Interestingly, the .30-30 Win. TSX FN load represents one of the few “premium”-types that are available for the aged, yet utterly reliable, cartridge. “The .30-30 Win. is a top seller in terms of ammunition, and is the standard deer cartridge in more households across the country than any other,” commented Brooks. “It makes sense that a number of .30-30 Win. shooters will want a performance round for this classic cartridge, but may not handload.”

Bullet choices in the 7 mm Rem. Mag. loads are especially interesting. “The 150-grain version is the heaviest TTSX that Barnes makes, so we offer a lighter 140-grain TTSX and a heavier 160-grain TSX,” she said. It is worthy of note that the 160-grain TSX used in VOR-TX features a boattail base, and is unavailable to consumers as a component. Why? It was manufactured for an OEM customer years after the flat-base version, and so as not to confuse customers and outlets by offering both flat-base and boattail versions in the same bullet type, weight, and caliber, it has remained unavailable to handloaders.

The list of Barnes VOR-TX offerings stops shy of dangerous-game cartridges, which is among the places the company’s projectiles have made the greatest inroads. Right now the largest cartridge in the series is .338 Win. Mag. loaded with a 225-grain TTSX.

What comes next? “We will be adding more styles and weights to the current calibers being offered in 2011; however, there is no set schedule for new calibers as of yet,” Brooks explained. So what about Originals, MPGs, MRXs, Banded Solids and Varmint Grenades, not to mention the company’s handgun offerings? Only time will tell.

Evaluating VOR-TX
The first two VOR-TX loads were produced in .30-’06 Sprg. and .308 Win. and featured 150- and 168-grain TTSXs, respectively, and I received them for testing concurrent to the ammunition’s June 15 formal announcement. No other offerings were available. To evaluate performance and consistency, including accuracy, velocity, energy, and standard deviation (Sd), and to give a more well-rounded view, each load was fired through two rifles—from different manufacturers—in that chambering.

To evaluate accuracy, each off-the-shelf hunting-grade rifle was fired from the prone position using a Shooter’s Ridge bipod and sandbag (for buttstock support) at 100 yards, with the average representing the American Rifleman protocol of five consecutive, five-shot groups. Velocity was measured for 10 consecutive shots through a Shooting Chrony Alpha Master chronograph and recorded at 10 feet. From these numbers ft.-lbs. of energy and standard deviations (Sds) were calculated.

The .30-’06 Sprg. load was fired in a Remington Model 700 XHR topped with a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5-30X 50 mm scope and a Thompson/Center (T/C) Venture fitted with a Weaver 3-15X 50 mm Super Slam scope. Although the published velocity for the load is 2970 fps, which is higher than Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc., (SAAMI)-listed rate (2,900 fps @ 15 ft.) for 150-grain projectiles in the cartridge, both rifles improved upon even that number—no small feat using lead-free bullets—as the Model 700 XHR averaged 3,002 fps, and the Venture achieved 3,009 fps. However, it must be reiterated that the distance I chronographed the rifles was 10 feet, which certainly added to the increase in velocity. Not only did the Venture excel in velocity, and therefore energy levels, but also with regard to accuracy and Sds. For the 25-shot average, the Venture’s mean was 1.29 inches, with the load’s Sd being 14. The Model 700 XHR averaged 1.92 inches, and the load posted an Sd of 19. Not bad, but certainly not match-grade, either.

To test the .308 Win. VOR-TX load, the rifles used were a T/C ICON with a Weaver 2-10X 42 mm Super Slam scope and a Marlin XS7 topped with a Nikon 4-16X 40 mm Monarch scope. Like the .30-’06 Sprg. load, the 168-grain .308 Win. round had a higher published velocity (2,680 fps) than listed by SAAMI (2,670 fps) for bullets of similar weight. And once again, VOR-TX posted an increase in velocity, but only through the ICON’s 24-inch barrel, averaging 2,711 fps; however, as in the previous test, I chronographed the load at 10 feet, not 15 feet, as is specified by SAAMI. The XS7 averaged 2,639 fps from its shorter 22-inch barrel. The most accurate groups came from the ICON, which averaged 1.02 inches for 25 shots, while the XS7’s mean was 1.22 inches. In the ICON the Sd was 12, and in the XS7 the load produced an Sd of 9. Both had markedly better performance with regard to consistency and accuracy when compared to the .30-’06 Sprg. VOR-TX loads.

How much will VOR-TX cost, and when will it be available? According to Brooks, “VOR-TX will be competitively priced with other products in this category,” and she assured me that 13 of 15 SKUs were scheduled to be on shelves by Aug. 1, 2010. The other two—.300 WSM and .300 Rem. Ultra Mag.—can be expected shortly thereafter.

Reading between the lines and, at times, the figurative “writing on the wall,” is a useful ability—as would have proven the case with Barnes Bullets’ VOR-TX. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to re-read some past press releases and e-mails.