BARNES BULLET RECOVERY... A FIRST

[Use_Enough_Gun]

BTW--there's a challenging "where's Waldo" anomaly in the TSX photos (the bullet itself). Can you find it? Hint: Don't look TOO closely.

 

[myfriendis410]

U.E.G.: I have never even SHOT a factory load through several of my guns. I handload, and have always said: "if you want to shoot a 130 grain bullet, shoot a .270. 160 a 7mm r.m., 180 a 30-06, 200 a .300 w.m. etc. I like the magic 3,000 fps at the muzzle and usually aim for that in my handloads. But, with the heaviest bullet I can load in that caliber to that velocity. And I too have had good results with the Barnes TSX.

 

[sancho]

Hey Sancho: try IMR 7828 ssc--it was the original powder developed specifically for the .257 wby mag. Supposedly the best powder for that chambering.

thank you so much!

 

[Use_Enough_Gun]

Heavy for caliber

U.E.G.: I have never even SHOT a factory load through several of my guns. I handload, and have always said: "if you want to shoot a 130 grain bullet, shoot a .270. 160 a 7mm r.m., 180 a 30-06, 200 a .300 w.m. etc. I like the magic 3,000 fps at the muzzle and usually aim for that in my handloads. But, with the heaviest bullet I can load in that caliber to that velocity. And I too have had good results with the Barnes TSX.

We're from similar schools of thought--HEAVY for caliber! The exception is usually for manufacturer's limitations.

For example the new "green" Hornady GMX bullet in .308 is only available up to 165 gr. but I want to try them in any case. Usually like to load 200 gr. in my 300 WM.

Just got them this week...Hope to come up soon to try them out. Pigs are a good test for just about any bullet!

 

[ltdann]

Well, there was another factor I didn't mention. I couldn't afford them much back then and I sure as hell can't afford them now that you guys have first dibbs on them. And they're only getting worse. That wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take a couple of hundred of them to find an accurate load.

Amen Brother! Factory loaded Barnes 30-06 goes for about $42 a box. My old springfield hated them, couldn't group inside 4 inches. I started to to be dis-satisfied with Barnes right then.

Being an open minded guy and after talking to the good folks at Barnes and here on JHO, I started to reload, seeking the magic load that would get my accuracy back. (with noslers, I cold put 19 outta 20 inside a 50 cent piece off the bench).

$450 later, when my wife started to notice I was STILL reloading, I gave up and bought a Tikka and switched to E-tips. Got the accuracy back and my barnes dissatisfaction turned to hate.

I've used Barnes 12ga slugs and killed deer with it. Its reasonable accurate for a slug but nowhere near what they advertise. The monster 300 gr slug causes amazingly little damage and very small entrance and exit wounds. Little to no blood trail.

My partner has killed a few hogs with and it seems to work well for him, but he'd prefer his ole vital shoks

I'm no fan of barnes. I'm sure it has a place in africa where deep penetration is a must, but it seems a bit much for blacktail deer.

I've got a A-zone and Tule elk coming up, I'll let you know how the e-tips perform. I already like the accuracy, 3 rds touching at 100yds.

 

[Speckmisser]

Use Enough Gun's comment about speed is well-taken. The engineers I talked to agreed that the biggest reason for "failure" of the TSX is that at super-high velocities (3000fps+), the petals may shear when they fold back. The explanation made sense to me, and seems to jibe with the problems people are having with the .270 and some of the small, fast magnums.

The guy from Hornady explained that they tried to adjust for that in the design of the GMX bullet (which I still haven't tried), so that it can be sent screaming downrange and still function perfectly.

 

[shoot-it]

I don't know if this means anything but I shot a coyote today with my 270 a down hill 250 + shot I used a 130 gr e- tip I hand loaded well I heard a great meat report I watch the dog roll threw my scope I heard him yelp.I found no coyote. I am thinking the e -tip just zipped right threw and he ran of and died somewhere.:skeered::lol bashing sign:

I did see some ig-laughing: but they made a b line over the hill to the neighbors side. man those things can move and climb.

 

[catchdog]

i shot a 350 pound bear with one through the neck and parts of the bullet was found in the meat.the rest of it broke through the spine and went through. dropped the bear in its tracks,but parts of the bullet did break off.

 

[shoot-it]

I am planning on going hog hunting this Sunday and if everything gos good I will try for a neckshot. We have the ranch figured out the hogs go down and feed in orchards and follow the creek beds back up to their bedding area. I plan to get at my spot at 4 am and wait for them.ig-laughing:rayin :

 

[larrysogla]

Well I came back to big game hunting after a 16 year hiatus(1982 to 1998 I did not hunt big game....just small game). In 1998 I bought a Tikka .300WM and then I bought a Browning BAR .338WM.......and I bought all copper PMC Goldline ammo (discontinued now) factory loaded with Barnes X-bullets. 180 grn. for the .300WM(2,960FPS) and 225 grn. for the .338WM(2,780FPS). The reason I started hunting big game with all copper back in 1998 is because of that quarterly newsletter "Califonia Hog Hunter" which strongly suggested that hogs are tougher than deer and tough construction bullets are a must and they recommended the Barnes X. I have shot 80 lb. to 200 lb. wild pigs. The 200 lb. pig was shot quartering, the bullet trajectory entering behind the left front leg and exiting in front of the right rear leg. The hog dropped at the shot but when I approached it jumped up into it's feet and started running away in the hip high hay grass. I ran after it like an idiot and after a few yards realized that I was holding a high powered rifle............then coming to my senses.........I stopped and aimed at the running boar and put an angling shot at the right side of the pig. The pig dropped and there was a jet of steam from the bullet hole shooting higher than my head. I could see the pig was in it's death throes..............but like an overexcited gunner............I put a head shot point blank for insurance. There were one shot kills at 25 yds. The biggest of this one shot kill was a 120 lb. sow...........which I hit with the .338 in the mid-torso...........the shot hit the liver and blew a golf ball sized exit hole.....the sow ran 100 yds. like greased lightning before expiring in the underbrush. It left a good blood trail to follow in the hip high hay grass. The other was a 100 lb. sow running downhill at 180 yds. and on the 3rd shot I finally hit it......although it was hit in the mid-face exiting and breaking the lower jaw..............with the two tiny but fearless hunting dogs locked into both ears.....we finally caught up with the pig and a hit in the neck finally finished the job.
In all of these...............no bullets could be recovered as they were all complete penetrations..................Awesome!!!!! What I was looking for in a pig bullet. If I hit a bone leg aiming for the lungs..............I could be assured that the Barnes-X will penetrate to the lungs and pass on through the other side. I get about 1/2" groups in the Tikka and about 2" groups in the BAR at 100 yds. 'Nuff said.
larrysogla

 

[vincewarde]

Problem with Barnes Factory Loads.....

I am not a highly experienced hunter - but I am a very experienced shooter and reloader. The problem with factory loads using the Barnes bullet line is that Barnes recommends that bullets be loaded to a specific distance from the lands to get good accuracy. I would have to look on their website for the exact distance, but it is very specific.

Throat length varies a great deal between guns, making it impossible for factory ammo to meet this requirement. Yes, all guns will shoot better with "custom" ammo, but this seems to be a requirement with Barnes bullets.

I will bow to those with experience, but this seems to be why factory ammo with Barnes bullets may not shoot very well in many guns.

 

[shoot-it]

Copper likes a jump . When I got a box of nosler e-tips it came with a peice of paper to start .080 off of the lands. I get very good groups with my 270 54 gr h4350 .