Barnes Bullets Revisited

[Ackleyman]

Shot nothing but 145 LRX in 280 AI. Usually any short distance an animal might go is pure adrenalan and he is leaking bad.

[bighorn1]

Been using 150gr ttsx im the 300 wsm for years, anything i have ever recovered has always weighed 145+ grains

[W921]

You can use lighter than normal bullet weight with the barns.
Example 130 grain in 300 win mag. Bullet short enough for 30/06 length action but also not so long so bullet base does not protrude into powder part of cartridge which I believe is best for accuracy.
You end up with a super accurate flat shooting rifle that punches way above its weight and less recoil than normal load with heavier bullet. I have shot a lot of game under a lot of circumstances from moose to antelope from close to long range with this load. This is very accurate and my best rifle for gophers and coyotes as long as you dont want the pelt.
Just make sure you don't have fouling from regular harder bullets in your barrel .
X bullets do foul more than regular bullets but the higher ammonia Barnes cleaner works great

[Pathfinder76]

I have found the opposite. They foul no more or even less than guilding metal.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

I have found the opposite. They foul no more or even less than guilding metal.

My findings as well.

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by Vigsy

3010 with the 168 lrx? what was your barrel length again sir?

24”

[W921]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

My findings as well.

I'm using original x bullets from years ago. Could this be difference? First ones don't have grooves.

[brewster29]

Originally Posted by W921

I'm using original x bullets from years ago. Could this be difference? First ones don't have grooves.

I tried the Barnes original X bullets in the 1990’s and got absolutely horrible copper fouling in three shots, so bad my rifle shot about a 12” group. The bore actually looked like it was made from rough copper pipe. Took me forever to get it clean. So I was really hesitant to try the TTSX line, but I find these actually left less copper in my barrel than Accubonds. I’d give those X bullets to someone I disliked…really disliked.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by W921

I'm using original x bullets from years ago. Could this be difference? First ones don't have grooves.

Yes. The original X bullets have no groves, the LRX TSX and TTSX do.
This helps to lower pressure and fouling.
Cat

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by W921

I'm using original x bullets from years ago. Could this be difference? First ones don't have grooves.

I found terrible fouling and poor accuracy with the original X bullets. The TSX/TTSX are very different, almost no fouling and improved accuracy.

[ruger300]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I found terrible fouling and poor accuracy with the original X bullets. The TSX/TTSX are very different, almost no fouling and improved accuracy.

Same here. Hence why I never tried them again. How’s that old saying go? Fool me twice…

[W921]

The old Barnes shot accurate but I had to start with a barrel that was perfectly clean. I would use wet patch hoppes 9 at night clean in morning. Soak it again and clean at night. This went on for quite some time to get all traces of regular bullets out of grooves.
With the barns bullets and I have tried them all from 130 grain to 200 grain in 30/06 and 300 magnum. After a 5 Shot group I clean the barrel.
That 130 grain 300 mag load was going something like 3500 fps and I was loading it DOWN so my gun and brass would last longer. I finished off a bull elk. I didn't want to wreck the head so I stood above him,put muzzle inches from top of withers and fired down. Bullet went through spine and didn't quite exit briskit. Boiler room was messed up but I was in hurry to get out of there. Month latter I was back in same spot and by luck found the bullet mushroomed perfect . ive also shot elk with same load at stupid long ranges which I won't take shots at game anymore at these ranges but the Barnes 130 works great at all ranges.
When i find something that works I used to stock up. All my components are from last century but I'm glad I did because right now I would probably be shooting a flint lock with pyrodex because I can't buy primers or types of powders I want and if I could they would cost to much. Its like they might as well have outlawed guns if people can't afford to shoot

[1973 Moose]

My wife just shot her first deer (a doe) at 177 yards with her 6.5 Creedmoor using a 127gr. barnes LRX.

The bullet hit a rib going in, both lungs and clipped the top of the heart, hit a rib going out, it just skinned the exit shoulder (just meat, no bone)

While we were skinning the deer I noticed a lot of blood shock.

When we were processing the deer, I was shocked on the the damage. entrance
side about a foot diameter of blood shock inside and out. On the exit side blood shock from the last rib all the way up into the neck.

Even with my 257WBY using 100gr. TTSX, I have never seen that kind of damage and I have shoot at least 1 deer for every year of my 50 plus years of hunting.

Has anyone else seen this kind of damage from the Barnes LRX's?

[Nova316]

Just noticed this on my mulie doe/buck this year
145LRX in a 284Win @ 3100fps shot at 240m and 275m
Huge amount of bloodshot throughout the shoulder and ribs

The buck had a bunch of fighting wounds but I hit a rib on entrance and it created an insane about of bloodshot through the shoulder, barely any on the exit.

I didn't see this on my other mulie buck or moose, but I also missed the rib on the entrance side.

[kingrat]

Yes in my experience on several moose,elk,bears and deer with a 7mm-08, 270 and 300wsm the lrx does severe damage compared to the ttsx. The 270wsm almost always shears the petals off.

[LLZ]

I took my buck this year with the 127gr lrx out of my 6.5x284 Norma. It’s a new rifle build so I rushed the load development prior to hunting season. I just picked an accurate load. I don’t have any chrono data yet but at 25 yards the results were very impressive. Lots of bloodshot damage on both sides of the chest but with little meat loss.

[Cageyc]

I’m trying some 145gn LRX’ s in my 280 ai and am having trouble getting the overall length for accuracy. I would appreciate any tips if you have. The gun shoots the eldx very well but I like the concept of the copper. I’m currently back about .150” from the lands.

[Pathfinder76]

Go to 75 thousands off. If that doesn’t work go to 250 thousands.

Speaking of 145 LRX’s, here is an exit wound they created on my whitetail.

[DiabeticKripple]

Here is the damage on my mule buck I killed yesterday.

168gr LRX moving at 3010fps muzzle velocity. Shot was downhill at 358yds. Impact speed would’ve been 2450ish

I found one petal stuck in the offside hide.

Shot was from his left to right, hit a bit high but took out both lungs and the spine.

[Irina]

So the lrx does more damage than the tsx? I'm bias to the tsx I guess.

[Steelhorse Cowboy]

used to use the originals Xs in my 243.
Pencil in small hole out unless it hit a shoulder/spine.
never recovered a bullet ever.
Every deer ran 20 to 100 yd.
Never a shock knock down.
I dont remember the barrel being that fouled .

Still have a box of 270gr original X for my 375 H&H
Never used. these had no groove too.
I suspect they will foul the barrel something fierce being a large caliber.

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by Irina

So the lrx does more damage than the tsx? I'm bias to the tsx I guess.

From what I've seen in about 10 animals with different guns,calibers,loads etc it does 5x the damage the ttsx does especially if you hit any bone. Insane blood shot

[Irina]

Originally Posted by kingrat

From what I've seen in about 10 animals with different guns,calibers,loads etc it does 5x the damage the ttsx does especially if you hit any bone. Insane blood shot

Interesting. Shot a whitetail buck years ago with the ttsx through the ribs and there was a volleyball size blood shot around the hole. Come to think of it that was about the only bad bloodshot hole. I shoot the tsx so maybe that's a good thing!

Hows the damage to the lungs compared to the tsx or ttsx on a broadside shot? I've used both these and it seems to liquify lungs fairly well.

[Ariu]

I was using Sierra MK and HDY SST and started testing TTSX when I got my first moose tag. They were more accurate and have performed very well on moose, deer, elk. I load them to 3130fps on my 30-06 and 3050fps on my 300WSM
Below is the first and only bullet I recovered from a bull Elk shot at 300m with my 30-06. Beautiful mushroom and almost 100% weight retention.

[Irina]

Originally Posted by Ariu

I was using Sierra MK and HDY SST and started testing TTSX when I got my first moose tag. They were more accurate and have performed very well on moose, deer, elk. I load them to 3130fps on my 30-06 and 3050fps on my 300WSM
Below is the first and only bullet I recovered from a bull Elk shot at 300m with my 30-06. Beautiful mushroom and almost 100% weight retention.

What grain do you shoot getting 3050 fps in your 300wsm? 180?

[Ariu]

Originally Posted by Irina

What grain do you shoot getting 3050 fps in your 300wsm? 180?

150gn TTSX on top of 58gn IMR 4895. Gun is a TikKa T3 lite. Picture above is from my Savage 30-06.

[Dogmatixx]

I’m not a fan of solid copper bullets, the last post by JBE with the petals barely open and a long shank slightly bent is why. Had way too many complete pass thrus that resulted in small entry and exit wounds and hides closing up holes early with little blood loss initially. Calibres tried include .277, .308, .264. early barnes bullets flew just average, so I dumped my supply and went to accubonds and NEVER went back. To each his or her own though. main thing is to enjoy the outdoors and support one another with our hobbies.

[dshot]

Shooting 150gr TTSX out my 7RM and 150gr out of my .308.

Both of my guns shoot under 1MOA groups with factory Barnes ammo (I am lucky). As for animals, only ever had complete pass throughs and never had to track anything past 50 yds, taken over 10 animals since my switch to TTSX's. I also like the idea of no lead shrapnel in my meat.

[sureshot]

I’ve been testing the 175gr LRX with CFE223 and getting sub moa groups


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by sureshot

I’ve been testing the 175gr LRX with CFE223 and getting sub moa groups


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

What cartridge and what velocity