Copper Bullet Performance... what works?

[wilkup]

Just curious what everyone's using, what animals they're used for when hunting, the distances used, and their performance on game.

 

[Mike 338]

Well, I've used Barnes originals and killed several elk with them. Sort'a funny... I got a small hole going in and a quarter sized hole going out (every time). They always exited and most of the time, the animal just stood there like it's feet were rooted to the ground and eyes bugged out. Then they just tipped over. Great damage on the inside. All shots were under 200 yards. Same story on an antelope. 200 yards with a 220 Swift. It stood there, dazed so long, I though I missed so I put another one about an inch from the first and it went right down. IMO, these copper bullets (Barnes, Cutting Edge, Hammer) are probably all great choices. No experience with Hammer but from what I hear, they shoot great and are easy to find a load. The Barnes took a bit of time to find good loads. Like all bullets, at some point, expansion becomes an issue beyond a certain point. Best limit your shots to a distance where the bullet is pretty zippy.

 

[johnnyk]

I've only ever used the Barnes, originals (7mm/130gn) once and never did get a load below 1.5" in a 7mm RM Sendero.
The 100gn TSX in a .25-06 Sendero SF shot sub .5" at 100yds and were very lethal on NC whitetails.
I have been tempted to try Barnes' LRX, just haven't "bitten the bullet"

 

[dirtytough]

I used a few different Barnes back in the day. They were out of my 30-378. I never did recover a bullet since I always got a pass through. I shot a bear walking straight away at 300 yards. I was left of center and it broke the hip, multiple ribs, and the front shoulder before exiting.

Always have been a fan of them.

 

[257Tony]

I used the 115 tsx quite a bit in my old 257 Roy, and they never let me down, but they never really impressed me either. Animls seemed to to run quite a distance before exporing. I switched over to plain old Speer hot Cor when I ran out of Barnes, and I liked the way they out animals down much more quickly.

If I were to get back in the mono game, Hammers would be the first I would try.

 

[snox801]

I have had great luck with the cutting edge. That being said I recently tried the hammers. The ease of loading is incredible. Performance on game is also top notch much better than I've got wiith Barnes. I say that meaning the internal trama seems more with the hammer than Barnes. Barnes mushrooms while hammers shed.

 

[wilkup]

I have had great luck with the cutting edge. That being said I recently tried the hammers. The ease of loading is incredible. Performance on game is also top notch much better than I've got wiith Barnes. I say that meaning the internal trama seems more with the hammer than Barnes. Barnes mushrooms while hammers shed.

Would you say the Hammer performance on game is similar to the Cutting Edge bullets in your experience, with Hammers being easier to find an accurate load for?

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Our copper is softer and can be predictably controlled regardless of impact vel by the depth of our hollow point. Our copper is not as easy to machine but performs better on impact.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I've always thought Barnes to be a bit too controlled for medium game....just one man's opinion.

I shoot CEB out of my 458 socom and Hammer 181 HH's out of my 300AX.

 

[Pdvdh]

I've shot a few moose (338 - 210gr BT) and a couple dozen blacktail deer (280 Imp. - 160gr), and one brown bear and one grizzly bear (7mm RM - 160gr) with Barnes X bullets. If I shot them broadside thru the ribs, the animals would run a ways and die. Bullets, as a general rule, mushroomed reliably, were non-explosive, didn't destroy much meat, and the animals lived longer - it seemed to me, than with other expanding lead core jacketed bullets. Performance was OK, but the animals would go a ways farther than with other bullets before expiring.
I rate them about average. Good depth of penetration. Less than average on rate of lethality.
Haven't used them for 14yrs. I think you can do better with a copper monolithic bullet than Barnes bullets.

Used the Nosler E-tip on Dall sheep (300WM - 180gr) in 2009. Not that impressed. Bullets splatted on impact side hide.

I own some Hammer bullets, but not put any on game yet. I expect them to perform well, in every way.

Never tried the others in your list.

 

[Pdvdh]

I've always thought Barnes to be a bit too controlled for medium game....just one man's opinion.

I agree with this. Which means less damage along the bullet wound path than I prefer. A bit too stout.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Dad's 7mm Weatherby with 150 TTSX Barnes has been used for several years to take antelope, mule deer, whitetail deer and elk. The performance has always been excellent and I would take that rifle on any hunt. After all, I developed the load for it, set it up and maintain it. He has very much become a man of one rifle using it. I think that all but one shot have been complete pass-throughs, so we only have one recovered bullet.

My daughter's 223 is what she uses for deer, and with Barnes TSX 62 grain ammo she has made three one-shot kills, also all pass-throughs.

Having said that, I set up a 270 Win and one of my own 7mm Weatherby rifles with Hammer bullets this year. We used them on antelope in WY, and the performance was astounding. 10 pass-throughs, 10 one-shot kills. With the 131gr Hammer Hunter in the 7mm Weatherby, everything died NOW. I was so impressed with them that I want to try them in a fast-twist 7mm Wby barrel and a 30 caliber.

They were also very easy to find an accurate load, probably the easiest I've ever seen. That's another reason I want to try more of them. With the Barnes it was easy to find a load for his 7mm, but I have yet to find the exact load for his 300 Wby using the 200gr LRX. It might end up with Hammers.

 

[wilkup]

I've shot a few moose (338 - 210gr BT) and a couple dozen blacktail deer (280 Imp. - 160gr), and one brown bear and one grizzly bear (7mm RM - 160gr) with Barnes X bullets. If I shot them broadside thru the ribs, the animals would run a ways and die. Bullets, as a general rule, mushroomed reliably, were non-explosive, didn't destroy much meat, and the animals lived longer - it seemed to me, than with other expanding lead core jacketed bullets. Performance was OK, but the animals would go a ways farther than with other bullets before expiring.
I rate them about average. Good depth of penetration. Less than average on rate of lethality.
Haven't used them for 14yrs. I think you can do better with a copper monolithic bullet than Barnes bullets.

Used the Nosler E-tip on Dall sheep (300WM - 180gr) in 2009. Not that impressed. Bullets splatted on impact side hide.

I own some Hammer bullets, but not put any on game yet. I expect them to perform well, in every way.

Never tried the others in your list.

That is some very extensive experience with Barnes! That's great information to read! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

 

[wilkup]

I've always thought Barnes to be a bit too controlled for medium game....just one man's opinion.

I shoot CEB out of my 458 socom and Hammer 181 HH's out of my 300AX.

Which bullet was less fussy to load for?