Barnes X Bullets

02 June 2003, 05:29

<'Trapper'>

Barnes X Bullets

I'm going to post up a note from another site I visit and I would like comments re the subject. I am (Was?) debating buying and trying some Barnes bullets in my 375 H&H but now I wonder?
All comments welcome.

quote:
My limited experience has been that they may be fine for thin skinned animals like deer but they don't open consistently on other game. I have hunted with a couple of guides in Alaska that asked specifically that I not bring Barnes X and my PH in Africa suggested barnes solids for small game only and either Swift A-frames or Trophy Bonded Bear Claws for every thing else. Most guides I have asked about bullet selection have commented that barnes x bullets don't open consistently. I was on a brown bear hunt several years ago on Kodiak island and a gentleman from Michigan shot a big 10 footer 3 times behind the front shoulder (two from the right side and one from the left side) with 250gr x bullets from a 338-378 Weatherby (150yds)and none opened properly and none exited. The guide stopped the bear with a Swift A-frame from a 416 and it exited. The guide's comment was "that's typical of Barnes x bullets on big bears". My PH in Africa also commented on how inconsistent they performed. I have been using Swift A-frames for several years now and they are the most consistent performing bullet I've ever shot from South Texas deer to Brown bear in Alaska to plains game in Zimbabwe.

Doesn't sound like much of a recommendation for Barnes, does it?
[Eek!]

Regards,

02 June 2003, 06:34

<Big Stick>

I'll not take the bait. That'll leave more X's for me....................

02 June 2003, 07:17

simdow

More for me also! Personally I think that Barnes are tough to beat. I've heard people complain that they were tough to load accurately, that they did not dump enough energy, but never that they did not kill. Consistantly the largest wound channel I've seen.
But, just my opinion and there are exceptions to everything.

02 June 2003, 07:23

<JBelk>

Barnes X bullets are my choice for all my big game rifles. There seems to be no limit on penetration and does a great job in the wound channel.

I shoot them molied.

02 June 2003, 16:04

Gatehouse

You'd think that if they did't expand in the bear, they would have penetrated right through. The post says they didn't expand or exit...

Nothing wrong with the A Frames either...

02 June 2003, 16:57

simdow

Also in the post he refers to barnes "solids" at one point. Not the same thing as barnes X. Possibly I'm being too critical about semantics but something about the post just smells funny.

02 June 2003, 17:42

<Big Stick>

Only from start to finish(grin).................

02 June 2003, 20:04

badgerrr

I don't like paying for em, but they do good things for me at close and medium range, in my .308. [Big Grin]

[ 06-02-2003, 11:07: Message edited by: badgerrr ]

02 June 2003, 23:06

<'Trapper'>

Thanks for the replies, guys. You seem to have come to the same conclusion that I had initially and that is someone is miffed and writes sour grapes. I'm going to go ahead and try some, at least in the 375. Will let you know how they work out. Also, I have just traded for a couple hundred Hornady 300gr solids - anyone have any experience with these?
Regards,

03 June 2003, 10:10

Alberta Canuck

I know I'm pretty late on this response, but what the heck...

I've been using Barnes bullets for almost 40 years...the original copper tubing "ugly" bullets at first, in rifles such as the 470 Nitro, 450 Ackley Mag, etc. Still use them in my .318 WR (.330). They are not spectacularly accurate, but they are the right sizes for the bores and they expand beautifully.

Until recently I had never tried the Barnes-X bullets because of all the garbage I heard about how badly they copper bores, hard to make group well, etc.

Then, finally, I tried the Barnes X in 3 rifles...the .423" in my .404 Jeffrey, and the .411" in both my .405 Winchester and my .404 Barnes Supreme. WOW! Not a speck of copper...even way less than the previous "standard" bullets I was using. And, groups? Less than half the size of the other bullets on which I had come to rely. An inch and under in all three rifles at 100 yards, consistently.

I can't say enough good about the Barnes-X in big bores.

AC

[ 06-03-2003, 01:11: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]