270 grain Barnes LRX (375 H&H) for Buffalo??

[tommy1005]

I haven't shot Buffalo with it, but did take 6 plains game species with the 300 Grain Barnes TSX at distances from 35-40 yards to 125 yards. With a 100 yard zero, that bullet is only 5 inches low at 200 yards, which from my experience on the ranch I was on, is the farthest shot you will have. Different ranches, have different landscape, and my next trip will have opportunity for longer shots on game like Springbok and Blesbuck. I was very pleased with the performance of the Barnes TSX on the game I took and my PH said that if I wanted to hunt buffalo next time that would be a great bullet to use.

 

[IvW]

I respect your opinion and experience but why is it that Africans are so skeptical of Barnes bullets? Ive killed everything with them and have so much confidence in them. I agree with you in principal on heavy for caliber bullets and if our discussion was “best buff caliber” I would be one the .416 bandwagon.

Irregular performance from the bullets....I need something that performs the same every time not most of the time....I guess I am just old school....

View attachment 306666

Here's a 270 gr TSX taken out of a Lioness I shot this year. Muzzle velocity was 2750fps. Shot distance was 30 yards. Would you trust this bullet on a Cape Buffalo, at that velocity? I also took an Eland with the same bullet at 250 yards and the bullet penetrated the whole chest cavity and exited. So, I think the somewhat high velocity of 2750fps would be too much for close range buffalo hunting. Once they slow down a bit, they seem to work fine. But, if you're going to shoot 2500fps or less, why not just use a 300 gr.?

Great example right here....would you use this bullet and load on a Cape Buffalo bull? Not me.

 

[Bruce]

I would not use 270g on Buffalo.. Absolute minimum is 300g and then I also only use Swift A Frame if hunting with 375H&H Magnum.
Few buff Hunts end up with a charge...

 

[Philip Glass]

Irregular performance from the bullets....I need something that performs the same every time not most of the time....I guess I am just old school....



Great example right here....would you use this bullet and load on a Cape Buffalo bull? Not me.

I certainly understand you guys over there are old school. I had petals come off once. It was my LDE and it was a facing shot. The bullet did incredible damage ending up in his backend. The western buffalo died almost as if he had been electrocuted!
I do also like A frame and Accubond having used those successfully. Great discussion and it’s good to see the pic of the failure you posted.
Thanks
Philip

 

[Mike Van Horn]

These are from the Barnes reloading manual
Note the suggested use

 

[IvW]

Of course it would they need to promote their own product

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Of course it would they need to promote their own product

Yes and for Cape Buffalo they are promoting the 300 grain!!

Mixed bag, 270 grain

 

[Major Khan]

I would recommend nothing lighter than 300 grain bullets for dangerous game . Heavy for caliber bullets have much better sectional density ... Than lighter for caliber bullets .

 

[Fastrig]

I would recommend nothing lighter than 300 grain bullets for dangerous game . Heavy for caliber bullets have much better sectional density ... Than lighter for caliber bullets .

Yep and don't get all this need for speed mentality....DG isn't normally hunted 200 plus yards away, better off with a 2200-2500 fps heavier round that's going to hit hard, dive deep, and hold its mass with expansion. Love the Barnes bullets but, as someone pointed out earlier, they do better when impacting at lower velocity.

 

[Major Khan]

Yep and don't get all this need for speed mentality....DG isn't normally hunted 200 plus yards away, better off with a 2200-2500 fps heavier round that's going to hit hard, dive deep, and hold its mass with expansion. Love the Barnes bullets but, as someone pointed out earlier, they do better when impacting at lower velocity.

Why yes , Fastrig . You are 100 % correct . During our time , a .270 Winchester caliber rifle meant 150 grain bullets . A .30-06 Springfield caliber rifle meant 220 grain bullets . A .338 Winchester magnum caliber rifle meant 250 grain bullets . A .375 Holland & Holland magnum caliber rifle meant 300 grain bullets .

These heavier for caliber bullets accounted for scores of our Indian game , and they were plenty accurate for most sporting applications .

 

[Fastrig]

Why yes , Fastrig . You are 100 % correct . During our time , a .270 Winchester caliber rifle meant 150 grain bullets . A .30-06 Springfield caliber rifle meant 220 grain bullets . A .338 Winchester magnum caliber rifle meant 250 grain bullets . A .375 Holland & Holland magnum caliber rifle meant 300 grain bullets .

These heavier for caliber bullets accounted for scores of our Indian game , and they were plenty accurate for most sporting applications .
View attachment 356371

My dad always told me,”use the right tool for the job”....turning wrenches, developing software, or hunting makes zero difference.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

strong second to all the folks that recommended 300 grain out of the .375 H&H.
there is no reason to go light on a heavy animal!

all copper bullets are great for some things but i have seen them fail and it has caused problems on buffalo for me personally - i give the edge to Swift when it comes to the best bullet for your first shot on a cape buffalo.

 

[Fastrig]

Why yes , Fastrig . You are 100 % correct . During our time , a .270 Winchester caliber rifle meant 150 grain bullets . A .30-06 Springfield caliber rifle meant 220 grain bullets . A .338 Winchester magnum caliber rifle meant 250 grain bullets . A .375 Holland & Holland magnum caliber rifle meant 300 grain bullets .

These heavier for caliber bullets accounted for scores of our Indian game , and they were plenty accurate for most sporting applications .
View attachment 356371

I like the 9.3x62 for this category. 2300-2450 fps with a 285-300 grain bullet. Inside 200 yards, you don’t need any more. A magnum really isn’t buying you much, IMO, when you want to hunt under 200-250 yards because you are going to get fast, pass through, and often less expansion, none of which is ideal for this scenario (IMHO). If you want to reach out further than that, that’s where the magnums really shine as they retain much of the characteristics of the non-magnums with heavy for caliber bullets in that under 200-250 mark, but deliver that are much further distances.

 

[Red Leg]

These are from the Barnes reloading manual
Note the suggested use

View attachment 356300 View attachment 356301

Regardless what Barnes might print in a loading manual, I personally would not use the 270 (in any brand of bullet) on a buffalo when I could use a 300. And I have yet to pass on a shot at PG with a 300 gr bullet that I would have taken with a 270 gr bullet. Ever.

 

[Red Leg]

I like the 9.3x62 for this category. 2300-2450 fps with a 285-300 grain bullet. Inside 200 yards, you don’t need any more. A magnum really isn’t buying you much, IMO, when you want to hunt under 200-250 yards because you are going to get fast, pass through, and often less expansion, none of which is ideal for this scenario (IMHO). If you want to reach out further than that, that’s where the magnums really shine as they retain much of the characteristics of the non-magnums with heavy for caliber bullets in that under 200-250 mark, but deliver that are much further distances.

Actually, at close range, the opposite tends to happen with a high velocity round - particularly with the old cup and core designs. The bullet often disrupts dramatically, and penetration is actually limited and sometimes, drastically so.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Regardless what Barnes might print in a loading manual, I personally would not use the 270 (in any brand of bullet) on a buffalo when I could use a 300. And I have yet to pass on a shot at PG with a 300 gr bullet that I would have taken with a 270 gr bullet. Ever.

I agree
The OP asked about 270 on buffalo. Which Barnes shows from elk to buffalo. I also added the 300 gr to show it only has Buffalo.
I will add that the LRX is designed to open faster that the TSX

 

[Fastrig]

Actually, at close range, the opposite tends to happen with a high velocity round - particularly with the old cup and core designs. The bullet often disrupts dramatically, and penetration is actually limited and sometimes, drastically so.

I know with my 300 win mag that the Norma Oryx rounds go straight through at a 100 yards, hitting hogs, and the one time I did recover a round it hadn’t expanded much. Hit a hog with the 9.3 at 100 and the expansion was exceptional. Basing my opinion on what I’ve seen out of my rifles with what I’ve been shooting. Haven’t used the Barnes on game yet but from what I’ve read they do better at lower velocity for best expansion, but will have to wait till I shoot something with them to verify that.....I’m no ballistic expert by any stretch of the imagination but guessing with your excellent knowledge and experience you are correct, but from my usage it’s been as I described.

 

[Red Leg]

I know with my 300 win mag that the Norma Oryx rounds go straight through at a 100 yards, hitting hogs, and the one time I did recover a round it hadn’t expanded much. Hit a hog with the 9.3 at 100 and the expansion was exceptional. Basing my opinion on what I’ve seen out of my rifles with what I’ve been shooting. Haven’t used the Barnes on game yet but from what I’ve read they do better at lower velocity for best expansion, but will have to wait till I shoot something with them to verify that.....I’m no ballistic expert by any stretch of the imagination but guessing with your excellent knowledge and experience you are correct, but from my usage it’s been as I described.

I obviously will not disagree with any of your personal observations. I will simply say that light for caliber bullets normally behave very badly when fired at high velocity at close range. Driving through an animal is the last thing they are typically observed doing. Big craters, too often superficial, are the more usual and unfortunate result. Heavy for caliber bullets fired at moderate velocity have always been the formula for deep penetration. I.e. your 9.3.

 

[Fastrig]

I obviously will not disagree with any of your personal observations. I will simply say that light for caliber bullets normally behave very badly when fired at high velocity at close range. Driving through an animal is the last thing they are typically observed doing. Big craters, too often superficial, are the more usual and unfortunate result. Heavy for caliber bullets fired at moderate velocity have always been the formula for deep penetration. I.e. your 9.3.

Been using 180 grain rounds through my 300 win mag, would you say that’s a bit light and should I look at maybe a 200 grain or heavier bullet? I know that 180 grain round is humming when it leaves the muzzle. In the 9.3 I’ve been using the 285 grain Norma’s which I have absolutely zero complaints with.

 

[Red Leg]

Been using 180 grain rounds through my 300 win mag, would you say that’s a bit light and should I look at maybe a 200 grain or heavier bullet? I know that 180 grain round is humming when it leaves the muzzle. In the 9.3 I’ve been using the 285 grain Norma’s which I have absolutely zero complaints with.

I think 180's are just about perfect in a .300. I was recently forced to use 150's on a Spanish wild boar and a shot at eighty meters or so cratered on the shoulder - he didn't go anywhere, but it wasn't pretty. I have used the 200 gr ELD-X on Texas nilgai, and they were ideal for such a large antelope.