Barnes bullets in 30-06

Hello loading and hunting wizards. I’ve got questions that I’m hoping you can help with.

I’m eyeing my first ever hunting trip this year, and want some help sorting out my bullet choices. I know I want Barnes (assuming they shoot well in my rifle), just not sure which one. I’ll be hunting Eastern Washington mule deer, so being able to reach out to 400 yds would be good.

I’m shooting a Savage 11/111 trophy hunter pro chambered in 30-06. It has a 1:10 twist 22” barrel.

I bought a box of 180 gn TTSX and a pound of IMR 4064 when I had no clue what I was doing, and recently noticed that it says 1:11 or faster on it. I called Barnes and talked to a ballistics tech. He said it’d be on the edge, and might work but he couldn’t guarantee it.

It looks like my options are either 130, 150, or 165 gn in the TTSX line.

Can you guys share any insights with me on where to go from here? Keeping in mind the range I’d like to reach out to, whatever I pick will need to deliver good stopping power at range. I’m hoping to not just get a “choose this one” answer, but an explanation of why so that I can learn.

Also, any muley tips for a novice would be awesome too.

Thanks all!


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My choice would be a 150gr barnes tipped triple shock (ttsx). I find I prefer the tipped version of the barnes bullet more than the untipped. With the barnes bullet being solid copper, I typically shoot one bullet weight down from what I would normally shoot. So if I would normally shoot a 180gr “standard” bullet, I would choose a 165gr in the barnes, if I would normally shoot a 165gr lead tipped bullet, I would choose 150gr in barnes. The reason I do this is because the Barnes Bullets are long for weight because of their lack of lead, a 150gr barnes will be as long as a 165gr hornady sp. A traditional cup and core bullet needs extra weight for penetration, where the barnes penetrates by design, so the extra velocity of the lighter bullet will help with downrange trajectory while still out penetrating its lead laden cousin. I prefer the plastic tips because it’s been my experience that as the bullet slows down at extended ranges, the plastic tip helps it to still expand readily and quickly. There will be multiple different suggestions from people, none of them will be wrong, this is just one man’s experience and take on the subject.


JTD

Maybe I’m not reading this right.

1:10in twist is faster than a 1:11in twist. You should be perfectly fine. Not sure why the Barnes Tech said you’d be on the edge. Especially if your hunting at higher elevations thinner air is more forgiving then air at sea level.

Definitely am a fan of the 168 and the 150 TTSX for Mule deer. I think even the TSX bullets are great for the yardages you are looking at.


Reloading...it’s like knitting for men.

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Originally Posted by Jay Andrew

Maybe I’m not reading this right.

1:10in twist is faster than a 1:11in twist. You should be perfectly fine. Not sure why the Barnes Tech said you’d be on the edge. Especially if your hunting at higher elevations thinner air is more forgiving then air at sea level.

Definitely am a fan of the 168 and the 150 TTSX for Mule deer. I think even the TSX bullets are great for the yardages you are looking at.


Reloading...it’s like knitting for men.

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I meant to mention about the twist rate also. 1-10” should be more than adequate for barnes 180gr tsx.


JTD

Now that you say it, that is confusing... I thought my barrel was slower than the bullets suggested. I pulled the 1:10 number from the web, I’ll have to actually check my barrel to see what the twist is.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mambochicken

Now that you say it, that is confusing... I thought my barrel was slower than the bullets suggested. I pulled the 1:10 number from the web, I’ll have to actually check my barrel to see what the twist is.


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1-10” is pretty standard for 30-06.


JTD

Okay, I measured this girl today and it is in fact a 1:10 twist. Or bloody close to it anyway, the error was probably in my measuring actually.

So that said, evidently I can shoot the 180’s. But is that the best choice?

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IMO consider lighter and faster. 130-150gr would be about right. Consider carefully,bullet makeup. Personally . . . I love the Barnes TSX or TTSX. I have killed many deer with the 130gr TSX coming out my 308Win.
The lighter bullets will give you a better trajectory at the longer ranges you speak of also. --- SAWMAN

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Originally Posted by SAWMAN

IMO consider lighter and faster. 130-150gr would be about right. Consider carefully,bullet makeup. Personally . . . I love the Barnes TSX or TTSX. I have killed many deer with the 130gr TSX coming out my 308Win.
The lighter bullets will give you a better trajectory at the longer ranges you speak of also. --- SAWMAN

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That’s what Jeffery said too... so I think I will consider getting something a little lighter. My brain says heavier is better, but that’s why I ask those who know more than I do.


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I’ll jump in here and touch in this a bit too. I have a .30-06 that has been my primary deer rifle for a few years.
I’ve shot 165gr Gamekings for a while and liked how they shot, and performed. With that being said, I’ve been slowly switching over to non-lead options for any game that will make it to the table. I have a .338-06 that is nearly assembled and that will be my rifle for heavy stuff. Now I plan to switch to a 150gr .30-06 all copper bullet and make this rifle a bit more deer friendly and maybe use it for some longer distance shots with a flatter trajectory. As long as you have the 180gr bullets, I’d try them! You aren’t put anything and they will still kill deer. But you might like the lighter bullet a bit better! Worth trying for sure!



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Hornady makes a 125 and 150gr GMX bullet also. They are even harder than the Barnes and could perform better on the heavy boned animals.
Never shot them but got a buddy that killed a moose with one two years ago in Maine. --- SAWMAN

Concur with lighter bullets for mule deer, particularly with Barnes or one of the other non-lead bullets such as the Nosler E-Tip, or the Hornady version.

30-06 is a great all-around hunting cartridge. I've used mine for mule deer, elk, black bear, pronghorn, wolf and grizzly. It works well!

Normally I use a 165 grain bullet, usually a Nosler Ballistic Tip but I did bump up to the 200 gr Nosler Partition for the grizzly hunt.

I've used Barnes bullets, and they penetrate like crazy! :) Even the lighter ones. You should be able to get a 165/168 gr bullet up to around 2850 - 2900 fps with careful handloading. No need to go crazy and try to turn the ol' 30-06 into a 300 magnum either.

Re mule deer hunting... Glass! Get someplace where you can see some country. Be in position before first light and glass, glass, glass. If you want to take a mid-day break, that's fine. Then glass, glass, glass again in the evening. Be prepared to MOVE OUT and go get your buck when you see one.

Have a way figured out to get the meat & antlers back to your truck... I bring a good sized pack, and just bring out the meat in quarters or even de-bone it in the field. That works well, even for a guy in his 60's. Dragging the buck any real distance is difficult.

Practice your marksmanship. Get off the bench! Shoot from field positions. Prone, sitting, kneeling, standing... Rest your rifle on your backpack or on a bipod or shooting sticks. I sight-in my rifle at 200 yards and have taken mule deer from about 20 yards out to an honest 400 yards. I prefer to keep the shots at 300 or less. I shoot year 'round, but switch my shooting to the hunting rifles a couple of months before the season, and burn a fair bit of ammo making sure I'm good to go.

Best of luck on your hunt!

Regards, Guy

I also pick the 150, partly because I used them in 300wm, and partly for all the reasons already mentioned, smaller, faster, flatter.....

Hello again all, picking this thread back up for some more advice.

I test shot my 185’s, and the results were pretty solidly underwhelming. So I bought a box of 150’s to try out.

My book shows a min/max of 49.5/52 gn of IMR 4064. What increments would you use for ladder tests with a 2.5 gn spread? Is 0.2 too far?


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Barnes Bullets a pretty sensitive to COL, you might try seating them further off the lands.

.2 is find for a ladder test, but I think I would go with .5, and then test different COLs.


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I would do .5gr increments. I would also start with my COAL at .030” off the lands.


JTD

I’ve heard they like a jump, so I was running at 0.05 pff the lands. I want to say that’s what they recommended, but I could be wrong. I know that number came from somewhere though, not thin air or anything.

I’ll try .5 gn steps, and start back .3 off the lands then.

Thanks guys!


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It’s not uncommon to see good results as much as .100 off the lands.


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www.theballisticassistant.com

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Originally Posted by Mambochicken

I’ve heard they like a jump, so I was running at 0.05 pff the lands. I want to say that’s what they recommended, but I could be wrong. I know that number came from somewhere though, not thin air or anything.

I’ll try .5 gn steps, and start back .3 off the lands then.

Thanks guys!


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Barnes recommends .030 - .050 off the lands. I’ve always had better luck closer to .030”.



JTD

I knew I got that number somewhere reliable. I’ll give the .03 a whirl and see how they fly.

I guess I’ve got brass prep to do, then back to the bench. Not a bad deal really.


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Keep us posted!


JTD

You know I will. Hopefully I can get this load dialed before deer season late next month. So we’ll see what happens.


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