X bullets

[softpoint]

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but since I am primarily a cast bullet shooter, this a "home" forum to me.
I have 10 or so boxes of Barnes X bullets that are partially used, in assorted calibers. I can't get the darn things to shoot in my rifles. I am using the newer versions(triple shock) as well as the older ones. I have had moderate success in a win.70, 300wsm, and a 45/70 marlin. All the others, .308, .30/06, 7mm/08, .260,25/06,.223,and a couple of others,the results have been from a 100% increase in group size to "can't keep them on paper!"
A new box of 45gr. tried in CZ .22 Hornet today, this rifle usuallyshoots well under an inch. I got a nice round 19inch group,first off. Second group would have made 14inches, except I couldn't find one of the five.!! I then loaded 5 more in .22/250, shot them in my old 40xb remington, rifle usually shoots 3/8" and under. Barnes bullets made it into a nice 1 1/2 rifle. Non of the bullets have been keyholing, (Iknow they are long for caliber),
Do any of you folks have any experience with these slugs,? and if so, what results have you had ?
Thanks:-D

[Duckiller]

!50 gr triple shock work very well in a son's 7x57. My .257 AI shot 2 1/2" groups with 100 gr triple shocks. .30/06 shot reasonably well with 150 gr. projectiles. Son's have younger eyes and steadier hands than dad. Only reason we bought them is we wanted to hunt locally. Condor country you know. There are lots of jacketed bullets that shoot better out of these rifles than Barnes so far. At a buck a bang I don't feel like fine tuning a load for a deer that I probably wont see to protect a bird that I have never seen in the wild. I have loads that I can hit a deer at 200yds, probably shoot under 100yds. If I want to shoot long distances I will use conventional jacketed bullets or cast. Duckiller

[FN in MT]

Are you starting with an absolutely CLEAN barrel? I do know the older style did not shoot if the barrel had any jacket fouling from std jacketed slugs.

I tried three different weights years ago in my .375 H&H prior to a South African hunt. I'd talked myself into NEEDING them, hunt of a liifetime, and all that. Was I ever dissapointed. IIRC I tried the 250 gr, 270 and 300 gr Barnes. ALL of them shot 4-8 times larger groups than ANY std jacketed slugs I'd ever tried in that gun. Talking 2-4 inch groups or worse at 100 yds.

My HART bareled Sako .300 H&H was the same. But this gun REALLY fouled badly. I had a hell of a time using Sweets 7.62 and then Barne Copper foul-out to finally get it clean again.

THE real pisser of the story though was with the .375's. One day I noticed that my OAL was varying a bit. I lined up a few dozen of the slugs on my bench and noticed they varied in length as well as the shape of the OGIVE! Then I weighed them and they varied by as much as TEN grains. These darned things were running $38-$42 a box of fifty........ this was back in 1998. Hardly cheap.

I went to the SCI Convention in Reno that year and brough all three boxes along with my weight and length chart. I went to the Barnes display and when she was available I privately showed the slugs and my chart to Connie , one of the Owners. I was careful to not "complain" or tear down their product in front of ANY customers. I absolutely thought they would make this problem right.

She looked at the slugs and stated that they had some Quality Control issues with the copper wire they use to extrude the slugs. It had varied in hardness, etc. And their original forming dies had some issues as well.

So she asks me if I'd like to REPLACE these with the same weights? Then tells me WHAT this WILL COST ME!!! She was going to SELL me the replacement slugs!!! And sell them to me...to replace the faulty, poor QC slugs I'd already had problems with....more slugs ........at FULL RETAIL!!

I was amazed. Politely told her I would "pass" on her generous deal. And told her I'd never again buy ANYTHING from her Company. Then threw all three boxes in the garbage can in front of her.

Barnes slugs at that time seemed to shoot in a particular rifle..or they DIDN'T. Today it seems I still meet Barnes lovers as well as haters. I'll stick to Nosler partitions for hunting rifles. And lead for my pistols.

FN in MT

[Heavy lead]

I had similiar results as fn in mt, the only barnes x I was ever get to shoot well shot fabulous a 100 grain blue coated x bullet out of a 257 Weatherby, I still have 4 boxes of old 165 grain x bullets I hope to shoot up someday, but if I'm going hunting I'm shooting a partition, don't need anything else it'll do everything I need and they have always been accurate enough without having any of the nasty pressure spikes and fouling. I'm not trying triple shocks, unless they'll take the 165's back and put the bands on for me.

[wiljen]

I tried the X bullets in one of my 30-06 when they first came out - ended up cleaning tons of copper out of my bore and they wouldn't group - went back to partitions and haven't tried em again since.

[jackley]

I only shoot Barnes X bullets for hunting. And I love um. But they are the hardest bullet I know of to get to group. I use them in everything from .243 to .375 H&H. All guns shot under an inch and the .243 in a model 600 shoots 1/4" on a good day and the .375 will shoot 3/8". But like I said it takes alot off time and patience to get them to group.

Jerry

If any body has any .243 95gr X's I need some.

[Harry O]

I am not sure about the Barnes X bullet, but I have shot quite a few of their Triple-X since they came out with it. I shoot a 7mm-140gr BT bullet in a custom Ruger No. 2 in a 7mm/30-40 Krag Improved wildcat. The combination shoots 3-shot 1" to 1-1/2" groups at 200 yards from a sandbag rest.

You have to reduce the weight of the bullet from what you normally use (unless the twist is faster than needed to begin with).

[BruceB]

Dang.

When I bought a lightly-used Savage M116 in .338 (fired SIX rounds, and he gave me the rest of the box), I loaded and fired a few dozen Hornady bullets just to get started.

The FIRST trip to the range for load-development with the Barnes TSX 225 bullet for a serious hunting load, I fired three consecutive three-round groups from 100 yards. The charges were three different loads of RL19, beginning at 71 grains and finishing at 73 grains. The LARGEST 3-round group was 0.70 inches, and the smallest was under the half-inch mark. Load development OVER, let's go hunting!

When the X-bullet first arrived, I used it in calibers that were not served with Nosler Partitions....such as the .404 Jeffery. Those early X-bullets were a good bit better than the Barnes Originals I had been using, and I was a happy camper. I still remain a great fan of the Partition, but have to admit that when I start out looking for a new hunting load, it's the Barnes TSX that I select.

[Blammer]

work toward a max charge and kiss the lands with the bullet.

[softpoint]

While the 40xb 22/250 shot the x bullets with hunting accuracy, albeit not nearly as well as its favored 53 grain sierra, I am going to try the 45 grainer in my other 40x, it is a 40xbbr in .223. If these expensive little bullets require a lot of load development to make 'em shoot, I'll probably abandon them. So far, we don't have to use non lead bullets to hunt with here in Tx.
I wonder how factory loads fare with these bullets, They are loaded to the same specs without considerations for the individual rifles. I'd think a lot of rifles won't shoot those either?

[MT Gianni]

I became infatuated with them in the late 80's. In 1990 I shot two Deer, an Elk, a Moose and two antelope with 165 gr in -06 and 308. The Moose took two shots and was the only bullet I ever recovered, from the 308 it penetrated 52" loosing a petal on the spine. I like them for big game but would not pay the price for them for anything else. I bought 3 boxes of 50 and still have 2 unopened. In my old 06 and the 308 both group about 1" away from the normal groups. The 308 BLR put them left and the Savage 110 placed them right. I see no need for them in a varmit or smaller game bullet. Gianni

[454PB]

Pretty much the same for me. I was disappointed in them until I read somewhere that the barrel had to be CLEAN before it would shoot Barnes. I went after my .338 WM Ruger with a vengeance and JB Bore Compound. The next time at the range, they grouped as well as the Nosler Partitions.

[Boerrancher]

I have a good friend of mine that loves Barns X and the newer triple shock. Me on the other hand if I can't do it with a cast then I go to Sierra, Hornady, and Speer, bullets in that order. I have almost gotten to where I don't have the confidence in condom bullets as I do my cast ones.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[bobk]

I've only tried a few of the X bullets, because I hate having to abuse my rifles' bores that much to get the copper out. I do have a good 235 gr. load for the .375, and a 100 gr. load for the .30-30, but I don't shoot them often. What bothers me is that they introduce a bullet, and then change or discontinue it. I can buy 180 Partitions for the '06s every few years, and get a bullet that works exactly the same as the last ones. For me, the Barnes bullets are more bother than they are worth.

Bob K