Barnes bullet expansion in large calibers (375 and up)

[Jon Glajchen]

This is a Barnes 300gr TSX recovered from a Blue Wildebeest shot at approximately a 100m. The ammunition was reloaded by a mate of mine.

The BW was facing me and the shot was into the centre of his chest. It was later recovered next to his tail after penetrating the full length of the animal. I was disappointed with the performance of the bullet as the expansion was poor in my opinion.

I later pulled the heads of a couple of rounds and checked the powder weight. I discovered that the ammunition was under loaded to the extent that it was just under the recommended minimum starting load.

I surmise that the muzzle velocity was under 2100 f/ps and the impact velocity was probably under 2000 f/ps. The Barnes bullet still showed some expansion despite the low impact velocity, the penetration was outstanding!

 

[Ridgewalker]

This is a Barnes 300gr TSX recovered from a Blue Wildebeest shot at approximately a 100m. The ammunition was reloaded by a mate of mine.

The BW was facing me and the shot was into the centre of his chest. It was later recovered next to his tail after penetrating the full length of the animal. I was disappointed with the performance of the bullet as the expansion was poor in my opinion.

I later pulled the heads of a couple of rounds and checked the powder weight. I discovered that the ammunition was under loaded to the extent that it was just under the recommended minimum starting load.

I surmise that the muzzle velocity was under 2100 f/ps and the impact velocity was probably under 2000 f/ps. The Barnes bullet still showed some expansion despite the low impact velocity, the penetration was outstanding!

Yes your muzzle velocity is quite low! Barnes factory 300 TSX ammo in my MRC is 2,529 fps. My handloads are over 2,600 fps. Velocity with monolithic bullets is critical.

 

[1dirthawker]

I was disappointed with the performance of the bullet as the expansion was poor in my opinion.

that bullet looks just like the 300 gr barnes we pulled from a cape buffalo shot at 100 yards, i was underwhelmed by the expansion as well

 

[Jon Glajchen]

that bullet looks just like the 300 gr barnes we pulled from a cape buffalo shot at 100 yards, i was underwhelmed by the expansion as well

Hi 1dirthawker
I think the expansion issue is solely a consequence of poor velocity. My experiences with Barnes indicate that it reliably expands when pushed hard enough.

I wouldn’t hesitate to use Barnes bullets again provided they loaded up to the correct speed.

 

[Velo Dog]

Fellow Hunters, Rifle Enthusiasts, etc.,

From my personal experiences plus, observations and discussions with other Firearms Enthusiasts, I do not favor hollow point bullets of any brand.
My opinion toward hollow point bullets includes mono-metal ones such as, Barnes and copies thereof.
It also includes hollow point bullets that have that little plastic thingy in the hole.

Bah Humbug,
Velo Dog.

 

[IvW]

I dont like them the slower they go the worse they perform....

Why fool around with it when there are well proven bullets availible especially for DG?.....

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Performed as expected (excellently) in all my uses except my 404. Didn’t expand well/evenly. These were bullets of about 2010 vintage at about 2200fps at the muzzle.

not sure what to make if it. Certainly killed the animals. I’d may switch to something else in my 404 but based on how well Barnes bullets work in general, I’d not hesitate to chalk it up to a subpar batch/ luck of the draw with a few funny impacts and load some newer Barnes in the 404 if that’s what I could get

 

[Velo Dog]

I dont like them the slower they go the worse they perform....

Why fool around with it when there are well proven bullets availible especially for DG?.....

Exactly.

 

[colorado]

I actually called Barnes and talked to them about expansion of their .510 caliber TSX bullets. "As long as you are over 1,200 fps they will open up" was the answer I got.

I spoke to them too got the same answer. I killed a cow elk at 225 yards and the 570g TSX opened up nicely. I shoot A-Frames in our 375 H&H and 416 Rem.

 

[Creatineboy]

hey guys,

i have seen barnes bullets expand fairly poorly at lower velocities (in elk, cape buffalo and moose). the elk and moose were shot at a pretty good distance, but the cape buffalo was around 100 yards with a 375 h&h. the bullet opened, but not much. the bullets on each game animal were of course recovered and the resulting expansion was underwhelming.

so my concern/question is: are barnes bullets made softer or expand easier in the larger calibers? i am reluctant to use them in my 450-400, or 458 win mag, or even 9.3x74r over 150 yards due to the apparent lack of expansion (due to lower velocity impacts).

my thoughts are, with a starting velocity of 2150 fps (500 gr) and 100 yard velocity of 1900 fps, will a barnes bullet open properly at 150-200 yards? 200 yard velocity approx 1700 fps. if not then i need to look hard at other bullets.

now i know that the barnes bullets have a huge following and i have used them for years, but the impact velocities of a 7mm mag or 3006 are quite different than a 458 or 450-400. so, please, don't flame me, enlighten me. i searched around and could not find any info about lower velocity impacts in larger calibers as most users are shooting the x bullets at or above 2600 fps start velocities.

i have seen large caliber ammunition (458 +) sold with barnes bullets, but wondered if they actually open up beyond 50 yards. if not, that seems a real bad idea to use them in the nitro express velocity range (2150 fps).
i appreciate any experience or input on this subject, thanks.

Check out North Fork copper bullets. They're supposed to be the bomb.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

In high velocity calibers like .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .416 Rigby, expansion is quite consistent.

In low velocity double rifle calibers, sometimes a small fluctuation in velocity impedes proper expansion.

 

[Creatineboy]

I've had great success with 525 grain (light for caliber) TSX bullets in my 505 Gibbs exiting at 2350 fps. Perfect performance on a buffalo and a giraffe. I would expect similar performance in a 458 Lott and 416 Rigby or Rem mag.

Had terrible performance of 250 grain Hornady GMX out of a 375 H&H.

It's interesting you say that about Hornady bullets. I mean I know they're proven and a lot of people use them,but last season I was using a 7mm Rem Mag with 154 gr Hornady softpoints, and I head shot a whitetail deer at 40 yards.Thevshot landed at the base of the skull.And that heavy bullet going that fast that close failed to open and failed to even penetrate 5" of deer neck. It was found bent on the opposite side under the hide. Maybe it was a fluke thing. I thought of underpowdered load, but I did expect a more emphatic result shooting something in the head. Last deerthatwas head shot,the .243 dadgum near blew its head off.

Not a sleight against Hornady bullets,but it did happen.

If you want an all copper bullets that isn't Barnes,try North Fork Copper Expanding bullets. They have a good reputation.
If I had reservations about the bullet I was using ,and on a cape buffalo, I wouldn't use them, regardless of what anybody said.

Thats just me though.Everybodys different.

 

[colorado]

I prefer A-Frames but on soft skinned game. Bears, feral hogs and elk the .509 caliber TSX's have performed well in my 500 Jeffery. I'm switching over to 570g A-Frames as long as they shoot as well as the TSXs I'm sure they will.

 

[SRvet]

I have put many hundreds of deer on the hook with the TTSX bullets, mainly the 130g in an .308W annd the 120g in an 7mm RM. I have shot all bar one of my African game with them. Whilst the non Barnes bullet I used this year comes highly regarded, I wish I had chosen a Barnes 500g TSX for my .458 Lott instead!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

It seems like if you recover a bullet from a dead animal, it worked OK?

My experience is bullets can do funny things, especially once they hit an animal. With hundreds (or more) observations with all sorts of bullets, crazy shit happens.

 

[Skshyk]

My question would the elk, moose and cape buffalo that were shot with Barnes bullets did they kill the animal with 1 shot ?

Barnes 375h&H

This is the buffalo killed with 1 shot and ran maybe 50-80 yards.

 

[colorado]

Here's a 300g A-Frame using 375 H&H Remington Premier Safari Grade Ammunition. I shot my brown bear at 13 yards through a bush. The bear was quartering towards me, we had startled each other. It entered just behind his right shoulder, the bullet was found in the hide of the opposite thigh. So it traversed the bear diagonally. Still weighs 299.5 grains. I think A-Frames are close to perfect for elk and bears. Don't know anything about cape buffalo.

 

[meigsbucks]

This is a .416 400gr from a .416 Ruger, muzzle velocity ~2365, recovered from my buffalo. It was a frontal shot thru the heart and recovered deep in the guts. The Banded Solid was the insurance shot: Thru the spine, out the brisket and lodged in a leg.

 

[M70375!]

hey guys,

i have seen barnes bullets expand fairly poorly at lower velocities (in elk, cape buffalo and moose). the elk and moose were shot at a pretty good distance, but the cape buffalo was around 100 yards with a 375 h&h. the bullet opened, but not much. the bullets on each game animal were of course recovered and the resulting expansion was underwhelming.

so my concern/question is: are barnes bullets made softer or expand easier in the larger calibers? i am reluctant to use them in my 450-400, or 458 win mag, or even 9.3x74r over 150 yards due to the apparent lack of expansion (due to lower velocity impacts).

my thoughts are, with a starting velocity of 2150 fps (500 gr) and 100 yard velocity of 1900 fps, will a barnes bullet open properly at 150-200 yards? 200 yard velocity approx 1700 fps. if not then i need to look hard at other bullets.

now i know that the barnes bullets have a huge following and i have used them for years, but the impact velocities of a 7mm mag or 3006 are quite different than a 458 or 450-400. so, please, don't flame me, enlighten me. i searched around and could not find any info about lower velocity impacts in larger calibers as most users are shooting the x bullets at or above 2600 fps start velocities.

i have seen large caliber ammunition (458 +) sold with barnes bullets, but wondered if they actually open up beyond 50 yards. if not, that seems a real bad idea to use them in the nitro express velocity range (2150 fps).
i appreciate any experience or input on this subject, thanks.

I shot a Cape buffalo at 40 yards in August with 416 Remington 400 gr TSX , 2410 fps muzzle velocity recovered bullet under skin on opposite shoulder, mushroomed perfectly and still weighs 399 gr. It's the only soft I will use in Africa, you can't go wrong.

 

[Bandera]

It seems the reputation of the Barnes TSX has improved since 2020.

Used the Barnes TSX 300 Grain .375 in a 375 Ruger. Muzzle velocity of 2550.
All where one shot kills.