Barnes Quality Control

[01Foreman400]

I’ve loaded a bunch of Barnes bullets but these .284 120 gr TTSX’s were something I’d never seen before. Most of them had the tip to one side like this. A few the tip wasn’t even seated all the way. Think it’ll have an effect on accuracy?

 

[A382DWDZQ]

For hunting accuracy, unlikely to make a difference.

 

[Unckebob]

If you call Barnes, I bet they make it right for you.

 

[jhm2023]

I stopped buying Barnes when they started having some QC issues regarding the tips being seated off center and not all the way down, as well as some imperfections on the bullet base. I noticed these issue in .264 127gr LRX, .284 145gr LRX, and .338 250gr LRX. They did replace a box of the 145gr LRX for me when I called and asked why the bullets were like that, but the replacements had the same issues. I'm certainly not disappointed about switching to Hammers by means either.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I bet it makes zero difference.

 

[01Foreman400]

I did shoot some yesterday and the accuracy was terrible. I don’t have an exact load for this rifle yet so I’m not blaming the bullets but it was pretty bad.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

What was the accuracy and range?

 

[crich]

I stopped buying Barnes when they started having some QC issues regarding the tips being seated off center and not all the way down, as well as some imperfections on the bullet base. I noticed these issue in .264 127gr LRX, .284 145gr LRX, and .338 250gr LRX. They did replace a box of the 145gr LRX for me when I called and asked why the bullets were like that, but the replacements had the same issues. I'm certainly not disappointed about switching to Hammers by means either.

DId you shoot any of them?

 

[cowboy]

I quit Barnes a long time ago so have no personal experience with these tipped bullets but I’d bet you a cold one that beyond 300 yds or so the accuracy would not be good. It is just simple aerodynamics.

 

[01Foreman400]

What was the accuracy and range?

Around 2” at 100 yards.

 

[Andouille]

I’d bet you a cold one that beyond 300 yds or so the accuracy would not be good. It is just simple aerodynamics.

An offset tip on a spear, certainly, and arrow, maybe. But I'd bet you a cold one that simple aerodynamics are not representative of the trajectory of supersonic bullets spinning at >200,000 rpm, where an offset tip essentially becomes a solid object with slightly larger frontal diameter than a centered tip.

My understanding from one of the Hornady Podcasts with balistician Jayden Quinlan (maybe Episode #29) is that off-center bullets don't affect accuracy until the bullets go transonic because there is effectively an "air cushion" around the front of the bullet and the spin rate negates any off-center mass. The off-center tip might decrease BC a bit due to increased frontal area, but that would just reduce effective range, not accuracy. Picture the BC reduction of a blunt-tip soft point vs a pointy tip hunting bullet.

My practical take-away is that any accuracy issues from off-center tips shot within normal hunting ranges would be the result of the handload components, rather than offset bullet tips.

 

[Bert01]

Maybe it doesn’t matter, but it’s still poor QC for a >$.80 bullet!

 

[LoneStar]

I'm glad you posted this, I thought I was seeing things and maybe just getting too picky. I have some that are off center and even had one missing the tip. (it was no where in the box either) Think I will start developing with another bullet for long range stuff.

 

[Mikey_B79]

I had the same with my box of 100gr TTSX in .257-caliber, the tips were pretty poor/10 but the batch of 175gr LRX handloads I just cooked up for a .300 Win Mag look perfect. Very inconsistent, and both of these boxes new in the past couple months.

 

[Andouille]

Maybe it doesn’t matter, but it’s still poor QC for a >$.80 bullet!

Agreed! There's something about a perfect bullet that makes me feel that the round will shoot better. I have three boxes of perfect Hornady CX bullets (308 150, 165, and 180gr) with centered plastic tips and some 308 175gr Badlands Bulldozer with beautiful, concentric aluminum tips. My 308 175 LRX are mostly concentric and certainly better than what the OP showed.

 

[huckfin]

I have the same off center tip on my 7mm 145gr lrx, however I was able to get a 1/2 MOA load in my 7SAUM at 3190 so i let it slide. I have good luck with Barnes loaded in my 257wby, 300wby, 8mm rem mag in the past and have not had an issue with them yet.

 

[hlet007]

I've noticed the same thing with the last batch of 6mm LRX bullets I bought. Bullet tips were off center, some of them by a considerable amount. I had never noticed this before and I've been loading LRX bullets for a few years. I have a box of Barnes 6mm factory ammo from several years back, I checked those and they looked perfect. I emailed Barnes about it and sent them pictures, they replied that it doesn't effect accuracy or consistency. I personally don't buy it.

 

[TheHammer]

I had this on some 175lrx, 190lrx and 168ttsx. They took care of the 190s, new ones were the same. Called the guy who was handling the issue and he assured me there wasn’t anything wrong with them and they’ve tested it several times on Doppler. I asked them if you can spend the time and money in resources to test the flaws but cannot fix the flaws? I have shot them and not noticed inconsistency in groups. If there is it is less variation then I’m capable of.

 

[waspocrew]

I've had some Barnes look like those in the OP - they seemed to shoot just fine. I've been shooting the 145 LRX out of my 7 SAUM quite a bit and out of the ~150 projectiles I've loaded, everything looked as they should. Maybe they are figuring things out now haha.