When Randy Brooks, the previous owner of Barnes Bullets, invented the all-copper X-bullet in 1989 it changed the hunting world. The X-bullet earned a great reputation for terminal performance all over the world, and monolithic bullets became the choice of millions of hunters. It also put Barnes Bullets on the map with a big bullseye on the company.
An investment company called Freedom Group, later Remington Outdoors, bought Barnes Bullets in 2010. They declared bankruptcy in 2018. Their multiple holdings were sold out piecemeal and Sierra Bullets bought Barnes Bullets.
The two companies could not be more different in bullet design. While they both made loaded ammo and bullets, Barnes was known for solid-copper expanding bullets that offered deep penetration on game. Sierra was known for softer, cup-and-core style bullets that were extremely accurate. It was not, on the surface at least, a match made in heaven. Most expected to see the two remain autonomous and continue the way it had always been. But the folks at the helm thought otherwise.
I first heard of this ammo when I was putting together my annual hunt in Mississippi with my good friend Tony Kinton. I was presented with an opportunity to use the new Barnes ammo with the condition that I not say a word. The boxes I was sent were marked confidential and for a long time nobody involved would officially tell me the details. I figured it out, but nobody would confirm or deny if I was right or wrong for a long time.
The ammo uses the Sierra Tipped GameKing boattail bullets in ammo loaded by Barnes with the Barnes headstamp. It’s sold under the name Barnes Harvest Collection. These boattail bullets have a very high ballistic coefficient, and, as expected with the Sierra name, are extremely accurate. They are also a huge departure from what made Barnes famous in terms of hunting-bullet design and terminal performance.
I was hunting with a Savage 110 Ultralite Elite rifle in 6.5 PRC, the same one I reviewed in the January 2025 issue of American Hunter. The ammo proved to be remarkably accurate and shot as good as any match-grade ammo I have tested in the rifle. I was told to expect very long shots in this open agricultural area of the Mississippi Delta, and I could see for miles from my blind. While I had the right equipment for a long shot, the two management does I shot that night were only about 125 yards from me. The first one dropped like someone turned off a switch. The other ran about 15 feet. I am a bit of a bullet snob, yet when dressing the deer I was very impressed with the terminal ballistics of the bullets. A few days later on Tony’s farm, I shot a very nice 9-point buck at about 30 yards. Close shots are a good test of the integrity of the bullet as the high speed impact reveals any defect in the design. Again, when looking through the deceased deer’s insides, I was impressed with the performance. All three deer had exit holes, as I would expect, and the internal damage was very impressive.
Testing any new ammo in a single firearm is as much a test of the rifle as it is the ammo and is not a fair testing protocol. So, I decided to test five different cartridges in two rifles each for accuracy, with the exception of the .30-06 in which I only tested one rifle. While I’d love to share the results of all my shooting with you, limited print space only allows me to provide the results of my best groups for each load in the accompanying table. Just know that the others weren’t far off.
It seems like I am saying this with each review of new ammo, but overall, I think this might well be the most accurate hunting ammo I have tested. I looked back at my data and compared the averages of several hunting ammo products recently tested and this comes out on top in accuracy.
The terminal performance is very important to a hunter, and it was outstanding on the three whitetail deer I shot. I would not hesitate to use this ammo in an appropriate cartridge on deer-size critters anywhere we hunt them. If I expect to shoot long distance, this ammo would be an outstanding choice. I say none of this lightly as they are bold statements, but I really like the way this stuff performs.
After 45 years in this business, I am a bit jaded and impressing me is not easy. I never expected that a cup-and-core bullet could do that in terminal ballistics. Yet, I am very impressed with this ammo both for its performance on game and its incredible accuracy. It’s also priced reasonably.
The Harvest Collection ammo is initially offered in nine different cartridges with the usual suspects ranging from .223 Remington to .300 Winchester Magnum. Details are in the data chart included. No doubt more cartridge offerings are to follow.
I am a diehard Barnes X-bullet fan, but this ammo has my attention. I wouldn’t use it on big stuff like elk or moose, and it’s not marketed for that use, but for deer it worked great. It’s less expensive than most match ammo, and it’s so accurate that I would use it in long-range competition without hesitation.
Barnes Harvest Collection
- barnesbullets.com
- Cartridges and Bullet Weights Available: .223 Rem., 69-gr. (tested); .243 Win., 90-gr.; .270 Win., 140-gr.; 6.5 Creedmoor, 140-gr. (tested); 6.5 PRC, 145-gr. (tested); 7mm Rem. Mag., 150-gr.; .308 Win., 165-gr. (tested); .30-06 Sprg., 180-gr. (tested); .300 Win. Mag., 180-gr.
- Bullet Type(s)/Style(s): Sierra Tipped GameKing/boattail
- Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .370 (.223 Rem.); .563 (6.5 Creedmoor); .597 (6.5 PRC); .517 (.308 Win.); .545 (.30-06 Sprg.)
- Muzzle Velocity (fps): 3000 (.223 Rem.); 2700 (6.5 Creedmoor); 2910 (6.5 PRC); 2680 (.308 Win.); 2760 (.30-06 Sprg.)
- Muzzle Energy (ft-lbs.): 1,379 (.223 Rem.); 2,267 (6.5 Creedmoor); 2,727 (6.5 PRC); 2,632 (.308 Win.); 3,045 (.30-06 Sprg.)
- Uses: deer
- MSRP per box: $39.99-$44.99
