Barnes X bullets???
 

Anyone use Barnes X bullets? What is your experience with them for larger game such as elk, moose, and bear?

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

I haven' t used the Barnes bullet but have used the failsafe. I' m sure you know this but, the front end is the same but the back end is filled with lead instead of being solid like the Barnes. They perform essentially the same as each other. I took a nice cow elk with a 140 grain .277 failsafe at about 130 yards. It broke her front shoulder, two ribs, penetrated through both lungs and liver and broke her ribs on the way out. She didn' t take two steps. This is only one elk but that bullet penetrated like no other bullet I have ever used before it. When I finally get back into reloading, the Barnes and the fail safes will be the first on the list to try.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

I have not shot an elk with an " X" bullet, but maybe this year!!!. However, three of my cohorts (using .416 Rem) each have harvested bulls with the 300 gr " X" every year and have had one shot kills each time. They like " X" because of the weight retention. I imagine they would work just as well on moose. With blackies even the lightest weight should be ok, but with br/griz, you better have a big bore and heavy weight.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

I haven' t used Barnes X bullets for big game but have shot several deer and feral hogs. I' ve never recovered the bullets, they all went completely through with a large exit hole. Most animals dropped where they were shot and those that did not had a good blood trail because of the large exit hole. Their weight retention is great, but they' re not the most accurate bullet, though accuracy is decent. I highly reccommend them.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

Barnes I have been using them for years and thats about all I will hunt with anymore . I have never tried to refine them down for a target load ,but as far as hunting load goes I find them as good as or better than some others I could name .

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

I have only used the Barnes XLC 160 gr. and had very good results on deer and elk. Less than 1" group in my rifle. If your rifle doesn' t shoot the Barnes well, Fail Safe is another excellent choice.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

I have taken a moose, two caribou, two bull elk and two mule deer with the .30 calibre 180 grain XBT. In Africa, I took a Cape buffalo and a couple of other species with my .416 with the 400 grain X bullet. I have only recovered one bullet, and that one expanded just like the advertisements said it would. The others left a nice exit wound and chewed up a lot of stuff on their way through. All but one North American kill was one shot. I am impressed with the bullet.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

On the top of my head my friends and I have killed 10 animals with Barnes X bullets. All have been one shot kills; the furthest one (bull elk) traveled was 30 yds. Good luck.

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

Thanks guys! What do you guys shoot for with the Barnes X - shoulder or boiler room???

If you shoot double lungs, how is the expansion and wound channel? I' ve read that they don' t open up easily unless they hit bone or heavy muscle...

RE: Barnes X bullets???
 

Shoulder is the proper shot. Centered up on the kill zone. With a Barnes X, you' ll git complete penetration an' bust up his locomotion in the process. " Placing" a shot in the smaller heart area runs the risk of hittin' too far back, poor bullet performance, an' jus' ain' t as sure a thing when you factor in field conditions. Go with the Barnes an' " aim" for the shoulder.