Making My Way To BARNES

[BRICKBURN]

That 350gr I bet you could get 2800fps out of. But that'll be a wallop on the shoulder. 2700fps and I can't imagine there's much it wouldn't put a big hurt on.

I have zero doubt that the target will experience the

I just requested my chronograph back from a buddy for the planned load development.

 

[The Big Game Hunter]

This is a very well written post and clearly a lot of work went into determining which load worked best in your rifle. Like you, I'm amazed at how much difference 1 grain of power made.
I'm also a big fan on Barnes bullets and have used them successfully both in North America and in Africa. Fortunately for me though, Barnes factory ammo shoots pretty well in the rifles I've tried it in, so I didn't have those initial problems that you did.
In any case, thanks for the post, I found it very interesting.

 

[Ridgewalker]

A little historical Barnes experience...I still have most of an old box of 180gr 30 cal Barnes bullets from before they put the grooves on them. Awful copper fouling in my 300WM! I quit using them until the last couple of years.
Now I really like their factory ammo. My old Rem Sportsman 78 (cheap Rem 700) consistently shoots Barnes 150gr TTSX factory ammo into 1/2" 3 shot groups at 100m. My Tikka 300WM SS Lite shoots 5/8" 3 shot groups at 100m of Barnes 165gr factory ammo. And finally my MRC 375 H&H shoots 300gr Barnes factory ammo 3 shot groups at 100m into 5/8"-7/8" at 100m consistently.
My 250gr Barnes TTSX 375 H@H handloads consistently shoot 3 shots into 1/2" groups at 2,867fps also at 100m.
I'll learn how the 300 gr works on Cape buffalo in September.

Good luck in finding your "sweet loads"!

 

[BRICKBURN]

.............
In any case, thanks for the post, I found it very interesting.

Welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The 416 Rigby has arrived.
I will be "unloading" a bunch of 400 grain Hornady solids at various targets shortly in order to get some brass for reloading the Barnes.
Soon to try and acquire those 350 grain TTSX for the new deer load.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I got to shoot a friend's 416 Rigby a week ago. At 158 lbs, trying to get a quick second shot using a 14lb gun wasn't easy. I could almost get three shots out of my braked 375 by the time I pulled the second shot in the 416 Rigby.
Your going to have fun with yours!

 

[PeteG]

a 14lb gun wasn't easy

That's pretty heavy! Mine is 9 1/2lbs empty and I'd like it lighter...

 

[Ridgewalker]

PeteG yours sounds light for a 416! My 375 with scope is right at 10lbs. My bud's 416 Rigby is a Ruger.
I looked at the CZ site and they're all 9.38 lbs. I couldn't find weights on Ruger's site, but on another site the 416 Ruger weighed less than 9 lbs...ouch!
14lbs is what my bud told me. I didn't weigh it, but it set me back very unbalanced. Tried my usual shooting off sticks with wide feet and leaning into it. Took me almost off my feet and it took me a lot of recovery time compared to my 375.

I could just have bad form for a heavy recoiling gun, or maybe I don't weigh enough, or maybe because I'm on my 70th year, or maybe (most likely) I'm a wimp!

 

[PeteG]

PeteG yours sounds light for a 416! My 375 with scope is right at 10lbs. My bud's 416 Rigby is a Ruger. I think they are typically heavier from what I've read.

It's a cz. No scope of though. 14lbs is waaaaayyyy more than I'd like to carry walking around. the recoil on mine isn't bad at all and certainly doesn't take long to get back on target.

 

[Newboomer]

Just got back from an African safari where I took 9 species ( gemsbok, nyala, zebra, waterbuck, springbok, blesbuck, impala, black and blue wildebeest) with Barnes 160 gr TSX in my 7mm Rem mag. All but 2 were 1 shot kills and dropped them in their tracks. Ranges were from 80 to 350 yards. We recovered only one slug (impala) and it was a perfect 4 petal mushroom. It retained 100 % weight. Actually, it gained 0.3 gr of tissue. All other shots were through and through with a 7mm entry and about a 1 inch exit hole. Heart and lungs were pulverized. Obviously, I am a staunch Barnes fan and use them exclusively in all my rifles. The results speak for themselves. When I cleaned my rifle there was neglible copper fouling. I'm going back next year for buffalo and plains game. My loads will be Barnes 350 gr TSX in my 375 for m'bogo and 235 gr TSX for others in my 7 mm.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My loads will be Barnes 350 gr TSX in my 375 for m'bogo and 235 gr TSX for others in my 7 mm.

I have never used Barnes bullets, but a 235 gr TSX in 7mm would seem to be a typo.

 

[Newboomer]

375 Ruger Fan. Oops! 235TSX in a 7mm. That was a big typo. It should have been 235TSX in my 375H&H and 160TSX in my 7mm.

 

[jacques smith]

My Barnes sheet shows 235,270,300 and350 tsx for .375
120,140,150,160 and175 tsx for 7mm all great options for different critters

 

[sheephunterab]

Shooting heavy for caliber mono metals kind of defeats the purpose in my mind. Speed is their friend and with near 100% weight retention, there's no need for additional weight to achieve maximum penetration. If you look at the bulk of initial offerings from most manufacturers they were light for caliber because that offered optimal performance. The heavy weights came later more just to make sales to those that couldn't wrap their heads around the advantages of the lightweights. Unless your barrel twist likes the longer bullets better....I can't see a reason for shooting heavy for caliber mono metals.

 

[Newboomer]

Good point, Sheephunterab. I took my kudu with a suppressed 243 and a Burger 95 gr VLD Hunter. I really had my doubts when my PH handed me that rifle. "You want me to hunt big animals with a popgun??" I had to use the 243 because we hunted in an area where they were raising buffalo and they didn't want any loud noises to disturb them, so they said. It worked, much to my amazement. A one shot kill at 220 yards. He was going up a hill away from me and I hit him in the spine between the shoulders. Down and out, he never moved.

I've read several threads about what gun to use for African game and I was a little hesitant when my outfitter told me I didn't need anything bigger than 308 or 7mm for PG. So many hunters wrote that nothing under 4-- something would work. I found that my 7mm performed admirably and I didn't require a shoulder mounted howitzer of ungodly size and recoil. I guess it boils down to the right bullet in the right place.

 

[sheephunterab]

There's definitely an argument to be made for hole size, especially with dangerous game but I'd say most people shoot too heavy of bullets. There are exceptions of course.

 

[BRICKBURN]

.............. I guess it boils down to the right bullet in the right place.

It always boils down to that.

I'd wonder whom was telling you minimum .400 for plains game.

The debate on DG is long standing.
I am looking forward to seeing what my new .416 will do with some Barnes going down range.
I will be looking to load the lightest weight TTSX for caliber and see how it performs. Both accuracy and penetration.

We will see soon enough.

 

[Newboomer]

I think they were talking DG for calibers over 4--. I know a lot of hunters who use a 375 for about everything. Even that seems like a lot of overkill to me. All but 2 of my 10 heads were one shot with a 7mmRem Mag and Barnes TSX 160s. Ranges from 80 to 350 yards. I did pick up some Barnes 350 TSX for my DG hunt after seeing some not so good results from Hornady 200 DGX. I am rather partial to heavier for caliber for most things.

 

[Rick Cox]

I think they were talking DG for calibers over 4--. I know a lot of hunters who use a 375 for about everything. Even that seems like a lot of overkill to me. All but 2 of my 10 heads were one shot with a 7mmRem Mag and Barnes TSX 160s. Ranges from 80 to 350 yards. I did pick up some Barnes 350 TSX for my DG hunt after seeing some not so good results from Hornady 200 DGX. I am rather partial to heavier for caliber for most things.

200 gr. DGX?

 

[Newboomer]

Oops! Typo. 300 gr. I stand corrected.