Has anyone used the Barnes X for hogs? I have been told they will open up just fine and by others that they would act like solids and not open up at all.

I just got a couple of boxes of the 30 cal 180gr X bullets of the older design for my 30/06AI. Are they just for moose and bear?

Has anyone had any experience with these bullets and would like to share their experiences and opinions on them for hog hunting.

I've shot several hogs with my 6.5X55 using 140 grain XLCs with excellent results. I've never recovered a bullet, but all the evidence (wound channels and exit holes) indicates nothing but perfect performance. I say try 'em. If you like 'em, get some TSXs and you'll like those even better!

The TSX have the new cavity that they are now using in their current production of X and XLC bullets. They open on initial inpact and then open again and then one more time futher along in their terminal performance. At least thats Barnes' claim.

They are a great bullet for anything... especially pigs.

I've probably seen 100 pigs hit with one version of an X or another in calibers from 6mm to .458 and I'm impressed.

My only complaint is that some rifles really hate them. If you get a load that groups them you're done looking for bullets.

The newer TSX design seems to be more forgiving in accuracy so it's going to be hard to ignore the X as an obvious choice of bullet for medium and big game.

Kyler

I have shot 2 hogs with X bullets from my 450/400 3 1/4" double. The first with a 300 gr at @ 2330 fps. I hit him behind the shoulder. He droped to the shot, I could nearly pas my fist through the wound channel.
The second with a 400 gr X at @ 2150 fps out of the same 450/400. I hit him well behind the shoulder. He droped to the shot. When I butchered him I discovered 6 ribs on the ENTRANCE side were broken away from the backbone.
I do not know about other calibers, but in my 450/400 them .408 diameter X bullets are BAD TO THE BONE.

Have only shot one pig with an X-Bullet. 225 gr X in a .338 Win Mag. Impact was was 100 yards from the muzzle. Pig dropped at the shot. Game done. No complaints from me ;>

The TSX is a great bullet for hogs! I've taken 8 hogs with my 25-06. First four (Jan /04)I used 101grn Groove bullets. The next trip 2/05) I used the 100grn TSX. Shoulder shots from 50-150yds all dropped on the spot. Two of the hogs I killed on the last trip were with one shot. I love the the monolith bullet design for the penetration:Barnes and the no longer avail grooves are both great bullets. I've used the barnes tsx out of my 25-06 on deer taken on crop damage permits but limit them to shoulder shots. The TSX is a little tough for deer in my opinion. The plus side is no much meat damage.

Steve

This whole thread tickles me... I have shot a lot of pigs, and none of them have been hard to dispatch. I have friends that shoot them with 6mms and have no troubles.
A pig is just a pig... hit them where you are supposed to and the pork chops hit the ground. Make a bad shot, and you are left with a squeal, an empty case and nothing else...

Just shoot the porker in the head and be done with it... A 6mm behind one ear is plenty deadly, a .375 in the guts is just another bad shot. They are tough, but they are very killable....

My hogs were taken by moonlight. Kind makes an ear hard to see for me away. I agree that it doesn't take a cannon to kill a hog. Mostly the vitals are located different than a deer

Steve

I'm with Steve. I shoot most hogs by the light of the moon. It's nice to have a bullet that will break bone, cause major tissue damage, and hopefully drop the piggie right there. If it doesn't, I like a nice bleeding exit wound to minimize difficulty in trailing in the dark. The Barnes X does all of this for me.

I love barnes bullets... especially if i have to shoot long ways into them.

aim for something hard (spine, head, shoulder) and they work great

jeffe

jocamp 64

AWESOME bullets for hogs! I shoot a .300 WSM and have shot 3 hogs in the 200 lb. range with the 180 gr. FailSafe bullet, which is just Winchester's version of the Barnes X. Absolutely flawless performance! Out of the 3 pigs, the one that ran the farthest ran 15 yards. They shoot great in my gun. Browning A-Bolt Composite Stalker. Consistently shoot 1 to 1 1/2 inch groups at 200 yards. I love 'em! You won't have any problems.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I have shot 2 hogs with X bullets from my 450/400 3 1/4" double.

NE450No2

So the monometal Barnes X worked OK in your double rifle? No problems?

I shot 6 piggies in RSA with 6 168gran TSX's

They work for me.

I don't know if this is a problem or not when using them for hogs, but yes they will work like a solid.

I used my 375 T/C encore with 300gr x bullets and had my boar drop dead at the shot, but so did the smaller hog behind him.

I only recovered 1 brass petal from the bullet in the first hog - a double pass through.

I guess it's fine for hogs but you have to be careful with other game animals -you dont want to shoot two elk for example.

I love Barnes X bullets

quote:

Originally posted by Riodot:
I don't know if this is a problem or not when using them for hogs, but yes they will work like a solid.

I used my 375 T/C encore with 300gr x bullets and had my boar drop dead at the shot, but so did the smaller hog behind him.

I only recovered 1 brass petal from the bullet in the first hog - a double pass through.

I guess it's fine for hogs but you have to be careful with other game animals -you dont want to shoot two elk for example.

I love Barnes X bullets

Exactly the same thoughts and almost similar experience, this time from a 300WinMag with a 180gr pill. Barnes TSX are not only accurate, they are deadly.

I tried as most of us a lot of brands and models, but when it comes to killing ability they are very hard to surpass

NitroX
I have some .408 diameter 300 gr aned 400 gr X bullets. I have shot several of them in my 450/400 double without problem. The cases do not show any sign of high pressure.O know Connie Barnes shoots X bullets in her double.
Now I use them sparingly.

This is on the opposite end of the spectrum but I have taken my daughter pig hunting every year, starting when she was 10. The first year she used a TSX in her 223. To my suprise the little bullet performed very well by delivering a quick one shot kill. Her dad was kinda proud too because she did her part by placing the shot perfectly and kept a cool head.

The X-bullets are good stuff. If they shoot well in your gun then you are ready to rumble.

The pig I shot in the Hogzilla thread was shot with a 375 H&H using 270 grain Barnes X. My gun shoots them like a laser beam. Straight and true.

It is sad to say that I get better groups with my 375 than with my 204 Ruger.

I shot 4 hogs last December with 100 gr. TSX out of a 25-284. Excellent performance. Two were in the heart/lungs, one in the spine, and one in the head. All were complete pass throughs with indications of IMMEDIATE expansion and 3/4" to 1" exits. The two heart/lung shot ran about 15-20 yards & the other two were straight down. It is my bullet of choice now. I'm going to try the 120 grain TSX in the 7 mag. next.