New vs old box Barnes Vortex ammo

[Jamie D Van Roekel]

For my hunting needs I use all Barnes ammo. Over the last couple years they have switched boxes. I was just wondering if anyone has noticed any difference in group size or point of impact change when switching over. I usually use blue box federal or reloads for practice and if I decide to shoot a fox or coyote with a 300 or something silly.

I will shoot a group or two side by side to check myself before taking some of each hunting but they don’t give the stuff away in bigger calibers so was wondering if anyone else has done any comparisons. I didn’t know if when they switched they would change powder, primers or brass. I know through Covid I saw some of that but hoped that wasn’t the norm. Thanks

 

[JimP]

Ammo manufacturers change components all the time. They go with the lowest bidders that bid for their business. The only thing that won't change with the Barnes Vortex ammo is the bullets.

You can be pretty sure that the ammo reaches a specific fps but they can do that by increasing or decreasing powder charges while staying within the safe range as far as pressures.

This is where if you even change just the lot numbers on the ammo you buy you need to check where it is shooting.

Years ago I was shooting Federal Premium ammo for one of my rifles. I picked up a whole case just to have what I thought was enough. I still have around 4 boxes of that ammo left.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Barnes just changed box design. It's good stuff. Shoot 'em up!

 

[Puddle]

Barnes just changed box design. It's good stuff. Shoot 'em up!

Yup. When Remington puked around 2020 or so the Barnes subsidiary ended up with Sierra (who had previously ended up at Clarus) it's very incestuous.

So, if you've been going to the dance with one outfit and then switch partners to another, you just gotta change your wardrobe!

 

[Brexil00]

I used the 85gr 243 load on a spike last year. Shot it quartering away at 100 ish yards. Stevie Wonder could follow the blood trail easily. Worked perfectly.

 

[meritman]

So far the content is good who cares about some box