Barnes LRX quality?

[Tuby27]

SMH, Barnes quality going down? Or should I still send it. The 175gr LRX looks like it had the tip shaved off, it was like that in the box. I also noticed the tips weren’t straight also, most appeared canted. The 129gr LRX, both have the same oal/ogive measurement, brass is same length. Will it affect my load development?

 

[A382DWDZQ]

I’ve had good experience with their customer service. Might want to reach out to them and see what they say. I doubt the tips being canted would affect it enough to affect hunting accuracy. I’ve loaded LRXs and have not seen any issues out of 277, 284, and 308 cal. With one of my 270s, it loved the TSX and did not love the LRX though.

 

[jhm2023]

Are the two seated bullets pictured from the same lot or different? A few years back I started noticing that the delrin tips were almost always off center in the bullet. Would also occasionally have tips break off and the bottom edge of some boat tails have almost like a burr or tooling mark. Barnes customer service has always be good and they sent a new box out after I contacted them about the issues once. I have since just moved on to Hammer bullets and will likely never switch back unless for some strange reason I need to tap into my reserve of LRXs. The consistency with the hammers is considerably better and the terminal performance is better too which I didn't think was possible.

 

[Tuby27]

Are the two seated bullets pictured from the same lot or different? A few years back I started noticing that the delrin tips were almost always off center in the bullet. Would also occasionally have tips break off and the bottom edge of some boat tails have almost like a burr or tooling mark. Barnes customer service has always be good and they sent a new box out after I contacted them about the issues once. I have since just moved on to Hammer bullets and will likely never switch back unless for some strange reason I need to tap into my reserve of LRXs. The consistency with the hammers is considerably better and the terminal performance is better too which I didn't think was possible.

Yes same lot. I loaded them yesterday and was just looking at them now and noticed the difference in the grooves.

 

[jhm2023]

Yes same lot. I loaded them yesterday and was just looking at them now and noticed the difference in the grooves.

Weird. The one on the left looks more like a TTSX than an LRX. Would be interested to see if there is a weight difference. Either way that's a no go for me and would contact Barnes.

 

[tom338]

They do not look like the same bullet. I'd pull both of then and check.

 

[Dark timber]

I noticed the same thing with the last TTSXs I loaded. Inconsistent cannelure placement. They still shot great, though.

 

[VernAK]

I placed a .277 TTSX and LRX side by side and yes the cannelures are spaced different. I appears to me that you have a mix of bullets.

 

[Tuby27]

Pulled it and measured it. Here’s some pics of it along with others from the same box. Weight is pretty much the same.

 

[MThuntr]

Talk to Barnes. Probably not a big deal but definitely not acceptable in my opinion.

 

[Tuby27]

Update. So I emailed Barnes and the rep responded they will mail me a new box once I provide the lot number. Not sure if they will send me one of each, but being that I live in California, they said it has to go to my FFL. Still awaiting shipping confirmation. Will update if and when I do get it, if so, their customer service will be top notch in my book. Forward to tonight, I decided to check my other .277 LRX projectiles since it’s from the same lot, I have 4 remaining unopened boxes of the same lot. I open one box, laid them out, sure enough, one of them has the same issue. Hmmm, decided to open the third box…yup, same thing. The one with the marker is the first one that I noticed and pulled from a loaded round. All three appear to have the same measurement in the groove cuts compared to the others. Just weird that there are 1 in each box only though. If Barnes does send me a box, that’ll be great. But SMH, 3 for 3 with 2 boxes unopened. What are my chances…good thing I’m heading to Reno, NV for spring break. Hopefully I come up! . Anyone from Reno that can recommend some good pew pew shops to check out. I want to experience what freedom feels like…Thanks.

 

[crich]

Update. So I emailed Barnes and the rep responded they will mail me a new box once I provide the lot number. Not sure if they will send me one of each, but being that I live in California, they said it has to go to my FFL. Still awaiting shipping confirmation. Will update if and when I do get it, if so, their customer service will be top notch in my book. Forward to tonight, I decided to check my other .277 LRX projectiles since it’s from the same lot, I have 4 remaining unopened boxes of the same lot. I open one box, laid them out, sure enough, one of them has the same issue. Hmmm, decided to open the third box…yup, same thing. The one with the marker is the first one that I noticed and pulled from a loaded round. All three appear to have the same measurement in the groove cuts compared to the others. Just weird that there are 1 in each box only though. If Barnes does send me a box, that’ll be great. But SMH, 3 for 3 with 2 boxes unopened. What are my chances…good thing I’m heading to Reno, NV for spring break. Hopefully I come up! . Anyone from Reno that can recommend some good pew pew shops to check out. I want to experience what freedom feels like…Thanks.

Did they give any explanations as to whats going on?

 

[Tuby27]

Did they give any explanations as to whats going on?

nope, other than that's a first they've heard of it. but I haven't let them know it was the same for the other two boxes I just opened.

 

[FCCDerek]

SMH, Barnes quality going down? Or should I still send it. The 175gr LRX looks like it had the tip shaved off, it was like that in the box. I also noticed the tips weren’t straight also, most appeared canted. The 129gr LRX, both have the same oal/ogive measurement, brass is same length. Will it affect my load development?

Forget Barnes, get some Hammer bullets. They're far superior. And thus far have been very easy to develop loads for.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Forget Barnes, get some Hammer bullets. They're far superior. And thus far have been very easy to develop loads for.

For sure we have our opinions based on experience and what others have written.

Barnes TTSX are easy to develop for in my rifles. Maybe I'm the only one? Far superior? Barnes makes millions of bullets and Hammer is a smaller scale company, does anyone know for a fact Hammer hasn't had a problem or three?
Barnes BC's are based on time of flight using controlled equipment and are pretty spot on. I think Hammers are based upon drops, and have heard more than a few say they are not accurate.

In full disclosure, 28 years ago I had a .264 X bullet show up in a box of .277 X bullets. Are they far less superior because there's been one issue in 28 years of my experience? No way, IMO.

Hammers are a great take on the mono bullet with being more of a bore rider. To differentiate on game performance they lose the petals on penetration. From every report I've read about Hammers and about the TTSX, they both kill animals just as dead. It is interesting hunters see Hammer bullets impact the hillside beyond the animals (after exiting) not in line with their original lines of the shot. Maybe those petals don't break of at precisely the same time and allow the bullet to veer inside the animal?

 

[Wildstreak]

For sure we have our opinions based on experience and what others have written.

Barnes TTSX are easy to develop for in my rifles. Maybe I'm the only one? Far superior? Barnes makes millions of bullets and Hammer is a smaller scale company, does anyone know for a fact Hammer hasn't had a problem or three?
Barnes BC's are based on time of flight using controlled equipment and are pretty spot on. I think Hammers are based upon drops, and have heard more than a few say they are not accurate.

In full disclosure, 28 years ago I had a .264 X bullet show up in a box of .277 X bullets. Are they far less superior because there's been one issue in 28 years of my experience? No way, IMO.

Hammers are a great take on the mono bullet with being more of a bore rider. To differentiate on game performance they lose the petals on penetration. From every report I've read about Hammers and about the TTSX, they both kill animals just as dead. It is interesting hunters see Hammer bullets impact the hillside beyond the animals (after exiting) not in line with their original lines of the shot. Maybe those petals don't break of at precisely the same time and allow the bullet to veer inside the animal?

Superior? Eh….

 

[SDHNTR]

They absolutely do not have to send bullets to an ffl, only loaded ammo.

 

[Tuby27]

They absolutely do not have to send bullets to an ffl, only loaded ammo.

Yea they wouldn’t send it direct to me, had to go to FFL. Same thing happen when I order some Norma brass for my 300wsm from normashooting. They didn’t want to send direct to me, had to go to FFL…but they screwed up, when I ordered I initially put my mailing address then they responded saying they need to send to an FFL, I gave them my FFL info…but they still sent it direct to me.

 

[Tuby27]

Barnes finally came through however, they only sent one box of the 175gr lrx to my FFL. I’ll take it.

 

[tom338]

I have shot both Hammers and Barnes. I personally prefer the Barnes. Why??? Because of a larger exit hole. If I can't find blood I'm in trouble finding my game I shot. I do not hunt in open county and need to be able to follow a blood trail. I have only shot 1 elk and 2 mule deer with the Hammers, all dead. But the .284 exit hole sure didn't leak much and took a long time to start leaking blood. To each their own. And to answerer a question, yes I have seen a difference and still do in the ogive in Hammer bullets. Ordered 2 boxes and then 6 months later 2 more. They shot different so I measured and found the ogive was different. Found out they changed/updated their bullets. That would have been nice to know up front. They still shot good but had to be seated differently than the others. I do struggle to get Barnes bullets to all seat consistently, working on that with my brass. On the plus side Hammers are very consistent on weights and ogive measurements out of the same box.