BarnesX.308

The bottom line is these bullets kill quick and will not fail. I've yet to have a deer run with one of these bullets but I have heard of three. The furthest was 40 yards and, after skinning this deer, I have no idea how it moved a foot. Both shoulders were taken out and the top of the heart was blown off. Perhaps the deer dropped in its tracks and my buddy didn't realize where it dropped at first. On the bad side, both front shoulders were shot (meat wise) but that would happen with any bullet. A soft bullet might have fragmented upon hitting the first shoulder but the Barnes kept right on trucking. They can also go through a half inch of steel when fired from a .300 magnum. We have a sillouhette that we blast for kicks sometimes.

RedAllison

I know everyone is sick of my "testimony's" for Barnes, but I still think them to be THE finest hunting bullet in the world. I have shot EVERYTHING I can get my hands on from roughly a half dozen rifles and NOTHING kills as consistantly as the Barnes. I agree, they dont leave "a bloodtrail Stevie Wonder could follow" in most cases, but I hear that often followed by, "but I find the game after a short run". What more do you want?

Whats spectacular is that they typically dont tear up meat either. Why blast a hole in them you can drive a truck through and waste all that meat?

I have 5 seasons of experience with this gun but I will give my closest and farthest examples with my Barnes' from this season so far. In Oct I took an Antelope @ 367 yards with a 150 Triple Shok from my Lazzeroni Warbird. The first shot took him in the liver (just behind the lungs really). I was "breathing hard" and there was a stiff crosswind. He took ten sidesteps and then faced me straight on. So I put one into his left shoulder which penetrated him and exited in front of his right hip. He tried to take a step on that bad leg and went down like Joe Frazier. (MAN them lil dudes can take some killin!)

The closest was just a couple weeks ago on a whitetail doe here in west TN. I put another 150TripleShok from my Warbird in her at the grand range of 39yds, yep 39 NOT 390. Needless to say she went down instantly like Mr. Frazier. The meat damage is minimal. But in my experience with these bullets fired at extreme velocities (they leave my barrel at just a hair under 3800fps) they wont come apart and they ALWAYS exit the animal.

From double shoulder hits too "Texas heartshots" they just zip through the animals and wreak havoc on the vitals they pass through. There is only an extreme amount of bone fragmentation when a shoulder or other large bone is hit (like in the spinal column) but realistically that is because of the extreme velocity at which I am firing them (they are still doin 2800fps @ 400yds). Otherwise they are great for vaporizing them through the lungs or neck!

I put some 180 Triple Shocks in an ol 30/06 of mine this year (Federal Premium Vital Shok) but havent killed with it yet. Where I hunt in west TN we can take 3 does per day (appx a 60 day season) so I will get a chance to see how they do from a more civil cartridge like my ol horse 06.

I have equal praise for Barnes muzzleloader bullets as well,
RA

handloader1

Relatives, friends, and myself have killed about 13 big game animals using Barnes X bullets. Six of thoes animals were Oryx the rest were Elk. Some dropped on the spot, and some didn't, but none went more than 60 yds. Good luck.

skeeter 7MM

Have you used a BT?? Not a knock but a lot of hersay about how they perform is posted. From my own experience in a number of rifles they work perfectly on deer sized game, bare in mind the design of the bullet before choosing it, is all I will say.

Red, I personally don't mind a large wound in a deer, seeing I don't eat the ribs anyway.. That is where I aim and feel meat loss is a non issue IMO. Barnes is a great bullet though no arguements here but personally see no need for my deer hunting to use them...different tastebuds I guess!

bigcountry

Fishblade, that poor bullet has taken more flack from people than any other bullet. I can't believe it. What I have found out if most of the poeple clammering about failures are ones who just read about them or heard it at the gunshop. Its rather shameful. My good friend went to africa and took down everything he aim'd at with 300win mag and 165gr BT from monkeys, to kudu. I have taken dozens of deer thru shoulders and briskets recovering them all. I like trying different bullets, so I am in the gameking stage of life for deer, slowly moving to the accubond right now. I have been thru the partition stage (and still am for moose), the BT stage, and hornady stage. All I can say, is don't overthink this stuff. It makes very little to no difference. Sure fun to talk about, but if you put a 165gr something in the lungs/heart of a deer/antelope, you should definately find him. Looking for the magic bullet that has 100% wieght retention, expands from 1500fps to 4000fps to 2.5 times its diameter and drops deer/elk on sight is just silly. These are amazing animals and do some amazing things.

Fiahblade

I agree Red , barnes are great bullets , and i wasnt saying they were not. I was just seeing if my experiences were what everyone else was getitng.

BarnesX.308

Dead deer? Yep, that's the same result I'm getting.

losthwy

I have shot deer and elk with Barnes Bullets not very large exit wounds, but none went more than 10 yds. Who needs a blood trail?

bigcountry

If you hunt much in your life, sooner or later, you will need a blood trail. Believe me. Maybe, you hit a tad higher than expected, maybe a tad further back than you like. One shot kills falling over within 20yards is nice, but don't expect this always.

NVMIKE

barnes X are great bullets no question. When things go wrong a premium bullet helps set things right.