Barnes Varmit Grenade

[fc2038]

Hey just want some imput on the varmit grenade. I shoot a 22-250 and my buddy swears by them. Just want some info to see if it is worth reloading a few to try out.

[deaddog]

explosive terminal results, but very pricey. IMO the 40 gr nosler ballistic tip is a better bullet, but only because its cheaper and shoots very well out of my gun. I just tried a 60gr speer hollow point, flat base that is now my new load for coyotes. awesome terminals on dogs and shoots 3/16 groups in my 223.

[Big10gauge]

I've played with them some, Best thing out there for shooting Oregon sage rats, With such a low bc of .149 I dont feel they have enough Ft lbs of energy to consistently knock a coyote down past 200 yrds. But then I know people that use a .17 for coyotes. Here's a link that might interest you. I'm sticking with my 52 to 55 grainers for coyotes out of my .224 calibers.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/hl249partial1.pdf

[EastWaViking]

best varmit rifle and load I've ever used in my 300 weatherby with a 165 grain Nosler Balistic tip.  3485 fps and only a 8" drop at 400 yards.  Fun coyote gun, but don't plan on tanning the hide!

[JoeVon]

Here's some Varmint Grenade Carnage....

[Gutpile]

I'm going to start use them if the accuracy is good as soon as I shoot off my old barnes varminators. I speak with a guy out of canada who shoots 100+ per year, He started using them this year and swears by them. I've personally killed coyotes out to 300+ yards with 40 grainers so I'd have to believe that these in 36 would be fine. They also offer a heavier version but I can't remember the weight. 45 maybe?

Anyways here's what this guy had to say about them. He shoots more yotes than anyone I know so I tend to believe what he has to say.

I went out yesterday more spotting for a upcoming elk tag I have and inbetween areas did a bit of calling, called in coyotes in every stand [6 stands] I got 4 coyotes and buddy missed 2, had 2 more coming in on one the buddy missed one at, the varmet grenades in the .223 I reloaded are exellant, 3800 fps and no damage, hit the front shoulder on 1 and on the exit side was just a couple small bone holes,the rest no exits, the one was 160 yards and I hit her and she dropped and got back up, I hit her again, I am not sure if it was a perfect shot becouse I did not skin her, all mangy,that is the bad part, only 1 good coyote out of the 4,the one was 279 yards and I put the crosshairs on high shoulder and he dropped before I heard the boom, I love it!! All the coyotes in the bush country we got were mangy, the one good one was a farmland coyote I got right by town last stand! It was a good start to a new season but if the mange is bad it will hurt the pocket book bad!!!

I asked

Glad to here about the Varmint grenade. Which weight were you using? I'll be using them myself when I burn up the old Varminators I have left.

36 grain, last night I hit one in the neck at 100 yards, usually a fist size hole exiting, this had no exit and a quarter size going in!!!love them!!!

Hope this helps.

OH, BTW he had been using the Ultramax 52 grn hollows in the past but he's a serious pelt hunter and wanted a more fur friendly load.

[AWS]

They seem to be quite accurate out of my 243 Win Factory Rem 700 ADL.  I'll be givinmg them a try on coyotes this season.



The fliuer in each group I atribute to old eyes and heavy trigger.

AWS

[Gutpile]

Here's more on the grenade. This bullet sounds like the ticket to me.

Here's the back and forth Q and A

Sureshot

I was elk hunting this week so took off work saterday was out spotting elk in the am and hunted coyotes the afternoon, got 5,tagged out tuesday on elk and was busy wed hanging it and it was raining, managed to get 2 that late afternoon but thursday went out and had a great day,on my way to the first stand my howler fell off my linyard, I did not notice it till I got to the stand, I called with the distress and had a coyote spook, I used the rabbit distress like I would a howler with yips and barks like a wounded pup, wow had coyotes all over, I ended up that day with 7, one mangy one, friday started out unbelievable, had 8 in the truck by noon, had a slow afternoon but did manage to get 3 more in the truck and right at dark wounded one, hit him to far back, my best day ever, would like to call it 12 but can just 11 becouse that is what I skinned out lol, took me till 10 last night skinning, today was back otu, I just had till 3 to hunt but after the first stand knew it was going to be one of those days, missed a 200 yards shot,I missed 5 coyotes today I would of had yesterday, no super easy shots exept the 200 yrd standing , 2 were 250 yards runnign broadside, one was 250 right away, another was a 30 yard coyote right beside me, I had to turn and stand and lenan on a fence post,still had a shot quartering at 175 or so, still ended up getting 6 but could of had 11 today if I was shooting good, BTW the last one today was a 385 yard shot, I came back to the tyruck and one was sitting on a knoll watchign the truck, after the day I had I decided I mat as well scare him, I gave him 10 inches above the head and about 6 inches wind and boom, a few yeps and spins and he was down, at least I know the gun is on lol!!!my wife said I missed becouse I did not want to skin all night lol, maybe she was right!!!!!!!!!anyways, 11 is my best day and 29 in a week is a record for me, theya re all skinned and froze but I am out of freezer room so now the scraping and stretching begins,

I asked

You use the grenades on all of them?

Replied

36 grain grenades on all of them, they seem ok then you get a blow up, they are great for a neck shot, chest,but if you are off abit and hit a leg or up the pooper you need a finishing shot, on a leg shot they blow up before entering the vitals,a pooper shot same thing, it slows them down enough to get a finishing shot, chesh shots are awsome,only one came through the other side,it hit the leg on the incoming side though and I beileve it was bone that flew out the other side, I have had 2 so far that when I shot was either to far back or angled back into the intestines that opened a hole about 3 inches coming out, I believe they are the best shells I have shot yet,the speed is awsome and least amount of damage of any shells I have shot yet, still though theya re not the perfect shell barnes explained them as to me, they told me there testers shot 200 coyotes the past few years testing them and only 7 exits I believe was his numbers, I have about 40 so far this year and have about 6 or 7 alone, none really bad though, saved me a couple neck shot ones that with normal shells would of ripped in half, I shot one yesterday at less than 30 yards right behing the front shoulder not a exit,but when I skinned him wow the whole inside was a blood clot, sure expanded inside, plus I shot one the other day at 385 yards sitting, did a few yelps and dropped with a chest shot, they still carry there power out there! I will continue to use them, only thing that bothers me is I have lost a couple and had to track a couple so far, without A perfect shot they do not have the penetration of a lead core bullet, just means I need to become a better shot I guess!!!!!!!

Again this guy shoots a buttload of yotes. Easily 100 plus per year. When he says it's the best he's used I tend to listen.
I hope those things group in my AR. I'll definately load them in my 22-250 though. It's shot everything I've fed it very well.

Here's the link. This guys a stud. http://www.realtree.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79132

[270Shooter]

Dang some of those coyotes that guy shot are huge!!!

[Gutpile]

You got that right. You should see his year end pics. Piles of skins! He's a machine.

[270Shooter]

If your worried about the 36gr loosing steam on the long shots just try the 50gr one it has a B.C of like .189 or something I think

[fc2038]

Thanks for all the  info. i am going to try'em out this spring for some sage rats!!!

[gramps]

I am gonna try some in a .243 as soon as I go to the big city to buy some.  We don't have much for local inventory here.
I plan to use this rifle when I am calling.