Federal Trophy Bonded Tip

• Aug 13, 2011

• #1

jlmatthew

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I bought some 180 grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullets for my 30/06 and the accuracy is flat out amazing! :hump:

My question is how is they're performance on light game like Antelope & Deer? I've watched Barnes X bullets zip in and out of a deer like a FMJ. Do these bonded tip expand pretty good?

Would like to hear folks personal experience with them on the lighter skinned animals


thx

 

• Aug 13, 2011

• #2

MNHunter

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I got really good expansion on the deer ivs shot using the same round. I switched all my rifles to shoot the Federals.

 

• Aug 13, 2011

• #3

noharleyyet

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I've watched Barnes X bullets zip in and out of a deer like a FMJ

Click to expand...

I use barnes and accubonds and have never had a keyhole with either on any sized game.

 

• Aug 13, 2011

• #4

N

NChunter

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They work great on Whitetails.

 

• Aug 13, 2011

• #5

Gunner46

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If you were using 180 gr Barnes on a deer, then it was the wrong weight. A 150 would have given you much better expansion. A 180 is designed for heavier game. The 180 probably opened up some, but not enough to really noticen notice. I've found that you usually should drop down to the next normal bullet weight for caliber, when using Barnes.

 

• Aug 14, 2011

• #6

BiggWimm

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I shoot the 180's on elk and they do an outstanding job. I have shot the 150's on caribou and they work great. I have shot bears with the 150's and they perform excellent. The bullets always have good expansion and pass through. These bullets work awesome and I have been using them since they were the trophy bonded bear claw.

 

• Aug 14, 2011

• #7

mtelkhntr78

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Gunner46 said:

If you were using 180 gr Barnes on a deer, then it was the wrong weight. A 150 would have given you much better expansion. A 180 is designed for heavier game. The 180 probably opened up some, but not enough to really noticen notice. I've found that you usually should drop down to the next normal bullet weight for caliber, when using Barnes.

Click to expand...

Agree! I think Barnes says the same thing. I use a 168gr TSX on elk and have had some excellent results. The key is dropping a "weight class" for intended results.

 

• Aug 14, 2011

• #8

jlmatthew

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mtelkhntr78 said:

Agree! I think Barnes says the same thing. I use a 168gr TSX on elk and have had some excellent results. The key is dropping a "weight class" for intended results.

Click to expand...

Thats the problem with living in Colorado, you never know whats going to present itself

I will be hunting Elk and Deer within a week of each other west of I-25, and with my Plains Elk tag (East of I-25) I can easily be shooting at an elk while hunting antelope, thats why I'm looking for an all-around bullet. I bought the 180 grain bullet becuase thats all that Sportsmans Warehouse had at the time. It shoots so amazingly accurate, I'm reluctant to change.

Thanks guys for your inputs.