I have been a loyal Hornady Custom user especially the SST in 270, 257 roberts and 308. Has anyone shot Barnes ammo and what makes them the " industry innovator"?

Thanks.

4W

While I have not bought Barnes Factory ammo, for the majority of my hunting loads I use Barnes TTSX bullets. I have to say so far they have been very reliable and have yet had to track anything I have shot with them. While I am sure it is like anything else and it is only a matter of time before I have issues, so far all is good. I like it that because they retain more weight trough a target, you can drop down a class. For instance I used to shoot 140gr accubonds in my 7mm-08 and now I shoot 120gr Barnes TTSX. I through a bit better group than I did with the Accubonds and they hit game like a ton of bricks.

Thanks Chuck.

I use the Barnes vortex ammo in my 243. 80gr ttsx. Been very happy with them the loads seem very consistent

BOBO,

Thanks. I have absolutely no gripes with the Hornady performance, I just happened to see an ad for their ammo and really knew nothing about the company or performance.

4W

Just have to remember its a totally different bullet then the sst, closer to the gmx.

I'm a ttsx fan, but the most impressive thing to me about the vortx ammo is the loads seem very consistent

Gotcha BOBO. Not familiar with the GMX. I have always shot the SST or the BTSP. Educate me if you do not mind.

I do not reload so that may be why.

The gmx and Barnes tsx/ttsx is a solid copper or copper alloy bullet... No lead.

Being that lead is heavier then cooper, you get a similar bc with a lower weight. When it comes to monolithic bullets such as the gmx or barnes... I suggest going down in weight, they seem to do better at higher speeds.

Examples
120----7-08
80gr---257wby
80gr---243
110---270

Your sst and btsp are a cup and core bullet bullet to expand quickly and only retain up to 70% of their weight maximum at under 200 yards

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification. So as I see it you prefer the copper offering and the lower weight options. For targets in that 150-250 range which do you feel performs better the copper since it hits at a higher energy?

If you are happy with Hornady then dont switch.

Copper bullets have been around for decades but only recently have they become trendy. Barnes has been very succesfull with thier marketing stratagy just like Thompson has with thier single shot rifles.

I have shot them out of 3 of my rifles and stopped using them in all 3.

They foul the barrel quicker than tradidional bullets I have shot(not a problem, but to maintain best accuracy I had to clean more) They are expensive, and the biggest complain I have is on game performance, several I used simply did not expand, and yes I ran them light and fast.

Well I shoot them as about as hot as you can and don't have any fouling problems....3870fts

I think it comes down to cal and speed.. in my 257wby...they hit like thors hammer... But I don't see the need to use them in my 300mag.

I think they excel in hot smaller calibers 25-06,257wby, 22-250, or when you push a big cal over 3200 fts

No FOuling problems here, but I never shoot more than 20 of them between complete cleanings.

Barnes is offering a $5 rebate per box (up to 4 boxes) till the end of the year.

I've shot Barnes Products for yrs. and I also shot just about every premium projectile made that one would use deer or elk hunting..I shot some of the factory loads in my 308 and got about
1 in. grp..good enough for hunting, but I handload and won't quit
until I get most of the group all in a hole or at least touching.
I've used them in my 22-250,270,243,25-06,308,30-06,300Win & Wthrby Mag., and 338 Win Mag..3 of them..and I got good groups, the projectile all went thru the animals, knocked them down, and
most were DRT..At that time I was cull shooting about 35 to 40 deer a yr. I use/& have used Hornady..they are accurate, and tend to blow up and do a lot of tissue damage as do the Nosler Ballistic Tips, ect..I have also used Sierra's..Match & Hunting projectiles..same results..The Barnes are a little chore to get your loads worked up, plus require you really clean your weapons.
But they just about do not fail..if you do you job and hit the animal where you should..Don

Iv got several boxes I'm wanting to get rid of.

have yet to try them in 30-06 but I can tell you that in my .243 they hit hard and in the .270 they really hammer anything they hit.
lots of bang-flops...longest tracking job has been about 15 yrds.
shortest shot was 12yrds with the .270 and longest was 230.

There are some negatives I didn't much elaborate on with Barnes &
many other premium bullets.1. Expense..they are about 1/2 again higher than some 2. Loads..Expensive sometimes to work one up. 3.
Cleaning your weapon..solid copper...can't have residue from proj. w/alloy jackets which are much harder. 4. GMX are not solid
Copper..they have an alloy, but no lead..I thought to try some, but I only tried most of a box and wouldn't spend the $200 it sometimes takes to get a load right to save $3 a box..Copper Proj. are machined, not pressed or swagged like lead core bullets
and they hold together on impact, expand, and penatrate every time...I have probably taken in excess of 200 large animals with the copper pills..only one walked about 20 ft..and fell over..all
the rest were DRT..best advertisement I can think of..I still shoot all of my other brands, mostly just at paper..Don