[blackops]

I live in California and unfortunately we have to use lead free bullets for hunting. I have ordered the nosler e-tips and hornady gmx's. I used the barnes and even though they penetrate well and are alright as far as accuracy I want to try to find the most accurate lead free bullet. Anyone have any suggestions on the most accurate lead free bullets? I understand every rifle will be different, but for the majority I would like to hear some opinions.

[hardluk1]

The gmx will not open up as much as the x bullets and there tsx is very acurate. You might try winchesters version of the barnes, They added a steel base for more wieght.

[ArmedBear]

The limited testing I've done with the GMX says that they're quite accurate.

[MCgunner]

Barnes shoots MOA for me, don't need more'n that. I'm shooting a 140 .308" in a Remington M7 .308 Winchester. It's my bigger than deer load. Used to use it on hogs, but found out the Nosler 150BT I like for deer also works just fine. Hogs ain't THAT tough. Lead free bullets, eh? Is that the epitomy of paranoia or what? :rolleyes: What possible damage would a Ballistic Tip be after it's been fired in the woods or mountains? :rolleyes:

But, anyway, just shoot a variety and find something the gun likes would be my method, what I've always done. I wind up with partial boxes of worthless bullets, but hey, every gun has a different appetite. What works in my gun might not in yours.

[MCgunner]

A little off topic question, but do they allow lead out there for muzzle loaders? I can't imagine a ball bearing would shoot very well even patched. LOL!

[blackops]

No lead at all I'm pretty sure. They are trying to save the last of the condors. Apparently some dead condors were found with traces of lead. This gave liberal tree huggers another opportunity to knock the hunting community.

[DannySeesUSMC]

So far no reports of the GMX or E-tip demonstrating this behavior....first one Barnes TSX 300 yards on an elk and second one Barnes TSX 100 yards on a whitetail deer

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj252/elkhuntinguide/Cow%20hunts/bullets008.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/dubbleA/Barnes168TSX.jpg

Not my bullets or my experiences, but have seem them testified by guys who have been in the gun and hunting industry for a looooong time.

I'm not going to hunt again until I move out of California, but if I did I would use the Hornady or Nosler. They have been designed with improved cavities for wider and more reliable expansion. I haven't seen reports of their media testing or animal autopsy but they should have a better wound cavity as well as deep penetration.

Got the pictures of those two bullets here about 2/3 of the way down the page- http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1263443

Can find many of them around the web

[MCgunner]

I've not recovered an X bullet from game, but the exit holes are impressive. I'm quite sure there was expansion and in a 100 lb hog.

[hunter25]

I have been using the 140gr TSX in my 7mm Remington mag for several years now and have never been able to recover a bullet much less one that did not expand. I have taken 3 elk from 100 to 300 hundred yards. 10 pronghorn from 200 to 430 yards and 8 mule deer at similar ranges. All have had complete pass through with impressive exit holes.
The bullet has never failed me and I will use nothing else.

[williamd]

MCGunner -- No lead at all in the 'Condor Zone' which comprises a large area of the mid and south parts of the state. WHY? Didn't you know that condors fly around looking for lead to ingest and get lead poisoning!! No one has proven that lead is ingested or has killed a condor! Just another tree hugger excuse in a tree hugger state.

[DannySeesUSMC]

williamd, thank you for serving our country in Vietnam. When I was still in the Marine Corps I always tried to make sure I acted in a way that would honor the guys who often had to be in worse environments than Iraq.

hunter25, it would be interesting to hear more on your experiences with the elk and mule deer shot over 200 yards. What would you say is about average distance traveled after bullet impact?

[GJgo]

I use 180gr TSX in my 300 WSM. In my limited experience, every time I shoot at an Elk (so far all 200-300 yds) it goes something like this: Bang, followed by turn-step-4 legs in the air. Small hole in, massive internal damage, relatively small exit hole, never a bullet recovered. As long as they keep doing this, I'm sold.

[hunter25]

The only animal that has gone more than ten yards was a pronghorn this year that went about 50 or so after a double lung hit and then stopped and just fell over. For the record the elk were all cows.

[blackops]

So basically I'm hearing that I wasted 90 dollars on 50 nosler and 50 hornady bullets to reload and should of just kept reloading my barnes! :banghead:

[sumpnz]

So basically I'm hearing that I wasted 90 dollars on 50 nosler and 50 hornady bullets to reload and should of just kept reloading my barnes!
Not a waste if the Hornady or Noslers prove to be more accurate in your gun.

FTR, my only personal experience with copper bullets so far was with a 6.5mm 140gr Barnes XLC (the blue coated X-bullets) that I used to shoot a 5-600# cow elk. Range was 110-120 yards. She ran a paced off 35 yards. Bullet went through the onside shoulder, lungs and then shattered but failed to penetrate past the 3rd to last rib on the off side. Bullet was recovered inside the chest cavity and, IIRC, appeared to have lost its petals. Unfortuatly the bullet was thrown out accidentally while butchering.

I want to switch my 9.3mm load from 286gr Partitions to 250gr TSX's though. It should help with reducing recoil a bit, plus flatten the trajectory as I should be able to get at least 200fps more velocity.

[blackops]

Not a waste if the Hornady or Noslers prove to be more accurate in your gun.

Very true. Honestly, all the bullets these days are very well made and deer especially don't need a special bullet. I have OCD for accuracy. :D It all depends on your range and shot placement as for how quick you make em drop.

[williamd]

DannySees .. thank you! I was there in 64-65 and it was not nearly as bad as later. Was back for a 'system delivery' near Danang in 69 for less than a month and admit to being scared sh__less!

Bless the USMC and all the other services protecting us. I hope we don't have to do it - for any reason - on US soil!

[flipajig]

barnes are suposed to be great bullets. a thought crossed my mind and it was powder. Im just asking have you tryed a different powders. and something else dont forget the primer. If your looking for a one hole groop.

[FRJ]

I started using the Barne's in my 06 for elk about 10 years ago. Since then I've killed 7 elk with them and experienced nothing but exemplary performance. On broadside shots I've never recovered a bullet but I did take 2 on long raking shots starting just in front if the rear leg and traveling the full length of the animal one was found at the base of the skull and was perfectly expanded and had lost .2gr of bullet weight the other was found half way up the neck after traveling the full length of the animal and breaking the neck it also was perfectly expanded and no weight was lost. This out of an 06 at 2700 fps!!! On the other 7 animals there was MASSIVE damage to the lungs and just a small exit hole. Some of these animals did move after being hit but none went more than 30 yards. I quit looking for bullets for elk after finding these they work great!!!FRJ

[GooseGestapo]

FRJ:
Which bullet and what load ?

I've only shot an elk with my .338/06, and results from a Hornady 200gr PtSpt Interlok were poor (high lung shot due to wind-drift, little expansion, and lost elk after 3mi chase and missed second shot due to range est. error -over shot!)
Have an ultra-light '06 for future elk hunting. Would like to see your load....

[Flyboy]

Has anybody worked up a TSX load in .45-70? I'd like to switch to the TSX for hogs, and I've found all sorts of good reviews for the quarterbores and thirty calibers, but I can't find any information for big bores.

[FRJ]

Barnes TSX shoot into 3/4" out of my Browning X bolt stainless stalker and perform flawlessly. Perfect mushrooms and very deep penetration. They are the bullet I will hunt with till I die. P.S. On broadside shots on elk they just pass all the way thru with LOTS of tissue damage. FRJ