Who is using the Barnes Triple Shocks? / Like them?

[Guest]

I tried some Barnes bullets a couple years ago and hated them , was a pain in the but to get to shoot well and fouled real bad. I've heard that the new Tripple shocks arn't that way , any body have any good or bad reports on them?
I'll probably end up Moly coating them anyhow if they don't have the same seating problems that the XBT have

 

[Fiftydriver]

J.Jones,

I had two customers develope loads in rifles I built for them this summer chambered in the 257 STW using the 115 gr TSX.

I tried the standard X bullets and even the XLC bullets and never did like them because they just were not as consistant in accuracy as I wanted and seating depth was so critical.

From the groups my customers have sent me using the new TSX, this does not seem to be the case. They still should be seated at least 0.030" off the rifling but in those two rifles they were producing sub 1/2 moa groups consistantly and at +3600 fps as well.

One of the rifles shot them very well cutting 1/4 moa groups quite often. Course both these Lilja barreled rifles were total custom rifles built on accurized Rem 700 receivers and shot every bullet from the 100 gr Ballistic Tip up to the 130 gr Wildcat BCFBHP into 1/2 mao class groups.

I will say that they do seem to be much less finicky compared to the standard X bullets and velocity is more inline with conventional bullets of similiar weight.

Try a box and see, thats really the only way to know. Personally, I prefer a leaded bullet over any solid designed bullet, but that is my personal preference only.

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Jim Hundley]

J.Jones,
FiftyDriver is right on.I have been shooting the TSX from my .300 Win.Mag.since they were introduced.I had heard all of the horror stories about Barnes bullets,but I was to new to serious shooting and reloading to pay much attention.Since trying the TSX I have found no fouling problems,excellent accuracy(for me):average groups (3) in the .5's and velocity the same as other bullets.
I killed two deer this year,both under a feeder at 212 yds.and neither knew what hit them!Only thing that the bullet doesn't do is put a big hole in them.Very small entrance wound (i.e.hard to find)and exit wound nickle size,with everything between just jelly!Try a box like FiftyDriver says.I seat my loads .030 off.I am loading 82grs.H-1000,168gr.TSX @ 3200fps.Hope this gives you some insight.
Jimmy

 

[wapiti13]

I've used Barnes X bullets since they first came out. The new TSX have solved all of their prior problems of accuracy and fouling. You still need to start at .050 off the lands. You can go down to .030, but pressure will rise slightly. Depending on your throat and barrel, I have friends that get best groups at .100+. Every barrel is unique. Once you find your sweet spot, TSX are hard to beat on game. They almost always exit, games usually falls over in one shot if you place it correctly. Good luck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[goodgrouper]

I have several friends who work at Barnes and I can honestly tell you from the tests they have shown me that the Triple shocks are WAAAAAYY better than the XLC's. They use bullets testers not available to civilians to test every possible measurement of a bullet, and the Triples are literally about 300% more consisitent than previous bullets. The triple shock might just save Barnes if a majority of their sales are for "average" hunters. I say average hunters because they are NOT for Long Range Hunters! I repeat, Barnes are NOT for Long Range Hunters! These bullets are still solid copper with petals that just love to shear off at the very sight of bone and sinew, and that is if they petal (mushroom) at all. Remember, a bullet sheds impact velocity the farther out it hits flesh. Therefore, a Barnes that has slowed down to around 1800 fps will not open up reliably and it will act more like a full metal jacket. If one is to use Barnes for hunting, he should shoot the fastest gun he can shoulder and try to shoot animals at close range in the heart/lung area. This is the only way to make them open up reliably, and not shear petals. I prefer shooting all animals in the high shoulder blade or spine, and this is not a good shot for a Barnes. One would think it would be the shot of choice with a stout bullet like the Barnes, but the way they petal is actually prone to shear itself right off the shank!
I wish I could bring myself to shoot Barnes bullets again, as I could get them for a great deal, but I like long range hunting too much to get screwed shooting Barnes at anything again! Who wants to limit their hot rod hunting gun to just 3 football fields? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Get yourself a box of Scirrocos or Accubonds and live happily ever after. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wapiti13]

Goodgrouper, I have made shots at way more than 300 yds with great results with the X bullet. As the velocity drops off, the petals should open and have a tendency to stay on unless heavy bone is impacted. My friends have not had problems. Are your contacts at Barnes saying that the TSX has the problems you're describing, or all Xs? Your input is not consistent with the over 20 head of deer & elk that I have observed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Guest]

I was planning to shoot the 130gr bullets out of a 30-06 and 308 that are used to hunting in timber , max rangewould be 200yds and the loads would be as fast as accurately possible.
It is a toss up between these or the Nosler accubond as I hear that they came out with a 150gr bullet

 

[thocon]

I'm just gettin started at this long range stuff,500+.But i've had some good training years ago from a bench rest shooter.First very few bullets are the same,Weight,aol and od.He said to buy at least 500 rounds and go thru them,first weight,he put them in egg cartons.Then he had two homemade tools,one was for od the other for distance from tip to od,any thing that didn.t meet his od whent into the neibor box.He also checked roundness.He said that what people call flyers were due to one of the above problems.And i never seen the man shoot more than one hole at 100 yards,EVER.I wish he was still around here,moved to Florida.He was fond of barnes and swift bullets for huntin,shot all his deer in the head,didn't want to wast the meat.Only one kind of brass and would only shoot it 4 or 5 times.I'm sorry i didn't learn morem from him!

 

[tdv75098]

J.Jones, I went thru a phase where I shot light Barnes and Nosler BT's in my 30-06. I attained high velocity and good accuracy but I learned alot about what not to do. The 130gr Barnes X always exited with a small hole and never dropped an animal in it's tracks unless I hit spine. It was effective in killing deer and hogs but they usually ran about 100 yds. When I tried to use them at ranges exceeding 250yds they were very ineffective. The light wt. Barnes X's just dropped off the charts. The 125gr Nosler fly's better but it blew up on the hide. I shot one buck three times before one through the neck stopped him. The bullets all blew up on the hide. The 30 cal. 125 Nosler's belong in the varmit only loading. I switched to Nosler 150's and they produced impressive one shot kills on deer. They were still a little lite for hogs and produced massive wounds with shallow penetration. I switched again to 165grs and haven't looked back. They fly great at long range and drop critters in their tracks. One more note about the barnes bullets. Put them in the high shoulder area for best results. I prefer the heart lung shot for less meat destruction and the Nosler BT works best for quick stops for me.

 

[rost495]

I'm still torn up when I read all the barnes stuff. My experiences are all positive. Shoot a 400 grain 416 end to end in an Eland and 4 petals open and it weighs 400 grains.(actually just a tad more) Shoot deer with 30 cal and the entrance is 30 cal, the exits can be as large as hardballs or your fist. Everthing is destroyed. Shoot animals with 338 win mag out to over 800 yards and jells the lungs and liver and the second shot breaks the spine on a caribou. Of course there is not a huge entry or exit wound, but the exit wound shows expansion and the penetration is completely through. No recovery.

Folks almost have me scared to keep trying out past 800 with them but everything from 50 yards out to just over 800 has been textbook perfect.

Of course I don't care if they drop in their tracks. Let em run a ways and bleed out. Better for the meat IMHO anyway. And if you can't trail one 100 yards you have no business in the field and have never bowhunted or MZ hunted either. Its a fact of hunting to have to trail.

My always end answer is I want the penetration in case I hit large bones, rather than a frangible bullet that may fall apart before penetrating vital organs.

Of course now that bonded bullets are out they are showing super results. And I may switch. But then again, they are not showing the almost 100% weight retention that allows an X to continue on a straight line penetration more often than not.

The worst thing here, is that I"ll probably have to be burned before I switch.

FWIW I've shot them in my contenders in 30 cal at longer ranges where the impacts are way below 1800 fps and they've always opened a bit. Way more than I could ever say for Sierras SSP bullets.

Love em or hate em. At least it seems that the TSX will shoot a lot easier than the regular ones and in almost every rifle.

FWIW, (less than 2 cents?) Jeff

 

[wapiti13]

ROST495, I've had the same experience as yourself as posted above. I've blown up more Nosler Partitions than any other bullet. After three failures in a row, I'm back to X bullets to stay. Like you said, until they fail, stick with what works. Barnes will tell you that their best velocity curve is starting out under 3,000 fps, othwise on a close shot, you could blow off petals. We've shot several large mulies with impact right at 3,000 and made big exit holes. Petals must have stayed together to have fist size exit holes. Go with my positive experience is going to be my motto I guess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[tdv75098]

Rost495, I am not in any way insinuating that barnes aren't good bullets. I love them but my personal experience is no large exit wounds. I also don't mind tracking a deer a hundred yards (unless it's raining) lol. The 165gr Nosler BT just electrocuted the deer I've shot with my 30-06. However, in my new 300 RUM I am loading the 180 gr TSX's because I know the bullet will stay together and get the job done. My only question is, will the TSX open up at long range and will it fly accurately to a 1000yds? Maybe someone here can tell me their experience with the Barnes TSX at long range.

 

[Eaglet]

You have gotten a lot of good feed back. One more or one less isn't going to hurt. So here is mine:
I have been reloading for 33 years and the best group that I have ever shot with sporter hunting rifle has been with Barns X Triple Shocks. I shot a nice 4x4 mule deer years ago using the older bullet. I was happy with its performance but no too happy with its accuracy. This new Triple Shock is excellent! You won't be sorry. I've used the 180 grains on my 300 RUM and 165 grains on my 300 Win Mag.Very happy with both of them. Getting groups within 0.6" with my Remington RUM and 1" with my Howa 300 Win Mag at 100 yards. I did follow Barnes instructions and on both instances I pushed the bullets 0.050" off the lands. Penetration is awesome but not because they wont expand but because it's got razor sharp cutting petals where other bullets with a blunt blob would only dream to penetrate to, also, concentricity is very importante for accuracy, unleaded bullets has no issues as would lead jacketed bullets.You can be the best when it comes to placing that lead concentrically in reference to the jacket, but there will always be the question if the bullet you will let fly at long ranges is the one that is out of concentricity.

 

[brian b]

I am sure I will have some dis-agree with me but from my experience triple SHOCK means 1 no expansion, 2 not a copperless land in my barrel,3 subpar accuracy not a bargain in my book.
B