Barnes LRX 7mm

[rooster721]

Have any of you guys spent much time loading and shooting the LRX line of bullets?

..What twists are you all using? (out of curiosity*) What is accuracy like? (near and far) And finally, what kind of seating depths are you seeing real good accuracy at??

The BC of the 168's is labelled at .550, but looking at the bullets in a comparison to the Berger 168 (.617) and the 190 Matrix, the Barnes is significantly longer* Has anyone tested the BC by chance or proven true-BC at longer distances?



Pic shows the 168 lrx, 190 matrix and 168 Berger.. for comparison*

I'd like shooting these in my Lazzeroni 7mm that's being re-barrelled at the moment.. I figure I can push 'em up & between 3300/3400fps pretty handily, if so, that bullet might make a fairly wicked big-boned-game bullet, short range AND far* I'm interested to see some opinions on these bullets and what guys' set-ups might be for shooting them..

 

[Drift141]

I am planning on using the 6.5 127 LRX when my rifle arrives. I am also curious as to how seating is affected by the rings around the bullet. I believe Barnes states they are designed to help reduce copper build up.

 

[Black Sheep]

Using the G7 calculator on this site, and the published bc of .550 on the 168 LRX, I shot out to 663 yards, and the drops matched perfectly. Here's some info from an earlier post....
Here's what I got from Ty Herring at Barnes....
[FONT=&quot]We are recommending the 175gr TSX load data for use with the 168gr LRX. Also be sure you have the correct barrel twist as most factory 1 in 9.25" to 9.5" barrels will not stabilize this bullet. We are recommending the 1 in 9 twist for those at higher altitudes (5000ft and above) and those at sea level up to 5000ft will require a 1 in 8 twist barrel to stabilize it.

Now I have a Remington Sendero with a 9 1/4 twist in a 7mmSTW, and I live at about 4200ft elevation, and they stabilize just fine for me at 100 yds. I have shot them out to 663 yards with no problems.

I've killed a coyote (not fair, I know ) A bull elk at about 300yds, and a cow elk at about 200 yards and the bullets performed beautifully. I clipped the bottom of the bulls spine, and it augered a hole through it (on an upward shot angle) about the size of a 50 cent piece. On the cow, I plugged her right behind the shoulder so I didn't waste any meat, and she leaked out a bunch of blood, and only went about 40 yards. I've been very impressed with them.
[/FONT]

 

[rooster721]

I myself am basically at 2000' at home, where I shoot and hunt most.. touch under 2000 actually* But hunt as high as 7000' for select-few trips per year. Anyways, that barrel I'm replacing with WILL be an 8-twist, so no problem there...

What concerns me is how long a throat should be milled when chambering* What kinda depths are you guys seating... are yours jumping far to the lands or are you a matter of "thousandths" from the lands (tight to them) ???

And what is you-guys' accuracy like.. is .5 to .75 pretty realistic and consistent with these LRX's? ...I'm real curious what to expect in that regard, plays a big part anywhere's beyond 4/500 yards* I shoot regularily to 800.. so this accuracy part is definitely one-thing I'd like seeing & hearing others' opinions on.

 

[barnesuser28]

I myself am basically at 2000' at home, where I shoot and hunt most.. touch under 2000 actually* But hunt as high as 7000' for select-few trips per year. Anyways, that barrel I'm replacing with WILL be an 8-twist, so no problem there...

What concerns me is how long a throat should be milled when chambering* What kinda depths are you guys seating... are yours jumping far to the lands or are you a matter of "thousandths" from the lands (tight to them) ???

And what is you-guys' accuracy like.. is .5 to .75 pretty realistic and consistent with these LRX's? ...I'm real curious what to expect in that regard, plays a big part anywhere's beyond 4/500 yards* I shoot regularily to 800.. so this accuracy part is definitely one-thing I'd like seeing & hearing others' opinions on.

I am planing to give the 168 LRX a try from my 284 win once i get load development done with the 162 amax. Barnes bullets like to be far from the lands. I have found best accuracy .070 and farther from the lands. I would not settle for anything less than .5 MOA accuracy from them out of a custom-semi custom rifle at 100 yards. Also, Barnes generally underestimates the BCs of their bullets, i found the 280 grain LRX from my 338 Lapua to have a BC closer to .71 than the advertised bc of .667. I also found that the minimum expansion velocity of the 280 grain LRX to be at around 1500 fps, barnes recommend the minimum velocity to be no less than 1600 fps with the LRX line of bullets.

 

[Beng]

Ballistic performance is not a derivative of bullet length.
It derives from a bullet's form and sectional density, which both necessarily result in longer bullets.
Length of the Barnes bullets is a consequence of it's material's density which necessitates the bullets long cylindric bearing surface, to create enough volume.

To roughly compare a bullets ballistic performance without shooting it, look at its boat tail and ogive length.
You will notice the longer boat tails and ogives on the matrix and berger designs.

 

[.284]

I just had to try them in a tikka t3 7 mag 9.5 twist. They don't stabilize at sea level in that set up. Was pretty cool to see side ways bullet holes in the target. I almost knew they were not working before seeing the target from the thwack of the back stop. Some didn't even hit the target at 100 yards.

 

[Black Sheep]

I myself am basically at 2000' at home, where I shoot and hunt most.. touch under 2000 actually* But hunt as high as 7000' for select-few trips per year. Anyways, that barrel I'm replacing with WILL be an 8-twist, so no problem there...

What concerns me is how long a throat should be milled when chambering* What kinda depths are you guys seating... are yours jumping far to the lands or are you a matter of "thousandths" from the lands (tight to them) ???

And what is you-guys' accuracy like.. is .5 to .75 pretty realistic and consistent with these LRX's? ...I'm real curious what to expect in that regard, plays a big part anywhere's beyond 4/500 yards* I shoot regularily to 800.. so this accuracy part is definitely one-thing I'd like seeing & hearing others' opinions on.

In my STW I load them as far as the mag box will allow, which isn't much! As you can see in the pic, they are seated wayyyyy into the case. I can't remember how far off the lands I am, because without a Wyatt's box, this is as close as they can be seated, and still magazine fed.

Groups at 100 are about 1/2". Here's a post about stretching it out a bit. Still haven't shot past 663 with it yet. That's coming!
http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...imes-westerner-88228/index227.html#post703604

 

[rooster721]

B.Sheep, thanks for your posts.. they're right along the lines of what I was looking for for information

I would imagine my Lazzeroni cases will wind-up being seated almost as deep as yours. Also limited because of magazine space* Is good to hear yours is working well (and shooting consistently) with such a deeply seated, long-bullet

I'm anxious to get my rifle back and give these LRX bullets a try.. 3268, or whatever it was yours are flying, that's quite fast for a heavy bullet out of an STW! I'm surprised you're getting that speed. REALLY makes me think my hopes for 3350-3400 out of mine should be very-realistic actually.. that's pretty promising

I'm very-curious to see how well the bullets group beyond 600 yards.. if anyone has shot LRX bullets of this 168gr weight in 7mm OR in another calibre, I'd be curious to hear how "they" group wayy-downrange* Do they hold consistently enough to shoot .5-.75 minute/3" to 4" groups past 600 yards??

Thanks again