Barnes TSX bullets

[dan1953]

delete

 

[dan1953]

And you know it's a "Marketing thing" because that's what they told you or you're an expert, or?????

It appears to me that there is no expansion hole in the metplat - in fact it "looks" like a solid from your pictures.

Wow, kind of a strong response. He only said it was "kind of a marketing thing" and gave us the bullet which is 168 tsxbt, which isn't a solid, but is a hunting bullet in my limited knowledge. People used to be nicer.

 

[Spoonbill]

The TSX line opens with hydraulic pressure. The tipped version uses the tip to initiate expansion. As velocity drops, expansion diminishes. With Barnes bullets, speed is your friend. Even at 2170 fps, this bullet will probably not "fully" open. I would likely run a lighter bullet at a higher velocity. You will get 100% weight retention and probably better terminal performance on game with a muzzle velocity nearer 3000 fps. Just my opinion. YMMV

Sounds like Barnes or someone on this site might need to do some testing as this element is extremely critical to downrange effectiveness.

 

[javman]

My buddy used a 270 Bee 130 Barnes tipped factory ammo this past year on a buck we ranged right at 403yds. He hit him dead smack behind the shoulder and since he had a suppressor on his rifle, viewing the hit through my binos was picture perfect. Blood spewed out the opposite side and he ran about 20-30 yds. Had a nice half dollar sized exit hole. Yup speed helps with these monos!

 

[Reloader222]

I agree that Barnes bullets are rated one of the best hunting bullets, but through years I have experienced that the expansion could be better. From .270Win bullets recovered from a Kudus the Barnes TSX 150gr had a mushroom of 12.5mm with +-97% weight retention whereas a Hornady Interbond 150gr bullet had a mushroom of 16.8mm in diameter with a 84% weight retention. Somehow you need a bullet to break up a little to do more damage and you need a good mushroom as a bleeding channel. Most Kudu I have shot with Barnes TSX had run +-50meter before they drop. With the Hornady Interbonds it was all instant drops. The Barnes had performed excellent in that there was nearly no blood shot meat. The Hornady Interbonds had some blood shot meat, but far less than ordinary unbonded bullets. So it depends on what you prefer.

 

[BASE424]

I am in California and have to shoot lead free bullets for hunting. I shoot a 308 with a 20" barrel. Was doing some load development this morning and using up some IMR 4320 44.0 grains I got a decent hunting load at about 7/8" group at 100 yds with the Barnes 168 tsxbt match bullet. Velo was 2520 avg and I was feeling good to go so I shot a few 200 and 300 yds to confirm my drops. I was planning on shooting out to the 400 yd mark on deer hogs and bear and stopping due to my concern with lack of expansion under 1900 fps. I checked my group at 200 yds and found this bullet of mine in the dirt embankment. Do Barnes only open under hydraulic pressure? Impact velocity is 2170 fps. They should open at this velocity right? Any feedback is appreciated

Could've hit a rock or an object of higher density to push the tip over to one side like that. The expansion we're all familiar with when using Barnes is a result of hitting flesh.

 

[javman]

Agree on the interbond but we got the OP hunting in Cali, so that wouldn't be an option for him.

 

[Quintus]

We use the 130 .308 TSX in 308, 30-06, 300WSM, and 300Bee to great effect. Consistent exits a bit bigger than a golf ball at about all impact velocities and a great wound channel. We shoot in a gravel pit and dig most of our bullets while barrels cool. Usually the TSX will open to a rivet in the sand pile, but occasionally we will get a bent bullet like that and it is usually in the longer bullets like the 165/168/180 308 or 140 270s. The 110 TTSX from the 270Win and 270Wby are also stellar performers on deer and piggies.

 

[rbTanzan]

Yes you might expect more out of the little 308, even with a 20" barrel. Varget is a great powder although loads will be compressed. Our 22" 308 gets 2750 with 168gn TTSX and45.5 grains Varget (Lapua and Starline cases). Maybe our Kimber is what is called a fast barrel. Start at 43-44 grains and work up. I switch to TSX for 180 grain loads because of the small capacity of the 308. (Our gets 2700fps with 44gnVarget, expect 2550-2650 with 20".) But for deer hunting I wouldn't use over 150grains. A 130gn TTSX at 3000fps would work great. A 150gnTTSX should do about 2800fps in a 20inch barel with 46-47 grains Varget. Check all the Barnes editions, especially 4th and 5th, and Hodgdon. I've attached 4 and 5. Barnes Version 4(rev) gives capacity percentages so you can estimate the amount of compression you may be facing. Up to 105% is usually doable. You will note wide disparities like the 2010 data going up to 52grains Varget with 130gnTSX but the 2019 stopping at 49.2grain. We like 49.5. In general, I like to pull back from anything over 2800ft-pound energy in the 308 (read 2700ft# for 20" barrel), even if primers, extraction, casehead seem OK. Our loads above are anomalies (fast barrel?, but verified over multi chronos) and I would be happy with anything 100fps slower if accurate.

 

[AntiPattern]

I am in California and have to shoot lead free bullets for hunting. I shoot a 308 with a 20" barrel. Was doing some load development this morning and using up some IMR 4320 44.0 grains I got a decent hunting load at about 7/8" group at 100 yds with the Barnes 168 tsxbt match bullet. Velo was 2520 avg and I was feeling good to go so I shot a few 200 and 300 yds to confirm my drops. I was planning on shooting out to the 400 yd mark on deer hogs and bear and stopping due to my concern with lack of expansion under 1900 fps. I checked my group at 200 yds and found this bullet of mine in the dirt embankment. Do Barnes only open under hydraulic pressure? Impact velocity is 2170 fps. They should open at this velocity right? Any feedback is appreciated

That doesn't look good. Most good hunting bullets will still expand down to 1200 fps. Some even lower. Of course, lead free might be an issue. I haven't worked with them in hunting situations.

 

[Warbird2006]

I am in California and have to shoot lead free bullets for hunting. I shoot a 308 with a 20" barrel. Was doing some load development this morning and using up some IMR 4320 44.0 grains I got a decent hunting load at about 7/8" group at 100 yds with the Barnes 168 tsxbt match bullet. Velo was 2520 avg and I was feeling good to go so I shot a few 200 and 300 yds to confirm my drops. I was planning on shooting out to the 400 yd mark on deer hogs and bear and stopping due to my concern with lack of expansion under 1900 fps. I checked my group at 200 yds and found this bullet of mine in the dirt embankment. Do Barnes only open under hydraulic pressure? Impact velocity is 2170 fps. They should open at this velocity right? Any feedback is appreciated

Use Swift Scirocco bullets for your long range

 

[lotech]

I've used the Triple Shock bullets in a .308, a .270, and a 7x61 on elk only at ranges up to just under 400 yards. The've have always worked well; only recovered two bullets. Both displayed textbook expansion with the four petals peeled back evenly.

I've fired these bullets into dirt embankments and most looked like the bullets in the photos in the original text. Very few expanded. Dirt seldom provides a reliable indication of bullet performance.

 

[CaptnC]

This past season I used the 123gr TAC-X (2430fps) in my 7.62x39 AR. Between my wife and I shot 5 deer, 3 hogs and one coyote. Shots ranged 103 yards out to 130 yards. One doe ran about 60 yards, most everything was DRT!

Only one bullet recoverd...

The shot was going to be a quartering towards us but she was taking a step to head on. So the bullet ended up running through the neck and down the spine. Stopping just before the last rib.

The bullet past between the back straps without ruining any of the straps!

Just received some 120 gr TAC-X to use in a suppressed 6.5 Grendel this fall.

 

[Scott E Ames]

I am wondering if the bullet was tumbling after it hit the target and backer board prior to hitting the berm. It looks like one side has some impact markings not seen on the rest of the bullet.
That is a long if not heavy caliber bullet if you have a 12 twist barrel maybe it was destabilized with impact.