470 NE - Barnes

[Ndczerwinski]

Hello everyone,

I was talking with my PH who I know well and have done multiple hunts with about ammo selection recommendations for my new 470 NE I am picking up tomorrow.

The first hunt with it will be land hippo and a buffalo next summer.

In the past he really wanted me shoot Barnes bullets out of my 375 Ruger. I hand loaded some 270 Gr TSX up and they were flawless from blesbuck up to Cape Buffalo.

Back to the 470 NE, he recommended TSX loads again and said it’s all he runs in his 500 NE.

My gun was regulated for Hornady ammo from factory. I feel like the Barnes TSX on a NE rifle is a weird way to go since they need 2000 fps for reliable expansion and my muzzle velocity will be 2150 Max. The factory Barnes hit this speed supposedly, but the loads in the Barnes reloading database mostly do not.

I would like to get some Barnes factory ammo to see how they regulate before I start chasing a proper handload that hits 2150 fps and regulates well.

Looking for feedback from others on my thoughts. Also wondering if anyone has spotted this ammo for sale recently because I’m not seeing it anywhere I typically shop.

Thank you for input.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'd like to share my recent experience in shooting Hornady DGX Bonded bullets on a recent trip to Australia for buffalo.

I was shooting 400 grain .416 bullets in my double rifle chambered in .500/.416 NE, we shot the double rifle for at least 16 buffalo, here are a number of rounds that were recovered, the others were all pass throughs.

I was massively impressed with the Hornady DGX Bonded bullets. Last year my son and I hunted South Africa for cape buffalo cows, we had 3 one kill shots using Barnes TSX in .375. We also shot Barnes .375 TSX on this trip, in general they performed well but at longer ranges (200 yards) I have experienced reduced opening of TSX bullets I'm guessing to the reduced velocity.

Front row: 300 grain Barnes TSX .375 H&H Mag. On right - 150 grain Barnes TSX .308 Win.
Back Row: 400 grain Hornady DGX Bonded. .500/.416NE.

The .416 Hornady DGX Bonded ammunition performed real well in terms of knock down, many buffalo collapsed with just one shot, I will certainly stay with Hornady for use in my double rifle.

If your gun shoots well with Hornady ammunition in .470 NE, I'd be tempted to stay with it. Good luck on your future hunt.

Feel free to read my Australian hunt report, here is a video of a large buffalo bull taking 2 Hornady DGS Bonded 400 grain bullets.

 

[ftrovato]

I'd like to share my recent experience in shooting Hornady DGX Bonded bullets on a recent trip to Australia for buffalo.

I was shooting 400 grain .416 bullets in my double rifle chambered in .500/.416 NE, we shot the double rifle for at least 16 buffalo, here are a number of rounds that were recovered, the others were all pass throughs.

View attachment 693223

I was massively impressed with the Hornady DGX Bonded bullets. Last year my son and I hunted South Africa for cape buffalo cows, we had 3 one kill shots using Barnes TSX in .375. We also shot Barnes .375 TSX on this trip, in general they performed well but at longer ranges (200 yards) I have experienced reduced opening of TSX bullets I'm guessing to the reduced velocity.

View attachment 693225

Front row: 300 grain Barnes TSX .375 H&H Mag. On right - 150 grain Barnes TSX .308 Win.
Back Row: 400 grain Hornady DGX Bonded. .500/.416NE.

The .416 Hornady DGX Bonded ammunition performed real well in terms of knock down, many buffalo collapsed with just one shot, I will certainly stay with Hornady for use in my double rifle.

If your gun shoots well with Hornady ammunition in .470 NE, I'd be tempted to stay with it. Good luck on your future hunt.

Feel free to read my Australian hunt report, here is a video of a large buffalo bull taking 2 Hornady DGS Bonded 400 grain bullets.

Hard to argue with those results!

 

[Luvthunt]

Good information and bullet collecting

 

[ActionBob]

Hello everyone,

I was talking with my PH who I know well and have done multiple hunts with about ammo selection recommendations for my new 470 NE I am picking up tomorrow.

The first hunt with it will be land hippo and a buffalo next summer.

In the past he really wanted me shoot Barnes bullets out of my 375 Ruger. I hand loaded some 270 Gr TSX up and they were flawless from blesbuck up to Cape Buffalo.

Back to the 470 NE, he recommended TSX loads again and said it’s all he runs in his 500 NE.

My gun was regulated for Hornady ammo from factory. I feel like the Barnes TSX on a NE rifle is a weird way to go since they need 2000 fps for reliable expansion and my muzzle velocity will be 2150 Max. The factory Barnes hit this speed supposedly, but the loads in the Barnes reloading database mostly do not.

I would like to get some Barnes factory ammo to see how they regulate before I start chasing a proper handload that hits 2150 fps and regulates well.

Looking for feedback from others on my thoughts. Also wondering if anyone has spotted this ammo for sale recently because I’m not seeing it anywhere I typically shop.

Thank you for input.

I believe i have some of that ammo. If I recall correctly it didn't regulate as good as Federal nor Hornady in my rifle.

Edit, took a quick look and didn't find it right off.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hello everyone,

I was talking with my PH who I know well and have done multiple hunts with about ammo selection recommendations for my new 470 NE I am picking up tomorrow.

The first hunt with it will be land hippo and a buffalo next summer.

In the past he really wanted me shoot Barnes bullets out of my 375 Ruger. I hand loaded some 270 Gr TSX up and they were flawless from blesbuck up to Cape Buffalo.

Back to the 470 NE, he recommended TSX loads again and said it’s all he runs in his 500 NE.

My gun was regulated for Hornady ammo from factory. I feel like the Barnes TSX on a NE rifle is a weird way to go since they need 2000 fps for reliable expansion and my muzzle velocity will be 2150 Max. The factory Barnes hit this speed supposedly, but the loads in the Barnes reloading database mostly do not.

I would like to get some Barnes factory ammo to see how they regulate before I start chasing a proper handload that hits 2150 fps and regulates well.

Looking for feedback from others on my thoughts. Also wondering if anyone has spotted this ammo for sale recently because I’m not seeing it anywhere I typically shop.

Thank you for input.

However you wind up getting the ammo please go to the trouble and use TSX. There are no concerns with performance and my .470 is amazing on DG. I may have a box to sell let me check. I use Safari Arms to custom load ammo for me and have been pleased. My .450/400 does need to be reruglated and is with JJ now. What ever it takes to shoot Barnes just do it!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I can personally attest that the 300Gr Barnes TSX (out of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum) is fantastic medicine for hippopotamus on land and Cape buffalo. Same for high velocity calibers like the .416 Rigby or .458 Lott.

Now, that said… there have been recent documented instances of them sometimes not properly expanding when being fired from the lower velocity Nitro Express calibers.

This was from a .500 Nitro Express 570Gr Federal Premium Barnes TSX factory load. It was used to make a broadside heart-lung shot on Cape buffalo and the bullet didn’t properly expand at all.

My friend, white hunter Mark Sullivan has (in the last hunting season) had three 750Gr Barnes TSX bullets (fired from his .577 Nitro Express Heym Model 88B) completely fail to expand even remotely.

Please see if you can obtain some Federal Premium 500Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw factory loads for your .470 Nitro Express. Federal currently has them in stock. Expansion is relatively more consistent in low velocity Nitro Express calibers on account of the lead cored design.

Buy Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 470 Nitro Express Ammo | 500 Grain, 2150 FPS | Federal

Shopping for the Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, 470 Nitro Express, 500 Grain, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, 2150 fps - Learn more about the latest Safari Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.

www.federalpremium.com

 

[Monski]

My 470 is regulated with Hornady but shoots Federal Premium Aframes and Barnes banded solids even better. The same Barnes solid in the Barnes brand ammo didn't regulate well at all. It has been 10 years so I don't remember how much so. I didn't chrono it. I know I pulled the bullets of the rest and the powder of the Barnes brand was caked together some. Every double rifle has a mind of it's own though. I don't think I've shot any TSX through it though.