Copper Projectile Accuracy... Barnes GMX etc..

Hey..

I have had some experience with Barnes projectiles over the years, and what I have found is that in general they are less accurate than Nosler BT, Hornady Amax, Berger bullets... actually in general I find them less accurate than most cup n' core projectiles.

They seem to require extensive load development to get them to shoot acceptably and even with that are never quite as good as most other options...

Is that the same with other solid copper options like the GMX etc... and comparably do the others perform as effectively on game?

Cheers

Opposite of what i have found.
130ttsx seems to shoot well in any 30 cal even ones deemed "stuffed"

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OK.... I haven't used 30 cal... but I do have a project that will soon so that will be interesting...

I have used 224, 6mm, 6.5, 7mm and all are fiddly.....

Barnes tsx projectiles have shot the best groups out of the 300wsm. But cost too much I don't mind the groups opening up a bit to use a cheaper bullet

Two bucks to shoot a deer,not bad but not paper punching prices either.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sidney

Hey..

I have had some experience with Barnes projectiles over the years, and what I have found is that in general they are less accurate than Nosler BT, Hornady Amax, Berger bullets... actually in general I find them less accurate than most cup n' core projectiles.

They seem to require extensive load development to get them to shoot acceptably and even with that are never quite as good as most other options...

Is that the same with other solid copper options like the GMX etc... and comparably do the others perform as effectively on game?

Cheers

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Barnes bullets less accurate than everything else, man have I been barking up the wrong tree!

I have developed loads in: 243 @3/4" average, 2506@1/2" average, 257Wby@3/4"average, 270Win@3/4" average, 270 Short Mag@1/2" average, 308Win 3/4" average,
(2 different 308's/2 different bullet weights) and 7mmMag@ 3/4" average. 110yds.

All of the above would shoot quarter inch some days, none ever worse than 3/4" on a bad day.

I must be doing something wrong? (or, are you.........)

Its not particularly surprising.... I mean they are hardly target projectiles are they.... in general I have found BT, Amaxs and Bergers significantly more accurate and easier to develop loads for....

It must be that I just don't shoot as well with Barnes bullets..... :yeah am not durnk:

But what about the GMX's? Any one have history with them...?

How much are you jumping the Barnes? They like to be seated further away from the lands than most projectiles.

Kiwi greg uses gmx's bullets. He just showed how well one worked on a pig recently in his 22 terminator.

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Originally Posted by stug

How much are you jumping the Barnes? They like to be seated further away from the lands than most projectiles.

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I can get em to shoot OK, but typically if I have a load with an amax or nosher BT that fires 3 shots touching, (10-15mm) I seem to end up settling at 20-25mm with Barnes pills after a lot of effort. That just pees me off... I do clean copper before developing Barnes loads after using conventional cup n' core

Generally I start at 50 thou off the lands as per recommendation, and work forward and back to optimise after selecting the best option from powder weight choices..

This is less about my reloading that it is about what I have found generally, and it wouldn't concern me if it varied... I would really like to bump into a Barnes projectile that was simple to develop for and was accurate from the start, across different powder selections etc.. I just find them fussy and was wondering if that was the experience with other solid copper pills?

I've had mixed results loading barnes bullets too, gave up on them in my 243, still mucking around with them in my 7-08

I did find this recently so might try it An interesting 'trick' to get Barnes TSX and TTSX's to shoot well early on. - 24hourcampfire

I have found them good in my 308 and also 243..no complaints. I push them hard and load 50thou from lands...seems to work for me.

Love the holes they make in game as well, not so much on paper as they are a bit pricey..lol

Cheers

dino

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sidney

Hey..

I have had some experience with Barnes projectiles over the years, and what I have found is that in general they are less accurate than Nosler BT, Hornady Amax, Berger bullets... actually in general I find them less accurate than most cup n' core projectiles.

They seem to require extensive load development to get them to shoot acceptably and even with that are never quite as good as most other options...

Is that the same with other solid copper options like the GMX etc... and comparably do the others perform as effectively on game?

Cheers

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Yeah I can't complain about the 140 Barnes TSX for the 7mm Rem Mag Here's my first shoot with them at 100 - These are the Factory Norma ones I - while I was building up my brass and having a shoot at the same time. These are now my Go To: Factory ammo for my shorter distance shots.

Federal Fusion were inaccurate up to 3MOA in some cases (by that remark I did only buy one packet to be honest), By comparison Federal Blue 150's SP.I could get grouping at 1 MOA or better regularly and they were cheaper, and devastating on goats...

Here's what I've managed to get them to.

Attachment 27999

Ok thanks ... I may have been a little less than clear...

I can get them (Barnes) to shoot OK, but never quite as good as other projectiles and it takes a lot of load development to get them to not quite as good.

I was wanting to know if the other copper projectiles are the same way.... e.g.. the E-Tips and the GMX..

I do appreciate that many are more than happy with the accuracy of the Barnes, but this is not an issue unique to me and is the subject of a lot of comment per the big head in the sky...

Anybody used the other options enough to form an opinion?


Thanks for that link T.... I might try that with the TTSX 100 in my 6.5x55. There is a ton of jump in the R8 and trying to reach out towards it seems like a bit of a waste of time. Its like a shotgun at the moment... 120s are better...

@Kiwi Greg uses the gmx in a few calibers.

They have a better bc than the barnes and terminal performance seem very similar,I think they are "gilding" metal not copper?

It always annoyed me that in my 308s my short range barnes loads would shoot better than my long range amax loads which were still more than acceptable.
I would have tried 150 gmx as they are cheaper and better bc but wasn't sure the 308 would get them going fast enough to really perform on game.

Some rifles won't shoot the GMX for some reason or another, others are unbelievable, go figure....

The "ton of jump in the R8" could be the problem, BTs, SMKs etc are very forgiving, others not so much......

Cheers VC..

Im going through the same thought process with a 308..

just out of interest how do you do that notification thing like you did for KG in your post...?

@ symbol then username with no space between the @ and username @Sidney

cheers @veitnamcam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

Some rifles won't shoot the GMX for some reason or another, others are unbelievable, go figure....

The "ton of jump in the R8" could be the problem, BTs, SMKs etc are very forgiving, others not so much......

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yeah.... that is likely for the 6.5x55... not the same issue in others... is the GMX powder sensitive KG?

my new 6.5 does not really get on with the GMX 120gn bullets from what I tried in the weekend. Different story for the Barnes LRX bullets.
I just need more practice shooting it to get my confidence up
GMX groups were 45-50mm @ 100 yards, still "minute of deer though"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sidney

I can get em to shoot OK, but typically if I have a load with an amax or nosher BT that fires 3 shots touching, (10-15mm) I seem to end up settling at 20-25mm with Barnes pills after a lot of effort. That just pees me off... I do clean copper before developing Barnes loads after using conventional cup n' core

Generally I start at 50 thou off the lands as per recommendation, and work forward and back to optimise after selecting the best option from powder weight choices..

This is less about my reloading that it is about what I have found generally, and it wouldn't concern me if it varied... I would really like to bump into a Barnes projectile that was simple to develop for and was accurate from the start, across different powder selections etc.. I just find them fussy and was wondering if that was the experience with other solid copper pills?

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Have you worked with the TTSX or the previous TSX and Barnes Original?, might make a difference - I've only worked with the TSX once, in .243, that worked out really well, the rest has always been TTSX. Have always started load development at 40 thou off and at ADI book max, usually wind up a few grains over, and always in light for calibre weight:
-.257 100gn (2506 at 3400fps and .257 Wby at 3600fps)
-.270 110gn (.270 Win at 3300fps and .270 ShortMag at 3400fps)
-.284 120gn (.280 Rem at 3200fps and 7mmMag at 3500fps)
-.308 110gn (.308 Win at 3300fps and 130gn at 3100fps)
So, essentially my rule of thumb is: jump it and drive it really fast.

I think all the major bullet manufacturers make accurate bullets nowadays, there are just lots of variables and some guns are fussier than others,I have had lots of good results with Sierra, Hornady, Berger too, Berger currently my favourate, some people think they are fussy to load for but they keep working for me, so who knows, sometimes you just get lucky

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sidney

yeah.... that is likely for the 6.5x55... not the same issue in others... is the GMX powder sensitive KG?

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I haven't seen a lot of powder sensitivity with the rifles I load for & have loaded for, maybe I'm not a good enough shot to isolate it :)

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Originally Posted by mikee

my new 6.5 does not really get on with the GMX 120gn bullets from what I tried in the weekend. Different story for the Barnes LRX bullets.
I just need more practice shooting it to get my confidence up
GMX groups were 45-50mm @ 100 yards, still "minute of deer though"

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My 6.5 saum hated the GMX as well mate,
Huge groups at 100 but really settled down at long range:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

I've had mixed results loading barnes bullets too, gave up on them in my 243, still mucking around with them in my 7-08

I did find this recently so might try it An interesting 'trick' to get Barnes TSX and TTSX's to shoot well early on. - 24hourcampfire

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Well well someone else has finally twigged. Got to guide for all Barnes. Just means you whack in your powder of choice but after using an M die.