I just got done weighing the following Barnes X, and XLC bullets. Each were weighed as an average of 5.
The 168 gr. XLC, advertised as a new design with a Tangent, not Secant Ogive. This seems, in my testing, to make it more accurate in a wider range of barrels and loads: Plus/minus .1 of a grain.
120gr. .284, XBT: Plus/minus 0.0 grs.
.257 dia. 75 gr. X (discontinued): 4, plus/minus .1 of a grain. One bullet out .2 grs.
.257 dia., 100 gr. XLC: Plus/minus .1 grs., with one out .2 grs.
This is very close to the Sierra's that I've weighed and better than some other popular hunting bullets. It does not come up to the standard of the Sierra Match King bullets, with the exception of the 120 gr. .284 XBT. E

E-
What's your experience with the X's and accuracy--I love the bullets effect on game (outstanding) and the BC's are great but I have had as yet no luck getting them to group well. In rifles that will put Nosler BT's into .45 the X's work hard to break 1.75" no matter what I try. Sounds like you're a dedicated user--any suggestions? Also--any useful tips on loading the Xlc's would be appreciated!

My take on the X bullets is that Barnes had/ has quality problems and that I think their metal is ETP copper and Sierra's jackets are made from guilding metal which may be 90-10. There may be something to the ogive but I don't think its primary to their performance.

I have never had a response on this.

Snowcat,
I'm no real fan of X bullets but I have shot alot of them. Always trying to get the darn things to shoot in this or that rifle. They have NEVER shot the best group in any rifle that I own.
However, there are a few things that seem to help X bullets along.
1. X bullets seem to prefer super clean barrels, even though they foul the crap out of them themselves.
2. X bullets have shot better groups when using a fast powder rather then a slow one, in my rifles.
3. X bullets do not like to be close to or touching the rifling. I believe that Randy Brooks recommends a .050" jump for starting load development. This seems to help.
4. Unless you are using a super smooth custom barrel, you should clean the bore OFTEN.
5. X bullets with the blue coating caused me nothing but headaches. If you want a coated X bullet, do what I do, moly coat the naked ones.
6. Last but not least; just settle for mediocre accurace or get yourself a better bullet. Hornady - Sierra - Nosler have bullets that cost less and will shoot rings around the X bullets. They have all killed game quite reliably before there was such a thing as the X bullet.
Just my 2 cents.
VH

they are NOT match grade, but will shoot well, if you back them off tons. .050 is a good start, and go back from there. my 300 winni likes .075, and my 358 will shoot .5 with .070.. but i am starting to loose case capacity in that one.

try a bottom load, and back of by .005, and see when your rifle starts to shoot.

jeffe

My experience with the X is with 4 rifles, two factory barreled .308's, and two Pac-Nor Super Match barrels.
Apparently my experience with them gels with that of many other posters over at 24hourcampfire.
The barrel needs to have all, or very nearly all, the copper fouling from other bullets removed first. Poke something white down the muzzle, and shine a strong light down the muzzle to check.
The best loads usually are 1-3 grs. under the accepted maximum. Medium to slow burning, top velocity producing powders seem to shoot as well as you'd want.
I get just as good a group with an X as I do with Sierra's hunting bullets in my Pac-Nor barreled guns. The .25-284 runs .8-1.0 MOA with the 75 gr. X, while the 100 gr. XLC does .4-1.0.
My .280 shoots the 120 gr. XBT better than the Sierra 120 gr. ProHunter - .2-.5 for the XBT vs. .7 for the 120 gr. ProHunter.
My M70 Win Fwt .308 shoots about .8 MOA, and my M700 VSFS does a little better with the 168 gr. XLC. This is the best ever group for the M70 Win., but not up to the .3-.5 MOA averages for the M700.
I, and most of my Campfire friends, have not found best accuracy .050 off the lands. All of mine shoot best just off the lands enough for reliable feeding.
The X can require one to try more different powders than other makes of bullets. My Pac-Nor barreled .25-284 will only shoot well with one of five powders tested for each bullet.
The two .308's, with the new 168 gr. XLC, seem to be less finicky.
The factory barreled guns do foul more quickly. They also require at least 6 rounds for best accuracy with the X, unlike the Pac-Nor guns which shoot very close-within 1/2 inch- of the fouled group with their first shot.
BTW, barrel fouling does not mean the load's accuracy will fall off. As long as you stay with the X, it seems to last for 20-30 rds., at least. I haven't tried it any further. Once clean, the barrels on any of them clean up quickly. Getting to this point can take a while, however. E