barnes bullets????

C

cowpoke

New member
What has folks experience been with using the barnes copper family of bullets in 224 and 243 offerings for coyote and deer mainly?

Are they finicky to work uploads for?
 
They are finicky and attention to seating depth is important. Also, in my fairly limited experience with them, they don't shoot well over copper fouling from other bullets. In other words, clean your bore thoroughly before starting work specifically with the Barnes. I have worked some very recently with the 62 gr. TSX for the .223 and the 85 gr. TSX for the .243. Good loads can be found with a little investment but those are the quirks I found to be most significant with the TSX.
 
I Buy anything but Barnes. They were the ones that sold California down the toilet to non lead ammo. "Spit" thanks Barnes.. Keep an eye on your own states the sickness is spreading! Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: Orneryolfart357I Buy anything but Barnes. They were the ones that sold California down the toilet to non lead ammo. "Spit" thanks Barnes.. Keep an eye on your own states the sickness is spreading! Good luck.

Can you post some evidence of that? It seems to me that California has never needed any help when it comes to passing retarded legislation.
 
Originally Posted By: Orneryolfart357I Buy anything but Barnes. They were the ones that sold California down the toilet to non lead ammo. "Spit" thanks Barnes.. Keep an eye on your own states the sickness is spreading! Good luck.
Hey Ornery, If you want to spit on Barnes you better have a mouth full of spit. In 2010 Barnes was bought up by the FREEDOM GROUP. They also own other companys such as REMINGTON, BUSHMASTER, DPMS, MARLIN, H&R, PARKER GUNS, EOTAC, ADVANCED ARMAMENT, DAKOTA ARMS. Instead of trying to spit on Barnes why dont you vote the people out of office that make the laws in your state. Or maybe move to a more gun friendly state.
 
Barnes was the company that gave testimony in the non lead hearings to DFG of Ca. Guess what? These hearings were video taped. Barnes stated that Non lead bullets were going to cost little more than regular lead bullets, and have no impact on Hunters. Another guess what? Most of the calibers that impacted hunters werent even available. Try finding a .20 cal bullet in the non lead variety as the .204 was coming in to its hay day? None were available. Only recently was even 22 cal rimfire and 17 available. Another Guess what? The testimony since Barnes sold us out has been deleted from the DFG hearings and videos. Coincedence? I dont think so! They sold out Ca., and its coming to a state near you soon. The Wolf problem will only be a memory when lead is banned all over the country. Keep yer blinders on Guys. You Guys doubting.. try asking Barnes. They Lied in Ca. and they will lie to you as well.
 
And before you reply, think of the legnth of a bullet. Most of the 22 cal bullets are too long to stabilise in a factory twist. This forces folks that have to shoot non lead BULLETS either to rebarrel or buy a new rifle of a faster twist. You can always shoot bullets that weigh alot less and watch animals crawl off and die a miserable death however. So now, tell us what you know of the ordeal in Ca. and Your research?
 
My personal experience with Barnes has not been positive. Can't get any of their bullets to shoot worth a darn in several different calibers and will not purchase any more moving forward.
 
Originally Posted By: Orneryolfart357And before you reply, think of the legnth of a bullet. Most of the 22 cal bullets are too long to stabilise in a factory twist. This forces folks that have to shoot non lead BULLETS either to rebarrel or buy a new rifle of a faster twist. You can always shoot bullets that weigh alot less and watch animals crawl off and die a miserable death however. So now, tell us what you know of the ordeal in Ca. and Your research?

I'm not sure who this is directed at but...if it's me it's unwarranted. I know nothing of the ordeal in CA and that's why I asked for more info and/or evidence. I vaugely remember Barnes getting blamed but seems like that was quickly discredited, but I never dug into it.

As for the predicament CA is in, nothing the decision makers in that God forsaken place surprises me. I doubt any testimony would have changed their corrupt liberal minds one way or the other. Having said that if a bullet maker did lobby for the law to promote their own product then that is very upsetting.
 
Originally Posted By: SShooterZMy personal experience with Barnes has not been positive. Can't get any of their bullets to shoot worth a darn in several different calibers and will not purchase any more moving forward.

I don't mean to call SShooterZ out on his experience, but just
to offer up a counter experience. I have gotten Barnes
bullets, in a variety of versions, to shoot sub-MOA to MOA, in
a 308 Win. chambered Savage Striker, a 308 Win. chambered
Browning BAR, in a Tikka M695 chambered in 25-06 Rem., a
Savage 16, with a custom 6mm. Rem. barrel, in a AR-15
chambered in 6.8 SPC, in an AR-15 chambered in 6mm WOA, and in
a Savage 11 chambered in 300 WSM.

A couple of details to help Barnes bullets achieve decent
consistency(reads accuracy), is to drive them hard, and
keep them well out of the lands. One of the most common
errors in hand loading Barnes bullets is treating them as
jacketed lead core bullets, for seating depth. They like
to jump, as in try .050" off the lands, and work in and out
from there. If you haven't measured your chamber throat,
then you are guessing, so don't expect great accuracy if
you are guessing. About the only complaint I have regarding
Barnes bullets is they are costly, relatively speaking, and
one will burn some cash finding a consistent load.

The reason I keep working Barnes bullets is I want a non-toxic
bullet for hunting. I do not agree with law mandates, like CA,
but for food hunting, I wouldn't need a mandate. I don't want
to feed traces of lead to my Grandson, in the venison burger.
I am too far gone to care about lead ingestion, but the
young folks enjoy the venison I process, so I feel better
knowing it is not a source of lead for them.

Squeeze
 
Squeeze, that's good information to share and not something I had tried. Thank you!

I had tried their Varmint Grenades in both .204R and .222/.223 and .22-250 and all my groups were 1" or greater with guns that I know can shoot. Might have to revisit.

I also tried the Tipped-TSX in .243 and again, the results were not good.

BTW - I was just up in Spooner, WI for the weekend. Beautiful time to be up there. You near there?
 
I couldn't get them to shoot in my Rem 700 MTN Rifle .280. Spent over $100 just on bullets and finally gave up. Too many good bullets to spend that kind of money for my purposes...
 
Been shooting Barnes for years. I have found that when I seat the bullet close to the lands and sometimes in the lands they shoot the best. I started doing this after trying Ty's advice on seating out to .50 away and going from there. I couldn't get anything to group. I shoot the 45s in my 22cals and 80s in my 243s with great success. My kids love them and I swear by them, the most accurate and deepest penetrating bullet I have used. HAPPY HUNTING
 
Originally Posted By: 204 AROriginally Posted By: Orneryolfart357And before you reply, think of the legnth of a bullet. Most of the 22 cal bullets are too long to stabilise in a factory twist. This forces folks that have to shoot non lead BULLETS either to rebarrel or buy a new rifle of a faster twist. You can always shoot bullets that weigh alot less and watch animals crawl off and die a miserable death however. So now, tell us what you know of the ordeal in Ca. and Your research?

I'm not sure who this is directed at but...if it's me it's unwarranted. I know nothing of the ordeal in CA and that's why I asked for more info and/or evidence. I vaugely remember Barnes getting blamed but seems like that was quickly discredited, but I never dug into it.

As for the predicament CA is in, nothing the decision makers in that God forsaken place surprises me. I doubt any testimony would have changed their corrupt liberal minds one way or the other. Having said that if a bullet maker did lobby for the law to promote their own product then that is very upsetting.
My comment was not directed at you.. see who I posted after. However your quote about " I vaugely remember Barnes getting blamed but seems like that was quickly discredited, but I never dug into it." that part is not true. Barnes testimony was deleted from the DFG sites after soo many complaints."It was all on video before" And remember, when this all came down, Barnes was the only game in town for Non lead ammo. {see the point?} captive pocketbooks now for Barnes. Since that time Hornady and Nosler have both started making Non lead ammo.Why? because it will be the wave of the future...Lead free is coming to a state near you soon unless these unfounded claims by tree huggers can be refuted. Yes.. Barnes had an active roll in the decision to use non lead ammo in California. Ask other folks stuck here in Kommiefornia and find out. Barnes wont get My money.
 
First off...
Don't try to push then as fast. We have found if you get the right powder and speed they are VERY accurate. The Larger calibers this is much more noticeable, I use a 250 gr in my 45/70 Marlin and at 2600 fps they seam to all go through the same hole.In my 22/250 the 34 gr is the most accurate but at 4300 fps they blow up on the out side of a haired up coyote, The 45 gr with 37 gr of Varget will make one raged hole most the time ( If I do my part). But is not enough for deer. I'm going to try a 53 gr soon . In our 243's any of the Barnes work way better than any thing we have tried with 8208. DON"T underestimate them or discount them completely till you do some experimenting. You all know this is coming every where soon you may as well have a load worked up when it happens...
 
I'm shooting them in both my 243 and 25/06. Great accuracy on both and have shot big game animals with both with impressive results. I started both of mine .050 off the lands as Barnes recommends. I played around with a couple of different powders with each, but ended up better than moa on each at .050 off.
 
Originally Posted By: SShooterZSqueeze, that's good information to share and not something I had tried. Thank you!

I had tried their Varmint Grenades in both .204R and .222/.223 and .22-250 and all my groups were 1" or greater with guns that I know can shoot. Might have to revisit.

I also tried the Tipped-TSX in .243 and again, the results were not good.

BTW - I was just up in Spooner, WI for the weekend. Beautiful time to be up there. You near there?

SShooterZ,

I can't speak to Varmint Grenades. I have heard they can
be fussy. I load an 80 gr. Tipped TSX for my 6mm Rem. and
that load is sub-MOA. Absolutely devastating on WY antelope
last year. The buck went down hard at 320 yards, and the
doe tag was filled with a bang flop 175 yard shot. Big holes!
The same bullet in a .243 Win ought to do well, with some
load development.

I am 1 hour SE of Spooner, but travel through often, as
I waterfowl hunt in that area, and do some fishing near by
as well. My Chesapeake Bay Retriever howls when we drive
by the McDonalds, in Spooner. She gets a cheeseburger after
a long day of retriever work, in cold water. Yes this corner
of WI is beautiful, and especially so in Fall.

Squeeze
 


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