Now I'm ambivalent about buying and loading Barnes but if the CAL F&G Commission caves to the tree hugger attys to get rid of lead bullets I won't have any choice.My most accurate nosler is the solid base and bt but i also shoot AccuBond and Partition.Don't know how the AccuBond performed on a cow elk cause I took a bad fall and my scoped rifle hit the rocks knocking the scope out of wack had my guide fire 3 shots at 150 yards and he hit the target but I doubt it was dead on. My first shot connected with the cow elk, eventually finished it.
Barnes TSX FAILURES.
- Thread starter FOTIS
- Start date
Jeff Olsen
Handloader
- Nov 10, 2006
- 294
- 2
Huh? I wasn't using a Barnes bullet. I don't use them for any rifle I have. For my .358, I use 200-gn Hornady SP Interlocks for deer at 2600+ fps, and for anything heavier I have a 2500 fps 225-gn Partition load. I still have half a box of 200-gn 35 caliber X-bullets out in my shop.
I TRIED to use X-bullets... tried several boxes of the GD things. Tried multiple powders, tried seating them to various depths, kept the bore obsessively clean... what I found with them was nice groups but the occasional WILD flyer. That just doesn't work!
As far as that deer running, I agree it was odd! The bullet didn't really hit anything of note in the deer- rib shot in and out. The range was probably about 30 yards. I think he ran so far with that obviously perfect shot in his ribs because he'd been part of a small group of deer on a hillside that I startled and they took off in various directions. His direction happened to go right in front of me. He saw me a second or so before the shot but it was too late and he had nowhere to go. So he got one hell of an adrenalin jolt right before the shot and had already probably planned where he was about to run to. When I got to where he was when I shot him, there was bright red blood and lung bits all over the ferns... so I knew he was dead.
-jeff
I TRIED to use X-bullets... tried several boxes of the GD things. Tried multiple powders, tried seating them to various depths, kept the bore obsessively clean... what I found with them was nice groups but the occasional WILD flyer. That just doesn't work!
As far as that deer running, I agree it was odd! The bullet didn't really hit anything of note in the deer- rib shot in and out. The range was probably about 30 yards. I think he ran so far with that obviously perfect shot in his ribs because he'd been part of a small group of deer on a hillside that I startled and they took off in various directions. His direction happened to go right in front of me. He saw me a second or so before the shot but it was too late and he had nowhere to go. So he got one hell of an adrenalin jolt right before the shot and had already probably planned where he was about to run to. When I got to where he was when I shot him, there was bright red blood and lung bits all over the ferns... so I knew he was dead.
-jeff
Jeff,
The .358 Win is my got o gun, hence the web name. I've been hunting with it since 1990. I have killed deer, boar and black bear with it and none of them have gone more than 20 yds. Most dropped where they stood. The .358 hits very hard and is very accurate. I tried the 200 grainers in it and was happy with it at first. After more research, I found that the 225 grain bullet is superb in the .358. I loaded 225 grain Sierra Game Kings in that cartridge. WOW!!!!! You wanna' talk about knock down and accuracy, heres the bullet. This bullet hits 'em like God himself put the critter's lights out. Almost always a pass through, too, even on shoulder shots. Try loading the 225 grainer and see what she does. I believe you may like the change.
I know only use the 225 in my .358 and it shoots 1" below where the 200 grain impacts at 100yds. Not too much of a drop.
Good luck and shoot straight!
The .358 Win is my got o gun, hence the web name. I've been hunting with it since 1990. I have killed deer, boar and black bear with it and none of them have gone more than 20 yds. Most dropped where they stood. The .358 hits very hard and is very accurate. I tried the 200 grainers in it and was happy with it at first. After more research, I found that the 225 grain bullet is superb in the .358. I loaded 225 grain Sierra Game Kings in that cartridge. WOW!!!!! You wanna' talk about knock down and accuracy, heres the bullet. This bullet hits 'em like God himself put the critter's lights out. Almost always a pass through, too, even on shoulder shots. Try loading the 225 grainer and see what she does. I believe you may like the change.
I know only use the 225 in my .358 and it shoots 1" below where the 200 grain impacts at 100yds. Not too much of a drop.
Good luck and shoot straight!
Barnes bullets are useless to me. They advertise a lot but they don't perform a lot. They always shed their petals. By nature of their construction they CANNOT expand much beyond caliber diameter.
THe only ones I have are examples I dug out of the berm at the shooting range to show people how useless they really are. If you don't believe me...read the articles in the latest issue of American Hunter on the new MRX. THe guy talks about chasing a Kudu through the bush and putting five rounds in him before he expired. Did the writer not realize how stupid that sounds?
My bullets put my quarry down on the first shot. Out of 35+ critters in 5 years, I have only needed to fire a second round on two critters and that was due to poor shot placement on my part.
You guys need to wake up to the truth about Barnes bullets. I am embarrassed for Nosler to have copied them. What a shame.
THe only ones I have are examples I dug out of the berm at the shooting range to show people how useless they really are. If you don't believe me...read the articles in the latest issue of American Hunter on the new MRX. THe guy talks about chasing a Kudu through the bush and putting five rounds in him before he expired. Did the writer not realize how stupid that sounds?
My bullets put my quarry down on the first shot. Out of 35+ critters in 5 years, I have only needed to fire a second round on two critters and that was due to poor shot placement on my part.
You guys need to wake up to the truth about Barnes bullets. I am embarrassed for Nosler to have copied them. What a shame.
KodiakHntr
Beginner
- Mar 7, 2007
- 10
- 0
Hmmm....Always shed their petals? Yet you have not shot them on animals? Hardly definitive data. I have had only one XFB break petals off, and I was damn glad it did. BIG black bear at 7 yards, 300UM, 150grain XFB, broadside into the shoulder knuckle at some where around 3600fps. If I'd of been using a lead bullet I have no doubt it would of come apart without doing fatal damage to that bear.
(And no, I wasn't bear hunting at the time).
And the other 30+ animals I've hammered with X bullets have shown great expansion, DRT performance. And only 2 recovered bullets. Both of which with text book expansion.
Poor shot placement how? Tried a hard quartering angle? Maybe hit a big bone and had a bullet veer off course? X bullets just don't do that.
So maybe you've been lucky using lead bullets, and had some veer ON COURSE into a vital zone?
I get fed up when I hear people like this sh*t on someone else's preferred bullet just because it isn't what they use...If I want to spend a buck a bullet and know that I can lace it through an animal from any angle, then what is it to you?
(And no, I wasn't bear hunting at the time).
And the other 30+ animals I've hammered with X bullets have shown great expansion, DRT performance. And only 2 recovered bullets. Both of which with text book expansion.
Poor shot placement how? Tried a hard quartering angle? Maybe hit a big bone and had a bullet veer off course? X bullets just don't do that.
So maybe you've been lucky using lead bullets, and had some veer ON COURSE into a vital zone?
I get fed up when I hear people like this sh*t on someone else's preferred bullet just because it isn't what they use...If I want to spend a buck a bullet and know that I can lace it through an animal from any angle, then what is it to you?
I've been working up a load with the 130gr TSX in my 30.06 and yesterday i dug some out of my backstop and thought i would share the pics. My target is at 100yds pinned to a piece of 1/2" plywood with a big dirt mound behind it. There's lots more bullets in the mound but it was getting late and i didn't have time to dig anymore out. I can't individually identify the soft points in the pics but this is whats been shot in the mound.
30.06 Hornady 130gr sp, 150gr sst, sierra 150gr spitzer
270 130gr sierra spitzer
243 100gr spitzer, rem 100 psp
25.06 nosler 115gr par, 110gr AccuBond, sierra 117gr gk, hornady 117gr btsp, speer 120gr spitzer
I thought it would be cool to compare the pics. The tsx looks like it holds up very well, some have a nice mushroon and some don't. One thing for sure though they do stay together. I did find some pieces of pedals but i also seen bullets that had been hit by other bullets which could be the cause. I have several promising loads worked up with this bullet and look forward to shooting a deer with the barnes tsx and see how well they perform. The ones that are nicely mushroomed weighed an average of 128.9 - 129.5. Mike
30.06 Hornady 130gr sp, 150gr sst, sierra 150gr spitzer
270 130gr sierra spitzer
243 100gr spitzer, rem 100 psp
25.06 nosler 115gr par, 110gr AccuBond, sierra 117gr gk, hornady 117gr btsp, speer 120gr spitzer
I thought it would be cool to compare the pics. The tsx looks like it holds up very well, some have a nice mushroon and some don't. One thing for sure though they do stay together. I did find some pieces of pedals but i also seen bullets that had been hit by other bullets which could be the cause. I have several promising loads worked up with this bullet and look forward to shooting a deer with the barnes tsx and see how well they perform. The ones that are nicely mushroomed weighed an average of 128.9 - 129.5. Mike
KodiakHntr
Beginner
- Mar 7, 2007
- 10
- 0
Cool pictures.
Although, I'm kind of surprised at how well the TSX's expanded in dirt. I don't know what I would of expected, but not that. Thought that they needed something with at least a little bit of fluid in it to start exansion in the tip, but apparently not (as per the statement by Barnes on their website).
Thanks for posting that.
Although, I'm kind of surprised at how well the TSX's expanded in dirt. I don't know what I would of expected, but not that. Thought that they needed something with at least a little bit of fluid in it to start exansion in the tip, but apparently not (as per the statement by Barnes on their website).
Thanks for posting that.
G
Guest
Guest
I had poor expansion with a 90 grain X-bullet in my .243. I'm not a fan of the barnes bullets, it seems like they hold together to well and dont expand worth beans. just my two cents.
30 whisper
Beginner
- Dec 13, 2006
- 48
- 5
cool pics
i have only recovered one of these bullets from a deer it went in his hind hip and ended up in his neck below his jaw i still have the bullet . it was not one of my best shots but he jumped just as i shot him . i was aiming for the back of his head as he looking at some does.the bullet weighs 94grs. he fell instanly . I have no complaints about barnes they just shoot weel in this gun I use nosler in my 30-06 and 308 because they shoot better .
i have only recovered one of these bullets from a deer it went in his hind hip and ended up in his neck below his jaw i still have the bullet . it was not one of my best shots but he jumped just as i shot him . i was aiming for the back of his head as he looking at some does.the bullet weighs 94grs. he fell instanly . I have no complaints about barnes they just shoot weel in this gun I use nosler in my 30-06 and 308 because they shoot better .
