Barnes Bashing

[lokidog]

Core lokts have tended to explode for me in my -06, but all three have been slightly high spine shots with the deer DRT.  I bought some Barnes way back when they first came out.  I never reloaded with them because I was concerned about them being too long since I reload a slightly compressed load and seat them long (barely fit my magazine) to begin with.

[Curly]

Older Barnes bullets were prone to pencil thru without expanding.  I've heard a few stories of the TSX bullets doing that too (H20Hunter's bear for example), but mostly it seems that the TSX and TTSX bullets perform as advertised. 

Eventually, when WA becomes more like CA, we will probably be required to use lead free bullets.  That will suck, but at least I'll already be used to loading TSX.  I do plan on giving the Nosler E-tip a try one of these days when powder becomes available again.

[mountainman]

Killed many animals with th tipped triples, recovered one bullet, one shot on everything from coyotes to zebras! Love them!

[Skillet]

Any reliable way to tell if you have the older TSX's or not when they're loaded?

[bobcat]

I see in the 2013 Oregon big game regulations there is a half page notice titled "Help Get the Lead Out."  It talks about how the ban on lead shot for waterfowl hunting has saved millions of birds from lead poisoning. Then goes on to encourage hunters to switch to "non-lead ammunition" for all hunting.

Not saying I agree or disagree. Although I do like copper bullets and the fact that they don't disintegrate inside animals and leave "shrapnel" throughout the meat.

The only thing that prevents me from using copper bullets 100% of the time is the cost. Heck I've got hundreds of lead bullets in .243, .277, and .30 caliber, enough to last me the rest of my lifetime, as long as I can still get the primers and powder to load them up.

[Curly]

Any reliable way to tell if you have the older TSX's or not when they're loaded?

The older Barnes that I mentioned were the bullets they made before they started making TSX.  With the TSX they added the grooves, so if you have Barnes that don't have grooves then I think there is a higher likelihood of the bullet potentially not expanding.

I think it is possible that Barnes gets the occasional bullet or batch with a flaw that makes it so they don't open up in that "X" shape that they are supposed to.  Every once in a while you will hear stories of a TSX not expanding correctly (like the case in H2oHunter's bear)..............it seems to be a rare occurrence though.

[h20hunter]

I think the typicall reason for lack of expansion is not enough velocity. I have only shot two critters with Barnes bullets....a whitetail doe that has a massive hole through and through.....the bear you mentioned was hit very hard and died in seconds but less expansion than is textbook. I will still load and shoot Barnes when the gun likes to shoot them.

[Curly]

I think the typicall reason for lack of expansion is not enough velocity. I have only shot two critters with Barnes bullets....a whitetail doe that has a massive hole through and through.....the bear you mentioned was hit very hard and died in seconds but less expansion than is textbook. I will still load and shoot Barnes when the gun likes to shoot them.

Just seems like it should have expanded much more for such a close shot..........  I would think the velocity would have been over 2,500 fps when the bullet hit the bear (I don't what MV it was, but I would bet you had at least 2,600 fps I would think).  Wasn't the shot around 30 yards?  Those are the kind of shots I'd want a Barnes; a lead bullet would be likely to blow up at that close range.

I've never recovered a TSX, but I know they expanded greatly because of the huge holes they have made.  Even the entrance holes I've seen have been fairly large which makes me think my bullets expanded instantly, then turned the insides into goo as they exited.  I'm a believer in Barnes.  20 years ago, I was not sold on them because I'd seen a few pencil thru (even on an elk at 30 yards out of a .264 Win Mag).

[h20hunter]

Here is a cool chart that shows velocity and expansion with the Barnes. I believe they are very finicky....they want to go a certain speed. However....even if the expansion is not text book I have had devastation downrange performance on the deer and bear I've hit with them.

Curly...............yes the shot was close and I'm sure my velocity was indeed in that range.

Fist the chart and then my reovered bullet.

[Wacenturion]

Here's a good read I saved on copper bullets...........

http://www.soarraptors.org/Documents/CopperBulletStudy.pdf

[snowpack]

Older Barnes bullets were prone to pencil thru without expanding.  I've heard a few stories of the TSX bullets doing that too (H20Hunter's bear for example), but mostly it seems that the TSX and TTSX bullets perform as advertised. 

Eventually, when WA becomes more like CA, we will probably be required to use lead free bullets.  That will suck, but at least I'll already be used to loading TSX.  I do plan on giving the Nosler E-tip a try one of these days when powder becomes available again.

I read the other day that the military is planning to 'go greener' by switching the 7.62s to lead free (mostly copper).  A few other companies (like Hornady) are selling all coppers now to compete with Barnes.

[Biggerhammer]

I don't think it's to compete with Barnes. Other manufacturers have no choice but to evolve with the lead free trend. To not offer a lead free bullet in today bunny squeezing, tree hugging, leaf licking world would be foolish considering the "Trend".

[BULLBLASTER]

Some of the things in that study are untrue... I have experienced increased copper fouling with Barnes bullet's over nosler accubond.
Also them stating that lead poisons the meat has been untrue in my experience also. My gf worked for an environmental lab that tests for heavy metals and other things in soils and water. I cut a piece of bloodshot meat from right next to the exit wound of a deer that was shot with a ballistic tip and she took to work and tested.... no sign at all of heavy metals in that piece of bloodshot meat.

[Biggerhammer]

Half of most everything now days is nothing but a sales pitch but people buy it whole sale.😮

[BULLBLASTER]

Half of most everything now days is nothing but a sales pitch but people buy it whole sale.😮

so true hammer!
I tried Barnes and had issues from fouling to lack of accuracy and nonexpansion (I think, shot a bull behind the shoulder and later found a 7mm hole through and through after my cousin killed the bull) . they drop Considerably more at longer distance than otherbullets of equal weight. Ill stick with my lead environment killer bullets the greenies haven't won yet!