Barnes TTSX (or TSX) and meat damage

Bigbubba

Bigbubba

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quick question for those that have used them:

Is there a lot of meat damage? Would you say more or less than other bullets you have used on deer?

I just watched the TTSX online video (Barnes website) with the ballistic gelatine and it sure looks to me like there will be a lot of hemmoraging etc and unnecessary meat loss.

I have never used them but am thinking about loading some up to see how they shoot.
Comments please & thanks
 
I find just the opposite,The Barnes does not fragment.I find it to be one of the best not doing alot of tissue damage.
 
I found it had more to do with impact velocity of the bullet, than the actual design of the bullet. People tend to load up lighter X-bullets than their normal choice of CUPnCORE
because X bullets are longer than jacketed bullets of the same weight.
The other reason is that they retain almost all of their mass, so you don't have to go bigger just to get 60-70% weight retention like standard lead bullets after impact.
Therefore someone who normally uses a 180 at 2700f/s, now can use a 150 and get the same or higher weight retention, while achieving a flatter trajectory. IF you launch a bullet at high speed, its gonna splatter more than a lot of people are used to.
 
They do less damage and kill slower on lung hits. I usually shoot the shoulders on purpose when useing them to get animals on the ground faster, so its a bit of a catch-22 that way.

The best way to avoid meat damage to not shoot deer in the meat. That works pretty good.
 
I've used the 165gr tsx in 30-06 on deer, moose, and bear. I found very little meat damage on all animals but they died very quickly. They penetrate very well as I had a complete pass through on a 43 inch bull moose which I found impressive for a lighter bullet. I won't hesitate to use them again.

Hurketthunter84
 
I've been using Barnes X's in one form or another since they first came out in 1989. In my experience they damage less meat than traditional cup-and-core bullets and the average bonded bullet. Give them a try, you won't be disapointed.
 
It's the scabbed blood that ruins most the meat anyhow.

Bullet damage.... Unless ur shooting the deer with a .50 cal there is no need to worry.


As long as ur bullet kills quick and effective.
 
I shot a muley on the run with my 270 and a 130 grain TTSX 2 years ago.
Shot was about 90 yards.
Bullet hit behind the shoulder and ranged through the deer at an angle,
exiting out the point of the offside shoulder.
Deer pitched over on his nose instantly.
If the damage was less than a Partition or a bonded bullet,
you could not prove it by me.
The offside shoulder and leg was a complete loss.
I think it is a good bullet, but at high velocity it can damage meat too.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
You can see the exit hole of a .375 270 TSX that went through both shoulders of a zebra. The wound channel is about what I'd expect from a flat pointed solid, that is to say not particularily big.Eating right to the bullet hole would be a viable option.

The pajama donkey hit the deck in a rather spectacular fashion, which is about what you'd expect from a three seven five through the running gear. Come to think of it, thats what I'd expect from just about any caliber with the same shot.

2006_0305Teepee0183.jpg
 
Good point maybe more suited for big game my Corelocks have been good for years for me but do the same to deer 180-165gr but would still like to try some of these X bullets just wouldn't use them for deer just Moose,Elk and grizz.



Eagleye said:
I shot a muley on the run with my 270 and a 130 grain TTSX 2 years ago.
Shot was about 90 yards.
Bullet hit behind the shoulder and ranged through the deer at an angle,
exiting out the point of the offside shoulder.
Deer pitched over on his nose instantly.
If the damage was less than a Partition or a bonded bullet,
you could not prove it by me.
The offside shoulder and leg was a complete loss.
I think it is a good bullet, but at high velocity it can damage meat too.
Regards, Eagleye.
Click to expand...
 
Are these the ones your talking about?

Hunting_Reloading_208666_main.jpg






Bigbubba said:
quick question for those that have used them:

Is there a lot of meat damage? Would you say more or less than other bullets you have used on deer?

I just watched the TTSX online video (Barnes website) with the ballistic gelatine and it sure looks to me like there will be a lot of hemmoraging etc and unnecessary meat loss.

I have never used them but am thinking about loading some up to see how they shoot.
Comments please & thanks
Click to expand...
 
Yes, those are the ones all right...

I have hit deer with Hornady Interlocks and Speer grand slams and sometimes there is a lot of "meat jello" to quote another poster. I have heard both good and bad and I dont want to lose half the deer because the bullet turned it into mush. Especially after watching the video on Barnes website (you should watch it) with the ballistic gelatin. If it does that to a deer the whole front half is going to be mush.

Maybe they are better suited for larger game like Moose/Elk/Bear? as suggestedby Max.
 
I use a shotgun mostly for deer 12-16ga 9-12 buckshot i find most of the time it is up close and personal because we run the bush in a team type manner long distince we will use a rifle 200-300-yards the bullet is half spent by then.



Bigbubba said:
Yes, those are the ones all right...

I have hit deer with Hornady Interlocks and Speer grand slams and sometimes there is a lot of "meat jello" to quote another poster. I have heard both good and bad and I dont want to lose half the deer because the bullet turned it into mush. Especially after watching the video on Barnes website (you should watch it) with the ballistic gelatin. If it does that to a deer the whole front half is going to be mush.

Maybe they are better suited for larger game like Moose/Elk/Bear? as suggestedby Max.
Click to expand...
 
I have used the TSX, TTSX and GMX a fair bit.

At high velocity, the exit is devastating. Not to say that the entry isn't, but you can indeed lose meat,...though my experience has been very positive.

I shot a coyote (I know, I know) with a 140 gr ttsx doing 2700 fps or so at impact. I hit the front shoulder on a diagnol that would have exited the opposite rear. Well, the entire back leg, right up to the spine and including the hip was blown off, and guts were almost completely exited as well.


The last deer I shot was a doe at about 150 yrds. I was on higher ground and was aiming on a slight downward angle. The bullet made a nice entrance right on the forehead, pinky size punch out. The back of the head looked like an apple had been sliced in half. The bullet proceeded intothe back where cleany brokes the spine, split a rib was never to be seen again.

The last moose I shot, was dead on his feet and dead on his side within 10 or 12 seconds, heart lung shot, high.
 
Depends where you hit them and how fast they are going. A really fast TSX shot in the shoulder at close range is going to mess up some meat, no different than any other bullet. Slower velocity behind the shoulder is going to produce fairly little meat wastage.
 
Like most have said, it's velocity that causes meat damage more than anything. .270 win is a great flat shooting cartridge, but every photo I've seen of a .270 wound is soupy.

I stick with moderate velocity cartridges. .303 Brit and 308 loaded with 185gr cast bullets. .30-30 is great too. 45-70 if you want a heavy hitter.
 
My experience has been that the Barnes TSX does less meat damage than other expanding bullets in the same caliber with bullets of the same weight.
In very high velocity rounds, it's a superb bullet. In low velocity rounds, it can behave almost like a solid, the very reason Barnes brought out the TTSX, the polymer tip is supposed to aid in expansion at lower velocities. One thing you'll never have happen with Barnes is bullet disintegration, which is a good thing for big game hunting in my books. If your rifle shoots them well, I say go for it.
 
I've shot two moose, three deer and one bear with the TSX, TTSX and LRX so far. Minimal meat damage has been my experience with a .260 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 WSM and .35 Whelen. They will mess up everything in their path but minimal bloodshot.

Here a high shoulder shot entry and exit on a muley buck shot at 100 yds with a 120gr TSX out of my .260 Rem. Through both shoulders and spine.

IMG_0585-1.jpg

IMG_0586-1.jpg
 
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