Barnes Ammo

[H82bogey]

Let me preface this by saying I don't have the equipment or the know how to reload. I am wondering if anyone has used the Barnes ammo. Not the reload stuff, but the loaded stuff. Specifically in .270 or .308. Was looking at the TTSX, and I know lots of guys on here talk about their own hand loads with that bullet and love it. Just was curious if anyone has experience with the loaded stuff before I go drop $40+ on a 20 round box.

 

[Retired Educator]

Had really good success with a 130 gr TTSX in ..270 on a elk last year. Would love to try the 110 gr TTSX on deer or antelope when and if I ever get another tag. You can do some things by hand loading but I'm guessing you won't see a lot of improvement over the premium factory loads. By premium I'm not talking the $20/box type of shells you can buy at Walmart.

For me I don't hand load much cheaper than I can buy the cheap shells. The difference is I can reload a premium shell for about the same price as I pay for the cheaper shells. Do you know anyone who reloads? They might load some for you to test.

For what I've got invested in reloading equipment it takes a long time to pay it off as I don't shoot near enough. For me it's a relaxing activity in the winter and there's a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that I can find a recipe that will virtually put one bullet through the hole of the previous attempt. That and hitting an animal right where I aimed at 300 yds.

 

[Big Iron]

I bought a box of Barnes TTSX for my Remington 700 270 WSM. Gun didn't like them as much as it likes Factory Nosler 140 Grain Accubonds.

Sticking with the Accubonds. Good Luck

 

[Flatrock]

Are you using it for deer or elk? For deer, you don't need a real premium bullet built to penetrate. For elk though, it is a vastly different story.

My Tikka .300 shoots the best groups with Barnes ammo by far. That's not to say it will shoot great in your gun though.

I hate it when guys skimp on buying quality ammo for elk but if you're just deer hunting, I would consider buying something cheaper.

 

[2400]

AZ Game and Fish had a "program" sponsored by Barnes/Hornady with copper bullets. It was in the California Condor flight areas. The idea was to see if the Condor die off was slowed by copper bullets instead of lead cored bullets.

I used 130gr Barnes in my 270 and shot 7 elk with no problems other than half the bullets were a pass through and never recovered. If I didn't reload I'd have no problem buying them, they were accurate and absolutely killed elk and deer.

 

[sierra1995]

i used the ttsx a couple years ago because I didn't have time to reload. shot really well out of my browning 270, took several deer with them, and have since started reloading with that bullet. I recommend.

 

[NDbowman]

I don't reload so I've been buying the barnes 130 grain ttsx the last few years for my .270. Years ago before Barnes started offering loaded ammunition, I bought Blackhills gold loaded with the x bullet and Federal also had one loaded with x bullet.

My Remington 700 .270 didn't really shoot them all that well when I first tried them. It was a finicky rifle and only seemed to like cheap rem coreloc. Then I replaced the trigger with a timmney and put a bedded stock on it. What a world of difference that stock made. Its still not a tackdriver but it'll at least keep 3 in an inch and will put 5 in about an inch and quarter group.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I like to keep lead out of animals Im eating, use lots of TSX and TTSX. Seen some comparisons online and the TSX seem to open better than the TTSX, but the TTSX has better BC. For deer Id go with a light bullet, I shoot 110TTSX out of my 308 and it destroys deer.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I reload and have not tried factory Barnes ammo but would suggest it is worth a try. To say "whiteails don't need a premium bullet" I disagree with but in the end it is what shoots consistently and performs to your liking.
I first went to Barnes 140 tsx and ttsx in my 7mm because I didn't like softball exit wounds, they are now quarter size and have dropped bucks near Thors hammer with lightest dressed 185lb heaviest 210lb. My 6.5 has 4 deer with 2 120gr ttsx, 1 140gr Barnes Matchbuner, 1 130gr accubond with my next experiment will be the new Hornady ELD-X. In the 6.5 I had best confident results in the ttsx, Match Burners worked but pencil entrance no exit on 2 shots, accubond worked fine but feel if it was a ttsx on that shot it would have reached the off shoulder and been a dead right there instead of running 40yds into the gully.

 

[shorthairsrus]

I put my issue on an earlier post. I have used tsx with good luck before bthis one sent a petals up the hind qtr it bloodied it and the it exited. The main bullet went through. The blue plastic and the red Hornady blastic tips break the tip when in the clip when I shoot

 

[jtillman]

I've been reloading 130gr TTSX for my .308 for a number of years now and it's plainly freaking awesome. The only non one-shot kill for me was this year shooting an antelope....first shot was low and skimmed the bottom of the chest, 2nd shot at 416yds was an instant drop and went through the chest. I have yet to recover a barnes bullet in an animal.

My dad doesn't reload, and didn't see the need to spend more money than the cheap Federal blue box out of his .270. I talked him into trying the TTSX (VOR-TX I think), 130gr. I'll guarantee he will never shoot anything but Barnes from now on. Accuracy and performance on game has been way beyond his expectations.

--Good Luck