Barnes TSX Performance Issues

[guns_and_labs]

I had an interesting "failure" with the 180 gr. Barnes Triple Shock (TSX) at a lower speed.

I was shooting at a whitetail deer, 250 yards distant, with a .30-06. The TSX was loaded to 3740 fps muzzle vel, a calculated 2330 fps on impact at that distance, and has proven an extremely accurate load on paper. The shot was broadside. Entry was a little higher than point of aim (I had estimated range a bit more than 250), right behind the right front leg. The buck went down at the shot.

Here's where it gets interesting...

The bullet entered between two ribs, no expansion evident. It angled up and back, hitting the spine very clearly. It seems it then deflected hard left, parallel to the spine, and exited right above the anus. Exit wound seemed somewhat expanded, but it was hard to tell in the soft tissue. I found no evidence of any injury to internal organs.

The initial assumption is that the velocity was too low for full expansion or penetration, that the bullet deflected almost 90 degrees, instead of the expected penetration.

I've since heard anecdotal accounts of similar performance for TSX's at less than WinMag velocities, but nothing credible.

Thoughts or reactions, anyone?

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I have always heard at lower impact velocities and no bone hit, that you'll sometimes have to be tracking a deer. My friend used a 140g "X" in a .264 Mag. Shot a deer behind the shoulder at 250 yards, and it ended up running halfway round the country before he finished it off. The first shot was indeed a kill shot with any other bullet, ever since then he has never used Barnes. Just 1 experience here.

 

[Guest]

A few years ago I tryed the X bullet on deer. I shot one at just over 200y. Hit the top back part of the lungs. No bone was hit and .277 hole from start to finish. That buck went over a mile before he dropped. lungs were perfect except for that .277 hole.
Mant years ago I had a sgk just touch the back of the shoulder and deflect almost 90 and end up in the gut. Perfect brodside shot at about 100y. Bullets sometimes do strange things.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I had an interesting "failure" with the 180 gr. Barnes Triple Shock (TSX) at a lower speed.

I was shooting at a whitetail deer, 250 yards distant, with a .30-06. The TSX was loaded to 3740 fps muzzle vel,

[/ QUOTE ]

3740 fps???? Out of a 30-06??? What did you use for propellant.....C-4, Semtex??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[goodgrouper]

Exactly why I don't shoot Barnes! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But in all seriousness, they lack the ability to open up at lower impact velocities unless bone is encountered. The weird angle change inside the animal might be easy to explain. As the petals began to slightly open up, one (or more) of them sheared off and the remaining ones acted like a rudder on a ship steering it off at a weird angle. I have seen this before twice in dry phonebook tests.

The muzzle velo was probably 2740 right?

 

[sewwhat89]

I wil vouch for the TSX, but like you said, if they aren't at WinMag velocities, I wouldn't touch them. They are a hard bullet and are meant to take hard impacts that more traditional lead core bullets can't (there are a few exceptions of course). Out of an '06 I wouldn't use a bullet heavier than 130 TSX, and even with that, I would limit shots to within 200 yards. I love Barnes bullets, but I won't use them for shots over about 300 yards out of high velocity calibers or 200 or less with the others.

Examples are:

75 gr Barnes X .25-06 MV 3550 fps
120 gr Barnes X .270 WCF 3240 fps
130 TSX .270 Weatherby 3470 fps
140 Barnes X 300 RSAUM 3210 fps
165 Barnes X 300 WM 3216 fps

If I can't keep impact velocities at 2700 fps or better, I find a better bullet like Nosler Partitions, SGK, SMK or Nosler Ballistic tips for the 'lower' impact velocities.

 

[guns_and_labs]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I had an interesting "failure" with the 180 gr. Barnes Triple Shock (TSX) at a lower speed.

I was shooting at a whitetail deer, 250 yards distant, with a .30-06. The TSX was loaded to 3740 fps muzzle vel,

[/ QUOTE ]

3740 fps???? Out of a 30-06??? What did you use for propellant.....C-4, Semtex??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry. 2740 fps. I found significant bullet upset if I used Semtex to get 3740 fps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Jon A]

[ QUOTE ]
a calculated 2330 fps on impact at that distance,

[/ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately, using their advertised BC's can throw you quite a ways off on what impact velocities you're actually getting at longer ranges. Your impact velocity was likely barely over 2200 unless you're at high altitude. Chronographs work beyond the muzzle, too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway, I've never been a fan of the wound channels they leave at lower impact velocities. We'll have to see if the MRX's are significantly better. Unless you want max penetration at close range, I just think there are better choices out there.

 

[guns_and_labs]

[ QUOTE ]

Chronographs work beyond the muzzle, too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Not when you blow off the chronograph screens with the occasional flinch. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[.338Fan]

I shot my deer this year with a 210 TSX from my .338 RUM muzzel velocity was 3376 droppes it right in its tracks. Another deer was shot with a 130 TSX from .264 dropped right in its tracks that bullet hit the deer at about 2800 fps. I havn't hit anything slower than that yet but will keep an I out for this lack of expansion. I have found that the Swift Scirocco performs extremely well at all velocities and distances. I use it in my .300 and .338 RUM with great sucess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[budlight]

I've had good luck with barnes out of .277, .284, and .458 They always have gone straight through. You might consider going with the 168 or 160 grain and get the speed up.

Right angle bullets deify logical bullet path - But anything is possible. Logic would tell me that a heavy slow bullet would drive straighter than a faster light one.