Old Barnes bullets

14 February 2003, 15:12

Tumbleweed

Old Barnes bullets

A couple of days ago, I came across several boxes of old Barnes bullets in a small, rural shop. They are so old the labels are faded right out and falling off. They're round nose softs (no cannelures) in unusually heavy weights - 300 gr. .338s, and 350 gr. .375s. The guy is offering them 'fer cheap' if I take them all (300 rounds, or so), but I'm not familiar with them. I like heavy RNs, but how did they shoot? Particularily, how were they for copper fouling? I think I vaguely recall someone saying they had fouling problems, but of all the things I don't trust, my memory is at the top of the list! Any comments?

14 February 2003, 16:37

Wstrnhuntr

Them's the Barnes originals that Frank Barnes himself developed. They are being phased out of the Barnes line in favor of the X. If they shoot well then they are heavy enough to kill anything, the Barnes manual still carries data on them.

16 February 2003, 09:41

Tiny

They Foul no worse than the Barnes X Bullet.I personally haven't had any fouling issuies with them.
I like the Barnes Original Bullet alot,I wish they would go back and start making them again.

16 February 2003, 20:31

Frank Martinez

I love them and will take 'em all if you don't want them. I purchased a bunch from my local shop but when I went back to buy the rest after testing them in my rifles I found they had changed the prices to current x prices and I just wouldn't play that game.

17 February 2003, 02:26

Hot Core

quote:
Originally posted by Tumbleweed:
...They're round nose softs (no cannelures) in unusually heavy weights - 300 gr. .338s, and 350 gr. .375s. The guy is offering them 'fer cheap' if I take them all (300 rounds, or so), but I'm not familiar with them. I like heavy RNs, but how did they shoot? Particularily, how were they for copper fouling? I think I vaguely recall someone saying they had fouling problems, but of all the things I don't trust, my memory is at the top of the list! Any comments?

Hey Tumbleweed, I've not shot those specific weight Original Fred Barnes bullets, but I've shot a whole bunch of other weights/calibers of his Originals.

This was before I started Moly coating. They shot great for 6-9 shots and then bore fouling always began widening the groups. Of course, that is a lot more shooting than you will do on any typical Hunt(between cleanings), so it was of no consiquence.

I think the best I ever got them to shoot was in the 6s for 3-shot groups. And I don't remember ever "not" being able to get them to shoot under 1.4", so that meant they shot great. But as usual, each rifle is different and you just don't know if the rifle will like them or not until you try them.

At the weights you mentioned, it is obvious that you are considering using them for "real close shots"(say inside 200yds) and even if they shoot 3" groups, they will do fine for you.

Don't know about "your memory", so I'll not comment on it. [Big Grin]