Whats your Barnes Opinion/Results?!?!

[Hornseeker]

Just curious, I've shot a few deer, a bear and 3 elk with Barnes TSX's, 168 grainers out of my 06' and havent recovered a bullet yet... All animals died ON THE SPOT... But You know how it is.... there are folks talking trash about them here, there and everywhere.

Do you have any negative experiences with Barnes bullets? Any great experiences.

Lets Share!

[Cleve]

I have always had great experiences. I did have a friend however that loaded some barnes X a few years ago for is 7mag.  He loaded them as hot as he could and ended up shooting his deer three times.  When he skinned it out, he found that the bullets hadn't had enough time to expand and just punched three nice little holes straight through.  I have loaded them for my .270 a few times and have never had a problem.

[Curly]

No negatives so far.  Just punches right through the animal making a nice large hole all the way through.

[OUTDOOR_BEAST-84]

barnes x are good for bigger game that are tougher to get penetration on but for deer they will just punch holes. im a fan of nosler partitions... i havent shot the tsx.

[h20hunter]

Shot one deer with my .270. 130 gr Barnes Triple Shock. Hit high and it cleaned a quarter sized hole out. Spine was gone, nothing left. Also, my rifle seems to like them. I've shot one (only one) 1/4 inch 100 yard 3 shot group with them.

[Atroxus]

I have not used any myself...yet. I have read several stellar reviews about them though, and never read or heard anyone saying anything bad about them. I did read an article recently where man hunting brown bears in alaska was getting full through and through penetration on a brown bear with tipped triple shocks. His PH guide was calling his shots high because he was seeing them hit dirt on the other side of the bear, and just assumed they were misses. When they recovered the bear they found that all the shots fired were hits and all had exited opposite side of the bear. I plan to start reloading for my 30-06 after I fire the rest of my factory ammo, and right now my plan is to load tipped triple shocks when I do.

[Curly]

Old Barnes bullets (like 20 years ago) used to have a problem with penciling through without expansion.  But those problems are gone IMO.  I've shot several deer with 168gr TSX (from 10yd - 310 yd) and they all expanded immediately and the entrance hole was about as large as the exit hole (size of a quarter), so I'd say they work fine on deer.

[Hornseeker]

I know you cant always (or maybe ever??) trust advertising, but Barnes is putting out a free DVD that is sweet. They show high speed film of a bullet going through an APPLE and getting full expansion. They also show some clips of ballistic gelatin that show incredibly quick, but controlled expansion....

I need to pop a couple critters  in the next couple weeks to get some more results!!

[Gutpile]

I just dont believe half of what I read on the internet about bullets. You can read about any bullet and get as much positive as negative within 15 minutes. I don't buy the "penciling through" complaints. I say poor shot placement. I've done some killing with barnes and they've performed as well as any other bullet. I can say without question that the penciling through arguement is innaccurate. I shot 2 coyotes with the 130 grn TTSX out of my 06 and it turned them inside out. It did as much damage as federal 180 grn soft points and a coyote isn't exactly an Elk or a Moose. I use barnes in some of my guns and have been extremely happy. I load for accuracy and if barnes happens to be the most accurate in the particular rifle I'm loading for then thats the bullet I go with. I've killed deer, antelope, and yotes with them and feel very comfortable with barnes.

[high country]

I shot this bull in the arse, it made it to the hide of the chest......180tsx .308......50 yds. notice the lack of holes....

[fremont]

Used an old style 180 grain X bullet out of a 30-06 on this pig back in 2004.  You can see the entry hole.  The pig was climbing a 30 degree hill, and the shot was from below around 150 yards out.  Broke the spine, hit the right lung and lodged in the chest.  Dead piggy.  I have seen Barnes, though, that some guns absolutely will NOT shoot.

[Emptyhanded]

The 85 gr. TSX in .243 worked great this year for me. My grandpa and I both shot our deer with them. I spined mine and it blew through no problem. The other was high in the lungs and clipped the spine and it was DRT. The lungs were liqified. So far i am extremely happy with TSX in my .243. On game performance is awesome and they shoot .6" in my rifle.

[wsmnut]

Here is the path through my wife's buck this fall.  150 yards.  Complete pass through.  The right side is the entry.  Completely ruined his lungs, trashed his left front leg, and exited into the hillside. Dropped after stumbling 10 yards. Great shot!  270 win, 130 grain TSX.  55 gr. H4350.

My buck got clobbered by a 325 wsm, 180 grain TSX.  Big hole through his neck.  DRT.
So far the four Model 70's I load for love these bullets. (TSX and TTSX)  Haven't got an animal with the TTSX yet, but my 270 just LOVE'S them!

wsmnut

[GlennGTR]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.... and use a good bullet.

[Hornseeker]

Thats why I asked here Gutpile... no monetary interests...just real opinions.

I'll put up a few pics of critters I've had good luck on too... High Country...THAT is what I'm talking about. If I get a bad angle on a big animal like a moose or nice bull elk... I want to be able to drive to the vitals....From anywhere...and that is what the barnes will do!

Ernie