TSX Performance At Close Range

[DougH9]

Thank you everybody who gave me feedback in my lead-free bullet thread. I went on a backpack hunt last weekend and ended up getting a shot at a mere 36 yards (who says you can't swing an 11lb. long range rig like a quail gun!).

But here is the deal: I have killed the last 10 deer with a lung shot from a 300 mag at betweeen 100 and 250 yards; they have ALL made one lurch and then piled up. I shot this one (the first time I have tried lead-free bullets on game), with a 150 grain TSX out of a 27" barrelled, 3.600", 300 Win. Mag.

I made a perfect double-lung shot right behind the elbow; at the shot the deer took off as if not even hit. I was shocked! There was only a tiny bit of lung material on the ground, but luckily it had rained and I was able to track by following hoof prints (he went about 200 yards). The exit wound was about the size of a dime (a Partition or Accubond will leave nasty quarter sized hole with lots of lung and blood all over the ground).

I am concerned that if lead free bullets do not "dump 'em" at near muzzle blast range, how would they perform at long range?

 

[elkaholic]

I've made a couple of posts on this subject and this confirms what I think many of us have learned. Unless you are hunting elephants or Mack trucks, I see few adantages and many disadvantages to using these bullets.

 

[DougH9]

Well, one advantage for me is that by using them I can avoid possibly being fined and having my license yanked (lead bullets are now illegal for hunting here).

 

[kiwi3006]

There might be a difference between an animal that is unaware of the hunter, usually drops on the spot, and an animal that is aware of the hunter, usually runs a distance.

I have often had animals that I have shot at close range run off while most of the animals I have shot at long range, 300 + have dropped on the spot with a similar hit.
I put it down to the animal at close range being a bit hyped up, with a bit of adrenaline pumping around taking longer to realise it is dead.

Stu.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

What did the lungs look like when you gutted the animal? I have seen the same thin happen at close range with a 300 WM using lead tip spire point bullets. That time it was a non recovered white tail. An animal can go a long ways at full speed with devastated lungs in the 20 seconds it takes them to die.

Anyway, curious about the internal damage.

Steve

 

[DougH9]

KIWI-Good point. As I look back most of my deer have been shot from a far without the deer knowing. This one was looking right at me.

Rocky Mtn-I was not able to do a good autopsy. I was 10 miles back, in a 1,500' valley, and it was dusk; I did a thourough quartering and de-boneing, but did not get into the chest cavity.

I guess I am amazed that at that velocity (impact velocity should be around 3,400 fps), that hydrostatic shock did not reach the CNS and shut him down. I just KNOW that one of my old loads would have.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

It is hard to say. I have shot more at close range than long range by far. At close range shots through the boiler room have more often than not have resulted 100 yrds give or take travel after the shot. Get them out past 200yrds and they generally don't move much. That's been my experience anyway.

Steve

 

[bigngreen]

It seems to me that any bullet has a speed range where they function as expected, if you go over, in the case of a very close shot or under in the case of a long shot you get one of two things explosions or no action at all just a pass through. Combined with the animal being amped up you can get a pass through with a sprint to the finish line. Another 70yrds out the bullet may perform flawless as it is now within it's designed operating range. Still kinda makes you wonder what the heck just happened

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I am fairly confident that mono metal bullets are the magic bullet. They have to be made out of 24c gold though.gun)

Steve

 

[jimbires]

I've quit using barnes bullets after the close range whitetail I shot last year . 7mm rem mag , 160 tsx , 3100 fps , shot was about 60 yards . I did not recover the first bullet. it did very little damage to the internals . the second shot the petals broke off . leaving almost no expansion . I recovered it . here it is beside a new bullet . no more barnes for me . Jim

 

[elkaholic]

The first bullet you showed is exactly what the accubond looks like at long range! Looses a little wt. and no expansion......Rich

 

[LRSickle]

You guys have me wondering about the TSXs now. I shoot the TSX out of my 257Wby and they shoot really good. I've shot two antelope, (150yd, 660yd), two deer, (225yd, 250yd) and one coyote at 577yds. All dropped like a sack of bricks. I've never recovered a bullet yet. I'm not sure if they zipped right through or what. I want a bullet that imparts all it's energy in the animal. Not sure what to do here.

 

[adam32]

You guys have me wondering about the TSXs now. I shoot the TSX out of my 257Wby and they shoot really good. I've shot two antelope, (150yd, 660yd), two deer, (225yd, 250yd) and one coyote at 577yds. All dropped like a sack of bricks. I've never recovered a bullet yet. I'm not sure if they zipped right through or what. I want a bullet that imparts all it's energy in the animal. Not sure what to do here.

Give some Bergers a try...

 

[BH Hunter]

Whenever I shoot a deer at close range w/ my 300 RUM and 168 TSX's they have done a 50-75 mad dash a tip over. Last year I shot a bull at 50-60 yards in his bed. He got up and did a 50 yard dash then tipped over. Brad