I live in Calif. and own a 336D in 35 Rem. Lately I have been testing Barnes 140 grain XPB pistol bullets with good results. XPB's are .357" in dia. but shoot very well. Using A2015 I get 2134 fps. and under 1/2 inch groups at 50 yds. With RL7 I get 2514 fps. with 3/4" groups at 50 yds. Before this I machined 225 grain TSX's into 206 grain flatnose hollow points. Good accuracy but not enough expansion. Try the 140 XPB's.

 

Have you taken any deer with the 140gr Barnes? I wonder how it would do? Probably all the penetration a person would need?

 

Try looking at cutting edge bullets web site. You might find something there.

 

Cutting Edge has some great bullets but not any in .358" for use in a tubular magazine.

 

I just checked out the Maker Bullet site. I might have to order some of those. 200 grain made for the .35 Remington.

 

Let me know how it goes, but they look like they may be a good option.

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Barnes TTSX in 180gn might be an option.

 

These seemed like the only option at first, with being limited to one round in the chamber, and one in the magazine. I've seen people mention trying them, or going that route, but never much follow up.

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Correction...I just checked, and Hornady doesn't even show a solid for .35. My bad.
Barnes shows 180 & 200gr TTSX's. I'd bet either of those suckers would be AWESOME!!!


-Butchman

 

Wish they had a GMX .358. My .270 has dime groups with them at 100 yards. Shot 3 deer with them and DRT.

Correction...I just checked, and Hornady doesn't even show a solid for .35. My bad.
Barnes shows 180 & 200gr TTSX's. I'd bet either of those suckers would be AWESOME!!!




-Butchman

 

I wonder if the tip were pulled off if the remaining hollow point is bigger than the primer? Would open on impact and stack more in the magazine.

 

Yep.
"Several" years ago I suggested they add a 100gr or 110gr GMX .308 to their line up...mainly for 300blk AR's. And add a line of powdercoated bullets...

The answer I got was there's just not enough following for it, and what do you mean by powdercoated bullets?

Hahahahahah!...Do y'all do any research of the shooting industry?... was my response.

...then later I heard how much ammo they had sold to gov't agencies. Wow!

Obviously they know a "tad" more about than I do about makin $ in the ammo world. They've done well.

-Butchman

 

I'd like to hear about that as well.

 

Cutting Edge 160 gr. Copper Raptors work. You can pull the plastic ballistic tip out and it functions like a flat nose. Safe in the tube too. I had Superior Ammunition in South Carolina make up a few boxes for me. If you call them, they should still have the load data and can make some for you. The loads are accurate (require sighting in though because they shoot differently than the Remingtons) and cycle well. Unfortunately deer numbers are down where I hunt, so I did not have a chance to shoot anything other than paper this year. Next year, right? The folks from Cutting Edge told me the bullet should function down to 1500 fps if I remember correctly. That's well out past the range I'll use that gun, so that'll work for me. It was nice to use the 35 again this year. Good luck.

 

Has anyone ever done any low-velocity 35 cal expansion tests with those barnes? I wonder what they'd do at 1600 - 1800fps?

 

I've got the stuff to load and do the tests from a 336. (Remlin is all I currently have in 35)

Any particular bullet you want tested for expansion at those speeds?

 

I'd like to see those 180 ttsx too. Would you plan to alter the bullets (remove the tip)? Thanks for taking this on Butchman!!!! Much appreciated!!!

 

Also interested in hunting accuracy at 200yd from a rest. This is a different test but I would really like to hear about it! Taking .35's as backup rifles and we need to hit a 14" square at 200yds for practice.

 

I can send a few 200 grain tsx bullets to support the low-velocity bullet test cause! Let me know!

 

If you've got four or five you can spare, I'll run them through the chrono, and into either reusable gel blocks or water jugs (to catch the bullet).

Just to get started...I tried some Barnes FN-150gr tsx's in a 30-30. They are loaded with Leverevolution powder (LVR). These are pretty hot loads, and I won't repeat the load or speed...but they're accurate as crap in my '67 336 Marlin. I will say they're a STOUT load and I'm still looking for a slower load that's as accurate. I do get a tad of cratering on the primer.

-Butchman

 

Here's the box I built for catching bullets with water jugs, water balloons, and reusable gel blocks.

And the jug box ready for the catch...

-Butchman

 

The shot...

And what's recovered...

-Butchman

 

The largest piece weighed 105.2gr, and I'd bet those flying razors would make a mess.

-Butchman

 

In the coming weeks, I hope to find some lead free bullets to run a myriad of tests.
The TTSX's will have to have the tip removed, or they'd have to be loaded no more than one in a tubular magazine. I'll search around and see what's available for 35's with tubular magazines.

The Barnes 150gr/30-30 Tsx's are made specifically for tubular magazines.

Do any of you folks know of a copper hollow point made specifically for 35Rem tube magazines?

Mountainguy-Are the 200gr Tsx's the type with the LARGE hollow point for tubular magazines?


-Butchman

 

No my friend - they are geared toward 358 winny and 35 whelen velocities. Be happy to send you a few - maybe one or two could be altered to see if it would improve expansion? PM where you'd like them sent and I'll try to get them there this week.

 

I'll have to add...I was VERY surprised when I saw how the untipped 30-30 bullet with the large hollow point performed. Up until now, this is what I've gotten every time with Barnes solid copper or Hornady copper/zinc bullets...

And this weekend, the 30-30 Barnes 150gr (TSX) lever action hollow point did this...

Live and learn...


-Butchman

 

[Quote/]
Of note, I just found a source for solid copper bullets designed for .35 Rem: https://www.makerbullets.com/proddetail.php?prod=358200LVR

I am asking the company for more information, including pictures, and what their research for load data has been.

Stay tuned.[/QUOTE]


Hey Flazer,
Those bullets sound like a seriously good thing. I'll get some tests going as soon as I can get some, since they require no "modifications" to make them useable for a tubular magazine. From what I can tell, they were actually designed for a 35Rem speeds and for use in a levergun with a tubular mag.

If they're as good as they sound, I'll use them exclusively for hunting when using 35 Rem. Period.


-Butchman

 

A new friend is sending me some Maker Bullets to try.
Supposedly they are designed to open up (expand) in the velocity range for 35 Rem, and I'm geeked about getting some to try out. If they expand well at the slower velocities as advertised, that would equate to additional range for shooting well past 200 yards.

Also, they've got some lead free bullets for 30-30 that is designed for expanding well at super sonic AND subsonic speeds. Wow.

Furthermore, they've got a line of heavy bullets (220gr I think) designed for 300 blackout sub speeds...get this...that expand at subsonic velocities. That's a huge claim, that I fully intend to check out. But that's for another thread.

-Butchman

 

Butchman, I responded to your PM, but now that I'm reading back through your posts, I think continuing to update this thread may be best, especially if you get your hands on those Makers bullets to compare with the TTSX. I think you're right, and if they perform well, they might be the way to go. Looking forward to the results!

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Bullet testing is a hoot and the recovering a bullet from a dead critter was always interesting to me. I use a 30-06 and a .338 Win. Mag. in Alaska and I have recovered only one Barnes X bullet. It started as a 225 grain .338 bullet that I put into the forehead of a bull moose at about 25' and after going down it's neck it lodged in a rib bone after traveling through about 4' of moose. The recovered bullet weighed 224 grains with a perfect Barnes X mushroom.

Barnes X bullets are not all created equal, and some thought needs to be given to bullet weight and impact velocities, as some expand at different velocities. Barnes has done extensive testing of their bullets and they know what the minimum required impact velocity is for their bullets to expand.

It would greatly benefit lever action Marlin rifles if Barnes made a suitable X bullet for the .35 Remington. There are expanding bullets and then on the top shelf there are Barnes Triple Shock bullets.

Fortunately, most Marlin lever action rifle calibers are short to medium range calibers tossing bullets at low impact velocities and traditional cup and core bullets work at those velocities, especially on deer or bigger lung shot critters.

A call to one of their "technicians" is very helpful and I have spoke with a guy named Ty on a few occasions.

 

I think I spoke to Ty through email. Everyone should email them and express interest in seeing a flat nose style of bullet designed for 35 Remington. They've made bullets for 30-30 and 45-70, they could do it for 35 Rem if there was a market.

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These came in today.
To say I'm excited to try them out, is a HUGE understatement.

-Butchman

 

Are these the Barnes or Makers bullets?

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Let's identify what we're looking for from the tests...(i.e.-what is the number one objective?)

Since I don't have an unlimited amount of components (or $) what is the most important test result?
Best expansion at slowest velocities, best expansion at high and low velocity, accuracy, or some other objective?
And if someone says "a mixture of accuracy and expansion"...I can give them an address to contribute a large sack of cash.

I'm thinking accuracy is for the group to work out, if I can find a good bullet that expands at high and low velocities.

Thoughts?

-Butchman