Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters So What's the Real Reason Federal Dropped Barnes Bullets?

It is very peculiar and curious that all of the Premium TSX and TTSX are gone - just like that. I have used them with good success in both factory and handloads, but am a little puzzled (after getting 2 CDS dials cut to match Federal Prem. ammo with Barnes bullets) as to why the change. I e-mailed their customer service, but they are tight-lipped. You'd think I was asking for a honey-hole.

I can still match handloads to the CDS dials, but it is always nice to have factory ammo as a backup.

Ammo companies are becoming hobby-riders in my opinion. I don't see this as smart marketing but maybe it is.

forepaw

Because they are now loaded by Remington as Barnes VorTx. Federal is owned by ATK, Remington owned by Cerberus.

I would think their Trophy Copper Tipped bullet would be similar B.C.'s to TTSX. Have you checked? I wouldn't think the CDS dial would be too far off when using same weight. I think the Trophy Copper Tipped is a Nosler Etip with grooves added.

As I understand it, Barnes had a patent lock (20 years?) on the copper monolithic bullet, but it ran out a couple years back. Hence the emergence of similarly designed bullets from the competition.

Federal now has its own, too. I'd suggest it's just economics, and a business decision that probably was inevitable and no big surprise to Barnes.

Seems to me that any rifle built tailored to a Barnes mono is a risky proposition, whether it be factory or handload in design. Barnes has never been a brand one could count on when buying product over time. As far as that goes, it seems that one would be wise to have a known component on hand in sufficient quantities before doing a build around it.

Thanks for info and helpful comments. I do plan to try some Trophy Copper and see how much of a mismatch I have with the dials, I can always get new dials cut if I need to. I mostly shoot handloads, but like to have dope on the factory stuff if I need to use it. I also use (and like) Nosler partitions, so that is an option. It does get aggravating though, when the ammo companies think they have to bring out a new and improved version every couple of years, when the stuff they just discontinued was fine. Then you get dialed in with the new version, and presto, a few years later, there is the old product in a new package.

forepaw

The Trophy Copper look like E-Tips with grooves.

When Barnes started selling loaded ammo this pissed Federal off and they come up with their own copper bullet and stopped using Barnes bullets

Learn to use MOA dials, they work with any BC and altitude

They did it to pizz you off.

I've seen this floated around the internet and, while it may end up being dead on accurate, it doesn't seem to hold up as a theory. Nosler sells loaded ammo in competition with the Federal Premium line, yet Federal still loads Nosler bullets in their ammo. If loading your bullets in your ammo would upset Federal, wouldn't Nosler be out as well?


Federal does still load Barnes bullets in the 9.3x62 and larger cartridges, btw.


I've found the Trophy Copper ammo to provide outstanding accuracy in my .280 and mediocre accuracy in my .270 (don't tell anyone I own a .270, please). Haven't been able to try it in the '06 or .300WSM yet.

Noody hit it yet...Federal stopped loading Barnes when Remington( aka Freedom Group aka Cerberus) bought Barnes....direct ammo competitor.

In reaction to market Barnes started loading their own...

Forget the CDS and listen to jwp475

Is the Remington trophy copper ammo loaded with Barnes bullets? I have a couple boxes of 150 grain .308 and an elk tag but no experience with Remington trophy copper on game. Would the Hornady 165 interlock be a safer bet at .308 velocity?

And now ATK (Federal) owns Savage!!!

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