barnes bullets,,,how many use them?
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
I load and hunt with the TTSX in 7.62 x 39 and 6.5 Grendel. I shoot them off the bench quite a bit as well. Testing loads for accuracy and velocity ya know. Once I get a Hunting load I am happy-happy-happy with I load 50 and I'm done. Done until I find out one of my sons took em to the range and used em for blasting ammo. 
Teminal performance with these two little rounds is excellent with the TTSX down to 1600fps.
Teminal performance with these two little rounds is excellent with the TTSX down to 1600fps.
Joined
·
3,585 Posts
I use Barnes in a few rifles. I do have a couple that I just plain haven't been able to get a load worked up for so they use others.
I really like their terminal performance on deer. Most of my Barnes loads are developed for medium/large game. I stick with conventional bullets for lighter stuff like coyotes and varmints.
Given an identical bullet weight, I typically see about 200fps faster with a given powder charge.
BUT...you will reach max with a lighter powder charge running a Barnes than you will a conventional jacketed lead-core. So...be sure to use Barnes data for their bullets!
What calibers are you thinking about running them in? I can dig up some data from my journals for .25-06, 6.5x55, and .270Win.
Mostly TSX but I have a few TTSX loads too.
I really like their terminal performance on deer. Most of my Barnes loads are developed for medium/large game. I stick with conventional bullets for lighter stuff like coyotes and varmints.
Given an identical bullet weight, I typically see about 200fps faster with a given powder charge.
BUT...you will reach max with a lighter powder charge running a Barnes than you will a conventional jacketed lead-core. So...be sure to use Barnes data for their bullets!
What calibers are you thinking about running them in? I can dig up some data from my journals for .25-06, 6.5x55, and .270Win.
Mostly TSX but I have a few TTSX loads too.
I luv TTSX's in my 6.8 (110 grain) and in my 30-378 (180 grain); use nosler partitions in everything else, 270, 7 mag, 338 fed, 338 win mag. Going to try TTSX's & TSX's in my 308 Scar soon as the snow melts. I chronoed my 30-378 with 98 grains RL-22 with 180 grain ttsx's and they were leaving the barrel at 3280. Friends use 165 or 168's with 104 grains RL-22 and get 3600, but that much just gives me a tight bolt.
We have killed a bunch of caribou over the years, at least a dozen bear, all with the 6.8 with blue tips. I don't have near the luck with accubond white tips, for whatever reason. Have killed quite a few moose with the 30-378 too, but prefer nosler partitions for moose so usually take another gun.
For whatever reason, I have become superstitious and swear by TTSX blue tips in two of my guns and I don't care what they cost. A buddy last year switched to GMX's hornadys due to cost and he had a few bear and caribou not go right down first shot; quit using the GMX's. I stick with what works for me.
We have killed a bunch of caribou over the years, at least a dozen bear, all with the 6.8 with blue tips. I don't have near the luck with accubond white tips, for whatever reason. Have killed quite a few moose with the 30-378 too, but prefer nosler partitions for moose so usually take another gun.
For whatever reason, I have become superstitious and swear by TTSX blue tips in two of my guns and I don't care what they cost. A buddy last year switched to GMX's hornadys due to cost and he had a few bear and caribou not go right down first shot; quit using the GMX's. I stick with what works for me.
Joined
·
603 Posts
I live in the Condor zone in California so am forced to use non toxic bullets. I have loaded 'em in everything from .243 to 45/70. IMO the Barnes is the best of the bunch and here's why: the E-tip and GMX both are made from 5% zinc, thus very hard. Peak pressures with these bullets (more so with the e-tip) dictate the max velocity to be at least 200 fps lower than the ductile copper Barnes bullet. So, in a .300 win mag you are basically shooting 30-06 velocities using the gilding metal.
The other thing people are finding out about the Barnes is to go down in bullet weight. If you like a 180 or 200 gr. load in your .300 Weatherby, use a 168 gr. instead. I've shot coyotes with the .243 and the 80 gr. TTSX that looked like ground squirrels shot with a 22-250. We shoot big hogs here and the Barnes puts 'em down fast-usually DRT.
I shoot the Barnes out of preference now. When I go to Wyoming or Colorado I take them with me.
The other thing people are finding out about the Barnes is to go down in bullet weight. If you like a 180 or 200 gr. load in your .300 Weatherby, use a 168 gr. instead. I've shot coyotes with the .243 and the 80 gr. TTSX that looked like ground squirrels shot with a 22-250. We shoot big hogs here and the Barnes puts 'em down fast-usually DRT.
I shoot the Barnes out of preference now. When I go to Wyoming or Colorado I take them with me.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
