Anyone using the 7mm Barnes 168 LRX?

[BjornF16]

Anyone have results to share with 168 LRX on deer, elk, etc.?

Primarily shooting 280 AI and curious on 168 LRX performance.

 

[DJL2]

I’ve got some factory loaded 139 LRX for my 7mm RM...still need to drop something with it though. Wouldn’t consider the 168, honestly. Just too heavy and with not enough velocity to be what I want.

That ammo does a little over the box advertised 3200 fps in my T3x, stays over 2600 fps to 300 yards. SD for 10 shots was 16 fps...really solid.

I’d be willing to point that at pretty much any big game you can find in NA from just about any possible presentation angle and expect good results.

 

[fatbacks]

Anyone have results to share with 168 LRX on deer, elk, etc.?

Primarily shooting 280 AI and curious on 168 LRX performance.

Check twist rates for your rifle and Barnes recommendation before loading it up. My twist rate in my 7 Saum is 1:8.4 and that was not fast enough for it. Went with the 145 LRX instead.


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[HuntInWild88]

As with all mono's velocity is your friend. My 7mm loaded with 139lrx's dropped two deer in their tracks. One at 176 yards the other was right at 200. Both 100% penetration.

 

[6.5Express]

I have been using the 145 lrx in my 280 AI and it has done well for me on mule deer, whitetail, elk, and pronghorn in that time.

 

[Slugz]

Just food for thought.

I shoot a 280AI for moose, elk, antelope and deer. No shots over 400 yards. I like a bullet that frags a little more at all ranges. Something with a 60-70% weight retention Nosler AB or a Hornady ELD x in the 80-90% weight retention range.

I've seen a few Barnes bullets zing though some animals small hole in small hole out if not impacting some bone. Now if you are wanting a bullet that transfers all the energy into the animal and is more fore giving of a not so perfect shot then Barnes is the ticket.

 

[BjornF16]

I have been using the 145 lrx in my 280 AI and it has done well for me on mule deer, whitetail, elk, and pronghorn in that time.

Shot details?

Check twist rates for your rifle and Barnes recommendation before loading it up. My twist rate in my 7 Saum is 1:8.4 and that was not fast enough for it. Went with the 145 LRX instead.


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I'm eyeballing the recently announced Browning X-Bolt Pro in 280 AI with 8 twist (which is minimum Barnes recommends for 168 LRX).

 

[JasonWi]

I'm using the 140 grain TTSX in my 7mmRM, 24" barrel and its getting 3104, killed two antelope last fall with it. Both were bang flops, with great entry and exit wounds.

 

[BjornF16]

I like 2900-3100 fps mv for the regular TTSX bullets.

According to Barnes data for 280 AI, I believe I could reach 2800 fps mv with the 168 LRX.

Assuming Std Day @ 5,000' elevation, that would give me 2000 fps at 600 yds.

I keep going back and forth between Barnes monos and lead core like ELD-X, TMK, AB, Partition, etc.

I haven't tried any of the Hammer bullets but I did harvest a whitetail doe with Norma Kalahari 125 gr (which appears to be the same basic design as the Hammer bullets) with my 280 Rem. She was DRT with 200 yd shot.

 

[JasonWi]

I like 2900-3100 fps mv for the regular TTSX bullets.

According to Barnes data for 280 AI, I believe I could reach 2800 fps mv with the 168 LRX.

Assuming Std Day @ 5,000' elevation, that would give me 2000 fps at 600 yds.

I keep going back and forth between Barnes monos and lead core like ELD-X, TMK, AB, Partition, etc.

I haven't tried any of the Hammer bullets but I did harvest a whitetail doe with Norma Kalahari 125 gr (which appears to be the same basic design as the Hammer bullets) with my 280 Rem. She was DRT with 200 yd shot.

I've killed a few deer and elk with 160 grain AB and 175 grain NP. It killed them very well and I had zero complaints.

I used the 130 grain TTSX in a .270WSM(3200 fps) for the past few years (until I finished my 7mm build) and between my boys and I, we've killed 10-12 deer,elk,antelope and bighorn sheep from 100 out to about 315 yards and all have been either bang flop..or do the wobbly walk and fall over in a few yards.

I totally agree with pushing the copper bullets fast and have nothing but positive feedback.

 

[rootacres]

As with all mono's velocity is your friend. My 7mm loaded with 139lrx's dropped two deer in their tracks. One at 176 yards the other was right at 200. Both 100% penetration.

What is your 7mm load specs? I took am considering the 139 LRX and have went through the depths of the internet and found very little info. Thanks

 

[Rob5589]

What is your 7mm load specs? I took am considering the 139 LRX and have went through the depths of the internet and found very little info. Thanks

I loaded straight from the Barnes website for the TTSX, which is the same rec's for the LRX. Shoots excellent in a T3.
I used the R22 max load which chrono'd 3170. Not signs of pressure whatsoever.

 

[rootacres]

I loaded straight from the Barnes website for the TTSX, which is the same rec's for the LRX. Shoots excellent in a T3.
I used the R22 max load which chrono'd 3170. Not signs of pressure whatsoever.
View attachment 253508

Thanks. . Do you happen to know how far you are off the lands at that COAL? Just trying to get an idea.

 

[Rob5589]

Thanks. . Do you happen to know how far you are off the lands at that COAL? Just trying to get an idea.

I do not, never measured. The overall length is 3.3 and just clears the factory mag.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I have been using the 145 lrx in my 280 AI and it has done well for me on mule deer, whitetail, elk, and pronghorn in that time.

Same. My 280AI has performed flawlessly three bulls (out to 450), a few mulies, 2-3 dozen pronghorns (some at further ranges).

I have been using a 300wsm on elk hunts lately but always grab that 280AI for pronghorn and have no concerns if I wanted to grab it for elk again.

The 168 I could probably stabilize but the 145 has been solid for me.

 

[willfrye027]

I’ve got two boxes of the 168s unopened that I need to sell. Wrong twist rate. PM me if interested, going to post them on the classifieds soon.

 

[HuntInWild88]

What is your 7mm load specs? I took am considering the 139 LRX and have went through the depths of the internet and found very little info. Thanks

They were just factory loads. I picked up the 7mag barrel for my blaser over the summer and with the reloading component shortage I just went with factory. Once everything comes available I will reload for it. But it shoots 3/4 moa at 200 yards out of my rifle. Really can't combine too much. I just knkw I can squeeze more velocity and a little.more accuracy out of it.

 

[6.5Express]

3 or 4 very mature mule deer bucks from 175-~530 through the shoulders, whitetail buck at 300, two bull elk (one big bodied, one raghorn) both about 225 through the shoulders, a pronghorn buck (bad) first shot at ~350, followed up at ~600, and a pronghorn doe bedded at 200 neck shot. Two of the deer were slightly quartered away, all the others were broadside. All of them (except the bad shot on the pronghorn) were through shoulder blades near "the point" of the blade and didnt go more than ~20 yards. Most rolled where they stood.

My wife killed a cow elk and a buck pronghorn both about 250 yards with the 139 lrx in a 7wsm as well. And we've done a bunch of freezer filling with a 264 win mag and 127 lrx (antelope, deer, and elk from 200 out to 536). Very fond of the lrx at decent velocities.

 

[Michael54]

I’ve got some factory loaded 139 LRX for my 7mm RM...still need to drop something with it though. Wouldn’t consider the 168, honestly. Just too heavy and with not enough velocity to be what I want.

That ammo does a little over the box advertised 3200 fps in my T3x, stays over 2600 fps to 300 yards. SD for 10 shots was 16 fps...really solid.

I’d be willing to point that at pretty much any big game you can find in NA from just about any possible presentation angle and expect good results.

I dropped 3 whitetail 65yds, 225yds, and 437yds this year with the factory 139 lrx outta my 7mm mag. First time using them and i am totally sold. It hammers them and doesn't turn the whole deer into hamburg in the process. The 437yd shot made it 30 yards with a blood trail stevie wonder could follow to the deer. Entrance and exit holes looked the exact same on all 3 deer.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Little late to the party but I shoot them out of my X Bolt 28 nosler. It’s 1-8 twist and they stabilize fine. Shooting right about 3200 fps with .55” groups at 100.

Only killed one muley with them, Boiler room first shot at 130 and he ran off like nothing was wrong. I truly thought I missed and couldn’t believe it. Clearly hit him twice as he cleared the ridge on the run and he died 5 yards out of site. Not sure how or why he made it that far but they shoot so well out of that gun I’ll give them a few more critters before I worry about that one.