JPK:

No FMJ's from NF, but here is a Barnes TSX. This bullet was fired from my SAKO .375 and recovered from my boards and jugs test media. Looks like some material was pushed laterally, but the band does not look like it contacted the bottom of the groove {?}.

A few comments...

First, the topic is Barnes Banded Solids. It isn't Bubba's Bore Busters. So any experience anybody has MIGHT be legit since Barnes is not speaking for Bubba, but rather for Barnes Banded Solids. Throwing rocks at Barnes because some Joemoke made a bad bullet is like swearing off all FMJ's because some AP rounds rub lands smooth too fast.

I have no experience with Barnes Banded Solids. I have not shot them. Barnes says they are good to go for doubles. So far nobody has disproven that assertion or even made any attempt to do so except to paint the company the color of evil with a broad brush.

Maybe some monos are bad. Maybe some have blown up some guns. Maybe they have reversed the rifling on a truckfull of doubles. "Dozens" even. Maybe, maybe. I've asked questions in good faith, only to be met with ear-deafening silence by those who claim to know. I'd like to know. I'd like to see if SOME monos are bad, and maybe some aren't, or maybe all are bad?

Or, maybe Barnes is...maybe...could it be...telling the truth about their Banded Solids?

I read of 400Nitro's attempt to resize a mono. He almost busted his bench doing it.

Ahhh! Finally, something I have some experience at. Maybe alot of experience. Resizing .375 bullets down to 9.3, a bit farther than 400 goes IIRC.

I grabbed a Barnes TSX and tried to run it from .375 to .370 {first step in my drawing die series}.

I failed.

No way I wanted to break my bench or ruin my die. I reefed on it a bit but I gave up. Threw in the towel. The Barnes TSX was too hard to get thru the die. Too tough. I've resized many .375 bullets down to .368, .367, .366 and .365 diameters. No dice on the solid copper-alloy Barnes TSX.

Must be a barrel blower, right?

Maybe. All these maybes...

But before the Anti-Barnes crowd experiences an earthshaking, collective, ballistic orgasm, lemme add...

I couldn't push a pussywillow-bud HORNADY "thin" steel-jacketed FMJ through either!! No dice, and that thing totally seized up the die. Had to beat on a steel rod for some time till I got it out.

You guys, I don't know.

Maybe some monos are really bad stuff and will wreck your double.

Maybe some guys are trying to protect the value of old, worn out, poorly designed, poorly made, poorly refinished or otherwise suspect, ruined guns by blaming the next best thing from the truth, the Barnes solid.

When I started this inquiry, I really had no idea what the truth is, but since I can't get anybody from the Anti-Barnes crowd to upload a picture, I'm left thinking they are just making it up or inferring guilt by association.

What else can a guy think?

Heck, there's $400 laying on the table waiting for proof. Are ALL double gun owners THAT rich that they are content to leave it there?