires I would suspect they're not placing their shots well at all. 

[builder459]

do you use this bullet and how many deer have you taken with it.also did it expand well.thank you

[Semisane]

I don't use them Builder, but my brother-in-law does.  He takes a deer or two every year with them and they have never failed him.  Three weeks ago he shot a 140 lb. hog at 120/130 yards with complete pass through and a golf ball size exit hole in a behind the shoulder shot.  Last week he shot a 175 lb. 6-point whitetail at 163 lazered yards.  Hit it in the neck just above the shoulder.  Totally destroyed the vertebra and dropped the buck on the spot.  Bullet blew out the off side and was not recovered.  Several years ago he shot a "quartering to" buck (I forget the weight) in the left shoulder and we recovered the bullet under the skin at the back of the right rear leg.  Those bullets flat out work.

EDIT:  His load is 120 grains Triple 7 out of either his Knight Disc or his TC Omega.

[hunt-m-up]

I really like the Expanders and have killed quite a few deer with them out to about 150 yds. I've only shot a couple deer with the Spitfires and still dumped them pretty hard, didn't really notice a difference in how they killed. That was with 110 grns of loose T7.

[builder459]

110 grains 777 or BH209 here seems to be the prefered load for almost everyone who shoots those bullet.they all get tack driving performance out of it.most of the deer not recovered that i mentioned were close in shots 30-50 yards.the spitfire TEZ and TMZ appear to have the same hollow point as the MZ expander bullet,and barnes also mentions that in thier ads.accuracy is very important,but if it doesn't kill clean and animals are lost it means nothing to me,this is why i am asking people who use this product. the part of california i come from doesn't require non lead bullets,so i may try a all lead product like the buffalo SSB bullets in 285,325 gr flavor.or may go to the 290 TEZ. a little more weight carried down range never hurts and i do like the barnes accuracy. thanks for all your input i really appreciate it.merry X mas!!!

[coop2564]

In my opinion its the best all around bullet on the market, Ive taken many deer and hog with them its going to expand and its going to penetrate. The front of the bullet is very thin to guaranty expansion but the rear is solid. If people are loosing game its shot placement.

[builder459]

Ok i feel a lot better now,made a call to barnes and the TEZ is actually a expander mz with a polymer tip.great to know since everyone who use the expanders say the terminal performance is excellent.this load bullet shoots excellent out of my triumph.and is the one i will hunt with.thanks for all the input.the ones i read a few bad reviews on as far as terminal performance were the spitfire mz small hollow point and the spitfire TMZ.i still am going to give the 290 gr TEZ a try as well,it has a better BC than the 250 gr TEZ.thanks everyone.