Boutique Mono Bullets

[chav0_12]

I know that I've shot a few 177gr Hammers Hunters out of my 28 Nosler just starting to get a load. I did a pressure test and they shot a decent group considering that the charges were all different. I had 300 of the 195s so I didn't bother too much with the Hammers but they're still sitting there and I'm sure at some point I'll get to building a load with them.

 

[heat_and_fam]

Unless required by state law, you couldn't pay me to shoot mono's…I tried to like the LRX, I probably would have if you could ever find them for sale to stash. Far too many bad reviews from the main mono pushed on this site for me to even spend the time loading them up.

If it ain't broke (Berger and ELDM) don't fix it?

 

[memtb]

I'm with you Carlos. I like two holes myself.

I also tried them when they just offered the X bullet. I didn't have much luck with them.

I tried the original X's around '92.

Maybe I was just lucky, but they worked good for me. My wife's rifle and those of a couple of friends struggled with fouling and accuracy. My rifle had a "match grade" barrel….all others were just factory rifles.

I was convinced that the quality barrel was responsible, so I experimented with my wife's rifle by hand lapping/polishing the barrel….dramatically improved groups/fouling. Similar results with friend's rifles.

The grooves certainly helped reduce pressures and fouling…..and perhaps a slight metallurgy or tempering change!

Old, outdated, useless information …..but, I thought I'd share! memtb

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I tried the original X's around '92.

Maybe I was just lucky, but they worked good for me. My wife's rifle and those of a couple of friends struggled with fouling and accuracy. My rifle had a "match grade" barrel….all others were just factory rifles.

I was convinced that the quality barrel was responsible, so I experimented with my wife's rifle by hand lapping/polishing the barrel….dramatically improved groups/fouling. Similar results with friend's rifles.

The grooves certainly helped reduce pressures and fouling…..and perhaps a slight metallurgy or tempering change!

Old, outdated, useless information …..but, I thought I'd share! memtb

IDK, I think it's cool Barnes took an innovative product and improved upon its shortcomings. Despite the rise of their competition, you have to give it to them for the first legitimate lead alternative (other than solids) for big game hunting. At least there is an alternative for those folks that live on the communist left coast.

They're still a great bullet! They used to be very expensive…a "premium bullet." My how things have changed.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Unless required by state law, you couldn't pay me to shoot mono's…I tried to like the LRX, I probably would have if you could ever find them for sale to stash. Far too many bad reviews from the main mono pushed on this site for me to even spend the time loading them up.

If it ain't broke (Berger and ELDM) don't fix it?

 

[heat_and_fam]

View attachment 548629

Uh huh. So you drank the mono koolaid and haven't shot them yet? Interesting take enjoy the experiment.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Uh huh. So you drank the mono koolaid and haven't shot them yet? Interesting take enjoy the experiment.

Ahh, here we go. You let us all know you don't like them. You can move on now friend.

 

[heat_and_fam]

Ahh, here we go. You let us all know you don't like them. You can move on now friend.

I did say I like the LRX…but you can't find them reliably enough.

Sensitive sally tonight eh.

 

[memtb]

Uh huh. So you drank the mono koolaid and haven't shot them yet? Interesting take enjoy the experiment.

My only bullet since the early '90's. Proven on game of various sizes and bullet entry angles!

While I don't shoot as far as many of you do…..I don't worry about minimal expansion velocities.

Conversely, I want my bullet to retain it's integrity while fully expanding and maintaining the majority of it's original weight.

I don't want to do a "reverse stalk" just to be certain my velocity has dropped low enough to prevent fragmentation of the bullet.

Neither do I want a bullet that can't "full length" a big game animal from any angle. I prefer not to hope or wait for the animal to provide the perfect broadside shot, so I can place the bullet behind the shoulder and into the lungs hoping it doesn't fragment on a rib! This may not be critical on a 100 pound whitetail…..it may be on big game.

We each have different desires/criteria for our hunting bullets! memtb

 

[heat_and_fam]

My only bullet since the early '90's. Proven on game of various sizes and bullet entry angles!

While I don't shoot as far as many of you do…..I don't worry about minimal expansion velocities.

Conversely, I want my bullet to retain it's integrity while fully expanding while maintaining the majority of it's original weight.

I don't want to do a "reverse stalk" just to be certain my velocity has dropped low enough to prevent fragmentation of the bullet.

Neither do I want a bullet that can't "full length" a big game animal from any angle. I prefer not to hope or wait for the animal to provide the perfect broadside shot, so I can place the bullet behind the shoulder and into the lungs hoping it doesn't fragment on a rib! memtb

I don't hunt with anyone who shares the mono kudos. Many of us have tried them, none stuck with them.

I've shot bergers at 2900 fps from 100 yards to 750 into elk. the 215 I put into an elk shoulder at 100 yards retained about 90% of its weight and still reliably expanded at 750. Couldn't ask for more…seems most the mono posts are shorter range stuff, viewing one particular thread on here "they worked great at 200 yards" seems to be the theme…well of course they did, that's what they were designed for.

I find it interesting the OP calls states commies for forcing copper monos for hunters, yet folks want to further facilitate that push by publicly posting how great they are…self licking ice-cream cone right there.

 

[memtb]

I don't hunt with anyone who shares the mono kudos. Many of us have tried them, none stuck with them.

I've shot bergers at 2900 fps from 100 yards to 750 into elk. the 215 I put into an elk shoulder at 100 yards retained about 90% of its weight and still reliably expanded at 750. Couldn't ask for more…seems most the mono posts are shorter range stuff, viewing one particular thread on here "they worked great at 200 yards" seems to be the theme…well of course they did, that's what they were designed for.

I find it interesting the OP calls states commies for forcing copper monos for hunters, yet folks want to further facilitate that push by publicly posting how great they are…self licking ice-cream cone right there.

I concede that "fragile" bullets do work better on varmints and small big game……but, have never had "kill" issues on animals from Jack Rabbits, coyotes, Pronghorns and small deer. The same bullet will full length an elk or moose! That covers a fairly wide range of animal sizes!

My rifle/cartridge/bullet maintains sufficient velocity to fully expand to around 900+ yards….300 beyond my self imposed range limit!

Oh another, though not a monumental issue……the Barnes (monos) do not flatten the bullet tips in the magazine under recoil. When shooting varmints (rabbits, ect.) in my rifle with conventional cup and core bullets, the bullets exhibited considerable flattening of the bullet point….sometimes I even looked (last bullet in the magazine) to see if the jacket was starting to open! I didn't see this as a desirable trait! memtb

 

[memtb]

I don't hunt with anyone who shares the mono kudos. Many of us have tried them, none stuck with them.

I guess that we won't be sharing the same blind….your loss. I'm a hellofa guy….once ya get to know me! memtb

 

[heat_and_fam]

I guess that we won't be sharing the same blind….your loss. I'm a hellofa guy….once ya get to know me! memtb

I didn't say I "wouldn't" hunt with someone shooting monos…just that I "don't", because nobody who's experimented with them liked them enough to shoot them again.

YMMV and it obviously does.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I find it interesting the OP calls states commies for forcing copper monos for hunters, yet folks want to further facilitate that push by publicly posting how great they are…self licking ice-cream cone right there.

Negative. I like choices. Mono, bonded, cup and core, frangible. Killed animals with them all. I don't like silly imposed laws that say you have to use just one due to bad science. And frankly, I don't like much about CA…at all. I do like monos. You don't like hunting with folks that use monos. Cool.

I'm trying to figure out how anything I've written in this thread has been pro-copper to the point I'm advocating copper only legislation. That's right, I haven't.

You've come to the pool party only to pee in the pool.