May 2009 Barnes Bullet-N
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At this time, many shooters are experiencing difficulty finding ammunition, primers, bullets and other reloading components to buy. However, that shouldn’t be the case with Barnes Bullets. Throughout this apparent shortage, Barnes has continued on-time delivery of 98 percent of the orders the company has received—an industry record we’re proud of. This includes a 100 percent fill rate for our new Barnes M/LE bullet line for personal defense and tactical applications.
I’m proud to say we’ve maintained that average on every order placed with us in the last 30 days. This has been accomplished while moving our entire operation to a brand-new facility in mid-April.
During the move, which included transportation of massive presses, lathes and other heavy, precision machinery, we missed only three days of shipping, and one full regular day of production and ballistics lab work. The presses were shut down on Wednesday, and we were making bullets the following Monday. An extraordinary effort on the part of our employees!
If a retailer has been ordering our bullets, he should have them in stock. If he’s temporarily out of a particular bullet, ask him to order however many boxes you need. We promise quick delivery.
You can also visit the Barnes website and buy directly from us. In addition to bullets, we offer a selection of Barnes bullets factory loads from selected manufacturers. While you’re at the website, be sure to visit our BLOG and weigh in on subjects like the pros and cons of long-range hunting, handloading for tactical rifles, political issues and add to the list of new products shooters like yourself would like to see Barnes offer. We pay attention to the needs of the shooting community and your requests do make a difference.
Those of us “not very computer savvy” guys can easily navigate the Barnes website. Believe me, I know, because I was their guinea pig used for testing during the development phase. I wouldn’t have considered posting a comment on a BLOG until I saw for myself how easy it is. Simply visit www.barnesbullets.com, scroll down the left-hand side of the page to BLOG, and click to read the list of subjects you can put your two-cents in about.
Meanwhile, Barnes will continue filling orders with the best on-time delivery in the shooting and hunting industry. There’s no shortage of Barnes Bullets, so shoot all you want – we’ll make more!
Randy Brooks
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Barnes Bullets is now operating in its new location, 38 North Frontage Road, Mona, Utah 84645. The new plant is 45 miles south of our old facility.
We moved during a terrible April snow and rainstorm. In addition to having bad weather to deal with, we had to walk through seriously muddy ground as we moved things into the new building. Conditions couldn’t have been worse. The weather has been so horrible this year asphalt plants have had their hands tied, so they weren’t able to pave our roads or parking lots. The weather is just now turning warm, so we expect to have our asphalt parking lot and the remainder of our cement in very soon.
As Randy mentioned above, our employees did an amazing job of getting things up and running in a short amount of time which really blew us away. We totally expected to be down for at least 7 to 10 days and that was just not the case. We definitely had great team work and we are extremely proud of everyone.
There is still some organizing to do which will take some time as we try to figure out the best places for everything to go. There’s a little remaining finish work to do on the building inside and out but that is progressing quite quickly now that the weather is coopering a little better.
It feels good to be here in this quiet and beautiful area of Utah. One of the coolest, most fascinating areas of the new facility is the state-of-the-art ballistics lab. Our lab technicians tell me they really enjoy it. The lab is three times as large as the one we had at the old plant. In addition to new equipment, it houses an indoor 25-yard pistol range, and 100- and 300-yard rifle ranges. Each range has two side-by-side shooting benches and mechanized target retrieval. We have future plans to add a 600 yard rifle range as well.
We plan to host a grand opening of the facility on Saturday, June 13th. I’ll include pictures in next months’ newsletter, when we’ve had time to put the finishing touches on everything, inside and out.
Our old facility really wasn’t that old—we built it new in 1990. However, we outgrew that building more quickly than we had anticipated. Instead of simply adding on to the existing building, we decided to leave the hustle and bustle of the city. Also, whenever you build something, there’s always something you’d do differently next time around. We did make some major changes in the new facility that should make us more efficient. We are extremely excited to be in our new headquarters. You can expect to see even greater things from Barnes in the very near future.
As I’ve mentioned before, Barnes still has the best delivery rate in the business. This can be credited to hard work and great planning from our amazing employees. If your local retailer or mail-order catalog distributor doesn’t have the Barnes products you want, we encourage you to go to our website store and place orders for the items you need. We definitely don’t want you going without the products you need. Also, remember that we sell factory ammunition from some of our great partners such as Cur-Bon, Black Hills, Weatherby, Silver State and International Cartridge. Federal Cartridge ammunition can be purchased from your local dealer or through mail order catalogs. Checking Barnes online store will show you what factory ammunition featuring Barnes Bullets is available. Federal Cartridge ammunition can be purchased from your local dealer or through mail order catalogs.
Please be aware that the N.R.A. Convention will be held in Phoenix this year on May 15-17th. Barnes will have a booth there. If you attend the convention, we hope you’ll stop by to visit us. We’ll also be selling some bullets at the show.
We hope you are having a great spring season, and that your plans for this hunting season are coming along well. We sincerely appreciate your membership, and hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter each month.
We are committed to our customers’ satisfaction. We know that, without you, we wouldn’t have the amazing business we have today.
Thanks so much
Coni Brooks
Question: I am attempting to determine an accurate cartridge-base-to-ogive length for the 140-grain TSX. I used a Hornady O.A.L. (overall length) gauge with comparator. My ogive-to-base length minus 0.050 inch is 2.647 inches. With this length, true O.A.L. is 3.155 inches with the bullet seated to the bottom groove. Is this a problem? One source said it is not. What do you say? With the bullet seated to 3.065 inches, ogive-to-base O.A.L. is 2.557 inches. I’m using a Ruger No. 1 chambered for the 7×57mm Mauser, so magazine length is not an issue.
Is it okay to load longer than the O.A.L of 3.065 inches listed in the Barnes manual ?
—Don Armentrout
Answer: Since your rifle doesn’t have a magazine, you are not limited in that regard. We recommend seating .050 inch from the lands for best accuracy, so seating to a true OAL of 3.155 inches is a great place to start, since that puts you at .050 inch from the rifling. This depth can be adjusted shallower or deeper in .010-inch increments until you find the “sweet spot” for your particular rifle.
Pay no attention to where the grooves fall. They are there simply to reduce the bullet’s bearing surface and provide copper displaced by the lands someplace to go. There isn’t an issue if you have a groove—or even two grooves—showing. Yes, you can seat these bullets longer than the Barnes manual shows (which is the SAAMI maximum specification) to accommodate your rifle’s chamber dimensions. Manufacturers are limited to the SAAMI spec, but as a handloader you can step outside the box and tailor the load to your rifle.
Question: Where did you get the case trim length for the .404 Jeffery? You show 2.865 inches. I have found 2.86 inches is the maximum case length, with 2.84 as trim length. Just trying to find what is right. Thanks.
—Michael Ciavardone
Answer: The CIP (European maximum case length) specification for the .404 Jeffery is 73.02mm, or 2.875 inches. Since the industry standard is to trim .010 inch from the maximum case length, we arrived at 2.865 inches as a “trim to” length.
This question was a real stumper, as “The Handloader’s Manual of Cartridge Conversions” agrees with you. It showed a maximum case length of 2.86 inches and no “trim to” length. Barnes has chosen to follow the CIP spec.
I wanted to say “thanks” for another great year. As always, your bullets performed to perfection. I took two bull elk and two mule deer this year with five shots. That’s one too many, but I used the added insurance on a monster bull.
Here’s a photo of my Arizona bull, which would have scored over 420, and a photo of the buck (scored about 180) I took in my home state of Oregon. As always, I hunt public land on self-guided, do-it-yourself, back-country-type hunts. I have talked with you a few times, and have used your bullets exclusively ever since you came out with the X Bullet. I guess you could say I was using copper before copper was cool! This year I was shooting 165-grain MRX bullets in a .300 short magnum.
—Randy Yow
Bear Meat Balls
2 lbs. ground bear meat
1 tsp. garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix. Form into balls. Brown in oil in frying pan. Deglaze pan. Add 2 Tbsp. flour and water to make gravy, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Thad Stevens
Ballistics Lab Manager
Barnes has recently conducted FBI protocol testing on almost every bullet offered in the M/LE (military/law enforcement) line of bullets. These “Tech Sheets” are a compilation of recorded data and photographs of bullets fired through barriers as set forth in the official FBI Test Protocol guidelines. Strict attention was given to every detail to ensure accurate results were obtained. Bullets were fired into bare gelatin, heavy clothing, wallboard, plywood, steel and glass. All recorded data is an average of five shots.
The tests conclude that TAC-X and TAC-XP’s are excellent for all around intermediate barrier penetration, including glass. The TAC-XP’s outperform any other handgun bullet through any barrier. The TAC-RRLP’s are great for urban environments where a ricochet could be dangerous. There just isn’t a better all-around line of tactical and defensive bullets available than the Barnes M/LE line. Dangerous game hunters have counted on Barnes bullets for decades. Military and law enforcement depend on quality ammunition every day and should be armed with the best. The people defending our nation and its borders deserve the best products available and at home, we all need peace of mind.
Following are a few samples of tech sheets. The entire book will be posted on the website under the M/LE section by mid-June, 2009.
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I am a young 71 years old, and live in Valrico, Florida, which is near Tampa. I have resided in Florida most of my life, although I lived in Ohio during WWII while my dad worked for the Wright Aircraft Engine Company.
I have hunted all my life, beginning with small game when I was five years old. I began reloading in high school at age 16, and have done so ever since. My first introduction to Barnes Bullets came many years ago, when I ordered some of 255-grain FN Originals for my 1894 Winchester. Recently, I have had very good performance with the 180-grain MRX both in .30-06 and .300 Winchester Magnum rifles.
Over the last few years, I have been able to hunt mulies and pronghorn in Wyoming, whitetails and mule deer in Nebraska, and whitetails in Texas, Alabama and Georgia. I also enjoy hunting wild turkey, quail, dove and waterfowl. Since I live in Florida, I fish a little in my spare time. See you in the woods or on the water.
—Frank Schiele
BlackGorge™ Convertible Pack System by BlackHawk™
The BlackGorge is a revolutionary, convertible pack system designed for hardcore hunters who want to hunt, hydrate, and bring it all home. The hunting-specific pack is new from BlackHawk, a manufacturer of products for military, tactical, and outdoor sporting use.
The BlackGorge hunting pack system features an extremely expandable section capable of holding an elk quarter. Blaze orange side panels offer added safety, while two main compartments feature organizers to keep gear sorted. As with all BlackHawk products, the BlackGorge is constructed using the finest methods and materials—including silent, water resistant, brushed tricot fabric; double stitching throughout; and near-silent zippers. The pack measures 22 inches high, 10.25 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep. When fully expanded, the cargo section is 15.25 inches deep, with a total capacity of 3,515 cubic inches.
For increased ruggedness and comfort, BlackHawk included an extremely robust waist belt that evenly distributes weight, and added a poly-frame sheet with aluminum reinforcements. The exterior of the BlackGorge hunting pack features a heavily padded back panel for extra comfort. A bungee system provides additional storage of apparel, while padded shoulder straps with non-slip HawkTex™ surfaces keep over-the-shoulder slings in place. All BlackHawk hunting packs come with a whistle attached for emergency signaling.
An additional exterior feature is BlackHawk’s patented S.T.R.I.K.E.® system. This system allows the hunter to attach hunting-specific pouches and organizers as desired. BlackHawk’s hunting-specific accessories include a cartridge holder, a rangefinder pouch, a water bottle pouch and an array of additional pouches for organizing and storing gear.
The BlackGorge contains BlackHawk’s patented, 100-ounce hydration system with technology and innovation that set it apart from the competition. A 360-degree Bite Me™ bite valve with holster, quick disconnect and insulated tubing, wide fill cap, and Microban® antimicrobial technology create the most user-friendly hydration system on the market.
The BlackGorge Convertible Pack System is available in Mossy Oak Break-Up® or Advantage® Max-1 HD™. Suggested price: $234.99
In addition to the BlackGorge™ Convertible Pack System, the BlackHawk hunting pack line includes: the BlackTrail™, the BlackCliff™, the BlackSummit™, the BlackTimber™, the BlackFalls™ Hydration, and the BlackOak™ Fanny Pack, which is compatible with many of BlackHawk’s other packs.
For more information about BlackHawk’s complete line of products please contact: BlackHawk Products Group, 4850 Brookside Court, Norfolk, VA 23502-2052; phone toll-free: 1-(800)-694-5263; or visit the website: www.blackhawk.com.
“This is a five-shot, 100-yard group fired from a Savage M-40 (22 Hornet) using the Barnes 30-grain Varmint Grenade (properly moly-plated) with a 0.020-inch bullet jump: 0.41-inch, on centers. This is the first tested load with this combination and Hodgdon’s Lil’ Gun powder. Conditions: 75-degrees F with modest breeze. When hunting smaller species of vermin, this combination should stretch Hornet effective range to 300 yards.”
—Mic McPherson