I have been playing with the Barnes TSX bullets they seem like they could be made to shoot very well but maybe not in my rifle. Anybody got any suggestions for a tough 30 cal bullet in 168gr something that holds it's accuracy to way out there? Thanks in advance.
Posts: 113 | Location: no fixed address | Registered: 09 August 2003
sniper, That'd be the 168 or 175 Matchking, outstanding hunting bullets, maybe not as tough as a Barnes, but will get the job done, just ask the guys on Longrangehunting.com, Jay
Posts: 1745 | Location: WI. | Registered: 19 May 2003
Try the North Fork bullets sometime in your search. They make .308 in 150, 165, 180, 200 grain. Shoot enough to use the box of 50 and you will probably find what you are looking for. I loaded a buddy a 200 grain .300 Ultra Mag load at 3000 plus fps and he took a very nice 6 X 6 Bull elk at 418 lazered yards and was very pleased. Good shooting.
Posts: 221 | Location: Kentucky | Registered: 19 December 2003
at least no one is suggesting BT's a good game bullets, even though they are accurate...
I would give the sierra game kings a whirl, just 1 box, and see.
next would be the hornady
Jeffe, If you mean Ballistic Tips when you say BT's, they have treated me very well when shot out of my 708, in fact, one deer I shot at 110yds. had the same velocity as if I shot the deer at 400yds.(2300fps@muzzle) and one of the quickest kills I've ever made, so, I've got nothing against the Nosler bullets, and I also like the Hornadys, although I've yet to try the SSTs, Interlocks only, they all do a very good job, and are all accurate for me. Jay
Posts: 1745 | Location: WI. | Registered: 19 May 2003
I tried 168gr SMK's for the hell of it and they shot pretty darn good but comming out of a 308 WarBird at 3500-3600 fps I would imagine they would pancake on big game. With 1:12 twist I want to stay in the 168gr area, there are plenty of bullets with a reputation for hanging together but which ones are also known to be quite accurate?
Posts: 113 | Location: no fixed address | Registered: 09 August 2003
Your the one who has to test the bullets in your rifle. However in the past the Barnes X bullets have been the most difficult to get to shoot. I had high hopes for the xxx's however and wait for some lighter weights in various calibers.
The Sierra MK's are not expanding game bullets according to every page in the Sierra manual. Some say they are. I don't use them on game.
That cartridge is givng extreme velocities so a premium bullet should really be used unless you load it down.
There are many other premium game bullets. The Nosler Partition is the most famous.
The Nosler Partition is a really good hunting bullet but it is *generaly* a little lacking in accuracy at longer range and this is my problem. I would like to find a decent bullet accuracy wise and also with hang together killing power.
Posts: 113 | Location: no fixed address | Registered: 09 August 2003
The most accurate hunting bullet I have ever used is the 165gr Sierra Game King hollow point boat tail. In my hunting rifle these bullets shoot at least as well as the Match Kings out to 300 yds. They are really amazing in my rifle. To look at them you wouldn't think they would be so accurate, especially at distance, but they are. They have never failed to kill the deer, but I would call their performance mixed. They tend to come apart inside when encountering bone. Still... they kill the deer dead every time so far, and don't seem to blood shot a lot of meat. I would recommend the matchking users at least give this bullet a try. ...ol blue
Posts: 373 | Location: USA | Registered: 05 December 2000
I picked up a box of 1000 Rem 165 corelokts from Midway. I can get them to shoot under 1" in everything I try. In my Son's Rem 721 we got a .3" group. They seem to kill deer and elk just fine.
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002
The most accurate bullet is the one that gives best accuracy from your rifle. That may sound like a snotty answer, but it is not. What it means is that you should try as many different bullets as you can in your rifle. After doing those tests, you will know what gives best accuracy in your rifle. You will then be ready to do as extensive tests as you want with that bullet. (Varying amount, brand, and any other factors about the Powder(s) you are using with that bullet.)
Posts: 5883 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 11 March 2001
Quote: I have been playing with the Barnes TSX bullets they seem like they could be made to shoot very well but maybe not in my rifle. Anybody got any suggestions for a tough 30 cal bullet in 168gr something that holds it's accuracy to way out there? Thanks in advance.
May I ask what kind of accuracy you currently have gotten from the the TSX's?? My fickle Sako loves them.
And I assume that you followed the Barnes manual, and set the bullet back from the lands at least .030, or more. These Barnes bullets are very sensitive to seating.
People I know have loaded them like a SMK,(close to the lands) and were frustrated to no end. Moved them back some, and bingo!! Needs jump.
I agree with Jay, for once, , that the SMK is a great, accurate hunting bullet, especially at longer ranges..sakofan..
Posts: 1379 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 11 March 2003
The "secret" to getting the Barnes X's to shoot is keep changing powders until you find one that works. Even very small burn rate differences can make a difference. I've never found the best accuracy any where but just off the lands. Almost always the best accuracy has been from one to three grains under the listed maximum. If you clean your barrel really well and it's a factory tube, I find that the really clean factory barrles with shoot 2.5-3 MOA for the first 7-8 rds., then they shrink to 1, or less, MOA. I used to know two Long Range hunters quite well who used the 160 gr. Nosler Partiton in their 7mm-.300 Weatherbys. They will expand well at low impact speeds. It's a matter of finding something that works at the ranges you will be shooting. Even 1 MOA will work for quite a way out there. Some loads actually shoot better as the range increases. A couple of guys over on the Long Range Forum have found the 168 gr. XLC worked quite well for them at the longer ranges. E
Posts: 1022 | Location: Placerville,CA,USA | Registered: 28 May 2002
As I have said before, X's shoot very well for both my 270 and 300wsm. It's really the only bullet that I have worked alot with and both took alot of work. I have found like someone else mentioned, the key is to find the right powder such as reloder 15 in my 300wsm. Some would say it is a tad fast but my gun loves the stuff.
Barnes says to by .05 off the lands but with my 300wsm I dont have any choice because of magazine size.
That said, getting back to your question I have tried the 3shok in my 270 and the accuracy is better with a larger number of powders that the X was. I will probably stick with the 3 shok. just ordered some 150gr. for my 300, we'll see how the do.
The Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets have a great rep. for accuracy. I suspect their new Accubonds will be just as good, plus they have better penetration qualities....
The 168gr TSX @ 89.5gr RL19 .025 off the lands can give me a group from 1/2" to 1.5" the problem I am running into is over pressure at minimum loads. According to some knowlledgeable people with some types of rifling like polygonal rifling the TSX is not as malleable as lead core bullets and this causes the over pressure situation. If I get any farther off the lands the group spreads right out. I have a 1:12 twist so I don't know if a 200gr Accubond will work well but I have ordered some and will try them. I am also thinking 168gr Nosler balistic silver tips, the Sierra GameKings sound great accuracy wise but maybe not tough enough for Elk at 3500-3600fps.
Posts: 113 | Location: no fixed address | Registered: 09 August 2003
Also I use the 140gr Combined Technology /Nosler Ballistic Silver tip in my 7mm rem mag with 60gr IMR 4350 and last weekend dropped a doe at 359 yds. They work well for me.
Posts: 5 | Location: Texas | Registered: 27 July 2003
Quote: sniper, That'd be the 168 or 175 Matchking, outstanding hunting bullets, maybe not as tough as a Barnes, but will get the job done, just ask the guys on Longrangehunting.com, Jay
He said hunting bullets not target bullets.
Try the Groove bullets or the Nosler accubonds. They are makingthese in 180 30 cal and 200 gr.
Posts: 3865 | Location: Cheyenne, WYOMING, USA | Registered: 13 June 2000
, that the SMK is a great, accurate hunting bullet, especially at longer ranges..sakofan..
