Thanks for the follow up regarding the Barnes relationship, if that is what it's called.
I'm not now nor have I ever been a salesmen for Barnes, Hornady, Swift, or any bullet maker. I have over the years been contacted and used as a data refrence point by a number of companies that manufacture all sorts of hunting gear.
If I find something that works as I like it to, and they want me to also use it to report back on, then I'm more then happy to assist with the use of the products I like.
If I were contacted by a company to use their cup and core design and they were to sponsor me for this, I would flatly say absolutely not.... no way... no chance. The product must work for me first. These people are not my employeer, they are manufactures of produts and they want them tested to the best levels possible. They actively search out folks who they feel have this skill and ability and then they turn them loose with a supply to report back on.
My situation with Barnes was that I hated that X bullet more then anyone could imagine. I had more lost game, more bizzare recovered bullets, and more barrel fouling then anyone should experience in 100 lifetimes of shooting. They seemed to have a new design, plan, or coating every few months. Everything was a prototype and the load data was just as inconsistant. When people showed up with the X bullet, or the fail safe, I would just cringe and worry about how much time we were gonna hunt and how much time we were gonna be looking for lost game.
About two years after the TSX was introduced a very skilled and knowledgable PH spoke with me about these "new" bullets. I'm not so closed minded that I was blowing him off because my mind was made up. I listened because of the respect I have for him. That season I had several guys shoot game with the TSX bullets. However they were using normal for weight bullets, 250 in 338cal and 180 in 30 cal.
By the end of the season I was impressed to say the least. However I felt that driven faster they would open and cause much more damage. The only way for faster was ligher bullets in my simple mind. So the next year I loaded and took over bullets I bought with my own money and used without any sponsorship.
Upon my return I wrote a similiar document to this post. In that I said very clearly that there were things I did not understand about what I experienced. Enrty and exits that are identical, bullets lodged backwards and so on. But........ no animals lost of the 50 plus we shot with the TSX. No fouling and I was able to shoot a hole touching group the last few days I was there. This after the rifle had been uncleaned for 2 months of hunting every single day and having shot probably 50-75 rounds of the TSX by 6-7 different hunters.
So I was impressed with the positive changes Barnes made and I felt that further study must be made to get me a better level of resolution.
Remember I was.... early on a very strong sceptic, but now a bit more excited about the TSX. The next year we did the same thing again,.... and again the same results. I would guess thinking back we shot another 50 plus animmals and lost a single Blue Wildebeast. That animal was shot poorly by the admission of the hunter and we cannot blame the loss on the bullet or the cartridge. Then again last year, another 60 plus animals, and this years results as well. So what have we now, 250 plus animals shot, and most of those over 300lbs. During all this time we have lost a total of one single Blue Wildebeest which was shot poorly. Not a single animal from Steenbok and jackal to Eland and Giraffe was lost due to bullet placement with the 165 grain 30/06 bullet. How much resolution is this now for comparison? Say 200 animals over 300 pounds some over 500 pounds and some over a ton in body weight. How many life times of hunting feedback is that for a single hunter? At what point do you have to look at this and take notice of the success here?
Any bullet made, at some point will have something people will refer to as a failure. I don't care who makes it, it's probably been posted on the net with a photo and a critical comment. Barnes is not immune to these comments either. What is the ratio of failure, and what is the result of that failure? When a Bullet remains intact and continues on the path you chose with your aim, even a failure to open will destroy the tissue in that path. Compare that to a bullet that sheds the core(s) and or ruptures and leaves a path of torn and twisted jacket material behind. Then minimal remaining mass stops short of the vitals.
That's my opinion, take it for what it's worth here on this free site. We need to create income with the use of our choices, it's not just recreational but rather for a business, its a professional choice!
The last two years Barnes has provided me with some assitance and technical help to make things right with the loads. Everyone can have that with a simple phone call or Email. I was in the que with the rest of you where my support came from. They don't answer the red "bat phone" when I call for support.
So I have used their bullets because I believe in them now. I'm not using them becuse they showed up on my front porch and I had nothing better to use. In this business I use the best options I can find. These trips are expensive, and in many cases the lifes dream of the hunter. The business is not making any money while searching for wounded game, they only make money when shooting additional game. Keep that in mind, it's an important factor in the choices here for us. I want a bullet that will bring to a successful conclusion as quick as possible the death and recovery of every animal. Because that lets us move to the next one.
So what do you think I would choose? A bullet I get for free for a value of 50 bucks a box, or the trophy fees for the business day after day after day? This is a no branier folks. My equipment is chosen based on the greatest likelyhood of success and the most efficient means of harvest possible. Your mileage may very and you can certainly choose to fire any bullet you like. I'm not here to challenge anyones opinion where is differs from mine. I'm simply sharing my experience and you can digest this and use it to make your own choices.
