I would like your advise on which of these two bullets are the best. The Swift A-Frame is costing about 80% more than the Barnes. The Barnes is harder on barrel life. The Swift A-Frame has less wear on the barrel. I intend using it on Kudu in the bushveld of South Africa. I intend using it in my .270Win with 150gr weight.

i doubt very much if the barnes is going to affect the barrel life in a hunting rifle. but i've shot kudu with both. i'd rate it as a toss up. i've shot both lion and buff with both and they both preformed as expected. Most of my game however has been shot with nosler partitions. they also have preformed as expected. frankly on plains game i see no need for extra expensive a frames

Either will do fine on kudu sized game. I would choose the one the rifle likes best. Personally, I reach for the Barnes bullets first. In a .277 caliber rifle, I would opt for the TTSX version over the TSX to ensure proper expansion of the bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
Either will do fine on kudu sized game. I would choose the one the rifle likes best. Personally, I reach for the Barnes bullets first. In a .277 caliber rifle, I would opt for the TTSX version over the TSX to ensure proper expansion of the bullet.

Graybird, why would you prefer the Barnes Tipped TSX above the ordinary TSX?

To me it's just an extra measure of insurance knowing the tip on the TTSX is going to make the bullet open properly.

There were some early complaints about the smaller caliber TSX bullets not opening and penciling thru the target animal.

I'm sure the 150 grain TSX will work great for you. But, I would look at the 130 grain TTSX as well.

I used to be a Nosler Partition kind of guy, but I've switched to the Barnes bullets a love their performance.

Good luck finding the right load for you and your rifle.

I've no experience with the Aframe, but 20 years worth of Barnes and, prior to that, about 20 years with Partitions.

There should not be any difference in barrel wear with either bullet.

I shoot the 130gr T-TSX out of my 270Win and it hammers Elk. I've used the X, XLC and TSX, and all performed great.

Is Africa a "no lead" zone like some parts of California? That's the only reason I can think of to use a monometal bullet.

Kudus, despite their apparent size, seem to be relatively soft targets. At least the three kudu kills I've been in on made them seem that way compared to other African game their size or smaller. You don't need either of the "hard" bullets you mention. A Nosler Partition will give you some extra confidence, but in truth, just about any conventional bullet of moderate size and weight will do in a kudu quite promptly.

I have found, in the rifles I load for, that the A-Frame is more accurate than the Barnes. again, the rifles I load for...

I have shot all of one "big" animal with the A-frame. It happens to be the one in question: .277 150 gr.

In 2008 I shot a "mulligan" moose, a year-and-a-half (maybe two?) animal, which weighed 700, maybe 800 lbs live weight.

I hit it broadside at 240+ yards, breaking at lesat one shoulder, and near as I can tell, probably the spine too. Found the slug under the off-side hide. Good weight retention & integrity, but as you might expect for going through a bunch of bone, the front core was smeared nearly 100% off. In that regard, it looked like many pictures I've seen of Nosler Partitions.

Muzzle velocity was right about 3000 fps, and I'd guess that it was doing about 25 or 2400 fps at impact.

Again, that's my ONE experience, and it was a good one!

May you enjoy the preparation as much as the hunt!

friar

I'd use either since both perform superbly but if the additional expense of the Swift is an issue, the TSX is the one to use.

Theres a lot of press regarding both bullets here on AR.

If it's for use in the bushveld why not use a 160gr Partition, or a 160gr Rhino? It should cost you less and at bushveld ranges they should work fine.

As I said in a reply to you some months ago I've even loaded 170gr Rhino's in my 270 and they grouped just fine, although I never had the need to hunt with them.

Which ever one shoots best in your rifle. I would also try Woodleighs and Partitions.

Some of my rifles will shoot any ammo sub MOA; other rifles will only shoot one or two bullet brands/weights well.