Author Topic: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.  (Read 839 times)

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Offline Steamin

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Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« on: July 17, 2010, 01:49:03 PM »
These are the worst slugs that I have ever shot in my life, I put a Lightfield through the Ultra 20ga. to check poi/poa and was dead on @ 40yds.
I then put in some of the Federal Barnes Expanders, wanted to give them a try, I thought I was shooting a blunder buss.
Had conderns that my scope was loose, nope still dead on.
It wasn't the fact that they weren't close, they were all over the target back, anywhere from 18" one way to the complete opposite 18" the other way and down or up.
Very Frustrating to say the least.

Just wanted to let every one know and hear if anyone else is having this problem.

Steamin

Offline spikehorn

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2010, 04:15:43 PM »
I have some but havent shot them in my tracker II the light fields are so accurate in that that I see no need to shoot anything else. I just traded for a 20ga USH barrel I'll probably try them in that just to see how they group. They did shoot okay in my sons mossy 500 20ga.
308 win                 45-70                       12ga         
30-30                    223 stainless steel   20ga TDC
44 mag                  Tracker II 20ga        20ga
45-70 Manlicher     20ga USH                28ga
                                                              410ga

Offline carbineman

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2010, 01:13:02 AM »
Every H&R/NEF single shot rifled slug gun prefers one brand over another. Could be the way your forend is bedded or not bedded to the barrel, or the pressure you have on the forend attachment screw. Our family has six different Tracker II slug guns and each one preferred different factory offered ammo.

My son and I are currently using Winchester Partition Gold 3" saboted slugs in ours at this time. We sight ours in to shoot one shot accurately from a "cleaned" barrel. And yes they might shoot differently once fouled. We have used the Barnes loads by Federal that you mentioned and they were adequate for us, but the Winchester were a little more consistent. But again each slug shooter is a little different so you need to figure out what yours shoots best with. With the price of that ammo, it is an expensive proposition though.

Offline bikerbeans

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2010, 05:25:07 AM »
Steamin,

A friend of mine has been shooting the 3" 12 Ga barnes expanders out of his USH for close to 10 years.  The gun shots right at 1" groups @ 100 yards.  You have probably lucked out here because the Lightfields your gun shoots well are cheaper than the Barnes copper bullets.  ;D
I don't think a whitetail knows or cares if it was a copper or lead slug that just pulverized his lungs. ;)

BB
RIP Tom: Tom Nolan, ( bikerbeans) passed away this afternoon (02-04-2021).

Why be difficult, when with a little extra effort you can be impossible?

Wife's Handis;  300 BLKOUT

MINE:  270W, 308x444, 44 Bodeen, 410 shorty rifled slug gun, 445 SuperMag Shikari, 45 ACP shorty,  45-70 Shikari, 45 Cal Smokeless MZ, 50cal 24" SS Sidekick, 50 cal 24" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Sidekick, 50-70 Govt Shikari, Tracker II 20 ga shorty, 20 ga VR Pardner, 20ga USH, 12ga VR NWTF, 12ga Tracker II shorty WITHOUT scope, 12ga USH, 10 ga  Pardner Smoothbore slug gun & 24ga Profino Custom rifled slug gun.

Offline spikehorn

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2010, 07:37:46 AM »
The best advice I ever heard regarding rifled slug guns is before you start sighting in buy as many diffrent kinds of sabot slugs you can and shoot them for groups to find out what your slug gun likes to shoot. Once you have figured that out then sight it in and stick with them.
308 win                 45-70                       12ga         
30-30                    223 stainless steel   20ga TDC
44 mag                  Tracker II 20ga        20ga
45-70 Manlicher     20ga USH                28ga
                                                              410ga

Offline Empty Quiver

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2010, 07:41:38 AM »
Shoot like laser beams out of the daughters Mossberg. Coffee can doesn't stand a chance at 100 yards.
**Concealed Carry...Because when seconds count help is only minutes away**

Offline Steamin

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2010, 05:17:12 PM »
Well, I grabbed my other sons USH 20 ga. this afternoon to give the Federals another fair chance and I ended up finishing both boxes off.

This 20 ga. shot them just as erratic as his brothers shot. Started out 9" low (clean bore) from poa and was all over the place after that.
Has any one else noticed how these do not burn very well, the barrel was filthy after the first shot, like I said in my first post I've shot alot off slugs over the years and nothing has left a barrel looking like this that I can recall.

I'm not trying to push any one off or away from these, but man oh man, the boys USH's  do not like these rounds at all.

Steamin


Offline spikehorn

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2010, 05:23:07 PM »
I'm gunna try mine in the 20ga USH tomarrow I'll let you know the results. Sounds like mossbergs like them though.
308 win                 45-70                       12ga         
30-30                    223 stainless steel   20ga TDC
44 mag                  Tracker II 20ga        20ga
45-70 Manlicher     20ga USH                28ga
                                                              410ga

Offline spikehorn

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2010, 02:07:04 AM »
Finnally had the opportuninty to shoot my 20ga USH. I have a Nikon Pro Staff 2X7X32 shotgun scope on it. It has only been bore sighted, and at this point I was only shooting for groups. Once I find what it likes to shoot then I'll start sighting it in. Anyway the first barnes 3" expander was a little low and to the right about 10" from my POA. Not bad for a bore sight. It went down hill from there, at 50 yards I needed a yard stick to measure group and the third shot was almost off the bottom of a 3'x3' piece of card board I was using. I'm going to try Lightfields and Buck Hammers next.
308 win                 45-70                       12ga         
30-30                    223 stainless steel   20ga TDC
44 mag                  Tracker II 20ga        20ga
45-70 Manlicher     20ga USH                28ga
                                                              410ga

Offline herb40

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Re: Barnes 20ga. 3" Expanders.
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2010, 03:36:35 PM »
I could not get the Barnes tipped expanders to group out of my H&R ultra slug or my new Savage 220f.
   If you want an extremely accurate sabot for your H&R or Savage 220f try the 20ga Remington 3" accutip.