Copper monolithic bullets, like barnes (i tried some)

[memtb]

There is a lot of internet chatter around saying to get bear groups for monos you need to have a clean bore without any guilding metal left behind. So a rifle kind of becomes a copper only for bet accuracy. TBD for me but this is what the you tubers are saying. I wonder if barrel break in is different for a mono vs copper over lead?

This JMO.

Pertaining to the clean bore……I don't think that it's as critical as it once was with the original X Bullet. They were notorious for fouling, especially with a less than perfect bore. On rifles fouling and shooting terribly……a thorough "hand-lapping" of the bore would help a great deal.

They also appeared to dislike following typical "cup and core" bullets without a thorough cleaning! I know that my wife's rifle is very sensitive to going from cup and core to Barnes……even after lapping her barrel.

Also again, my opinion……I don't think that break-in will be any different.

All of that said, I only have experience with around 6 different rifles, since the '90's.

I hand lapped her barrel prior to ever trying the Barnes bullets, and my rifle had a "match grade" barrel which never showed any signs of fouling.

Once I developed a load for my wife's rifle (.338 WM) in '93 with the and used it until '13, when we went with the TTSX. ….we stayed with that load.

In my rifle (.375 AI) I started with original X Bullet in '92. I've progressed through the TSX, the TTSX, and as of last summer the LRX.

Needed or not, I will still clean the bores on either before going to the Barnes, if we shoot any cup and cores! memtb

 

[tigerrose01]

I shoot the 140 ttsx thru my 7-08 at 3060 and if I do my part a 5 shot string is all touching at 100yds . They have worked on two hogs and two javalina so far no tracking required.
Just started with the 145 lrx in my 280ai but it's way early in the barrel break in yet to get a good read . Only 20 rounds down the pipe.
I've got some 180 gr ttsx I'm going to test in my 300 rum in the next few days and see where they go.

I use the 180 Gr TTSX bullets in my 300 RUM and it has amazing DRT terminal performance. Accurate with just about any load combination.

 

[lachoneus]

I had never used them really. I thought I had heard they aren't that accurate.

But I bought a box of barnes 168 lrx in
.284" caliber for my 7prc.


I just picked a load and .050 jump based on measurement with hornady oal Guage with casing and bullet and caliper.

View attachment 573469

First group was pretty good at 100 yds.

Good stats.View attachment 573470

And saved one for 500 yard to shoot at 8 inch plate. Strelok dial up was spot on and I aimed .25mil to the right into the wind.




I think this will be my elk bullet. What are your experiences with these bullets?

In terms of accuracy/fouling/terminal performance?

Thanks

I have used Barnes TTSX, TSX and LRX bullets exclusively in Africa, in .308, 7mm and .375 calibers. They have all performed flawlessly and provided quick, humane kills on wildebeest, kudu, zebra, blesbok, impala, bushbuck and springbok. Ranges varied from 90 to 350+ yards. I have nothing but good to say about them.

 

[Elk868]

I love Barnes bullets - and accuracy is awesome. Shooting them in 223 ,308,3006,300wsm ,300 win and 338 lapua and new in 6,5 prc . Target shows 5 shot group in center at 300 m somewhat like 340 Yards .groupsize is around 1" . It was my 338 lapua . 250 gr tsx Barnes on top of 97 gr retumbo. I molicoate my bullets to reduce copper in barrel . Once I talked to technician of Barnes and asked him what's the secret - what's making Barnes bullets work great. He answered me : speed speed speed.

 

[memtb]

I love Barnes bullets - and accuracy is awesome. Shooting them in 223 ,308,3006,300wsm ,300 win and 338 lapua and new in 6,5 prc . Target shows 5 shot group in center at 300 m somewhat like 340 Yards .groupsize is around 1" . It was my 338 lapua . 250 gr tsx Barnes on top of 97 gr retumbo. I molicoate my bullets to reduce copper in barrel . Once I talked to technician of Barnes and asked him what's the secret - what's making Barnes bullets work great. He answered me : speed speed speed.

My most recent load development, last summer, required less than 20 rounds. I actually wasted 6 bullets as, I started showing a bit of pressure and the groups started to open a bit.

I test on hot days, as I always build to maximum loads @ highest expected temperatures I may encounter.

I generally only shoot a group or two per day, spread over a couple of weeks. The groups were nearly "superimposed" over each other as I increased powder charges.

I may have possibly improved the groups, but I had good velocities and decent accuracy…..using the components I had!

The 2 groups shown are .375 cal., Barnes 270 grn. LRX's at just under 3100 mv! I called it ……good enough! memtb

 

[JAYgs8163]

Barnes getting the love today!!! I really like them 130 TTSX in my 18" 308 bolt gun running around 3125 FPS. Super accurate. I've posted the below numerous times but proof is in the pudding. That load dropped a Cow Elk in its track at 330 yards.

 

[Crockett12]

When the Barnes came out without the rings cut in their bullets some years ago, I tried some 120 gr 7mm bullets in a 7mm Mag I had with disappointing results -- 3" & 4" inch 3 shot groups at 100 yds! Hadn't tried them since! More recently I had a new Kimber Montana in 270 WSM as well as a used Tikka T3 Lite in the same caliber. When I got both rifles I wanted to use 140 or 150 gr bullets for elk! I found 150 gr Sierra SP would get me a 1 inch group in both rifles but couldn't find a 140 gr bullet to give me any consistency in either rifle -- occasionally a 1 1/4 inch in both but I want 1 inch or less consistently. Then on a whim, I tried the Barnes 110 gr TSX Tipped bullet and all of a sudden both rifles shot 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards consistently! Both rifles seemed to like the same load using H1000 at around 3460fps! I never did hunt elk with either rifle!

For those who say I need to shoot 5 shot groups to really know the potential of a load, I agree -- but I'm a hunter and I'm 77 years old and over my lifetime I've found the most important shot is always the 1st shot -- and I've never had to take more than 3 shots (once) to take a big game animal. Almost all the animals I've taken have been with one shot --- that's maybe 95% of them! Hence 3 shot groups tell me all I need to know as long as the load is ALWAYS consistent!

 

[[email protected]]

I shoot the 140 ttsx thru my 7-08 at 3060 and if I do my part a 5 shot string is all touching at 100yds . They have worked on two hogs and two javalina so far no tracking required.
Just started with the 145 lrx in my 280ai but it's way early in the barrel break in yet to get a good read . Only 20 rounds down the pipe.
I've got some 180 gr ttsx I'm going to test in my 300 rum in the next few days and see where they go.

Sir,
Mind if I ask what your load and barrel length is, that gives 3060 with that bullet. Thank you

 

[crazymonkey]

Sir,
Mind if I ask what your load and barrel length is, that gives 3060 with that bullet. Thank you

See post #33 ^^^ .

 

[john k]

Sir,
Mind if I ask what your load and barrel length is, that gives 3060 with that bullet. Thank you

26" Brux. StaBall powder. Crazymonkey will give you rest of details. Welcome to the forum from a fellow Floridian.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Barnes getting the love today!!! I really like them 130 TTSX in my 18" 308 bolt gun running around 3125 FPS. Super accurate. I've posted the below numerous times but proof is in the pudding. That load dropped a Cow Elk in its track at 330 yards.

After reading all the hype about the 130gr TTSX in a .308, I just had to try them. Starting out, I found that most powders were too bulky to get the best velocity and I hate compressed loads. Eventually, I happen on a load with Benchmark that came in at 3,130fps and printed very small groups at 400yds.

I had the opportunity to take a frontal shot at an 8 point buck at just over 200yds. That buck was literally slammed to the ground upon impact and never even twitched after that. It was the quickest kill I'd ever seen.

 

[JAYgs8163]

After reading all the hype about the 130gr TTSX in a .308, I just had to try them. Starting out, I found that most powders were too bulky to get the best velocity and I hate compressed loads. Eventually, I happen on a load with Benchmark that came in at 3,130fps and printed very small groups at 400yds.

I had the opportunity to take a frontal shot at an 8 point buck at just over 200yds. That buck was literally slammed to the ground upon impact and never even twitched after that. It was the quickest kill I'd ever seen.

Very nice! Alliant PowerPro 2000 MR is excellent in it also as is aa2460. Those powders are easily found and not expensive either.

 

[[email protected]]

See post #33 ^^^ .

Thank you

26" Brux. StaBall powder. Crazymonkey will give you rest of details. Welcome to the forum from a fellow Floridian.

Thanks.
Where in Florida. I'm near Crystal River...Gulf coast.

 

[rm76]

Copper is more than accurate enough for hunting.

I am not sure exactly what is intended by this statement, and I see it a lot, but from my perspective I don't see it as very applicable in my case. I want my gear and ammo to be very precise and accurate as is possible to achieve, even for hunting. I think it is a given that bullet placement is far more important than penetration or expansion (to a point of course). I have taken great care and expense to set up most of my hunting rifles for precision and have meticulously developed loads and drop charts for a wide range of shot distances. Furthermore, depending on the situation, I take a good deal of head shots, neck shots, and high shoulder anchor shots, and often go for the heart, again at varying distances. Therefore, I must trust myself to make those kinds of shots and trust that my ammo to do the same. Therefore, for me, hunting accuracy must be very precise, accurate, and repeatable. I do understand (and don't condone) that many are satisfied with pie plate (or boiler plate) accurate at close or moderate range, but for me "accurate enough for hunting" is an ambiguous statement to use in a broad sense. I want my hunting ammo to approach target accuracy to the extent possible.

Edit: By the way, I use several copper monos for hunting.