Reloading with Barnes Spit-Fire T-EZ

[tiger27]

Hey there folks, I've been looking for an alternative to the FTX for reloading. Barnes makes some nice pistol bullets, but nothing tipped. I was looking at their Spit-Fire T-EZ Muzzle loader bullets. They are 250 or 290 grain .451 diameter and lead free for that great weight retention and expansion and have the polymer tips like the TTSX. Has anyone tried these yet? You can now buy the bulk pack of 75 without the sabots. Im thinking I'm going to load some up in place of the Hornady's. Was kindo of hoping someone might have tried it?? Thanks in advance.

[Hoot]

Keep in mind that any bullet, regardless of manufacturer or material used, that is made for muzzle loading will be designed to expand at modest to low velocities. It would be nice to see an affordable .452 bullet with decent BC, designed for optimum expansion at slightly higher velocities than encountered in muzzle loaders or pistols.

Hoot

[Siringo]

I had tried these quite a while ago. The bullets were to long and I had to file the tip down flush with the jacket - otherwise it would be seated so deep that it was past the ogive of the bullet. Also, they fouled the barrel something fierce with copper. All of the current Barnes bullets made for direct rifling contact have bands machined into the bullet to prevent fouling. Instead I would recommend the 275 grain .451 diameter bullet made for the 460 S&W Magnum. This can be pushed to 2000 fps+ with 34.5 grains of LG and a WSR primer.

[lucasphi20]

I'm glad I read this first I was about to order some of these. It would be nice to have a boat tail bullet we could use.

[pitted bore]

It would be nice to have a boat tail bullet we could use.

It's probably possible to put either of the Barnes 458 SOCOM bullets through a bullet sizing die to produce 452 dia bullets

• #45863 Tipped TAC-TX Bullet 300 Grain Boat Tail Lead-Free, BC=0.236
• #45872 Tipped Triple-Shock X Bullet 300 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Lead-Free, BC=0.238

I'm unclear how much the boat tail contributes to ballistic performance. At the velocities that can be obtained with the smaller 45 cases, the few thousandths the boat tail may add to a BC value will make little practical difference in trajectory or remaining velocity. If the bullets were stuffed into the 460 Wby case, the boat tail might make a measurable difference.

Barnes' own pointed original 458 bullet #45701 300 Grain Semi-Spitzer with a Flat Base has a BC of 0.291, which is higher than their two Boat Tailed bullets.

I may be overlooking some point(s), and I'm willing to learn what these may be.

--Bob

[wildcatter]

It would be nice to have a boat tail bullet we could use.

It's probably possible to put either of the Barnes 458 SOCOM bullets through a bullet sizing die to produce 452 dia bullets

• #45863 Tipped TAC-TX Bullet 300 Grain Boat Tail Lead-Free, BC=0.236
• #45872 Tipped Triple-Shock X Bullet 300 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Lead-Free, BC=0.238

I'm unclear how much the boat tail contributes to ballistic performance. At the velocities that can be obtained with the smaller 45 cases, the few thousandths the boat tail may add to a BC value will make little practical difference in trajectory or remaining velocity. If the bullets were stuffed into the 460 Wby case, the boat tail might make a measurable difference.

Barnes' own pointed original 458 bullet #45701 300 Grain Semi-Spitzer with a Flat Base has a BC of 0.291, which is higher than their two Boat Tailed bullets.

I may be overlooking some point(s), and I'm willing to learn what these may be.

--Bob

You're doing great Doc, all I could say is ditto..t

[lucasphi20]

I guess I didn't think on that on the boat tail. I still would like to try. I had thought of getting the Barnes SOCOM and sizing them, but I'm not in love with those all coppers. I'd like a nice partition bullet though.

[Al in Mi]

I guess I didn't think on that on the boat tail. I still would like to try. I had thought of getting the Barnes SOCOM and sizing them, but I'm not in love with those all coppers. I'd like a nice partition bullet though.

I can't see a boat tail having any advantage for the speeds and ranges we shoot, I prefer a flat base anyday.

As far as partitions, Nosler has or had, a couple of weights in .451 flat points, but have heard they have been discontinued and don't see them on their site anymore.

Swift is your next option for a partition, again they are flat points, maybe a bit pricey for plinking, but perfromance is second to none. http://www.swiftbullets.com/a-frame/hun ... liber.html

[lucasphi20]

Yeah I noticed their handgun partition's are no more. I wonder how the swift will handle the speeds of the 450. I know that seems to be a concern with most of the bullets reloaded in this forum.

[pitted bore]

As far as partitions, Nosler has or had, a couple of weights in .451 flat points, but have heard they have been discontinued and don't see them on their site anymore.

Midway has the Nosler Partition 451 260 Grain Hollow Point on close-out sale for only $47.99 per 50. Get them quickly.
--Bob