Has anyone tried these varmint bullets?

How did they work and what speed did you push them at? Did they copper up the bore like other Barnes bullets?

Thanks

G-I've got some last of the 65's for my 6/06 last summer but have yet to of tried them.

Mark D

Hey Mark, Let me know how they work on coyotes when you get them going.

Snapper

I shoot the 50gn. HP out of my savage .22-250. They are more accurate than the 55gn. Nosler BT and the Sierra 52gn. HPBT
I don't shoot them super fast....about 3,600.
I was really impressed with them!

As for the copper fowling...I haven't noticed anything more than any other bullet.

Hope this helps!

I shoot the 40's in a .223 about 3600 with no problems. They are not solid copper like other Barnes bullets.

Don't shoot the Varninator, but use the Burner VLC, which is the Varminator with the blue coating like on the XLC.
In my 22-250 I get 3900 fps with the 50 grain in a 27" barrel, and little fouling (blue coating works). Accuracy averages under 5/8".
I shot a coyote last weekend at 150 yards broadside. It dropped at the shot, no exit, except for a few small fragments, so the hide was saved. It absolutely ventilated the porcupines, jackrabbits, etc. that got in the way.
I think the jacket is pure copper, the core pure lead, not sure.

Thanks for the help.

I'll pick up a box and try them.

Snapper

Slancy--have you shot the Varminator bullet and compared the 2 face to face?

My experience with any of the other (I've not used the blue varmint bullets) Blue bullets has been anything but positive and I for one would never buy another Barnes Blue bullet.

Perhaps the blue rodent bullets is something else. Can't say one good thing about the hunt blues though.

Mark D

I had excellent luck w/ accuracy with the coated burners. My Ruger would shoot 3/8 to 1/2 in off the bench with them. The only problem I had was getting the blue coating in my dies. I just had to swab them out after a couple of shells. But over all the best shooting bullet out of my 22-250

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:
Has anyone tried these varmint bullets?

How did they work and what speed did you push them at? Did they copper up the bore like other Barnes bullets?

Thanks

IME "coppering up the bore" with the barnes bullets has been exaggerated.

IF Barnes suggestions of removing the guilding metal fouling from the bore BEFORE their bullets are fired is followed the problem is greatly reduced.

and it seems to me that the pure copper fouling from the barnes bullets seems to be easier to get out of the bore than guilding metal fouling.

FWIW I use BoreTech copper remover

I have not yet shot any of the Barnes Varmint bullets but I have shot many 270 and 30cal "old style" (non-coated pre TSX) X-bullets, and that's my take on the fouling issue

AllanD

I've shot the 50 gr. VLC out of my 22-250 and the 40 gr. VLC out of my 222 Mag. Both rifles grouped well, got great velocity, and terminal performance was as good as any plastic tip.

I've hoarded them - they're out of production.

The blue coating does get on your dies, but it's not hard to just swab it out.

I've never compared them to the Varminators, but i'm sure they compare well. It's the coating that gets you the velocity and lower barrel fouling.

Just ordered some of them last night from Midway. Had hoped to get more information on this thread. I'll know in a couple of weeks they are suppose to get here on the 20th. I'm going to be loading them in my .223 with N133 so we'll see how they hold together. They should be approaching 3800fps.

I've used both 40 and 50gr varminator bullets in my 22-250, both have shot better than the VLC's and I sure can't complain about any fouling.

I've used 40 grain VLC burners in 221 Fire Ball,3 different 223's, and a 223AI, and they have been very accurate in everyone of them. They are highly fragile and often don't exit a solid hit on even a woodchuck. As has been mentioned above they have a lead core.
The only downside is the lower BC compared to the plastic tipped competition out there if that matters to you.