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With Barnes being the unofficial king of the copper solid bullets, how do the Hornady GMX's compare, with their gilding metal construction (which I understand to be 95% copper and 5% zinc).
Looking for some real life experiences (good or bad) with these bullets.
Thinking about using on Whitetails and wondering if they might be "to tough"
Any acuracy issues?
Thanks for any and all real life experience info.


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I have used the 277 caliber 130gr GMX on a few deer. They work, my impressions is they are a touch softer than Barnes.





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Want to try the 185gr .338 in my 338Federal but most everybody uses the 185TTSX so there's not much to go on. powdr

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I've used the 185gmx in my .338wm and .340roy and they seemed from my experience to be quite tougher than ttsx. Shooting into jugs and pigs I had more penetration. I know the 185ttsx will open up at least down to 2k but I'm skeptical on the gmx below 2400 or so. I'd like to get some other opinions on them myself.

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I've only seen a few of them used, mostly on game bigger than deer. 150's work fine from the .300 Winchester Magnum out to 400 yards or so, but they're still zipping right along even at 400.

However, my experience with bullets like the TSX, E-Tip and GMX in general is they kill better when really zipping along. Don't see many advantages in them at muzzle velocities much under 3000 fps--except, of course, where non-lead bullets are mandated by law.


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Originally Posted by CRS
I have used the 277 caliber 130gr GMX on a few deer. They work, my impressions is they are a touch softer than Barnes.




Aren't E-Tips gilding metal?

If the GMX is like the E-Tip, it should work OK.

Barnes 250 TSX's in my .45-70 BPCR (primitive weapon) at 2,550 fps do a real job on hogs and WT's. I don't use Barnes in the smaller calibers, prefer to go with 100 gr. Partitions in my .240. In the .223, I like 60 gr. Partitions and 65 gr. Power Points. In the .22-204, I like 75 gr Scirocco's.

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Textbook performance.

Everything I've shot with monometals, the bullets have blown thru, haven't recovered one.

But, I'm pushing them pretty fast for caliber.

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I have used the 30 cal 165 gr GMX effectively on antelope, mule deer, and many elk.

I have never been able to recover the bullets from any antelope or deer. They just punch right through the animal.

On elk I have experienced both total bullet pass through but more often find the bullet just underneath the hide on the opposite side. Mushroomed perfectly and retained 95% of the bullet weight.

The bullets perform well enough for me, however I kill most animals closer than 250 yards, with occasional pokes out to 350 yards. The only disadvantage/ detriment of the gmx is that at distances under 100-150 yards the bullets blow through every animal I've shot. This has resulted in some of the animals running off to be recovered sometimes as far as several hundred yards before they expire.

This can be mentally difficult to handle when you're not sure if you missed the animal or your shot was perfect. Then you're left with wondering if the animal is dead/wounded/ missed and all of the possibilities that result from those thoughts.

I can say however that I've learned with using GMX bullets that if you had a decent rest, gun was functioning properly, and the shot is within your range- then you hit the animal. It won't always show signs of the hit but more often than not the animal is hit.

Plus side is that there is usually little bloodshot meat, and I never find pieces of lead in my processed meat.

Because of these experiences I am currently evaluating different bullets. I want something that has a higher chance of dropping the animal in its tracks. Looking into berger vlds, nosler partitions, accubonds, accubonds long range, or barnes lrx.

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I've shot two deer this season with 243 Win. 80 grain hornady gmx, a 130 lb doe and a 290 lb buck. Both deer were about 30-40 yards away, both shot just behind the shoulder and both ran about 50 yards with great blood trails. I can't complain.

These were factory Hornady Superformance, so they were pretty hot.

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I zapped one whitetail with the 150gr Superformance .308 Win. Buck dropped nicely.

That's about all the experience I have with them.


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Originally Posted by Mule Deer

However, my experience with bullets like the TSX, E-Tip and GMX in general is they kill better when really zipping along. Don't see many advantages in them at muzzle velocities much under 3000 fps--except, of course, where non-lead bullets are mandated by law.


I can only compare a 160 TTSX to a 185 TTSX, but faster does make a difference with these. You definitely trade a bit of penetration by going light and fast, and thus opening wider. The internal damage is greater with speed though.

It seems to me there is a market for making them open wider and/or at slower impact velocities. That's just an impression though and not really based on much fact. In fairness the Barnes rep told me the .338 185 while listed as a minimum of 1800, actually went lower than that. I don't know how they define "opening" though. Although look at the Nosler site and compare the E-Tip pictures to the Partition (or Accubond) pictures at ~2000FPS. I have not seen any pictures of the GMX. I would try them if I thought they opened a bit wider at slower velocities than a TTSX. This would make them a better fit for slower cartridges and longer ranges. I may have to try and come up with a test this summer to see how the TTSX, GMX and E-Tip open at ~1800 fps.

Hope more with GMX experience chime in as I would be interested.

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I'd love to see some mono y mono tests between Barnes, Hornady, and Nosler.

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Originally Posted by 16bore
I'd love to see some mono y mono tests between Barnes, Hornady, and Nosler.

Yep.

And at two or three velocity ranges.

That would be a lot of work, for sure.

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All of the below is using MidwayUSA blem .257/90 gr over Hunter in my .257 AI @ approx 3350 fps:

[Linked Image]

Accuracy (before weight sorting) is GREAT!!

2013 dinkathon; shot from maybe 50 yds from above quartering away on a path meant to cause maximum damage. One shot kill, ran maybe 15 steps with a blood trail Stevie Wonder could follow


[Linked Image]

This past week 2 one-shot kills on hogs.

The first a medium-sized oinker (190 lbs) 100-ish yds to brain stem bang-flop pass thru

[Linked Image]

Second hog small shot in head coming straight at me at a range of about 125 yds

[Linked Image]

With the base of the bullet recovered from the ham

[Linked Image]

which I have yet to weigh, but given it impacted the skull, penetrated the full length of the pig and came to rest in the ham its "petal-less-ness" and lack of beauty can be excused.

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Originally Posted by Dirtfarmer
Originally Posted by 16bore
I'd love to see some mono y mono tests between Barnes, Hornady, and Nosler.

Yep.

And at two or three velocity ranges.

That would be a lot of work, for sure.

DF



What we need around here is an experienced writer with a 270 to sling 130gr pills at 3,000 across the board, then report the results. It'd be a good start.


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You think anyone with a .270 here on the Fire, would actually admit it..?? blush

Hmmm...

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I was thinking a 308 but.....


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I have a 27 Fruitcake and a 27 Fat Fruitcake, so I'm a little biased. Any would be fine.

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I'll try and compare 185gmx and tsx next week into some jugs. We shall see.

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