My New Hunting Load! Barnes 100gr X

[JFettig]

If you read the "Favorite bullet for supersonic hunting? " thread, cav_scout_tj pointed out the barnes 100gr X bullets for 30 carbine. I picked up a box of these, due to the large tip I didn't think they'd feed real well so I turned some delrin tips and an insertion tool. I've turned about 10 tips now, shot a few to work up the load then one into water.
This is what the cavity of this bullet looks like:
http://stuff.jfettigmachines.com/300w/barnes30cb/x-cavity.jpg

Heres a pic of the results!
http://stuff.jfettigmachines.com/300w/barnes30cb/x-bullet1.jpg

I filled up a 1 gallon ice cream pail full of water then set a full 1gal milk jug behind it(all I could find to sacrafice) then shot through those into my gravel backstop. The water from the ice cream pail shot up at least 12-15 feet! It went through both and into the backstop about 3-4". When searching for the bullet I was getting wet because the tree above me was all wet.
It opened fully, final diameter of .540".

My load development was a little dissapointing, if you look at that flatened out primer, those are mil-spec CCI #41 primers and they are flat! I only got it up to 2150fps. 18.2gr H110. These are loaded just off the lands and the final OAL is still only 2.05". I haven't shot for SD, ES, or accuracy yet. I'll load a few samples and take them to the range sometime soon.

Jon

[kurtz]

that is AWSOME :nanabang::nanabang::nanabang:

are you going to make the tips and insertion tool available?????

that bronze sunflower is AWSOME !!!!!!!!

[JFettig]

The insersion tool I made is super simple to make, the main thing is not to push on the end of the tip. I used a #0 center drill as deep as it would go, then opened up the end with a .09" drill so it pushes farther down on the tip.

If theres a real interest in these, I can do them. The tips are super easy to insert, I put a step on the shank so that by hand they can be put in straight, then I use my drill press as an arbor press(low pressure) to insert them the rest of the way just by chucking up the tool and setting the bullet on the table.

I ran out of the delrin I had on hand, Amasingly i had exactly enough material to make all 50 tips and 2 throwaway setup tips.

Jon

[cav_scout_tj]

Those look great. Nice mushroom. How much does he tip add to bullet weight? 5grains?

These are the original X-bullet style, no rings like the tripple-X.

I believe Barnes says optimum is like 0.05" off the lands to start and best results between 0.03" and 0.07" for all X bullets

Please keep us posted on this little mushroom machine.

[JFettig]

I just weighed one bullet, it weighs 101.1gr, so the tip adds about 1 grain.

The first shot I took was .02" off the lands, I backed them off to about .05".

I'm a little dissapointed that I couldn't get a little more velocity out of them, any recomendations for powder? I've only tried H110. I have AA#9 but its much hotter, would a slower powder be better? The primer is flatter than normal but it doesn't seem to cycle the action quite as hard as my 125gr TNTs at 2000fps.

Jon

[Pitt300]

What is your barrel length/manufacturer?
Using .223 or .221 cases?
I get about 2100 fps w/17.7g H110 & 125g Sierras out of my 16" M1S.
@18.4g of H110 I got 2184 + HIGH pressure signs.
I have some .308 110g M1 carbine bullets i'll try to load for velocity comparison.

[JFettig]

My barrel is an 8 groove shilen, tp555 did the machining on it. I think he used a clymer reamer. Its a 10.5" barrel, two pictures of the gun are in the gallery.

I use LC .223 cases, I've shot probably 500 rounds through this now using the same brass.

I'm still considering using some 125TNT bullets for hunting I'll test those next to these when I get some milk jugs lined up.

I checked the max oal by dropping a bullet in the chamber with a rod in both ends, mark the rod then chamber a round of known length and check the rod, there was about .02" when I did that but I've moved it back to about .05" now.

Jon

[Pitt300]

Sounds like you've got all the bases covered & I would think 2150 fps put of 10 1/2" barrel is excellent.

[cav_scout_tj]

Several people (320pf et al) have reported good results with Hodgdon Lil'Gun.

The sierra manual lists H110, W296 & VV N110 as the powders giving the best velocity with 110gr bullets (lightest in the manual). [Lil'Gun is not listed]

Sierra 300Whisper PDF (http://listmequick.com/300/Sierra300whisper.pdf)

Since those copper bullets have a long bearing surface, not sure if they follow conventional wisdom.

[JFettig]

I finally got some more milk jugs saved up.
I lined up 7 milk jugs, put a round down range, the first two exploded violently, next one opened up nicely, fourth went right through and hit the fifth and put a good leak in it.
The bullet looks just like the one in the pictures above.

I also shot a 125gr Speer TNT @2000fps through the 3 jugs that were there(one that was leaking still held water good enough) The first one exploded violently, second opened up nicely and went into the third, leaving some pieces of jacket and lead and a disk of lead exited and ended up about 1/2" into the gravel backstop.

I don't think the remainder of the TNT that I found would weigh 100 grains, maybe 75.

I'm still planning on using the 100gr Barnes for deer in two weeks. The only thing I like the TNT for is a higher BC that will not loose its energy quite as fast and carry out a little farther.

Jon

[JFettig]

I'm looking at the sierra software trying to make a decision whether to use these or speer TNT.

At 200 yards, they will have similar drop but the TNT will retain its energy quite a bit better, 680ft-lbs vs 500ft-lbs. At 300 yards the TNT should retain 530ft-lbs of energy.

Anyone have any wisdom to shed? Should I just keep it under 200 yards? From prone or a bench I can keep these in 1-1.5" @100 without much problem.

Jon

[320pf]

I'm looking at the sierra software trying to make a decision whether to use these or speer TNT.

At 200 yards, they will have similar drop but the TNT will retain its energy quite a bit better, 680ft-lbs vs 500ft-lbs. At 300 yards the TNT should retain 530ft-lbs of energy.

Anyone have any wisdom to shed? Should I just keep it under 200 yards? From prone or a bench I can keep these in 1-1.5" @100 without much problem.

Jon

JFetting:

I would go with the Speer 125 TNT. I has more energy to do work on the target than the 100 gr bullet and also have a higher sectional density so should penetrate better than the 100 gr bullet. The lighter jacket of the Speer will also expand at lower velocities. Also I think the Speer are quite a bit less expensive so you can practice at the range with them more.

Another option would be the Nosler Ballistic Tips. They are supposed to expand at velocities down to 1600 fps. You loads will be just be at about 1600 fps at 200 yrds.

You can check this here:


http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm/calculations/traj/traj.html

Good Luck and Good Hunting

320pf

[JFettig]

I'll be hunting friday through sunday. no more time to do any more load development. I have 30 rounds of Barnes X bullet and 30 of Speer TNT. I'll hopefully only be shooting 1 round though. Hopefully I'll be able to hit the range tomorrow or wed morning to make sure these two bullets have the same zero as sierra software seems to show.


Jon

[Bigfoot]

Barnes is coming out with a 110 TSX and a 110 TEC-X soon, probably the same bullet. The pressure relief from the grooves should help with velocity a bit and they might shoot better too. They probably won't open as well as your 100s with the tips so it should penetrate further. Midway has them listed as coming soon.

[Pitt300]

J
Not sure what you're hunting but that energy level is getting below recommended amounts for deer.
You run a greater risk of wounded/lost animals & we do not need that in today's enviroment.
If you want to hunt 300 yards get something designed for that; otherwise, do what the round was designed for & keep the distances shorter so your energy is there.
These comments don't refer to subsonic loads since you are killing by blood loss rather than kinetic energy w/supersonic loads.
Just my $0.02.
P

[JFettig]

I'm limiting myself to under 200 yards. I'm hunting deer in pistol/shotgun zones.

Jon

[JFettig]

Well, no deers to be found anywhere... saw two does, one at 150yds running and a yearling about 10ft darting all over. Didn't matter either way, I don't have a doe tag.

Jon

[kurtz]

Jon,

was wondering if you have made any of the tips for sale?.....I am interested in some if they are available....

Midway had the barnes on close-out special so I picked up a few boxes to try....really liked how they opened up in your tests, looked like they held together really well also....I wonder how much the tip helps the BC....should help extend the energy a good bit.....

I have shot some of the Sierra 110HP varminter at around 2,700fps, they kinda have the BC of a cinder-block but inside 100yds they are explosive on small game....the tips would probably help them out as well....

good luck with the deer hunt,

kurtz

[JFettig]

Kurz, if you'd like some, I can order some material with my next material order and make up some. not sure what I'd have to charge for them, I'd be out a few weeks though.

Kurz, for what its worth, I sighted in at 100 with my 125gr TNT @2000fps and they had the exact same point of impact at 100. I did not take the out to 200 yards but did take the 125 TNTs out to 200 and they had about an 8-9" drop.

The MV of the barnes was ~2100-2150fps.

Jon