Barnes tipped TSX 168 or 180 gr. for elk?

[bigngreen]

Having shot considerable more than a few elk with the 168 TSX, give it time and you will find what it will do and what it won't, it WILL NOT penetrate and elk shoulder every time because it lacks enough bullet mass to over come how wide it opens and it deflects, I've shot enough elk with this bullet to see it deflect on elk shoulders three times. I've seen only one 180 not make it through a elk shoulder and I've never seen a 200+gr fail to make it into the chest cavity of an elk. I also custom cut wild game and as the bullet weight goes down for cal the more holes in the elk, not hard math to put together.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Having shot considerable more than a few elk with the 168 TSX, give it time and you will find what it will do and what it won't, it WILL NOT penetrate and elk shoulder every time because it lacks enough bullet mass to over come how wide it opens and it deflects, I've shot enough elk with this bullet to see it deflect on elk shoulders three times. I've seen only one 180 not make it through a elk shoulder and I've never seen a 200+gr fail to make it into the chest cavity of an elk. I also custom cut wild game and as the bullet weight goes down for cal the more holes in the elk, not hard math to put together.

Fair enough. I was trying to get my brother on my 375h@h with the 300 tsx anyway. He couldn't handle an 8# 375 without a brake very well so he went to the 300. I would have loved to go with him but I didn't put into the drawing and they won't have the cull hunt for at least a few years now. I'd have at least tossed him my 338 but I don't shoot mono bullets in her and that was a must.
On the flip side, he still had the biggest rifle in his group of guys and all managed to do well with their rifles. The federal wardens wouldn't let the range get much past 300 yards though.

 

[Southwind]

I have been using the 168tsx since 2004 in my 300 wsm. I have taken Elk, bear, mule deer, whitetail, and pronghorn. On elk it has always performed very very well with great penetration but I have never tried to anchor an elk with it through the shoulder blades.

I have several spent bullets around I have pulled from a hump on the far side of the elk under the skin that look like it came from an advertisement. But 168's are not magic and 180's,200's etc. will deliver more energy and bone crunching performance.

The 168's worked great in my platform to the point I haven't even switched to the tipped version just because I have all my dope down and don't want to fix what isn't broke.