I tend to agree with BWalker. My personal experience has been less than positive with Barnes.
Just last week, my dad shot a nice 8pt with a Rem 700, 7 SAUM, 140 at warp speed. Shot was broadside at 40 yards with zero between him and the deer (field setting). Buck flinched at the shot and took off straight ahead. In the snow we had a hard time sorting out which track was his. I found blood about 25 yards from the impact. It bled but if not for the snow would have had a hard time finding blood. The deer actually traveled uphill for about 75 yards before it died. Scant blood trail. The total distance traveled was about a 100 yards. The shot was perfect - mid body, tight behind the shoulder. Between 2 ribs on way in, broke one on way out. Entrance hole was very hard to see from the outside, exit about size of nickel.
Necropsy showed the bullet went through both lungs and caused sufficient damage. This has been my experience with Barnes as well - invisible entrance, small exit, enough internal damage to kill the animal. Blood tracing has been difficult. Maybe I've not shot enough or seen enough animals shot with Barnes but I've yet to see a good blood trail. Those I've seen hit in major bones, different story. Most DRT. Dads buck from last year did that from exact same stand, gun and load.
I've been accused of heresy before and suspect the same will occur here for goring a sacred cow. Please pass me the Partitions.....
