Need some more advice on what you’d pick for black bear?

[yooper77]

I am not a fan of Barnes bullets, their price is simply outrageous and I have witnessed them fail in the field.

I saw years ago, an old Barnes X-bullet failed to open up on an Antelope out of a 25-06 Remington, so Barnes bullets are off the market for me.

I would choose the 170 grain Nosler Partition over the 150 Grain Barnes Triple-Shock bullet every time.

When is your hunt?  What make and model rifle is your 30-30 Winchester?

If you find time to reload, using IMR-3031 powder and Hornady Interlock 170 grain flat nose bullets are perfect black bear medicine and won't break the bank.  I use once fired range brass, and before you know it you have a couple hundred premium ammunition that you loaded for far less money.

yooper77

[teddy12b]

I have a marlin 336W that I bought in 2003.  This hunt is in August.

[Redhawk1]

teddy12b, the Barnes bullets are a great choice, I use them in all of my hunting rifles, unless I am using a hard cast gas checked bullet.

yooper77 is trying to say Barnes bullets are bad because he saw one bullet fail to open, and it was one of the original Barnes X, a totally different bullet from today. The Barnes triple shock bullet is what I use. 

[teddy12b]

I appreciate what yooper77 is trying to say because I have heard that alot about old style x-bullets.  Even heard it a little the new triple shocks.  The 150gr triple shock for the 30-30 is a pretty different animal all together because of being tube fed.  I think it's got a very open looking hollow point that will open up even more on impact.  I'll test them out against the partition and hard cast for accuracy and let people know what the results are.  Out of those three I'll hunt with what's the most accurate out of my gun.

[yooper77]

I also do realize the old Barnes X-bullets are different from today’s Barnes Triple shock bullets, but they will never replace my Nosler Partitions.  I really liked Barnes original bullets year ago, but they don’t make them anymore.

If I was restricted to a no lead law, like California is going too, then I would use the new Nosler’s E-Tip bullets.

Nosler’s E-Tip is a step above today’s “pure-copper” bullets. The E-Tip’s proven patent pending alloy provides less fouling, while exhibiting superior accuracy and consistent performance over traditional pure copper designs. In the lead free world, the E-Tip stands alone.

yooper77

[Redhawk1]

OK...

[Graybeard]

teddy12b, the Barnes bullets are a great choice, I use them in all of my hunting rifles, unless I am using a hard cast gas checked bullet.

yooper77 is trying to say Barnes bullets are bad because he saw one bullet fail to open, and it was one of the original Barnes X, a totally different bullet from today. The Barnes triple shock bullet is what I use. 

Have you read JJHack's most recent report of this season in Africa? He still touts your Barnes TSX but admits way too many of them leave no blood trail. That can only mean failed to open since they all exit. When you have two holes and no blood it just failed to open.

Even the newest of Barnes bullets are still having problems not opening at times. How often I dunno but often enough that even tho Jim still thinks they are the best for penetration he is wishing they's open up more often.

I really wish I could trust them as I'd love the idea of using a lighter bullet that held together and maintained its weight well enough to penetrate like a heavier bullet which in theory at least the Barnes bullet does. But even there most devoted users (ok other than  you) still admit that they fail to open often. I'm still yet to find a load for them in one of my rifles accurate enough to hunt with. I wish I knew how you guys get them to shoot so well I'd be tempted to give them a honest try in the woods on game if only I could find a load that would shoot accurately enough in my rifles to feel I might actually be able to hit a deer with it at my close in hunting ranges.

I've never yet in my own personal rifles had a three shot group under 2.5" with Barnes bullets and darn few that went under 5". Yeah at 100 yards from a bench in most cases with guns that with conventional bullets do SUB MOA. Just telling it as it has happened and I'd love to see a load work on paper so I could try it on game and see if they open for me but until I can find a load I can actually hit a deer with I'll not ever find out.

[Redhawk1]

Graybeard, the secret to shooting the Barnes bullets is, getting the bullets as close to the lands and groves as you can and still have the case feed properly.
I don't have much problems at all getting a good load, that is accurate in any of my guns using Barnes bullets.

JJHack's report is good information for thought, but my actual experience is different. Also I am not hunting African game, so I can't make the comparison, I am hunting North American game and getting an exit hole and good blood trails, but I never have to go more than 50 yards either. I don't think I ever went more than 50 yards. Most of the time I get the animal to drop in its tracks, or close to the spot it was shot, but not always.

Yes I am a Barnes bullet fan, because for me, they work and you can't argue with your personal experiences and success. I am not saying Barnes bullets are for everyone, but they work for me, and I will continue to use them no matter how many people tell me they are no good. When and if I experience bullet failure, on a consistent bases, I will then look for something better. Until then, my reloading bench will be full of them Barnes bullet boxes as it is now.

90% of my Rifles use Barnes bullets, 2 of my rifles use hard cast. My handguns use hard cast gas check bullets. But that is just my personal choice, I use what works. 

[teddy12b]

The opening on the hollow points of the barnes 150gr bullets look to be almost big enough to go around a primer.  They are a different design than the regular triple shocks.

As much as I enjoy handloading and load development.  I’d much rather just be target shooting and not tinkering with everything.  Occasionally I’ll buy a box of factory ammo just to see how well the factories are making ammo.  If the factory ammo is awful then I won’t use too much of my time trying to get it to work for me and if it’s great at least I know I have something to fall back on.

[Country Boy]

Buy a Browning blr in .358 win load it up with .250 speers. This combo has killed over 30 bear with no tracking required.

[teddy12b]

The more and more that I think about it.  I really just need to redeem myself with my 30-30.  I have components ready to be loaded up and factory ammo on the way to my door.  I'll get there sooner or later.