Barnes 165 grain xlc

corbin9191 · Jul 29, 2008

I am wondering if anyone has any loads for a 165 grain barnes xlc bullet for a 300 win mag. because I was going to go with a 180 grain bullet but they are a little heavy for what I want. I am wondering what a good load is because I heard that you can load them hotter because the coat on the bullet reduces pressure, so then you can add more powder and get about another 200 fps more. thanks

YoteSmoker · Jul 29, 2008

Still messing with that 710?

corbin9191 · Jul 29, 2008

yes I am

. But my accuracy did increase quite a bit two bullets into .377 at 100 yards, after I cleaned the heck out of it and polished the chamber, and not to mention those were my fouling shots and after my fouling shot were done and I let the barrel cool down I shot another round to see where I was I was hitting and it hit .400 inches above the fouling shots and to the right .170 inches. So I think I got it fixed but I just want to use a different bullet then fmj/bt for hunting :lol:

FOTIS · Jul 30, 2008

I never, ever had luck with the XLC's.

The TSX and TTSX's are great though. 8)

YoteSmoker · Jul 30, 2008

+1 for the tsx...I'm not sure barnes is currently producing the xlc. I always try to work up loads with bullets in current production hoping they are available down the road.

remingtonman_25_06 · Jul 30, 2008

Barnes quit making the XLC when they started to introduce the TSX line. I tried .257" 100g XLC's in a 25-06, and .308" 165g XLC's in a couple different 300 Win Mags and I got less then satisfactory results. I did all the recomendations from barnes such as scrubbing the barrel till its squeaky clean and starting .050" off the lands, it didn't matter, they just werent consistent other then giving me shotgun patterns at 100 yards out of the rifles I tried them in anyways. These rifles were known shooters producing groups well under MOA with Sierra gamekings and Nosler Bal tips. Kinda left a bad taste in my mouth for Barnes, especially when you pay that kinda money for them...I'll stick with NBT's and AB's.

buckfever · Jul 31, 2008

I'v tried the 100 gr XLC in my 25 06 not that good the best group I got was 1.5 to 2" I think i'll stick with Noslers.

gunrunnerz · Jul 31, 2008

+ 1 for stating with the Noslers

Greg Nolan · Jul 31, 2008

TSXs are real accurate but nothing has ever beaten the AccuBond/Ballistic Tips for my loading accuracy. And I know exactly how they will perform. TSXs, well, If you want to kill the tree behind the deer after hitting the deer there's your bullet.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

corbin9191 · Jul 31, 2008

Ok since everyone doesn't like the xlc, what do you think about the combined technology from nosler and winchester? It would be for a 7mm rem mag and a 300 win mag, not saying I am going to use these I am just wondering how they perform.

Antelope_Sniper · Aug 1, 2008

I sometimes shoot the 200gr balistic silver tip in my .338. Compared to the normal ballistic tips, I can push it to higher velocities before pressure signs develop. In addition, it an accurate shooting bullets. I've also had good results with the 150gr BST in my STW.
I've had some ok, but never any great results with barnes bullets. Well, ok most of them have been really terrible with groups in the 6-8" range. Part of it might be that I like slow powders, and based on some comments in this forum, it appears barnes bullets prefer faster powders.

gunrunnerz · Aug 1, 2008

My own experience with barnes has been less than exciting. I'll stay with the Nosler products until they get out done. I have had nothing but excellent results with the 7mm 140 and 150 gr selections and I can't say enough about the 180gr ballistic tips in 338. Antelope Sniper is right on about being able to push the ballistic tips. I compete with the ballistic tips and have had no issue with using the same loads at 200 yards that I do at 500 or 600 yards. I have had wide groups and flyers with barnes, speer, and a few hornandy products. I know every one has a preference and has a round or component that they prefer, I'll stick with Nosler for the business part of my loads.

corbin9191 · Aug 1, 2008

Ok, if I was to use ballistic tips on elk and deer out of a 300 win mag how would they perform and how would the accubonds perform on the same thing? What would you recommend?

russ808 · Aug 1, 2008

Both the BST and the AB's are good for hunting IMO. I use both of them and have never had a problem.

Antelope_Sniper · Aug 1, 2008

In the 300 Win mag, I'd load 180gr BT/AB/BST, and find one load for everything from mice to moose. For powders, I'd try RL22, H4831, H1000, and IMR7828, probably in that order. Someplace in there I would expect to find a real slayer load for your rifle. The 200gr AB is another fine choice, you just don't have the flexabliity of substuting the cheaper BT in place of it.

corbin9191 · Aug 1, 2008

Antelope_Sniper":1v5znxiy said:
In the 300 Win mag, I'd load 180gr BT/AB/BST, and find one load for everything from mice to moose. For powders, I'd try RL22, H4831, H1000, and IMR7828, probably in that order. Someplace in there I would expect to find a real slayer load for your rifle. The 200gr AB is another fine choice, you just don't have the flexabliity of substuting the cheaper BT in place of it.

Thanks for your help. After I am done trying these barnes xlc I will give these a try.

remingtonman_25_06 · Aug 1, 2008

I laod 180g NBT's @ 3100fps for 3 different guys I hunt with in there 300 Win mags. They use them for antelope,deer, bear and elk hutning. In the last 5-6 years, I've seem them take a couple antelope, a couple black bears, and all kinds of deer and elk (spikes and big bulls) from 50-750 yards with absolutely no problems what so ever....I think we only have found 1 or 2 bullets and that was in the offside shoulders of the very dead elk. If people think the 180g NBT is no elk bullet, there most definately mistaken...

I use the 115g NBT's @3100 in my 25-06 to take coyotes, antelope, deer and black bears, with deer being taken from 50-600 yards, 2 black bears at 440 and 450 yards, again, with absolutely no problems, and I have yet to recover a bullet from any animal...

I like the NBT's because there cheap, accurate, have high BC's for hunting bullets, and they work great when used within there parameters. I"ve never witnessed any so called "bullet failures" with them, just very very dead animals that either dropped on the spot, or went no further then 25 yards and piled up.

Now if they would just make a 200g NBT in 308" I would have an even better long range bullet for the .300 mags...If they can make an AB in 200g, they can make a Ballistic Tip...If everybody would get off this bonded bullet bandwagon that is...

martinbns · Aug 2, 2008

The best powder is reloder 22 in my opinion. I have used that bullet, but in a 30-06 and had great results from them. My memory is to get good velocity, you had to use alot of powder because the blue coating reduced pressure considerably. I think the max load was in the 80 gr range, quite a bit higher the current barnes max for the tSX of about 75.

corbin9191 · Aug 2, 2008

martinbns":176q46z7 said:
The best powder is reloder 22 in my opinion. I have used that bullet, but in a 30-06 and had great results from them. My memory is to get good velocity, you had to use alot of powder because the blue coating reduced pressure considerably. I think the max load was in the 80 gr range, quite a bit higher the current barnes max for the tSX of about 75.

Ok thank you, I will try to use that powder after I am out of my IMR 4350.