Opinions on barnes X bullets

[evster]

Hello,

I am looking for opinions on barnes X bullets for a .25-06. How would they compare to a nosler partition or nosler ballistic tip on whitetail deer? I am deciding what bullets I want to try out to use as hunting bullets.

Thanks
Evan

 

[John Y Cannuck]

The X and the partition compare very well. The ballistic tip is a different class of bullet not designed to penetrate as deeply as the other two.
That said, all three are very capable deer bullets under the right circumstances.
The bT got a bad rap a few years back, but it's construction has been toughenned since.

 

[Noel]

I have heard the Barnes X has been improved as well. When I tried them 10 years ago we could fire them into a gravel pile of 3/4" crush and retrieve them everytime. They would be perfect mushroom and still retain around 90% of their weight!
I shot one cow moose with the 210gr in my 338-06, dropped like a sack.
Shot a Muley Doe at 50 yards, 140gr in a 270 Win. She humped up and stood there for a minute or so and fell over.
Also shot a muley Buck with the 165gr in a 308 Win. Hit him four times at 80-90yds and he just stood there looking at me. He finally toppled over but they went right through him like fmj's. Muzzle velocity was 2800 IIRC so they weren't going too slow. Maybe a bad batch??????
IMO they are too much $$$$

Best thing would be try them in your rifle and see how it likes them. With my rifles they would all put the first two in one hole and the third was 1 1/4" off one way or another.

Noel

 

[Lefty Dick]

Having tried both Partition's and TSX's in my 25'06 both in 100gr. I found a tad better accuracy in my rifle with the TSX's as opposed to the Partition's. Both gave outstanding accuracy by any measure but the TSX's were a bit tighter, by maybe 1/4" at 100yds.
As for on game performance well I'd be hard pressed to say ill about either slug.
I shot 2 moose, 1 bull elk, and about half a dozen deer with the Partition's.
I've killed 1 moose, and nearly a dozen deer with the TSX's, and well quite frankly they both work, and to date I've recovered only 3 slugs.
1 Partition from a mulie buck shot through both front shoulders at 255yds, and a Partition recovered from a moose hammered at 300yds, while quartering away, it broke the off side shoulder. Both bullets had about 65% weight retention (design retention is 65% with a Partition)
The only TSX I've recovered was from this years whitetail buck and it had an impressive 99.5% weight retention, after penetrating at the least 36" of deer, maybe more if you consider the actual bullet track.
So I guess it boils down to what you find your rifle likes for a bullet, as you can see my experience says both work just run what shoots best.

 

[todbartell]

I load the 100 gr TSX in a friends 25-06 and it has been very deadly for him on deer, sheep, etc

 

[kell2784]

I shot one cow moose with the 210gr in my 338-06, dropped like a sack.


Noel

x2--I found a very accurate/trustworthy load with a 210 grn in my 338-06 too. I was very impressed, and promptly ordered more boxes after seeing it perform at top-end hand loads.

 

[p-17]

It gives fantastic performance out of my .30-06, and a 168 TSX solidly dispatched a large Muley buck from 300 yards. I plan to use this load on everything.

 

[martinbns]

IMHO, the TSX is the best big game bullet going. they produce excellent accuracy in every rifle I've tried them in, good velocity, great perfrmance on game from a coyote to a 1000+lb moose. 8 or 9 one shot kills.

 

[Eagleye]

While I freely admit to being a Partition "slut", The TSX is a bullet that is head and shoulders above any previous bullet marketed by Barnes. Accurate in any rifle I have tried them, and excellent weight retention. I would use whichever shot the best in my rifle, and not worry about a thing. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[762nato]

I use the "X" in 5 calibers, have yet to de dissappointed.

Launched a 160 gr. .284" Partition out of my 7 STW @ 3100 fps into a medium bull moose, took 4 shots in the boiler room to put him down. Nose was blowing off in the first 3 " and base went through like a FMJ. I will admit I was possibly out of the velocity window for that bullet but, You guys can keep your partitions, I will stick with the Barnes.

Andy

 

[Scott_N]

The original X Bullets had a reputation for inconsistent accuracy. The new TSXs seem to have solved that problem though. My hunting buddy and I have been using them for the last few seasons and I've seen 7 animals shot with them and I've been impressed with the results from each kill.