My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I have shot three deer with my Abolt .270 Win useing federal loaded Barnes XLC- Xbulelt 130gr. and i have come to notice something about them. On every deer i have shot with them ( 2/3 dropd on the spot ) i have noticed the exit wound is very small. The one deer that did run didnt bleed at all and didnt leave a blood trail , but he didnt run far so i found him. The other 2 dropd on the spot but if they would have run, i dont think there would have been a blood trail. Anyone notice this too? Maybe these bullets r not using all its power or something on whitetail.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I was considering using Barnes bullets, but I was always a little concern about these bullets and that they wouldn’t leave much of an exit wound. How does the bullet react if it doesn't hit any bone and will it expand enough to do damage was always something I was thinking about so I’ve hesitated in using these bullets. Last thing I need is to start to chase an animal in the bush even with a well placed shot. Thanks for posting the info.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

In my camp we use X bullets exclusively and have taken at least 20 whitetails over the last 7 seasons with them. The exit wound isn't huge as the mushroomed bullet cuts through the hide almost like a broadhead does. However, when you gut or skin these deer, you'll see that the damage on the indside is amazing. I always thought Nosler Partitions left small exit wounds but not too many people complain about their effectiveness on game. The deer will start to leave a blood trail after the chest cavity fill up with blood and it starts coming out the body. Your deer never made it that far.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

This Oct. I shot a big bull elk thru both shoulders at 60 yards with a 140XLC out of my 7mm-08. The bullet slammed thru the shoulders and left a quater sized exit hole. After shooting a whitetail buck end to end and getting the same results Ive come to the conclusion that these bullets are not designed for thin skinned and small boned animals such as deer. The elk dropped where he stood and the buck ran about 70 yards and required a second shot, didnt bleed all the much either.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Thats a barnes for ya. Just the way it is. I have some nice loads for them for big game like moose. Won't use em on deer. Use Gamekings, and Bullistic Tips on deer. But do have interest in Accubonds for deer.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I shot a year and a half old buck this year with my 300 WSM loaded with a 165gr XLC at 3100 fps. I shot it behind the sholder blade and about half way up through both lungs. He didn't bleed much because the hole was not in the bottom third of the deer. He went probably 50 yards and the exit hole was about 2 times the entry hole. I thought it worked very well on deer and my Ruger 77 will shot under 1" group with them also.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Goodness, imagine if you hit em with a accubond at 3100fps. That 3100fps helps the to do thier job.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

You are correct. I did notice it did phenomenal internal damage.

Thanks for the reply's guys.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I would say thats due to the hyrdrostatic shock of the thing not loosing any wieght and not slowing down near as much as say a bullistic tip.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

only way i would use a bt is if it was bonded and prroved to not explode to quick and to stay together.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

The bottom line is these bullets kill quick and will not fail. I've yet to have a deer run with one of these bullets but I have heard of three. The furthest was 40 yards and, after skinning this deer, I have no idea how it moved a foot. Both shoulders were taken out and the top of the heart was blown off. Perhaps the deer dropped in its tracks and my buddy didn't realize where it dropped at first. On the bad side, both front shoulders were shot (meat wise) but that would happen with any bullet. A soft bullet might have fragmented upon hitting the first shoulder but the Barnes kept right on trucking. They can also go through a half inch of steel when fired from a .300 magnum. We have a sillouhette that we blast for kicks sometimes.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I know everyone is sick of my "testimony's" for Barnes, but I still think them to be THE finest hunting bullet in the world. I have shot EVERYTHING I can get my hands on from roughly a half dozen rifles and NOTHING kills as consistantly as the Barnes. I agree, they dont leave "a bloodtrail Stevie Wonder could follow" in most cases, but I hear that often followed by, "but I find the game after a short run". What more do you want?

Whats spectacular is that they typically dont tear up meat either. Why blast a hole in them you can drive a truck through and waste all that meat?

I have 5 seasons of experience with this gun but I will give my closest and farthest examples with my Barnes' from this season so far. In Oct I took an Antelope @ 367 yards with a 150 Triple Shok from my Lazzeroni Warbird. The first shot took him in the liver (just behind the lungs really). I was "breathing hard" and there was a stiff crosswind. He took ten sidesteps and then faced me straight on. So I put one into his left shoulder which penetrated him and exited in front of his right hip. He tried to take a step on that bad leg and went down like Joe Frazier. (MAN them lil dudes can take some killin!)

The closest was just a couple weeks ago on a whitetail doe here in west TN. I put another 150TripleShok from my Warbird in her at the grand range of 39yds, yep 39 NOT 390. Needless to say she went down instantly like Mr. Frazier. The meat damage is minimal. But in my experience with these bullets fired at extreme velocities (they leave my barrel at just a hair under 3800fps) they wont come apart and they ALWAYS exit the animal.

From double shoulder hits too "Texas heartshots" they just zip through the animals and wreak havoc on the vitals they pass through. There is only an extreme amount of bone fragmentation when a shoulder or other large bone is hit (like in the spinal column) but realistically that is because of the extreme velocity at which I am firing them (they are still doin 2800fps @ 400yds). Otherwise they are great for vaporizing them through the lungs or neck!

I put some 180 Triple Shocks in an ol 30/06 of mine this year (Federal Premium Vital Shok) but havent killed with it yet. Where I hunt in west TN we can take 3 does per day (appx a 60 day season) so I will get a chance to see how they do from a more civil cartridge like my ol horse 06.

I have equal praise for Barnes muzzleloader bullets as well,
RA

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Relatives, friends, and myself have killed about 13 big game animals using Barnes X bullets. Six of thoes animals were Oryx the rest were Elk. Some dropped on the spot, and some didn't, but none went more than 60 yds. Good luck.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Have you used a BT?? Not a knock but a lot of hersay about how they perform is posted. From my own experience in a number of rifles they work perfectly on deer sized game, bare in mind the design of the bullet before choosing it, is all I will say.

Red, I personally don't mind a large wound in a deer, seeing I don't eat the ribs anyway..;) That is where I aim and feel meat loss is a non issue IMO. Barnes is a great bullet though no arguements here but personally see no need for my deer hunting to use them...different tastebuds I guess!

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Fishblade, that poor bullet has taken more flack from people than any other bullet. I can't believe it. What I have found out if most of the poeple clammering about failures are ones who just read about them or heard it at the gunshop. Its rather shameful. My good friend went to africa and took down everything he aim'd at with 300win mag and 165gr BT from monkeys, to kudu. I have taken dozens of deer thru shoulders and briskets recovering them all. I like trying different bullets, so I am in the gameking stage of life for deer, slowly moving to the accubond right now. I have been thru the partition stage (and still am for moose), the BT stage, and hornady stage. All I can say, is don't overthink this stuff. It makes very little to no difference. Sure fun to talk about, but if you put a 165gr something in the lungs/heart of a deer/antelope, you should definately find him. Looking for the magic bullet that has 100% wieght retention, expands from 1500fps to 4000fps to 2.5 times its diameter and drops deer/elk on sight is just silly. These are amazing animals and do some amazing things.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I agree Red , barnes are great bullets , and i wasnt saying they were not. I was just seeing if my experiences were what everyone else was getitng.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Dead deer? Yep, that's the same result I'm getting;).

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I have shot deer and elk with Barnes Bullets not very large exit wounds, but none went more than 10 yds. Who needs a blood trail?

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

If you hunt much in your life, sooner or later, you will need a blood trail. Believe me. Maybe, you hit a tad higher than expected, maybe a tad further back than you like. One shot kills falling over within 20yards is nice, but don't expect this always.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

barnes X are great bullets no question. When things go wrong a premium bullet helps set things right.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

After much reading, my buddy and I are going to load up a bunch of 270 Barnes X for next fall.. Work out the loads from now and then. Any recommendations on which bullets? The original, coated or triple shock? Worth the extra cash to upgrade to the coated or tripple shock?

One of the reasons that we are switching is that all of the bullets that we retreived from game were destroyed or lost their lead core. My partition gold from this fall mushroomed nice but lost the ass end core. Strange. Looking forward to shooting wet Calgary Heralds with the Xs and our left over bullets..

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I use the XLC's ( coated) , but i havnt tried the new TSX's

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

TRIPLE SHOCK all the way!!! The old X bullets only weaklink was their accuracy. The TSX eliminates those problems while still having the performance that Barnes is known for.

Good luck,
RA

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

i've been considoring using the 95 TSX in my .243 win.. I don't know now b/c of all this I've read here and other places about no blood trail. Any experience out there on this caliber with an x-bullet??????

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I would go with the Triple Shock. As for the small blood trail - how big an exit hole is acceptable? 2"? 3"? 6"? Upon gutting and skinning a lot X bullet shot deer, we've found that the damage is tremendous. The hole through the skin may not be 6 inches wide, but the animal is losing a tremendous amount of blood. As for the .243, you can go with a lighter bullet in an X bullet and get great velocity without sacrificing penetration. You'll get plenty of expansion if your X-bullet is screaming over 3,000 fps.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I use barnes X's in my 6mm. they are really wicked on deer.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

Yo my friend you did recover those deer even if one did run a few yards. Thats what is so nice about a Barnes X bullet! They penetrate the tip will fold back like pedals on a flower and keep on going. To have a good blood trail we need pass throughs in the lower one third of body cavity so it fills up with blood quickly. then it runs out those holes. Try to get a shoulder shot next time don't matter which side or through both and see how great they work![&:]

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I shoot barnes x flat base 150gr in seven mag on bear and elk, but i like to go more fragile on smaller. However, I still beleive that if I don't do my part (hit it where I want and should) no bullet will do the job. Don't give me that bull about sometimes having to take the shot given either. There is no excuse for taking a poor shot.

RE: My Barnes - X Experiences
 

I'm considering using the 130 grain TSXa in my .260. How do you feel these would perform in that caliber?