Federal makes a 180 gr. Barnes MRX round for 308 Win, 30-06 Springfield, 300 Win Mag, and 300 WSM. I am thinking about using the 300 WSM on Moose next year. Does anyone have any hunting experience with the MRX bullet?
Posts: 13922 | Location: Texas | Registered: 10 May 2002
Sorry for a non-answer, but I will hopefully be able to tell you all about it in three weeks --Colorado first rifle season for elk. I will be running a Steyr Pro Hunter in 300WSM and Federal loads with the 180 MRX's. They shoot very well in this rifle, so I anticipate any issues will be me, not the rifle/ammo.
Posts: 53 | Location: Snottsdale, AZ | Registered: 20 February 2007
They are almost impossible to find in the Dallas area. I found one box at Ray's. None in Pro Bass, Bullet Trap, McClelland's, and another place in Plano. None in Cabela's in Buda.
Posts: 13922 | Location: Texas | Registered: 10 May 2002
While they look and may perform like an expensive TTSX, they do have the tungsten based core in the rear that results in a shorter bullet for the same weight. If case capacity is a problem or otherwise the long length of the TTSX needs to be avoided, then there may be an advantage to the MRX.
The little I've used them they got good accuracy and killed well, but I couldn't say that they're worth the extra money (In fact I can't say the TTSX is worth the extra money over the TSX).
One I'm looking forward to is when they apply the MRX technology to their big bore bullets. For a cartridge like the .458 Win. it will be the ideal bullet. I also think they'd make a fine pistol bullet (the current X pistol bullets are WAAAYYYY TOOOO LOOONNNNGGGG for any cartridge with less case capacity than the S&W .460 or .500) but I can't imagine what they'd cost... more than I'd be willing to pay for sure.
Great points by Kyler, and one I will add, is that I have been told by a fellow that seems to know this sort of stuff, but isn't a Barnes employee to be sure, that the MRX is headed the way of the dodo, and that Barnes sold a lot of their inventory to Fed to make 'factory ammo'
I'm not sure about that at all, but maybe just something to consider, I've shot quite a few of them, never recovered one, all of them pass throughs, the biggest critter I shot with them were big (300 lbs+) hogs, both pass throughs with one DRT, and one hog running about 75 yards, nose in the dirt the whole way. On the whitetails the just whistled through, with small exit holes, but quickly dead deer.
They were very accurate for me.
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004
Midway has a nice sale on the ttsx right now as components....and you might find some good prices on loaded ammo there too if you do a search. The ttsx is on sale right now for what the old tsx sold for. I picked up some 130 ttsx in 308 and see they now have another groove over the old tsx. So far the ttsx has shot good with EVERY LOAD in EVERY GUN I've tried them in. THANK YOU BARNES for the constant fine tuning of a great bullet....something they catch heck from once in a while from other reloaders.
Posts: 2002 | Location: central wi | Registered: 13 September 2002
i am a barnes X/XLC/TSX fan ... the MRX is a great idea for small cases. wish they would come out with a 500gr .475 MRX, or a 450 gr .475 .. or a .500 gr .510
Originally posted by Kyler Hamann: While they look and may perform like an expensive TTSX, they do have the tungsten based core in the rear that results in a shorter bullet for the same weight. If case capacity is a problem or otherwise the long length of the TTSX needs to be avoided, then there may be an advantage to the MRX.
Never thought of that. Makes sense. Pass the crow!
There was a Handloader magazine article comparing the accuracy of various bullets in a 308 Winchester. Guess what? The Barnes MRX came out near the bottom in terms of accuracy.
At a buck a bullet, I would expect accuracy to be near the top of the heap.
