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Old November 18, 2013, 05:49 AM   #17
Mike / Tx
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Join Date: April 8, 2000
Posts: 2,101
I have shot plenty of the Barnes bullets going back to when you could still get the original's with the copper tubing jackets. Are they tough you bet they are and if you read what they advise you will drop down in weight at least 10grs from the bullet weight you usually load.

That said I have shot plenty of decent whitetails as well as some of the smaller hill country 80# ones using both the standard Barnes X as well as the newer TSX and TTSX. What the folks above are saying is right they work best at top end velocities. Not saying that your 130 isn't running at the top end for your rifle, but if you drop down in weight to a 120gr you will see a marked difference in results.

Even so, I have shot plenty of deer and hogs where it looked as though nothing expanded what so ever only to find one or more of the petals which had broken off the core and strayed into another direction altogether. Yes I have recovered quite a few when I was using them in my .243 as well as some from a 25-06, and even a couple from a 30-06. Most were completely spread open to the point the petals were laid back against the main core of the bullet. I truly believe this is what gives many the impression that they simply pencil through even average weight animals.

Trust me when I say, when you stoke them up those 4 radiating petals aren't going to look like the pretty little pictures in the magazine adds. They will roll straight back against the shank, and they will split off, and in the meantime they usually cause all sorts of havoc to the internals of what they were put through. I have shot a 90 deer through the ribs with a 90gr X and had exits in the top of the back, the shoulder and the opposite side rib cage. All from one bullet. Those were only running around 2900fps as well.

Also If I can use the 130TTSX loaded down to only 2300fps out of my .308 with excellent results on both deer and hogs with a kid of only 5-6yrs old behind the trigger, you should have no issues what so ever with the 100-130gr bullets in your .270. Put the shot where it needs to go and don't think they are magic and will shoot from rear to ear and get the same results.

I hunted in Wisconsin during their handgun only season one year and in speaking with Barnes about using their bullets exclusively for a 14" barreled TC in 7x30 Waters or 30-30 Win that I knew right up front the top end velocities were going to only be MAYBEE 2300fps if i pushed them. They said their bullets would open up to at least double caliber down to 1800fps. Well your running upwards of that and a half so I would say it might be a safe bet they are opening up. Probably to the point like I mentioned above where the petals are folded back against the shank.

I also however agree with most here who put the Barnes up in the might be a bit much category. I used them for a while in everything because I thought they were something special. That was some 25 years ago or more, and I still have plenty on the shelf for special occasions like the lighter loads for the grandkids. But even then we're only running them to around 2500fps tops. Most bullets on my shelf now are simply cup and core, in fact that makes up 90% of what I shoot. Even in the 25-06AI where I can easily hit 3350fps with a 120gr bullet, I am using Remington CL's. Why, because they work, over and over, they drop things in their tracks, but you have to put them where they need to go.
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Mike / TX
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