Fed/Barnes performance on deer report
Dec 10, 2009 23:38:01 GMT -5
Post by artjr338wm on Dec 10, 2009 23:38:01 GMT -5
I thought about not posting this report as it is 100% from second hand info and pictures, and is based on the results of only four dead deer, but the source of the info is a life long friend of mine and totally reliable.
Late in 2007 I came across a great deal on the Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs in 12ga 2.75" 3/4oz or 328.125 grains. I walked into a local gun shop (I try to patronize the small shops when ever I can) that has quite good prices on firearms, but usually their ammo prices include a free tube of Preparation H
with each purchase.
As I walked by a end cap I saw a large sign that said Fed/Barnes Expander tipped slugs for $9.99 for a box of 5 when the normally retail for around $16.99. The next best price I ever bought them at was from Cabelas at $12.99 a box.
I had shot the ones I bought from Cabelas out of my Marlin 512 and my A-Bolt and both produced consistent 1.5" 3-shot 100yrd groups and 3-4" 200yrd groups. Just like it says on the box.
I had bought allot of powder, primers and even ammo from this guy in the past as well as more than a few guns, so they know me as a good customer. The owner and his son are always open to price haggling so I asked him what was he willing to do for me if I bought a case of them which equals 250 rounds. After allot of back and forth we settled on $450 with tax. I felt a good deal for both of us especially since it was a unopened case so all fifty boxes were of the same lot number.
Normally I am reluctant to buy a large no# of sabot slugs unless I first shoot a few from the lot# I plan on buying as I have personally seen sabot slugs from different lot# be subject to have wildly varying levels of accuracy. This is not the case based on my experience with the new Federal/Barnes sabot slugs.
Sure enough the new ones I bought also shot as well as the old ones did. Back in October my friend I mentioned above called me to ask if I had any Lightfields left that i would be willing to sell to him. I said unfortunately no as i just sold my last six boxes to a mutual friend of ours. But I told him i would be willing to sell him a few boxes of the Fed/Barnes Expander tipped slugs seeing as I had quite few. He had remembered them from a previous ranges session we shot together at and was quite impressed with their accuracy, so he bought a few boxes.
He also hunts with the same marlin 512 that I have and bought his after seeing mine perform first hand so we were both confident the Fed/Barnes slugs should shoot well out of his 512.
When he bought them from me I said I wanted one favor in return for saving him a lot of $$$ on slugs. He butchers any deer he or his two sons kill so the favor I wanted was if he knew there was a Fed/Barnes slug in any deer he or his sons shot, to please make every effort to recover one for me. He said he would be glad to.
I did not give the matter much thought after that and both first and second season for shotgun deer have since came and gone in Illinois.
Well low and behold if I don't get a phone call a few days ago while my computer is on the fritz from my above friend. Seems he and his boys took three does and one nice buck, the buck during a youth hunt, one doe first season and two does second season. Tells me I have fair amount of deer meat coming if I want it, and also much to my delight two of the Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs as well.
I went right over and retrieved the slugs and the meat. Over a few mother-in-law-kiss cold beers I have him retell me the taking of all four deer. Short version: The Federal/Barnes EX-T slugs literally drooped three of four deer DRT. As for the recovered .50 caliber slugs, both expanded perfectly one to 1.233" the second to 1.32". Both slugs retained in excess of 97% of their original weight. Both slugs were recovered from deer shot quartering away and went through as near as he could tell the paunch then liver, lungs then lodged in the meat of the off shoulder area.
Doe #1 was about 90yrds Doe #2 was shot by Dad at about 145yrds. The other doe and one buck were pass through broad side shots, but he said they both left quite large exit holes and did huge damage to the lungs. They both left good sized but not huge entrance holes. Only one deer was able to try to flee after the shot and it was no more than 30 or so yrds. The other 3 including the buck a good sized 3-1/2yr old 11 pointer were all DRT.
He did take a few pics of the lungs as well as the exit holes in two deer and let me tell you I can best describe the damage I saw in those pics as devastating. Unfortunately he does not have a digital camera and these were taken with a disposable 35mm camera and were of rather poor quality, so I can not post them. I tried to scan them several times, but they just did not come out at all well, definitely not clear enough to post.
I used my RCBS 1010 beam scale to weigh the recovered slugs and my digital calipers to measure their OD.
Now I know four dead deer a super slug does not make, but it sure went a long weigh to instill in me a high level of confidence in the 12 ga 2.75", 328.125 grain Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs.
I will definitely make the new Federal slugs my go to slug for shotgun deer hunting.
Hope this proved helpful to someone.
Be well,
Arthur.
Late in 2007 I came across a great deal on the Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs in 12ga 2.75" 3/4oz or 328.125 grains. I walked into a local gun shop (I try to patronize the small shops when ever I can) that has quite good prices on firearms, but usually their ammo prices include a free tube of Preparation H
with each purchase.As I walked by a end cap I saw a large sign that said Fed/Barnes Expander tipped slugs for $9.99 for a box of 5 when the normally retail for around $16.99. The next best price I ever bought them at was from Cabelas at $12.99 a box.
I had shot the ones I bought from Cabelas out of my Marlin 512 and my A-Bolt and both produced consistent 1.5" 3-shot 100yrd groups and 3-4" 200yrd groups. Just like it says on the box.
I had bought allot of powder, primers and even ammo from this guy in the past as well as more than a few guns, so they know me as a good customer. The owner and his son are always open to price haggling so I asked him what was he willing to do for me if I bought a case of them which equals 250 rounds. After allot of back and forth we settled on $450 with tax. I felt a good deal for both of us especially since it was a unopened case so all fifty boxes were of the same lot number.
Normally I am reluctant to buy a large no# of sabot slugs unless I first shoot a few from the lot# I plan on buying as I have personally seen sabot slugs from different lot# be subject to have wildly varying levels of accuracy. This is not the case based on my experience with the new Federal/Barnes sabot slugs.
Sure enough the new ones I bought also shot as well as the old ones did. Back in October my friend I mentioned above called me to ask if I had any Lightfields left that i would be willing to sell to him. I said unfortunately no as i just sold my last six boxes to a mutual friend of ours. But I told him i would be willing to sell him a few boxes of the Fed/Barnes Expander tipped slugs seeing as I had quite few. He had remembered them from a previous ranges session we shot together at and was quite impressed with their accuracy, so he bought a few boxes.
He also hunts with the same marlin 512 that I have and bought his after seeing mine perform first hand so we were both confident the Fed/Barnes slugs should shoot well out of his 512.
When he bought them from me I said I wanted one favor in return for saving him a lot of $$$ on slugs. He butchers any deer he or his two sons kill so the favor I wanted was if he knew there was a Fed/Barnes slug in any deer he or his sons shot, to please make every effort to recover one for me. He said he would be glad to.
I did not give the matter much thought after that and both first and second season for shotgun deer have since came and gone in Illinois.
Well low and behold if I don't get a phone call a few days ago while my computer is on the fritz from my above friend. Seems he and his boys took three does and one nice buck, the buck during a youth hunt, one doe first season and two does second season. Tells me I have fair amount of deer meat coming if I want it, and also much to my delight two of the Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs as well.
I went right over and retrieved the slugs and the meat. Over a few mother-in-law-kiss cold beers I have him retell me the taking of all four deer. Short version: The Federal/Barnes EX-T slugs literally drooped three of four deer DRT. As for the recovered .50 caliber slugs, both expanded perfectly one to 1.233" the second to 1.32". Both slugs retained in excess of 97% of their original weight. Both slugs were recovered from deer shot quartering away and went through as near as he could tell the paunch then liver, lungs then lodged in the meat of the off shoulder area.
Doe #1 was about 90yrds Doe #2 was shot by Dad at about 145yrds. The other doe and one buck were pass through broad side shots, but he said they both left quite large exit holes and did huge damage to the lungs. They both left good sized but not huge entrance holes. Only one deer was able to try to flee after the shot and it was no more than 30 or so yrds. The other 3 including the buck a good sized 3-1/2yr old 11 pointer were all DRT.
He did take a few pics of the lungs as well as the exit holes in two deer and let me tell you I can best describe the damage I saw in those pics as devastating. Unfortunately he does not have a digital camera and these were taken with a disposable 35mm camera and were of rather poor quality, so I can not post them. I tried to scan them several times, but they just did not come out at all well, definitely not clear enough to post.
I used my RCBS 1010 beam scale to weigh the recovered slugs and my digital calipers to measure their OD.
Now I know four dead deer a super slug does not make, but it sure went a long weigh to instill in me a high level of confidence in the 12 ga 2.75", 328.125 grain Federal Barnes Expander Tipped slugs.
I will definitely make the new Federal slugs my go to slug for shotgun deer hunting.
Hope this proved helpful to someone.
Be well,
Arthur.
