Hunting Forum

The Barnes 180 gr TSX BT, or TTSX BT will do the job for you. Good luck.

I think you are in for a nice suprise with the barnes bullets. Since I bought my first box, it would be hard to change as they are very accurate and you can drop the weight and still get deadly penetration. Some manuals have special loading for the barnes, I think because you don't want to run them hot but I like the mid range anyway. The length is slightly longer so even better bc. Good luck on your hunt!

I have used the Barnes X in my 35 Whelen Improved, it shot well after I really cleaned the barrel.  You definitely a can go for the lighter weight and get equal performance on your game.  I am presently using the 225 grain and bought a supply of the now discontinued 200 grain.  These will be my bear load.

Thanks to allof you that provided their knowledge and experience. I will let you know how things go once I have a chance to load some and take them to the range.

John have you ever tried the Hornaday FTX 200 gn in your 35 whelen

If you have to use non lead bullets go with the Hornady GMX for your 30/06 because you can load it with standard data like, I did .. I have been loading my own ammo for over 30 plus years and know alot about it.. I loaded the GMX 150gr in my 30/06 with 51gr of H-4895 and they shoot great .. Fps at 2976 and c.u.p. at 48,000 .. but you can also use H-380 and get more fps and still keep the c.u.p. down.. So if you need more info for non-lead or anything else Please feel free to ask me.. Good luck and good hunting.... Retired USMC Sniper..  Keep them in the X not the Ten ring..

I haven't tried the Hornady bullet, I used the Nosler Partition until that bullet became difficult to obtain and I was heading for a Nilgai hunt and wanted a tough bullet.  For lighter weight animals I have used Nosler Ballistic-Tips or the good old Remington Core-Lokt.  I do have a supply of Barnes 200 grain in addition to the 225 grain, but haven't tweaked my load yet.

Barnes bullets are ok but some of there data that they post is not going to make the bullet expand enough inless you load the max charge on there loading data.. alot of us at the National Match shooters Assc. have tested alot of there bullets and sent the info to barnes and they just haven't posted it yet.. Now if you are looking for liter bullets you mite want to look at what Hornady has to offer in the caliber that you shoot.. You can go to there web page or get one of there new bullet book's for free.. If you liked the Nosler partition you mite like the Hornady A-MAX in the same cal.. just remember that with the honady bullet's you can load with the normal load data .. you can talk to there tech's and they will tell you the same thing.. As long as you stay within the SAMMI spec's you will be fine.. If you have any more question's on loading please feel free to ask me.. I will not tell you something that will hurt you or anybody else but, I don't have any control  on how you reload your ammo.. so be safe not sorry.. have a good one..

I HAVE SOME BARNES BUT HAVEN'T TRYED THEM YET THE REMINGTON'S DIDN'T GROUP WELL BUT THEY WHERE FACTORY LOADS I DO LIKE THE NOSLER PARTITIONS  USE THEM IN MY 8MM. WITH THE HORNADYS  I'M GETTING 1 IN GROUPS AT 100 YR, THE BULLET WOULD BE GOOD FOR ELK OR BLACK BEAR DO YOU THINK. WITH THE RIGHT BULLET AND LOAD I THINK IT'S A GOOD ALL AROUND GUN GOOD FOR ALL NORTH AMERICAN GAME AND MOST OF THE REST OF THE WORLD .

I have found the Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets to be easy to get to shoot well in a number of rifles. Ihave loaded 150, 165 and 180's in the 30-06 with good results. Just be open to trying several powders to find what works.

Like, I said the Hornady bullets are very good and they will all work for you on what ever you hunt.. As for the last post about the barnes bullets with reloading they have there own loading data on there web page!! don't try to use anything that they don't use because they have tested all of there data for there bullets.. That is where, I say BE SAFE NOT SORRY!!! when it come's to barnes bullets, I have sent them data from some of my loading and they have tested it and sent me many thank you's ..  so it's up to you what you want to load by something tested or somebody's bulk reload's.. I'm very experenced in reloading all typ's of ammo and would not ever tell someone something that would injur them or others.. So if you have any more question's  please feel free to ask me.. Retired USMC Sniper, LM National Match Shooters Assc.

Cherokee, if I want to take advantage of the free bullets then I have to go with the Barnes. That being said, I was planning on using H4831SC for my reloads. Do you have any recommended loads using this powder?

Barnes first generation X bullets weren't real accurate. But, They have made major improvements with them. I don't know much about about the now generation of barnes X bullets. I do know that I have. And, obviously, have shot the Barnes Triple Shock bullets.  I really like them.  In the Federal loadings. They are fast.  And, VERY consistant on target. AS was noted before.  You can use a. SAy, a 150 grain copper bullet.  And it will have the same penetration as as 180 grain lead core bullet will have.  With the same expansion and applied shock as a 180 grain lead core bullet. I have a couple boxes of 180 grain Federal Vital Shock loads for my 30-06.  The bullets are Barnes TRiple Shock bullets.  Federal and Barnes have kind of a partnership with each other.  I got these for elk hunting. They are great loads.

If Barnes bullets has no data for that powder than, I would not use it.. Free bullets dosen't make it easy to say that you can't use the powder that you have but DON'T USE THAT POWDER for any barnes bullets reloading because it is not safe.. It is safe for Hornady bullets in 175gr-- 220gr bullets but not in any barnes bullets..     If you are loading barnes 150gr bullets you can load H-4895 at 48.5gr)(2,822 fps)--(51.0gr)(2,975fps) and that is safe loading data for the 30-06.. and it will expand .. I need to know exactley what bullets you want to load .. And, I will tell you what powders you can load what bullets with.. I WILL NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES WITH ANYBODYS LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO RELOADING !!! I have seen alot of people make mistake's and otherpeople pay for it so, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO..  RETIRED USMC SNIPER..LM NATIONAL MATCH SHOOTERS ASSC.                                  AGAIN PLEASE DON'T RELOAD ANY BARNES BULLETS WITH OUT USING THERE DATA FOR THERE BULLETS!!!!!!!

I looked at the Hornady bullets but they only have up to 165 grains in .30 caliber. This bullet is not long enough to stabilize in my rifle. The Barnes bullet is. I was trying to find a load using the H4831 because on the chance I could not come up with a load that my rifle liked I would not have a bunch of powder that I could not use. As it is my rifle shoots sub MOA with a Nosler 200 grain Accubond using 56 grains of H4831.

Ramshot has data for Barnes TSX in 150, 165, 180, and 200 grain weights. Buy ONE pound of Big Game. At about 60 grains per load, that is 116 rounds. That should easily give you enough to work up a load, sight in and have enough left to hunt with. You're hunting big game, you don't have to spend a ton of time or rounds on load development, any combo that will put 3 shots in one inch at 100 will do fine. Practice with something else not the hunting rounds.

Dale

OK.. Ramshot powder DATA FOR Barnes TSX 180gr:  Biggame : (51.5gr) (2,486)-- (57.2gr) (2,762) (58,091psi )  Ramshot powder DATA " Biggame for Barnes TSX 200gr : (51.3) (2,320)-- (57.0) (2,578) ( 55,391psi )         Ramshot powder DATA " Hunter" for Barns 180gr TSX : (54.0) (2,505 )-- (60.0) (2,783) (57,311psi )   Ramshot powder DATA " Hunter " for Barnes 200gr TSX : (51.3) (2,320)-- (57.0) (2,578) (55,391psi)   PLEASE DON'T LOAD HIGHER THAN ( 60,000 psi ) OR YOU WILL BLOW UP YOUR GUN !!!!!!!..         AND THIS IS THE DATA FOR  RAMSHOT POWDERS  FOR ( 30-06 springfield  )...   JUST REMEMBER  THAT MAX PSI IS ( 60,000 PSI ) FOR YOU GUN !!!!!   Retired USMC Sniper, LM National Match Shooters ASSC..  JUST BE SAFE.. Remember that , I told you that , I have been loading for over 30 plus years and reload for National Match shooters .. So HERE IS YOUR DATA GOOD LUCK.. AND BE SAFE..

AND MORPHINE IS FOR DRUGY'S NOT HUNTERS!!!!!!!

Now Cherokee, I also once made a poke at Dales tag line, in jest!! I do hope that you are also in jest!! I, not only being a hunter, but also a avide  outdoors man. However, I was put on morphine when I broke my knees. Again when I had my fingers pulled off, again when the re-attached those fingers, again when they replace my knee, again when I blew out my lower intestine, had to be gutted like a big ol' buck and have them guts sectioned.   Naaaa, I ain't no druggy!!! Fact is, I'm a real red neck when it comes to drugs!!! However, we have to endure, what ever those medic have to give us, when pain is near to un bearable!!  However, when I see them lil' gnomes, scurrryin' up and down the walls and all them very colorfull birds, zippin' about, I do have to tell them Docs, ENUFF!