With Club X™ and Barnes’ Copper Club™
Your Barnes Product Test Results
We’re pretty excited about the great feedback we’ve been getting on the BLOG. How about letting us know some of your “home-brewed” test results with Barnes products?
*NOTE: FOR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL:
email@barnesbullets.com
I’ve been using the 6.5 “X” 120 gr. bullet since it came out,and now the triple shock on elk. I shoot a .264 Win.,.260 Rem. , & a 6.6×55. I have cleanly taken bull elk with with all with this bullet. I’ve never recovered a bullet yet. All have been one shot kills except for one bull which required a finishing shot. Year before last I tried the 130 gr triple shock, but could not tell any differance. Dead is dead.
So far all my deer I have taken have been with conventional bullets.Since the 6.5 cal. is becoming more popular perhaps you might bring back the 100 gr., or perhaps a 90 or 95 gr. triple shock, please.
The TSX, what a bullet to use. I just came back from Africa on June 17th, shooting four animals while I was there. I used my 338-378 Weatherby for all of my shooting. I loaded the 250 grn TSX – all animals shot were one shot kills. I recovered only one bullet from an animal and have not had a chance to see what the weight retention is. The Guides were so inpressed with the bullet they say that they will recommend there usage to all of their clients. Thanks Barnes.
You asked for experience with the x-bullet? In this sample I will tell you about the 160grain .338 bullet. I loaded this bullet out of my .338 win mag as a long range deer bullet. The bullet was pushed with H380 to about 3200fps from a Ruger M77. Groups averaged around 3/4″ 5-shot clusters at 100 yds.
First deer taken was a nice blacktail 4 point buck at a terribly close 50 feet. The buck leaped and then fell. There was a pin hole entrance wound and a nickel sized exit hole. The bullet performed perfectly and left destruction in between. The buck was hit broadside just behind the shoulder and the exit was the same on the opposite side.
Second deer was on a mule deer doe hunt. The doe was a heavy barren doe and she was hit broadside at roughly 250 yds. Exactly the same results as the first deer. There was minimal blood shot on both animals (less than conventional lead bullets).
Excellent bullet in my opinion! I reserve these rounds I had loaded for deer at long range – unfortunately to date the animals have all been fairly close!
Thanks for a great product!
The TSX bullets are simply great. I Returned from an African Plains game safari last month and took 4 beautiful animals. I used a 375 H&H shooting 270 gr. TSX bullets, at ranges from 110 yds to 227 yds all were one shot kills. The only bullet recovered was from a 1200 lb Eland that was shot head on and the bullet was recovered from the right hip area. After cleaning it up and putting it on the scale it still weighed 270 grains.
I have been strictly a barnes x user ever since I first reloaded your x bullet.I use it in .22 cal.,.243cal.,.25cal.,.284cal. Since ya”ll came out with the tripple shock that is all I use now. Very accurate. I like to use light for caliber bullets.Wish you would start making lighter for caliber bullets than are being made now.All I shoot is whitetails and hogs.These south GA whitetals can’t tote that solid copper off!!!!!!!!!
I believe the grooves of your .277-120gr solid allowed me to load the 6.8 spc to make MPF out of an 18″ John Holliger barreled AR15. I am getting over 2700fps with 5 shot groups of .260″ at 100yds.
I used your Barnes solids in .416 cal. 400 gr. for cape buffalo this past season. Recovered two solids from the buff that took a total of four bullets to down. Both solids had traveled the better part of the length of the buffalo and were in perfect condition when recovered. If not for the rifling marks I think I could reload them again.
Although I am 51 years old and have been bird hunting my entire life, I only took up big game hunting in 2002.
From the time I bought my new Tikka 30-06 rifle, I was advised to shoot your bullets. Over the past 5 years, God has allowed me to shoot several animals. Each of them with your original X bullets. One elk….one pronghorn antelope…two deer…..8 wild pigs.
All but one of these was taken with a single shot, which is a testament to your excellent bullet design. I have yet to recover a bullet. I recommend your bullets to every hunter I know.
I was testing your TSX bullets prior to an unguided Alaskan caribou hunt in Sept of 06. My son and I stacked 16 full 1 inch seasoned red oak boards together and fired a 180 gr TSX into it. One shot sheared two petals off the bullet and one did not. The second was a perfect “X” and penetrated 14 inches of red oak. A similar test with a competitor’s premium bullet did not fare so well. A mangled mess of lead fragments and distorted core was all that we found. The shank of the X bullets were both completely intact.
We both used your bullets on two large caribou, (one shot each) dropping them instantly and my son killed an arctic wolf at 300 yards using the same load from his 300 win mag. Thanks for producing the only bullet I will ever shoot at large game again.
I told Coni at the shot show in Orlando in January that I killed my caribou in my underwear, which is true. I was in the tent inside my sleeping bag around 9pm (not dark till 11) when my son came in and said a herd of caribou had come up behind camp in a meadow. I jumped out of bed, T shirt, briefs and crocs on my feet, scurried across the tundra with my shooting stick, made a clean one shot kill not 250 yards from camp. That’s how you kill a caribou in your underwear.
At first I was skeptical of paying extra for your bullets when I could get other brands for much less. Then I bought a box of 150gr. .308 flat point TSX’s for my son’s 30-30. I loaded them with 29 grains of IMR3031 powder and decided a homemade ballstic test was in order. I set five 1-gallon water jugs end to end and shot it hoping to collect the spent bullet to show my son. The bullet expanded massively shearing all four petals and leaving them in 3 separate jugs. The shank of the bullet continued through all 5 jugs-30 INCHES OF WATER PENETRATION-from a 30-30.
I am now a believer!!!
Just finished load work on my Lilja barreled .338 Win Mag; (Rem 700 Action-Trued).Final load for the rifle using 210 grain TSX bullets. A 5 shot group at 100 yards, from rest, measured 1&1/8″. I will be using this load on a high Cascades Elk hunt this fall. Super accuracy/super bullet…
I used your 180gr tsx bullet in my 300wm last year to shoot 6 red deer, 2 reindeer, 9 roedeer her in Norway and 5 animals in South aAfrica. All but one were taken with one shot. And with a minimum of meat damage on the animals I think this must be the best hunting bullet ever made.
I hunt the huge Tejon Ranch in California where all lead bullets will be banned in 2008 in an effort to protect the California condor. I hand loaded and tested your new .224 Varmint Grenades in a .222 Contender, a .222 rifle and a 220 Swift. Accuracy was excellent with some 0.4 inch groups obtained in the Swift. Seven California ground squirrels were shot with Grenades with velocities varying from 2500 ft./sec. in the Contender to over 4000 ft./sec in the Swift. All seven squirrels were completely shredded. I would be switching to these new bullets even if it wasn’t mandated.
Would like for you to bring back the 130 grain 7mm bullet in the Triple Shock. I have a custom Model 70 Winchester with a 26 inch barrel that loved the 130 grain Barnes X in 7mm STW. What a tack driver!! Thanks and keep doing great things.
1SG STANLEY WILLIAMS
CAMP TAJI IRAQ
I have shot 3 Impala and 1 Zebra with 168gr TSX at 2372 ft/s in my .308 Musgrave. It was all 1 shot kills. The Zebra was shot on the shoulder and it penetrated to under the skin on the opposite side, pefectly mushroomed. All three Impala were shot on the shoulders at 80-, 97- and 121 meters respectivily.
Just started in muzzleloading with an Omega .50 cal. w/3X9 Nikon scope. Used two 50 grain Triple Seven pellets (100 gr equivalent) a Triple Seven primer & the 285gr .50 cal Spitfire MZ boattail. Got one & one quarter inch groups at 100 meters & three inch groups at 200 yards. Tried a lot of different bullet brands and loads & these so far are the most accurate in my rifle.
Been out of reloading and hunting for 10 years do to being out of country! Back to reloading; bought a 300 RUM and worked up a 3200fps load (Chronographed) with the 180 TSX. Shot an Aoudad at 80 yards this weekend. Broke shoulders, spine and Jello’d the lungs from Hydro shock. Fell flat at the shot and never even quivered. 30 cal entry appox 1 3/4″ exit hole. Great job at that speed and close distance. Real glad I waited for the animal to be clear of the others prior to the shot!!! Thanks Great Bullet!
I started using your “X” bullets circa 1995 and wish I had known about them sooner. All velocities mentioned are actual chronograph velocities at 15′. The first rifle I used them in was a Browning Stainless Stalker .270. With little effort I got 5 shot 7/8″ groups @ 3100 fps with the 130 gr. “X”. A great long range load but the deer I have killed with it were at close range and none of the bullets were recoverd. Performance was excellent.
I did recover a 165 gr .308 bullet @ 2600fps. I made a bad shot hitting the buck in the left rear ball socket. The bullet went forward the full length and was recovered between hide and meat between the neck and opposite front shoulder. The buck was only about 80 yds. The cleaned bullet was still 165 grns. and measured .607.
Two cow elk hit through the front shoulders circa 75 yds. with the previous load dropped at the shot. Neither bullet was recovered.
This year I’m using the 7mm 140 gr. Triple Shock @ 3225 from my 7WSM. I’m expecting the same outstanding results!
In 2005 I drew an Elk Tag in Eastern Nevada, My shot at a nice 6 point bull was at a ranged 367 yards, the 140 TSX from my .270WSM at a chronographed 3200 fps hit where I aimed, the bull took 2 steps and layed down and bled out before I could walk to it. I didn’t find the bullet, but it penetrated clean through the animal, estimated to weigh in at 775 lbs. Thanks for a great product, but bring back the .284 Barnes 160 XLCBT, they work great in my Rem 700 7mm mag. 7/8″ groups at 100 yards at 3150 pfs chronographed through a .250″ throated chamber. Keep up the great work. I loaded up 5 boxes of 180 TSX .300 Weatherby for my brother’s moose hunt in B. C. this October. He has seen what the TSX bullets do while hunting with me in Utah and Colorado.
I recently tested the .338 mrx bullets in Africa. The bullet in question was a .338-.378 wby magnum shooting 185gr mrx bullets. My groups are consistently 0.25″ at 100 yds and chronograph at 3610 fps. My first animal was a massive 59″kudu quartering away at 180 yards. The mrx bullet entered through the middle of the rib cage and exited through the middle of the front shoulder. A complete pass through. The bull ran 80 yds and died. Next was an Eland bull which yielded 650lbs of steaks. At 100 yds the bullet blew through both front shoulders and killed the bull 100 yds from point of impact. The bullet also completely passed through a gemsbok, impala, springbox, bleesbok, and a bushbuck. The only bullet I recovered was on a warthog. The shot was at 50 yards running almost straight away. the bullet past through the left hindquarter, passed through the body, through the right front shoulder, and finally stopped in the skin on the off side. The bullet retained 97% of its original 185 gr. weight. The mrx bullets are completely awesome.
LAST YEAR I SHOT A DEER WHICH WAS ABOUT 130 YDS. AND WAS STRAIGHT AT ME WITH A SLIGHT ANGLE TO THE RIGHT. AT THE SHOT,THE DEER TURN AND WENT OUT OF SIGHT. NO BLOOD, SO I JUST WENT THE WAY THE DEER WENT. ABOUT 50 YDS FROM WHERE I SHOT IT, I FOUND MY DEER. I WAS USING A 140 TSX IN MY 7MM MAG. LOADED TO 3200 FPS. POINT OF IMPACT WAS BETWEEN SHOULDER AND NECK. BULLET DIDN’T EXIT DEER. I WAS DISAPPIONTED THAT THE DEER DIDN’T DROP IN IT’S TRACKS. WE LATER FOUND THE BULLET IN THE LEFT HAM. PERFECT EXPANSION AND STILL WEIGHED 140 GR AFTER GOING THROUGH THE DEER END TO END. STILL A BELIEVER IN BARNES BULLETS. JUST A TUFF DEER I GUESS!!!!
While hunting for elk in Utah in several years ago I found a big 6×7 bull I had been watching and wanting to tag during several pre season scouting trips to the area. He was coming down a ridge across a large canyon with 42 cows and calves in his harem, he was the only bull in the group. I knew they would bed in the pines on the cool side of the ridge. After a long hike I got into the pines when a cow spotted me and they all broke loose. I ran towards the group trying to find the bull. I saw him and his big rack thru the brush about 90 yards away. I knew my 375 H&H hand loaded Barnes X Bullets would bust thru and nail him; that it did. My only shot was thru the hind end to reach his vitals. I had to kill this bull before he went thru the gully he was standing in and followed the cows into a Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit. This CWMU was only a couple hundred yards over the next hill. If he reached the Unit and died there I would have been subject to the $12,500. fee they charged in this Unit, and I would have had the bull taken away. I was on public land next to the unit and had to get the job done fast. I ran down the hill into the clearing to get another shot into him. As he was struggling up the hill, I put three more shots into him from my Browning A Bolt. I did this so fast, another hunter in the area who heard the shots thought I had a semi auto. The first shot went from stem to stern breaking the back leg and lodged under the skin in the bull’s front shoulder. The next two went thru the boiler room, and the last shot went thru the front shoulders to nock him down, thus keeping him out of the CWMU. I was very pleased how the first bullet went thru the brush, broke the hind leg and lodged under the skin in his front shoulder; all the while having great expansion and keeping most all of its weight retention. I was very, very happy! I am thankful someone had the skills to design such a great bullet. Thanks a ton!
6.5 x 55, I have taken 21 Carabou and counting, here in the Great Land, (Alaska for you lower 48′ers), They dropped like they were hit by lighting! Thanks a bunch barnes for helping me keep my frezzer full!
I have always used Barnes bullets for my hunting rifle, but only recently began using the XPB in my personal defense handgun. The performance description and pictures are awesome, but I wanted my own proof of effectiveness. I test-fired a round into a series of water-filled gallon jugs at our range. The first jug was destroyed, the next two completely penetrated and the forth was entered, but not exited. The recovered bullet looked exactly like the pictures, with the lethal copper blades perfectly expanded. I will never use any other brand than Barnes.
I started using Barnes TSX bullets about 2 years ago, 140gn in a 270WSM. This year I went hunting with my brother chasing Fallow Deer, free range. We found some fallow does at aprox 200m away in a clear area. We both decided to shoot and we both hit and killed our animals with one shot each. I hit mine in a high shoulder shot, he hit his in aprox the same spot. My deer dressed out about 5 kilo more meat due to less tissue damage, just as dead though. Found bits of his bullet all through the front of his doe, mine had minimal damage and no bullet recovery. He was using Ballistic Tips in 130gn from a 270 Winchester. I think I have sold him on the barnes bullets. That week we managed to get 3 animals each, I’m still eating wonderful meals prepared by my wife from this hunting trip. I show my triple shocks to every one who will listen. I also have a 375H&H that I use for Sambar in the Victorian High country, I use Federal Premiums loaded with 300gn TSX. So far I have not connected on any Sambar, but I’m sure they will work fine when I do. I am sold on them and look forward to getting some MRX to reload. May God Bless all you do.
I had bought a box of your bullets, back some 10 to 15 years, in .270, 150 grs. for a try out …. and just this year,… I have bought some more in .308, 110, 130, 150, 168 grs.(^). I had done reloading for a friends in years past… but now, I have reloaded them for my 30-06 Springfield, a Browning A-Bolt Classic. I tried them a bit at target practices,… but due to costs, I will limit their use to hunting…The results are beyond all I could expect… Both in gel, for effects, as per target accuracy… Groups of 3 at 300 m. of 1.5 in. show that both gun and loads are excellent…
Three of my friends are now customers in .224 calibers… as I reload theirs… Even at the higher costs for the bullets, they,too, figure that the added costs are nothing when game is at hand. The barnes Varmit Grenade, in .224, 36 grs. HP have all present at awe at the shooting range,… both for performance and accuracy… Half inch grouping at 100m…with a Remington 788 .222 bolt action… with a Bushnell Scopechief 4-12X 50mm.
HI I was testing some loads in my new 22 in TC custom shop encore in S&W 500 mag, since indiana just passed a new law alowing rifles with pistol bullets. I tried the 275,325 & 375 XPB bullets. I was very suprised with the 325 I used 44 GR lil’gun & cci LR primers.They were cronographed at 2625 FPS with a five shot average.They grouped 1 3/4 at 100 yards. These bullets are something else! Thanks
I might have screwed up I went from outside of the hole to outside. center to center is 1 1/4 IN.
I wish I could say that this is a success story of barnes bullets…but sadly it is not.This story starts in `04 while I was hunting black tail deer in southern ca.It was raining (which dosent happen often in so.cal.) and I was putting all of my gear to use…my hunting buddies had already left for drier ground…so I was kinda exploring a new area that I had been given permission to hunt.I was walking down a trail and just looked up to see a deer on the opposing hillside…It was a good buck…but a long shot.I tried to close the distance but the hillside that I was on was so steep that I wasn`t gettin anywhere.The rifle was a rem 7oo that I had rechambered in .284 win,the load was a tipped 140 grain bullet that left the muzzle at 3070 fps.This combo shot incredibaly strait..consistant one hole at 100yd with a best 3 shot of .069 .I practice regulary at 430yd at the local range.With this combo I consistiently can hit a pie sized gong at 430 yd on the first shot with a clean barrel. I found a good place where I could use a rock for a dead rest…the distance was 450 yd. When I fired the shot I didn`t hear the sound of the bullet hitting the deer but as I watched him in the scope I saw hin run to the left and then I saw 4 legs in the air.The hit was dead center boiler room..It took out a rib going in and another on the way out and stopped in the off side shoulder…the bullet had come completly un-done(450yd.)…there was nothing but the remaining jacket it the shoulder.this should have got me thinking but it didn`t..I know…dead is dead…so what was the problem….
Now we move up to `06…same place…same rifle and load. My son and two other friends are hunting this area today.My son and I are walking up opposing ridges a few hundred yards apart and as I reached the top of mine…I come into the view of a saddle that was 200yd strait ahead of me directly into the morning sun.I tipped my hat down to block the sun…and there stood the biggest blacktail buck I have ever seen…dead or alive…I moved forward to a fence for the 185 yd shot and barked a couple times to stop the nervous buck for one last look.I had the crosshairs in the center of the chest but I didn`t have a great rest and I pulled the shot a little forward and hit the buck square on the shoulder…and he and his comanion moved quickly over the hill.I knew the shot was good and I knew exactly where I had hit him, but there was no blood at all the tracks dissappeared into the tall grass on the hillside…I sectioned off the hill and spent the next 10 hours looking for my “buck of a lifetime”…I didn`t find him.I did however find the companion…and I did have two tags so I made a 210 yard shot to claim a nice three point blacktail buck. The damage on the three point told me the story of what had happened with the other shot…The shot was down a steep hill…shooting down on the bedded buck.The bullet struck the lower part of the spine…and it came completly apart…it didn`t even touch the other side of the rib-cage.
I had bought into that theory where a bullet should stay inside the animal and distribute all of its energy inside the animal…which is a good plan as long as everything is ideal…But…if something dosent go right and the animal can get up and cover some ground you need that massive blood trail of an exit wound to follow…And thats what tripple shocks will do…every time…no matter what the condition and why I have changed to triple shocks for all of my hunting rifles.
After a dismal last season (I missed everything I
shot at. Had a ten year one shot kill ratio until last season.), I’m back. This morning I dropped a doe
antelope at 315 yds using my trusted 7×57, and 120-gr
TSX. Oh yeah, there was a 20 mph wind at an approx 30 degree angle in my face, gusting
to 30 mph. Temps in the low 40s, elev 7,000+.
My load chronographs (five shot avg) at 3069 fps
from my 22″ PacNor S/S barrel, sub-MOA accuracy.
One shot, the doe dropped where she stood.
The greatest thrill of my hunting career has been introducing my son to the sport. He loves it almost as much as I. Three years ago while hunting with my son who was 9 years old at the time, we saw a nice whitetail buck just as we got to our stand. We had arrived late and light was breaking pretty fast, enough that I could see the buck clearly. Problem was he was 100 yards on the other side of our stand looking straight at us. With no rest to be had, I told my son to kneel down and took the shot offhanded. The buck leaped off of the road bed we were on and we climbed our stand.
After my son had collected his own whitetail that morning we walked to where we last saw the first buck. He was only ten yards off the road bed. Upon further inspection I found that I had hit him dead center in the chest and we later found the 168 gr. TSX in his right ham, having shattered the femur. We measured the penetration at 36 inches. The best part is my son still thinks I am Daniel Boone after he saw me make that 100 yard off hand shot! Thanks Barnes for making it all possible.
I just finished off my season with a mule deer hunt in Oregon and one in Wymoing using the 180gn TSX out of my 30-378 @3420fps. The Oregon deer was 377yds quatering away. The bullet went in near the last rib on the left side and exited in front of the right shoulder. The deer ran 15 yards and tumbled. The Oregon deer was head on at 352yds and the bullet lodged in the right rear leg and dropped it in its tracks. I recovered this bullet after cleaning it up it weighed 179.8grn. I love this bullet
I loaded your 210 Grain X bullet for my Blaser 375 H&H Magnum and went hunting for Red Deer in Bavaria, Germany. On the last day, a nice Class 1 Stag came out of the treeline and came within 150 meters at which time I shot. The only distance he traveled was straight down. I hunt with your TSX in 308 as well so I was glad to see the 235 Grain in 375 come out. I am reloading that after this email and going back to Bavaria this weekend for another Red deer as well as a large boar. I know I’ll have no problems what so ever with your bullets. Thanks for making such a great product.
Does anyone read all this stuff? Lots of good info here. I load 210gr X in .338. 69.5 gr of VV-N160 for elk (Roosevelts in NW Oregon) Muzzle vel.- 2860. PB range about 360yds. perfect mushrooms, lost only 3-5 gr.
On the other side I load 180Gr X in my 300 Win Mag. 74gr IMR4831, starts off at 3030 fps. ballistically it comes out better than the .338 all the way out, both in tragectory and energy. 5″ less drop at 500yds.
In crummy weather I use the .338, S/S Mod 70 w/fiber stock. can’t hurt it. Otherwise it’s my trusty Rem 721 (originally 300H&H, rebarrelled to 300WM) an absolute great tool to work with.
I haven’t tried the other Barnes products, just plain happy eith the big X’s.
Keep shooting!!!
I took a moose with the MRX bullet in Newfoundland.One shot at 210 yards dropped the bull in his tracks.Thanks for a great bullet !!!!
I am an avid competition shooter. I have been handloading barnes bullets for 6 years. This year I started shooting barnes muzzleoader bullets. I used the expander with 100 grains of powder in my Knight 54 caliber. I dropped two deer in their tracks this season one at 257 yds and the other was 340 yds, and still had full expansion. Great bullet to use on big game also. Not many people shoot copper bullets were I am from. Thanks for the awesome bullet.
I first started using the 160 gr. TSX last year in my 7mm and was initially impressed with my consistant sub inch groupings at the range. I was equally impressed in the field when I took a nice muley buck last year at about 115 yards. The buck was facing me so I aimed for the neck – He dropped like a rock and I later found the bullet which went through the neck and travelled parallel to his backbone (about 25 inches in total). The bullet mushroomed perfectly and I proudly demonstrate the 4 equal petals and remaining 159 gr. bullet to all of my hunting buddies! (It looks just like the pic’s on Barnes website)
About 3 weeks ago I went on a moose hunt and dropped a nice bull moose at 76 yds with the same load. Also a neck shot, but as the moose was standing broadside, the bullet passed through the neck and could not be recovered. (I’m sure I’ll have lots of stories like this in the future which is one reason I treasure the one bullet I did recover)
This year I also dusted off my .270 when I first learned that Barnes was making a 110 gr. TSX bullet in this caliber. I’m very excited about my new deer gun which spits them out at 3140 fps and actually shot my first antelope last week(scored 71 6/8) at about 100 yds. The bullet broke the front shoulder and also travelled through the animal doing maximum damage of the lung area before exiting. The buck ran about 15 yds and dropped.
I’ve heard 2 criticisms about Barnes bullets in the past. 1) Petals breaking off – I can’t comment on the original X bullets because I’ve never used them, but from what I’ve seen in the TSX this simply is not the case. 2) Expensive – Yes, the bullets are a little more expensive than many others but I laugh when considering how much money we spend on fuel, tags, food, etc. I believe the few extra dollars is well worth the comfort of knowing that when I make a well placed shot, that the animal is going to go down….
Keep up the great work!
Looking for your tipped tsx for a 300 wenmag?
For any smokepole shooters out there, I use a TC Omega with the Barnes 285gr Spitfire MZ, 100 grains of pelletized Triple 7 and a Triple 7 primer. With this load, I dropped a 150 lb. doe at 207 yds. Two days later, dropped another smaller doe at 185 yards. Both went down after less than a twenty yard walk. I did a lot of experimentation with the MZ and the TMZ sabots in all weights (50 cal) and found better accuracy with the 100 grain load shooting five inch groups at 250 yards using a Caldwell shooting rest. The 285 dropped more but was more accurate in my gun. I am using an Nikon Omega scope with the cirle reticles. With this load I zero at a 100yds on the cross hair, second cirle at 150 and third circle at 200. Fourth circle is held at the top of the deer’s back for 250 yards. I shot four different brands of saboted bullets and the Barnes were by far the most accurate and as I witnessed, had the knockdown power at long muzzleloader ranges.
I used the .85 grain bullet in my .243 Ruger this year to take a nice 9 point whitetail. I double lunged the deer and he did run approx. 80 – 100 yards before hitting the deck. I was very impressed with the exit wound the Barnes bullet left on the deer. Several people commented that it looked as if a 30-06 had been used to make the shot. It was quite obvious from the moment the deer was hit that I would not need to shoot again … very clear sign that the bullet did it’s job at impact. I was initially concerned about switching from a 100 grain bullet to the .85 grain but am very satisfied with the result. Highly recommend these bullets and I will continue to use in the future.
I use the 150 grain TSX in my 7WSM loaded by Superior Ammunition. At the range, it gives consistent less than MOA results and out performed other 150s and 160s accuracy-wise. In the field they just killed 3 whitetails, all one shot pass throughs. 2 does in their tracks, a double lunged buck managed 40 yards. After his first post-shot leap you could immediately see blood from the entrance wound. The bullet passed through but left the tip of one petal in the far side hide.
ll the way thru the vitals.
I tried the TSX for the first time this Elk season. I shoot a .270 win and have been told by many that it isn’t enough gun for Elk. After much deliberation I decided on the 130 gr. TSX. My load averages 3175 FPS and prints .6 inch groups at 100 yds. We estimated the weight of my 5 X 5 at about 750 pounds maybe 800. 150 yard shot just behind the shoulder. The animal went down in less than 20 yards. The exit wound was 2.5 inches and the lungs were virually vaporized. GREAT JOB ON THE TSX BULLET !!! I won’t be using anything else, that is of course unless Barnes comes out with something better !
I recently shot a 7×7 elk in Idaho using a Ruger Mk 77 .338 Win Mag and 250 grains of your original X bullet. At the range I get .75-1.25″ groups at 100 yards. On impact the bull, who was facing uphill, rolled over backwards and slid down over 100 feet to the bottom of the hill. The damage to the vital organs was spectacular, as well as the holes in the shoulder and ribs. The bullet was lodged under the far side hide, and is the perfect X. I’ll never use anything else for big game. Thanks for making the best bullet out there, and it’s not even the most expensive.
Just started using 140gr TSX out of my Browning A-bolt 7MM WSM this year. I could not beleive the accuracy compaired to other high end bullets. I was shooting 1/2″ groups at 100 yards. The range officer said “Man you really found the sweet spot”. It was all worth it when he said that. I was smiles from ear to ear. I can’t wait to see what it does on an elk or mule deer.
Can I expect the same results out of the new tipped TSX?
I shot a 340lb black bear this August with a 168 gr. Triple Shock X. The shot was about 130 yards and I hit the bear in the neck just foward of the shoulder. He dropped like a box of rocks, not even a twitch. I have been hunting with X bullets for about 7 years now and won’t use anything else. I have killed several deer and each bullet recovered expanded well and had 95% or better weight retention. The triple shock has solved the accuracy issues for all my guns and I am really impressed with these bullets. Thanks.
For those 375HH users: 270 TSX/ 76.5 gr Reloader 15/CCI 250 magnun primers does the job here in Alaska. The last two moose went down instantly with this load. Site your rifle to 3.5 high at 100 yds and your good for point and shoot to 300 plus yds. Check the Barnes manual for the stats on this load at 2800 fps and you will see why the 375HH may be your choice. Lastly if you have ever owned a 338 mag that kicks the dog out of you, try the 375HH it just pushes with no snap like the 338. Happy hunting!
I have been using the original 250gr X bullet in 375H&H and to date have taken 1 moose 1 shot kill at 100 yds, 2 elk at 100 2 shots and 30 yds 3 shots because I didn’t want to pack them any further than I had to. This fall took a big Black bear at 250 yds thru both shoulders he swaped ends and stood quartering away so I did it again then he turned around and took off running third shot went from back ribs thru chest exited center of chest entered under jaw and exited thru skull. Needles to say both of the first shots were all that was needed third actually flipped him forward as he ran full tilt. A petal was recovered inside the skull and that is the first piece I have been able to find all others have exited, meat damage for all has been next to nil for loss so not shy in shooting a second time to ensure a quick kill. The bear had been eating blue berries and when opened up he actually smelt like a blueberry pie and I had blue hands for 4 days from cleaning him out. I never did use any of the other weights (270,300) as the 250 gr has done everything asked of it.
Many fine happenings this hunting season for me.A new to me rifle ,a Ruger No.1 in 7×57 Ackley Improved. A Leopold 3×9, a batch of Canadian Herters 7×57 new un-fired brass, and best of all, the new TSX 150 Barnes Bullet. The kicker was an Antlerd Moose Draw Tag. On Nov.9 I met up with my best bush partner, my son, Scott and began a morning hunt in the Smokey Lake area of Alberta. At 1:20 that afternoon Hawkeye Scott spied a two-spike bull at perhaps 80 yards behind brush and timber. So Scott did the spotting, I did the shooting,the two big poplars in front of the bull receiving Barnes message first. ( 14 @ 16 diameter, thru @thru ). Third shot was the one that did the job. Thru @thru lung shot broadside. Well yes he ran maybe forty yards, and no, the Barnes was not recoverd, and a bloody great snowstorm started up while skinning and quartering and then dragging to the truck. From Scott and Bob up here in Alberta, Thank you, Barnes.
I have use Barnes bullets since I started hunting. Last year I shot my eight point here in Ontario. So you know we have big deer here. I shot it with a 95 grain .243 cal. at over 200 yards one shot bang dead. Flawless. I only use Barnes bullets. We shoot 85 pound coyotes at 300 yard same results one shot kills. There is no argument with the sucess that Barnes bullets bring to the hunt. If it can seen it can be shot use to be just a saying now its the truth thanks Barnes