Barnes triple shock disappointment

[Moki]

I've only shot 2 deer using my 270 Wby loaded with 140gr TSX @ 3230fps muzzle velocity first was just over 200 yards the second closer to 100 yards.

Both deer dropped instantly and both bullets exited.

 

[captacademy]

I have used the TSX in Africa and Australia and have had great results. From plaines game, cape buffalo, and water buffalo the TSX have worked well for me. However, I have not shot many deer or elk with them, so I can't say how well they would work on North American animals. I have used the Nosler BT and AB and have had very good results with NA game. However, I will be trying the Bergers next.

 

[SBruce]

I just arrived back from Wyoming on my Deer hunt and wanted to let everyone know my experience with Barnes TSX Bullets. I shot my deer with my remy Mountain rifle in 270 win loaded with a stout amount of 4350 and 140 gr TSX. I shot him at 171 yards through both lungs and he took off like he wasnt even hit. He ran 100 yards before falling over but flopped around and didnt die for a long time. When I gutted him out the hole in each of the lungs was a size of a pencel. I found the bullet in the off side and the bullet had no expansion what so ever. I couldnt beleive it. So to say that I will not ever use Barnes bullets again is an understatement. Avoid them like the plague. I am very dissapointed and am actually sending the bullet to barnes with a similar article. I will put of pics of the bullet once I have more time.

I've spent over 20 years of my life (off and on) guiding antelope and deer hunters in Wyoming. I've seen many mind boggling acts made by perfectly hit animals. I've also seen many animals drop dead in their tracks due to hits that probably should've only wounded them.

The only way to absolutely gaurantee a Drop Dead impact, regardless of bullet or caliber, is to take out the shoulders or shock the spine enough to paralize them until the wound itself causes death. Frontal spine or neck/head shots almost always create the drop dead effect. I've seen many many animals run off with a perfect lung hit, and most don't go 100 yds, but it's not totally uncommon for them to go that far either..........Once again; many calibers, many bullets, many hunters and many years of seeing game shot.

The pictures of the bullet appear to show that it did in fact expand. Enough even to break off the petals (which should have created additional small would channels). If it was recovered inside the animal, then it transfered every bit of energy it had to the animal.

I'd think that the 270 and 140 gr bullet at 171 yds has more than enough energy to kill any animal in the lower 48, providing that the bullet was going as fast as it really should have been..........Were the loads ever chrono'd?

IMO, this wasn't a bullet failure. Finding the bullet in a dirt bank still looking nearly like it did before the shot and finding the animal a 1/4 mile away with a hole in each lung would be a bullet failure to me. In contrast, hitting the shoulder blade but only wounding the shoulder would also be considered a bullet failure in my opinion (not enough penetration).

Any and all bullets can fail, none are perfect. Some fail more often than others, but my experiences with Barnes hasn't shown that to be the case.

I think the most important thing for the barnes bullets are to ensure they are going fast enough to do as designed. They aren't designed to come totally apart or fragment and only retain a small portion of their original weight. They are a "high retention" bullet.

Sorry to be so long winded, I'd be curious to hear what Barnes reply is if you wouldn't mind?

 

[jimbires]

here is my story on the TSX's .they shot well out to 550 yards .that's the length of my local range . I had very little trouble getting them to group . they are from a 7mm rem mag . 160 grain TSX , reloader 22 powder at 67.0 grains . resulting in 3102 ave fps at 10 feet . I loaded these to go on my first elk hunt in 2007. 300 yards I shot a cow elk . first two shots tight behind the front leg , in the crease . first shot staggered her , second shot made her hump up like she had the hiccups . third shot I aimed forward a little onto the back of the front leg fired and down she went . I gathered up my stuff and went over to her , she was laying down holding her head up watching me . I waited a short time for her to give up . the three shots were all within about a six inch group . two behind the front leg , one through the front leg . very little to no meat damage . I don't think I threw any meat away . next hunt was moose in 2008 . . I shot a cow moose at about 100 - 125 yards . good solid hit behind the front shoulder . the moose ran about 100 yards and laid down . she left a blood trail like you were spilling blood out of a 5 gallon bucket . when I caught up to her she tried to get up I finished her with another shot to the neck . again very little damage . no sign of blood shot meat . now I'm hunting whitetails at home 2008 . a nice buck comes in to about 80 yards . kind of broadside , but bent in the middle with front quartering towards me . I shot him in the front shoulder . he jumped , landed ,about fell and took off . I went over found some blood and bone . tracked him down . I saw him just as he jumped up to run . I aimed at the back of his neck and fired . he ran a short ways and fell . I ran up and waited for him to give up . the first hit broke his near shoulder , and the bullet had to turn because it put a gash through 3 or 4 ribs , on the near side , about the size to be able to put a deck of cards through . I couldn't find my second hole at this time . ( this is the bullet I posted pics of in the #2 reply to this thread ) when I got him home a started to skin him , I found I hit him right in front of the hind leg . the bullet went right up through the back strap and when I pulled the hide from around his head the bullet fell out from right behind his ear . that bullet went through about 4 feet of back strap and neck . the front leg was all busted up from bone fragments . the back strap was fine , I sliced it and ate it . it only had a hole through it like it was drilled , no blood shot damage .
I would bet that if I was using a lead core bullet that the first bullet would have went right on through the vitals . if he ran off , like he did , the second shot probably would have broken his back and paralyzed him .without a doubt it would have ruined the back strap . I just don't see any damage from these bullets . yes I've killed all three of these animals . and yes I took this bullet out of a dead whitetail . but something just doesn't make sense to me . where is the damage ? if I want to shoot something and have it bleed out I'll use my bow and cut a bigger hole in him . and as far as lead in my meat , I'll gladly take my chances on using a lead core bullet over these TSX's . my opinion is , strike 3 . " they flat out suck" . Jim

 

[Derek M.]

I find the different intel on these Barnes bullets to be rather fascinating. I wonder why these bullets have such different results.

 

[SBruce]

I find the different intel on these Barnes bullets to be rather fascinating. I wonder why these bullets have such different results.

I think it's quite interesting too. Seems like the folks that like them really like em. But I can see why there are complaints too. None of us want to track an animal and then have to shoot it again.

For the ones that have had problems, seems like the issues are basically not enough shock and expansion? I don't know if Barnes would consider these as "bullet failures" however, because they've always advertised premium construction with extremely high weight retention.?

 

[Derek M.]

Well, they advertise that their bullets open up in the first inch or so on soft tissue hits. I contend that a premium bullet like this needs a lot of resistence to put the smack down on game. Hence, I always recommend bone shots with them. Even when I have't had that opportunity, they still have been devistating for me. One shot comes to mind: a Kansas whitetail at roughly 65 yards, quartering away from me. Entry rear onside lung, exit just anterior to offside shoulder. 168 TSX with H4350. He dropped like he had a piano fall on his head. The bullet must have hit really hard as their was hair everywhere like it had bee blown off, which I guess is exactly what happened.

Same finding with a WY mule deer the same year but shot was 165 yards and presenting shot was slightly quartering to me. I actually love those best because you can see the bony prominence of the onside shoulder and square up right on it. It totally ruins their day.

 

[ridge rider]

"Triple shock"

What does the term "triple" shock really mean?

Is the first shock from the felt recoil from your rifle.
Is the second shock from seeing the bullet hit home but the animal runs off.
Is the third shock from losing the animal.

Or is it that it takes "three shocks" from three bullets to put the animal down.

Either one would apply in my opinion..

Sorry but it's lead cored bullets for me.

To me a clean kill means an animal is killed as quickly and humanely as possible without having to suffer in pain "waiting" to be put out of its misery.
THAT is the most paramount thing to me when I go hunting for a trophy animal. I make sure my bullet/cartridge combination will achieve and exceed that expectation.
Meat is of secondary importance to me in my quest for a trophy as in all of the cases I have experienced stag meat is not worth eating especially when it is in full rut as it is full of testosterone and other hormones which make the meat rank to eat.
How anyone can convince me that venison is tasty from a rutting stag sure has me wondering whether that person has in fact ever taken a stag and tried eating that meat..
Even my dog won't touch the meat from a rutting stag.
I only shoot three quarter grown does for meat and the stags for the trophy.
In both applications I use lead bullets for as near "an instant kill" as possible.

 

[webs]

I have harvested both a bull elk and a large muley buck with 165gr triple shocks out of my 30.06. My whole intention of buying these bullets so I knew that if I had a less than favorable angle or was shooting bone (shoulder) there would be sufficient penetration. The elk was shot at 260yds laying almost completely quartering away entering about 5 inches behind the right rib and exiting in front of the left shoulder. There was blood everywhere.

The mule deer i shot at 240 yds one shot low on the front shoulder exiting behind the far shoulder he went maybe 5 yards.

When hunting I try and shoot bone whenever given the chance. Thats the entire reasoning for buying this bullet.

 

[300 ultra]

I agree that there are so many different opinions on Barnes bullets, good and bad. IT just makes me wonder why they came out with the tipped triple shocks if they didnt have expansion problems. I have also heard the Nosler Accubond stories of no expansion if you dont hit bone either. As for me I will stick with the time proven partitions from now on. I dont care about B.C. or the long shots. I care about dead right now performance at 300 yards or less.

 

[Derek M.]

The only animal I ever lost while hunting with a firearm was hit with an Accubond bullet in the chest.

 

[J E Custom]

I just arrived back from Wyoming on my Deer hunt and wanted to let everyone know my experience with Barnes TSX Bullets. I shot my deer with my remy Mountain rifle in 270 win loaded with a stout amount of 4350 and 140 gr TSX. I shot him at 171 yards through both lungs and he took off like he wasnt even hit. He ran 100 yards before falling over but flopped around and didnt die for a long time. When I gutted him out the hole in each of the lungs was a size of a pencel. I found the bullet in the off side and the bullet had no expansion what so ever. I couldnt beleive it. So to say that I will not ever use Barnes bullets again is an understatement. Avoid them like the plague. I am very dissapointed and am actually sending the bullet to barnes with a similar article. I will put of pics of the bullet once I have more time.

There are a lot of different experances with the TXS, some good and some bad.

My experances were mixed. (Some good and some bad) also. But out of this I realized
that what they needed was velocity (Lots of velocity).So when I pushed them hard
(3000+impact velocity) They worked reasonable well on thick skinned game. But on
thin skinned game like deer, again I had mixed results.

I have found that bonded core Bullets work better over a wide range of velocities and do
not need high velocities to perform consistently well.

The barns x and triple shock work well on dangerous game in weights of 350+grains and in
big bores. So they do have a place in my inventory of bullets, Just not in the smaller (338
and down) cal.

Again, I think all bullets will give less than desired results if not used for there design
purpose and velocity. Some bullets are just more forgiving than others. And the bonded
core design of bullets seem to be the most consistant.

I have said it many times. 'There is no golden bullet that will do everything' So you must
find a bullet designed for the intended use to get the best results.

Just my opinion.

J E CUSTOM

 

[TheHardWay]

I agree that there are so many different opinions on Barnes bullets, good and bad. IT just makes me wonder why they came out with the tipped triple shocks if they didnt have expansion problems. I have also heard the Nosler Accubond stories of no expansion if you dont hit bone either. As for me I will stick with the time proven partitions from now on. I dont care about B.C. or the long shots. I care about dead right now performance at 300 yards or less.

Found some pictures of the bullet I was talking about in post #10. 225 Gr .338 TSX. Didn't hit solid bone (shoulder) Went behind the shoulder and passed through ribs.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

webs & Derek M both of you guys seem to share the very same opinions as I do, I shoot TSX, MRX & TTSX in all but a very few of the 12+ rifles I load for. Everything from a 22-243 to the 458 Lott: 4- 6mm's, 1-7mm, 2-30 cals, 358 STA, 338 RUM, 375 Ruger. In all of the big game kills I have made (most w/ the 30cals or 6mm), I have found impressive success when I aim to break bones with Barnes bullets, with the exception for the 458 I load light for caliber bullets to higher velocities & feel extremely confident that if I place the bullet where I know it works the best, one shot is all that is needed. In my experience "light for caliber" is the name of the game for Barnes. I honestly feel (my opinion/experiences only) the 160 TSX in a 7mm is on the heavy side especially for deer, if you want to break both shoulders of a broadside elk that's your bullet, I really don't feel it will reliably expand on thin skinned game, especially with a lung shot. Please don't feel like i'm defending Barnes, I'm just relaying to you fellas my experiences & trials to possibly help answer some of the questions that have come up. My go-to thin skinned game rifle is a Lazzeroni Patriot (30 cal short mag) with a 150 TSX, this rifle has the ability to push these pills to ~3500 +/- (I don't push'em quite that hard). This rifle is fairly new to me, but out of the 6-8 head of game I have taken with it ONE has left the "scene of the crash" because I didn't do my part, I pulled the shot.

P.S. There is nothing wrong with the lead core bullets out there, but I'm a Barnes guy Good shooting fellas!​