Barnes TSX/TTSX vs Nosler Partition

[WildRose]

Elk and Moose are perfectly within the realms of an accubond. My grandpa used to hunt elk in northern AZ with his 270 using 130gr Speer soft points. He killed everything he shot. The bullet didnt explode, bounce off, or get scared at the sight of the elk and turn aside.
Put any bullet (within reason) where it needs to go and what you just shot is dead.
Dont mean any disrespect, but I whole heartedly disagree with your statement thats all

Can you imagine how boring the world would be without differing experiences and opinions? gun)

We've all got our favorites and prejudices.

 

[timmay]

Can you imagine how boring the world would be without differing experiences and opinions? gun)

We've all got our favorites and prejudices.

True. It certainly would be boring if we didnt have all the choices of today

 

[projp]

Shot a lot of deer and a few elk with both bullets. I used the partition during the 70's, 80's, 90's and whatever the current variation of the X bullet was being manufactured from the mid 90's to present.
Opinions?
The partition is a great bullet and only left me unhappy at extreme velocities and close ranges, ( but in the day it was the best available). For the majority of what I did they preformed adequately.
I switched to the X bullet and have never looked back. I have never had a bullet break up. The few slugs I have recovered all looked like fodder for magazine ads. I did have one lose a petal on an elk at close range. I haven't experienced the complaint that they penciled through. I think all have been one shot kills with the animal dropping within 20 yards.
The original X bullets fouled and were a bitch in a lot of guns to get to group. The coated XLC's were fun while they lasted, The MRX's were OK but pricy, the triple shocks solved the fouling problem, and currently I am into the TTSX or LRX.
If you like to hand load and tinker you will love the Barnes since they change the design every couple of years, (usually for the better), and you get to work up new loads.

 

[HAMMERHAND]

My 8 mag loves the 160 tsx's @ 3424 fps. Shoots them more accurately than the accubonds, e-tips, partitions, MK's, other barnes, other sierra's, speers, etc. I chaulked up two more kills with them this weekend. A 13" pronghorn buck at 669 (heart shot with a bullet sized entry and golfball sized exit), and a 15 x 15 7/8" pronghorn at 505 with a full on facing brisket shot (bullet sized entry, and baseball sized exit on the far ribs mid cage). I shot a mule deer through both shoulders at 43 yards last year and I will admit....that was messier than I would have liked because of bone fragments. Would not have shot him that close through the shoulders, but he was on the cusp of a very gnarly cliff and he had to be anchored on the spot. There was no "penciling". The petals very likely did sheer off, but not before they cored out a 3 1/2" tunnel through the hide, meat, lower spine, and bone, and kept right on truckin. I would have lost a bunch more meat using a bonded core bullet at that distance and speed compared to any monolithic projectile...A lesson I learned the hard way on an elk and another deer.

 

[300grains]

I don´t want lead as spice in my meat. That´s why i prefer Barnes or a bonded bullet.

 

[405win]

I shot the old x bullet for several years and was a happy camper until I shot one buck but didn't hit bone. Yep, pencil shot. I have that buck on the wall but it took 2 morre barnes to keep him down.

Shot a nice bear behind the shoulder (had a spotter to confirm the hit) with the old x bullet, never found that bear so can't say for certain what happened.

Took a cow elk at 60 yards with a behind the shoulder hit with a 300gr. 405win x bullet. No reaction to the hit, no blood in the snow for about 50 yards. Found her quite dead 80 yards form the hit. She stayed with the herd and if it hadn't been for the snow, I would have guessed I'd missed.

I have always had very good results with partitions. I should try the ttsx and prove to myself they are better than the old x bullet.

 

[HAMMERHAND]

I shot the old x bullet for several years and was a happy camper until I shot one buck but didn't hit bone. Yep, pencil shot. I have that buck on the wall but it took 2 morre barnes to keep him down.

Shot a nice bear behind the shoulder (had a spotter to confirm the hit) with the old x bullet, never found that bear so can't say for certain what happened.

Took a cow elk at 60 yards with a behind the shoulder hit with a 300gr. 405win x bullet. No reaction to the hit, no blood in the snow for about 50 yards. Found her quite dead 80 yards form the hit. She stayed with the herd and if it hadn't been for the snow, I would have guessed I'd missed.

I have always had very good results with partitions. I should try the ttsx and prove to myself they are better than the old x bullet.

Keep in mind that the minimum condition to open a barnes X is right around the 2000 fps mark. You'd have to be pretty close with a 405 win to keep above that condition. When they open up they work beautifully, but I've had TTSX hit bone at up to 800 yards with a 160 grain projectile and smash right through. Even lung only hits still left about a 50 cent piece sized hole out and out (about like a broadhead from an arrow)

 

[MagTen]

The testing we have done comparing TTSX & partitions - there is a hands down winner. In both my 35 whelen & 350 RemMag the 180gr. TTSX penetrated much much deeper than a 225gr. partition ever did. The old idea that you need an extremely heavy bullet for the larger game is no longer true. The TTSX retained nearly 100% in weight and I am sure that is the reason for retained smackdown. The partitions did hold together the final 50% of lower end of bullet but that is no longer the best teckno.

 

[Jerry M]

Have not used the Barnes so I not saying the Nosler Partitions are better, but on the recommendation of another hunter with lots of African hunting experience that is what I took on my trip this summer.

Using a Remington 700 in .30-06, with handloaded 180 grain Nosler Partitions I killed a Baboon, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbuck, Impala, and 2 warthogs with one shot each. The Impala ran the furthest at 25 yards, the Blue Wildebeest and the Gemsbuck ran 20 yards, one warthog ran 15 yards. The Baboon and the other warthog dropped at the shot. I had great blood trails on everything but the Blue Wildebeest which I shot in the chest facing me.

I was very impressed with the bullet performance over a variety of game: 90 pound Baboon to 600 pound Blue Wildebeest. All bullets exited except the Blue Wildebeest. I got sufficient expansion on all the animals. Shots were from 5 yards Impala to 80 yards on the Gemsbuck.

As I said earlier, maybe not the best, but certainly they worked for my application.

 

[405win]

Keep in mind that the minimum condition to open a barnes X is right around the 2000 fps mark. You'd have to be pretty close with a 405 win to keep above that condition. When they open up they work beautifully, but I've had TTSX hit bone at up to 800 yards with a 160 grain projectile and smash right through. Even lung only hits still left about a 50 cent piece sized hole out and out (about like a broadhead from an arrow)

I had the 405 win stoked to2300fps out of a ruger #1. Was hoping at the shot she would be lifted off the ground and thrown into my truck(which was a fair piece away). You can imagine my disappointment when that didn't happen. The muledeers lungs were pretty and pink right up to the little hole going thru them.
I am sure that barnes bullets a much better today than when I last tried them. Seeing the testimonies here sure indicate that.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

I would say that they are the best of the shooting / hunting world.... I load both in everything from 25/06 to .338 Wm and just about everything in between.. I've spent the last 40 years hunting with both and could not choose between the two..but I'll take either over anything else.. I used the original X-bullets and coated them with DANZAC and used them for years and then the XLC's, as a matter of fact I'm still using them in most calibers, bought enough to have them for a long time.. I'm also using the TSX's coated with DANZAC also and it completely eliminates the copper fouling.. as for the partitions..what can you say...they've been around a long time and it's no accident...they work!!! EITHER is just about perfect for any hunting condition within reason..I wouldn't be afraid to take on anything with either!

 

[Wildyote]

The testing we have done comparing TTSX & partitions - there is a hands down winner. In both my 35 whelen & 350 RemMag the 180gr. TTSX penetrated much much deeper than a 225gr. partition ever did. The old idea that you need an extremely heavy bullet for the larger game is no longer true. The TTSX retained nearly 100% in weight and I am sure that is the reason for retained smackdown. The partitions did hold together the final 50% of lower end of bullet but that is no longer the best teckno.

At what range please?
God Bless

 

[RTK]

I've never had a one shot kill with the Barnes TSX . I'd sure pick a partition over the Barnes .

I've had my last 10 one shot DRT with Barnes. They range from deer to elk. I've been hunting four legged critters for the last 40 years and have used many different bullets in that time frame, some good and some bad. I have yet found the barnes too fail me.

 

[North61]

I am in the Nosler Partition camp. To be fair my experience with Barnes was with the old first generation X bullet and I had some problems with them not opening up at long range. I am sure the newer versions are much better. Problem is I have had such great experience with the Partition that I just can't change.

However in my 6.5 Rem Mag I recently switched to the 130 Accubond and it shoots such very nice groups at 500 yards, that I am giving it a try.