has anyone tried these (53gr in a 1:14 twist) bullets on anything in the 150 pound live weight range? thinking of maybe trying on some Pennsylvania whitetails, not that i dont and cant use any other caliber but this 22 caliber for deer seems to be the rage. I think i will definetly need to place my shots well. if bone will stop one of these bullets i will scrap the whole idea, shots wont be over 150 yards.

one more question, how difficult is this bullet to work a load up for, i have never tried the barnes but i hear horror stories of wasted money. any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA, Dave

Barnes does not recommend the 53 grain for use in a 1:14 twist but they do make an almost identical 45 grain model that does work in the 1:14 twist commonly found on 22-250s. I haven't used them in .224 caliber but I have in other calibers and the results have been spectacular. This bullet will not be stopped by bone. I say this from personal experience. Put one into the shoulder or boilerroom of a whitetail and you will have dead deer.

The new TSX are very easy to load for. What you hear was generally only for the original X bullet or the coated XLCs.

LWD

I used that TSX 45 grain bullet with a .222 Remington. Only killed 2 roe deer so far but performance as well as precision were very good.

I shot a small Mulie buck a couple of years ago with the 53 g. TSX out of a 22-250 at about 345 yards per laser rangefinder and it was a bang flop.

Have used them in 223 and worked well enough on deer. Don't try any difficult shots from funny angles and keep the ranges sensible and they're all good.

My expiriance has been that the 50 and 53 grain barns are just the ticket for high vel .22's.
I couldent get my swift to shoot accurately at 3900 with any other bullet and it woulden't stabalize heavy bullets. Went from 2" @100 yards to half inch with the barns.

My experience is that they're marginal in a 1-14 barrel. That's why my 22-250 is getting a 1-8 replacement for the worn old fatory barrel. My plan is to run 70gr. TSX or 75gr. Scirroco II and the 75gr. Amax. Try the 53's, they may work for you, if not, sell the remainder here or on another forum somewhere.

David

I have not experienced accuracy problems with the 53 grain Barnes in my 22.250s with the one in 14 twists...and although not a big endorcement because they aren't necessarily big.. but have downed a couple of blacktails with that bullet combo...

I load them in 2 1:14 22-250's with great results on south texas hogs and deer.

Perry

quote:

Originally posted by 700varmint:
...22 caliber for deer seems to be the rage....

Pitiful!

Dave,
I have used the 53 TSX's out of a 1:14 twist 22-250 for quite a few years.

In a nutshell, they work! I have never recovered a single bullet after using it on well ever two dozen deer SD whitetails and mule deer.

Put it in the right spot and you will have a dead deer.

I originally did this because of all the internet experts saying that it was too small for deer. The internet experts are full of

My 10 yo son hunted this year in a mentoring program. We spent all summer at the range shooting a 22-250 with full power loads, a 257 Roberts mid-range loads, and a 270 Win with reduced loads.

He chose the 22-250, because he could shoot it better, and the recoil was pleasant.. He shot a doe last Saturday, broke both front legs, the sternum and took out the heart. Dead deer.

UPDATE: I contacted barnes tech line, after a few minutes i ordered 3 boxes of the 45gr TSX. I loaded them with varget and the magic number is 38.5gr with the bullet .050 off the lands as directed by the tech line used a GM210M primer and I am getting sub 1/2 inch groups @ 100 yards from my browning micro 1:14 twist. no chrony yet but I suspect they are moving in the 3800+ FPS range. I hunted 2 whole weeks here in Pennsylvania and seen 51 bucks but just nothing that I was interested in except one, on the 1st Saturday I was taking a break against a tree when I spotted a buck - A GOOD BUCK, running a doe towards me there really wasnt a good shot at any time when the doe got down wind of me she slammed on the brakes and was looking for me before she would take another step and I was ready with a good rest against a tree, the buck which I would estimate was in the 140-150 inch range stopped behind 2 trees however all I could see at this time was literally the last rib and just in front of his steaks (only a gut shot) I decided with only my 22-250 or anything for that matter I was going to hold on the shot and wait for this buck to make a move, yeah he jumped twice and over the hill with only a blur in the scope. no shot was fired and I learned again this year that quality deer management does not mean quality deer shooting. so I guess I will have to wait until next year to see how this TSX works on deer. I do admit when the buck was standing and moments were getting nerve racking I wished I would have had my 350 rem mag. now I hope he is a 160 class next year.

If that buck would have been quartering away, I would have taken the shot with "just my 22-250" and I would not have expected to recover the bullet in the very dead deer.

I would have passed on that shot presentation also, regardless of the rifle in my hands.

quote:

Originally posted by 700varmint:
...I wished I would have had my 350 rem mag. now I hope he is a 160 class next year.

Good for you and the Game. Recognizing that you handicapped yourself into a "Don't Shoot" situation speaks well for you.

As you can see from the numerous posts on using Totally Inadequate Cartridges, there is a rampent Dumbing Down currently in progress concerning Game and Ballistics. I often wonder why their peers allow such ignorance to continue without correction.

Using very small Expanding Solids was initially brought to my attention by the writings of MR. PO Ackley, many years ago on (I believe) wild Horse and Burro culling. His writings showed it could be done, but it didn't always go well. Our current crop of Dumbed Down Inadequate Cartridge users are simply treading a previously used trail that has already shown there are inevitable problems with the results.

I can see using a 22cal on critters up to 50# where they do just fine. Beyond that, there are much MUCH better Cartridges available for Hunters that understand Game anatomy and Ballistics.

Worst of all are the current califoney loonies who want to eliminate Lead and Jacketed Lead Bullets all together. Simply chipping away at our ability to enjoy Shooting and Hunting. As everyone knows, the biggest detrement to Shooting is Cost. Find an inexpensive way to shoot and people will find the "time" to go do a lot of Shooting. When people support the Politically Correct Bullets(PCBs), they are pricing themselves out of being able to go shoot as often as they could with good old regular Bullets. Then who wins - the califoney loonies.

I don't need an stinkin' PCBs.
-----

Congratulations again 700varmint, you had a fine Hunt and did the right thing.

quote:

Recognizing that you handicapped yourself into a "Don't Shoot" situation speaks well for you.

The handicap was the shot presentation, not the cartridge. Kudus for passsing the iffy shot.

quote:

wild Horse and Burro culling.

All of my experience is with deer. As is the question asked.

Hot Core,
Exactly how many deer have you shot with a 22 centerfire and Barnes TSX? How much actual hunting experience do you have with the combination?

The deer I have shot with combination have been from 40-450 yards. They have been all sorts of shot presentations. But the vitals were not covered in any of them. I have yet to recover a single bullet.

Bullet placement relegates all other discussion to secondary importance.

This whole topic sounds like a love it or hate it situation much like other calibers, here in Pennsylvania we have alot of guys with love / hate for the 243 - 7mm-08 - 7mag the list goes on. as I said, I will give it a try and see what happens with the most ethical shot I can get.

about 15 years ago, my dad told me not to buy a 7mm-08 (he hates the caliber) until he witnessed me shoot a buck with it. I think his comment was something like "Damn thing works dont it?" as you can see I dont always take my dads advice and always want to figure things out myself. thanks all again for your opinions

quote:

Originally posted by x2mosg:
My experience is that they're marginal in a 1-14 barrel.

David

I loaded the 53gr Barnes in a friends Weatherby Sub-Moa and they shot up to shit, lucky to get within 2.5" groups at 100m with any powder combination

I tried to run 55 grain barnes in a 22-250 Winchester with a 1-14 twist. All they did was keyhole for me. I have read where several of you fellows have been running these bullets with,apparent, good success. I wonder if they would give me an idea of what the load was. I had to go to 45 Gr. TSXs to get the rifle to stabilize the bullet

I called the barnes tech line and the guy gave me advise on my browning micro which has a 1:14 and he said to seat the bullet .050 in the free bore (off the lands)and use the 45gr TSX. I asked about varget powder and I dont remember what range he gave me but my gun loves 38.5gr of varget, no outward signs of pressure and groups in the .300" area at 100 yards, that is with that pencil thin barrel. I can suggest that you call the tech line and they will be more than helpfull. I'm sure glad I called, it saved me bunches of cash and time doing the whole trial and error thing.

They wouldn't work in my Remington 700 VLS with a 1 in 14 and I really wanted to shoot them bad.

I tried them in an old BSA .222 the other day, terrible no good at all!

What about in a 1:10 twist .223? Would that stabilize the 53?

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core

[QUOTE] wild Horse and Burro culling [QUOTE]

If you read all of P.O. Ackley's writting on 22 centerfires, he rated the 220 Swift as much more reliable than the 30-06 for one-shot kills on deer.


[QUOTE]Hot Core,
Exactly how many deer have you shot with a 22 centerfire and Barnes TSX? How much actual hunting experience do you have with the combination?

Probably none. The nay sayers never seem to have a reliable body of personal experience to draw from. I do, however. About 112 deer culled over five or six years by four different shooters with Swifts and close to 250 hogs shot by me personally with Swifts and sometimes the 223 Remington.

All the deer were complete pass-throughs at various typical abdominal shots with the 52 gr Hornady match boat tail. The hogs were shot with evey bullet combination I was interested in at the time, including a dozen or so with the Barnes pointed bronze solids. I could only get them to shoot minute of hog head but man, they turned skull bones into skull flour.

quote:

Originally posted by JTPinTX:
What about in a 1:10 twist .223? Would that stabilize the 53?

1:10 will work fine with the 53gr.