My first adventure with Barnes bullets !!!!!!!!!!

Hangtime

Hangtime

New member
I decided to venture out and have some fun preferably at longer distances. I have always heard a lot of good things about Barnes, so I called them on the phone, and got an assortment of their bullets, trying to cover all the bases.

I have the choice of 3 different AR's to shoot these bullets out of, all with very good optics on them.

1. RRA 20" CM 1/9
2. RRA Varmit A4 Cyro SS 18" 1/8
3. PSA CHF 20"chrome lined 1/7

After receiving the order, I got to poking around their website, and it appears to me that if you want ACCURATE load data for their bullets, then you have to join their "Copper Club". Would you say that's a fair assessment ?

As I said, I bought kind of a wide assortment of their bullets, to try and have some fun with, and to see how far I could repeatably shoot accurate groups at 600-700 yds. hopefully.

I'll give you a rundown on what I bought.

1. 400 qty. 85 gr. "Match Burners" #22417
2. 200 qty. "Varminator" 50 gr. #22442
3. 150 qty. "Tipped TSX" 62 gr. #22454
4. 50 qty. "M/LE" 70 gr. #22407
5. 50 qty. "M/LE 55 gr. #22405

Powder choices include:
1. Data-68
2. TAC
3. Exterminator
4. 844
5. BLC-2

So back to the "Copper Club". The printed manual is OLD, published in 2008. So do they email you the load data for the newer bullets, and if not how do they get the load data to you on their newer bullets? Is the $ 50.00 yearly charge based on the calendar year, or one year from when you joined?

Am I correct after looking around the net, that the "Copper Club" is the only place I'm going to get ACCURATE load data given these bullets, and powder? If that's the case, I think that's a little chicken **** to charge you for load data, after you've already spent the money for their bullets.

Like I said above, I bought these bullets mostly for fun, and also in hopes I might find a combination that I could use frequently in the field. That would be a nice perk.

I did a search here, but none of what I found covered all the bases about which I"m asking, so I'll ask the Barnes experts here !!!!!!

I appreciate all relevant reply's. TIA

Hangtime
 
I see you don't live in Taxifornia. Why Barnes bullets, when Berger, Hornady and Serria do such a good job? I think you are right about the $50 a year. It doesn't seem fair if the website belongs to Barnes and not just public like this one.

Tom
 
As far as charging for load data, so do Hornady, Sierra, Nosler and others. None of them give their books to you. You can buy the Barnes book without joining the club.

As for the club, I joined a long time ago but it was less than $50. I never did renew it and cant remember why.
 
Originally Posted By: MGYSGTI see you don't live in Taxifornia. Why Barnes bullets, when Berger, Hornady and Serria do such a good job? I think you are right about the $50 a year. It doesn't seem fair if the website belongs to Barnes and not just public like this one.

Tom

Because I've played around with the brands you mention, but never Barnes. Take Sierra. It's a whole lot easier to find load data on lots of Sierra bullets in the powder tables than it is Barnes. The bullets I bought are relatively new, or newer versions of an older bullet, so I need the latest version to try and keep it safe.

So, do you have any ideas on how I could acquire the data without joining the club?

I hate to start with some Barnes data that is close, and go from there, but that may be what I'll have to do, starting out lower than usual, and working up.

Thanks for the reply.

Hangtime
 
Originally Posted By: reb8600As far as charging for load data, so do Hornady, Sierra, Nosler and others. None of them give their books to you. You can buy the Barnes book without joining the club.

As for the club, I joined a long time ago but it was less than $50. I never did renew it and cant remember why.

See my above response to Tom, and that will explain somewhat as far as the other brands go.

As far as just buying the book, as I said in my OP, it is old, being published in 2008. All of the bullet data I need are more current than 2008.

Do you remember how Barnes got the newer data to you when you were a member?

Got any other ideas how I can get this data without shelling out the $50.00?

I've spent so much $$ since spring on AR's, and related "stuff" that I've got to watch my money closer, as it's now time to pay the piper !!!

Thanks for the reply.

Hangtime
 
I haven't shot any Barns bullets in years and as long as Hornady and Berger remain in business and continue to provide quality bullets, I probably will never use them.

With that out of the way, I've got a shelf full of reloading manuals that were purchased before the advent of the internet. I doubt that I'll ever buy another because powder companies and bullet makers do a pretty good job of keeping information posted on the web. Also, using sites like Accurate shooter.com, Benchrestcentral.com, this site and others, you can pretty much find any loading information you might want. You just have to know how to sift through the chaff to get to the wheat.

In any reloading you can't take a manual, pick a load at random and go shoot with the expectation of having the perfect load. You have to work up, tune it, play with it and essentially do your own testing.

The short of it is, spending $50 for their book will only get you a starting point.
 
You should call them. I have spoken to their techs on the phone quite a bit and they have been happy to email load data as well. Like Reb said nobody gives their book away, you have to pay for them. Also, even though you may have newer bullets not reflected in their latest book, in most if not all cases they will instruct you to use data for a bullet which is listed...
 
Barnes dosen't seem to know that some people shoot the 6MM BR or the .243 Ackley Improved so I have no need to call them. My other favorite caliber is the 6.5X55 and they only list Magpro and RL 22 for that one.
 
Originally Posted By: Hangtime


"After receiving the order, I got to poking around their website, and it appears to me that if you want ACCURATE load data for their bullets, then you have to join their "Copper Club". Would you say that's a fair assessment ?"



I hope that you didn't spend $50 to join their "sucker of the week" club.

There is no such thing as "ACCURATE" loading data.

It is the nature of the beast.

No two guns are even close to being the same...

No two barrels are even close to being the same...

No two chambers are even close to being the same...

That is why EVERY loading book says to drop 10% and work up.

So you are going to spend $50 to drop 10% and work up?

If you are, Man, have I got a deal for you! PM me!

lol.gif
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Hangtime


"After receiving the order, I got to poking around their website, and it appears to me that if you want ACCURATE load data for their bullets, then you have to join their "Copper Club". Would you say that's a fair assessment ?"



I hope that you didn't spend $50 to join their "sucker of the week" club.

There is no such thing as "ACCURATE" loading data.

It is the nature of the beast.

No two guns are even close to being the same...

No two barrels are even close to being the same...

No two chambers are even close to being the same...

That is why EVERY loading book says to drop 10% and work up.

So you are going to spend $50 to drop 10% and work up?

If you are, Man, have I got a deal for you! PM me!

lol.gif


That's what I meant to say.
thumbup1.gif
 
Hangtime, you are making this more trouble than it needs to be.
1.. Find some loading data for lead bullets.
2.. Use the data for the same gr bullet in lead for the Barnes.
3.. fine tune...
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeHangtime, you are making this more trouble than it needs to be.
1.. Find some loading data for lead bullets.
2.. Use the data for the same gr bullet in lead for the Barnes.
3.. fine tune...

Yep like Tim said. I usually start down 2 grains with the ttsx bullets. Or just call them come Monday and tell them what bullet and powders you have and they will give you a min-max load and their velocity
 
I was reading on their web sight and they say that the way they make their bullets they have less resistance to going down the bore, which gives less pressure. so if that is the case Why not just grab a manual and look up your cartridge with the same weight bullet, Drop 10% and work up.

DAB
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeHangtime, you are making this more trouble than it needs to be.
1.. Find some loading data for lead bullets.
2.. Use the data for the same gr bullet in lead for the Barnes.
3.. fine tune...

+3

While I must say I have used a limited amount of Barnes bullets they never have given me the best accuracy of the bullets I tried but I always just used the data for the same weight bullet or as close as I could find and worked from there.
 
Originally Posted By: DABI was reading on their web sight and they say that the way they make their bullets they have less resistance to going down the bore, which gives less pressure. so if that is the case Why not just grab a manual and look up your cartridge with the same weight bullet, Drop 10% and work up.

DAB



Back when the first X bullet came out, they had trouble with over pressure on loads. Being it takes more copper to make the same weight as lead, the bullet becomes longer. Which inturn make more friction = more pressure,so now they have the "rings" to cut down on the bearing surface.
 
One of the places that I have seen where they list lead bullets along side some of the Barnes coppers is at the Hodgdon data site. Seems they always show the Barnes with a lower max charge/higher pressures. Maybe that's old data and doesn't take into account the new "rings" Tim mentioned.

Anyway, they had data for only one of the powders listed...

55 GR. BAR TSX FB Hodgdon BL-C(2) .224" 2.180" 23.4 2888 41,900 PSI 26 3135 50,300 PSI
55 GR. SFIRE Hodgdon BL-C(2) .224" 2.220" 24 2937 40,800 PSI 27 3220 51,500 PSI
55 GR. SPR SP Hodgdon BL-C(2) .224" 2.200" 25.5 3069 37,200 CUP 27.5 3313 48,500 CUP
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeWhich inturn make more friction = more pressure,so now they have the "rings" to cut down on the bearing surface.

I did not know that and always wondered why the rings. Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: SShooterZOriginally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeWhich inturn make more friction = more pressure,so now they have the "rings" to cut down on the bearing surface.

I did not know that and always wondered why the rings. Thanks!

No problem. I pierced my first primer, trying to put the speed to the old "X" bullet.
crazy.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: SShooterZOriginally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeWhich inturn make more friction = more pressure,so now they have the "rings" to cut down on the bearing surface.

I did not know that and always wondered why the rings. Thanks!

No problem. I pierced my first primer, trying to put the speed to the old "X" bullet.
crazy.gif



JMHO, This is why I stopped using the Barnes. Too much fiddling. Others are just straight forward.
 
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