Barnes Bullets

[james whitten]

Here is a question for anyone who has ever tried Barnes bullets.How do they(Barnes-X) perform as far as accuracy off the bench,and performance on deer sized game and smaller?How do they stack up against the normal Sierra,Hornady,Nosler,etc.in these catagories.The penetration should be great,but how about accuracy and terminal damage?Can the same weight Barnes be shot in the same twist barrels as conventional bullets?All input is appreciated,so long as it is based on experience.
Thanks,James

 

[Fiftydriver]

James,

First off welcome to LRH!!

The Barnes X bullet is a curious little bullet. In some rifles they shoot very well in others they do not. It really depends on the dore diameter of your rifle as to how this solid constructed bullet will shoot in your rifle.

Remember that the Barnes bullet thrives on speed. The more the better as far as expansion on light targets is concerned. It is also a delayed expansion type bullet so on light game it is not what I would call the best choice as it will be through most of the target before it really opens up.

Accuracy wise, they are generally not as accurate as a conventional lead core bullet but at times they will suprise you.

If you want to try an X bullet, I would highly recommend you try the new TSX bullet instead of the standard X bullet. The new Triple Shock X is a far superior bullet as far as load friendliness. It does not seem to be as finicky to seating depth and produces velocity and pressures much closer to conventional bullets for same load then the original X bullet does.

For deer or lighter game though, I would personally recommend using a Ballistic Tip or better yet an Accubond if Nosler offers one in the caliber and weight you want to use. They are much more suited to this size of game and generally are vastly more accurate then the X bullets.

Again, at times they will suprise you so these are just general comments. Take them for what you will.

Kirby Allen(50)