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Doug's Message Boards :: Muzzleloader Forums :: Savage Muzzleloading Message Board :: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps

Author Topic: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps (Read 652 times)
thelefthand
Ten Pointer

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Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Thread Started on Mar 30, 2008, 7:49pm »
Here we go. Another bullet that some of the buffalo, elk, and elephant hunters have been waiting to here about Man did this thing penetrate! Again, a special thanks to wilmsmeyer for sending me the bullets!

Criteria:
Date: 03/30/08
Temp: 32 degrees
Bullet: 290gr TMZ
Load: 75gr Reloader #7
Impact Velocity:2456fps
Penetration:33 ½"
Expanded Diameter: 13/16"
Retained Weight:229.2 gr, 79%

Like it’s little brother, the 290gr TMZ had very controlled expansion all the way to the end, and never showed any signs of tumbling.

The bullet penetrated noticeably more than it’s 250gr brother, but that’s to be expected. If I had been able to get 2500fps, maybe I would have gotten into the third block!

Like the 250gr version, the 290gr TMZ sheds it’s pedals. However, most of the pedals stay on until it has penetrated the first block completely. From what my testing has shown, that’s about equal to one deer!

The final diameter is a little over 3/4". I’ve seen some thin Styrofoam targets before that I THINK were meant to be used for BB guns and such. The nice thing about them was that they didn’t tear. The BB “punched” a 17cal hole in them. I’d like to find something like that to go between the first and second blocks of PG to get an idea of what the bullets diameter is at that point. I have to think that the TMZ is pretty big with the pedals still attached.

Conclusion: At first glance, I was surprised that the weight retention of the 290gr TMZ wasn’t a lot more than the 300gr SST and Bonded SW. I think the big difference here is that the TMZ bullets keep a LOT more of their weight for a longer period of time. While the SST and Bonded SW bullets are losing most of their weight in the first 6~8 inches, the TMZ isn’t shedding anything but it’s plastic tip until it get’s a lot deeper. In both of the TMZ bullets, the majority of the pedals stayed on until the bullet had penetrated the first 17 ½" block completely. I think it’s safe to say that on most broad side shots, the TMZ bullets retain most, if not all of their pedals when they exit a deer. The only thing they probably leave behind is the plastic tip. For me this bullet just has too much penetration. For that matter the 250gr TMZ does too. A lot of guys like these bullets a lot, and I can understand why. The penetrate a lot, and they stay on course. However, when this bullet exits a deer, it probably has enough energy left to cleanly kill another deer. Having said that, these tests were only done at max speed, and about 5 yards. Still, the bullet has a lot of energy left, and I don’t care for that as much, but that’s just my opinion. If you want a bullet that will reach the vitals no matter the angle, then I think the TMZ bullets are your best bet.

Thanks,
Mark

« Last Edit: Mar 30, 2008, 7:50pm by thelefthand » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged
mq32shooter
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Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #1 on Mar 30, 2008, 8:23pm »
Was the diameter of the disrupted PG where the bullets started to expand about the same on all the 290-300 grain bullets?
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CraigF
Mossy Horns

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Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #2 on Mar 30, 2008, 8:28pm »
WOW!
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art338wm
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Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #3 on Mar 30, 2008, 8:29pm »
Lefthand,
As I am a big fan of and own 300++ of the 290grn TMZs, would you please elaberate a little more on the load you used by answering the fallowing questions:

#1-What is your average accuracy with the load you posted.
#2-Do you do anyhting special to your TMZs such as knurling them between two flat files or do you simply shoot then as is out of the factory packaging?
#3-Have you ever shot them at 200yrds and is so what was your resulting accuracy?

Thanks for sharing your info with all of us.
Arthur.
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Kevin B.
Mossy Horns

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Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #4 on Mar 30, 2008, 8:38pm »
More great info. Thanks.
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esmd
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Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #5 on Mar 30, 2008, 9:52pm »
Wow, I was shooting with 61-63 grains of R-7. I had no idea 75 grains was doable. Maybe I'll starting working up.
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thelefthand
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Location: Centeral / South West Indiana
Re: Ballistics Test 290gr TMZ 2450fps
« Reply #6 on Mar 30, 2008, 10:04pm »
mq32shooter - No. The TMZ bullets had disrupted areas that were much smaller in diameter, but also longer. The others were all about the same. Since this kind of a measurement is very subjective to a lot of external factors, it is not one that I measure. It is of interest to me, so I try to make sure to get pictures of the Temporary Stretch Cavity on each block. Unfortunatly, with the lighting that I had on Saturday, it was hard to get good pictures.

Arthur - the only 300gr bullets that I have shot groups with are the 300gr XTPs. With those bullets I did a ladder test at 300 yards. Here's the results as I remember them. It's late so I may be wrong on some of it. My charges ranged from 65gr to 73gr. I increased in 1.0gr increments, and with the exception of 4 of my charges, the rest all formed a group just over 4" in diameter. The 4 charges that did not hit there included the first charge which clocked a lot higher than it should have, and 67, 68, and 69gr. This was the first time that I had "Indexed" my sabots, and to be honest I forgot to start indexing until I reached 71gr. So for those charges that were not in the 4" group, I can't say if it was because the gun didn't like that charge weight, or because it wasn't indexed. As for these tests, I am NOT doing ANY more accuracy testing until AFTER I have finished the ballistics tests. One of the reasons that I am doing the tests is to determine which bullet I want to use from here forward. It would not make any sense for me to spend $50+ on bullets, sabots, powder, and primers, not to mentioned 2 or 3 day long trips to the range in order to work up an "accurate" load, just to find out later that I didn't like the way that it performed on impact. So, I have picked a given powder charge for a given bullet weight, which in return gives me a given window of velocities. Then I can compare the terminal effects of each round in the most consistant maner that I know how. After the tests, I can pick one or two bullets to try for accuracy. It has been my experience that there are VERY few bullets out there that I can not get to shoot well in any rifle so long as I have not exceeded some structural characteristic of the bullet. So when the testing is done, I'm confident that I'll be able to get my new "preferred" bullet to shoot well.

Thanks,
Mark
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