I have had similar experiences with TTSX bullets over the last few seasons. I can’t speak to how they look after because they go in one side and out the other regardless of what has been in their path so far.
Barnes TSX and TTSX questions
- Thread starter icehunter121
- Start date
I have had similar experiences with TTSX bullets over the last few seasons. I can’t speak to how they look after because they go in one side and out the other regardless of what has been in their path so far.
Yes, that is true but the TSX works well for what we use it for.
I have been shooting big game animals for 45+ years now and terminal ballistics have always fascinated me. When I was beginning to hunt bullet selection was whatever the local Macleod Store had in stock at any given time. We shot a lot of CIL and Winchester cartridges and I really liked the old Kling Kore bullets. When I bought my first "high-power" rifle - a Parker Hale in 30-06 I fell in love with the original Winchester Silver Tips as every thing I pointed it at fell over dead. In hindsight it was probably because ranges were usually short and the bullets expanded violently.
After I moved to BC and started loading my own cartridges I used Partitions for everything as they worked very well on everything from deer to moose. They also opened up reliably on "soft" animals like coyotes. Even today the Partition is in my opinion one of the best "all-round: bullets out there. The last decade I have tried nearly all the fancy bullets on the market and they too killed everything as long as they hit where I was aiming. If however I had to pick one "do-it-all" bullet next week it would be the Swift Sirocco II. It has in my experience worked well at both long range as well as in your face shots. It has been in my experience less "violent" than the similar Accubond .
I have only ever had one bullet failure and that was with the Original Fail Safe bullets out of a 30-06. I had bought some to try on a moose hunt and as luck would have it I bumped a nice deer the first morning out. I shot it at ~100 yards and it staggered and started to walk off. I shot it again and it continued to walk away although very slowly. I got close to the animal and put another bullet in it's ear. When I cleaned it had 2 through and thorough shots in the lungs that looked like someone had shot it with target arrows. That was the last time I used that particular bullet.
I shot an Elk at 450 yards with 7mm 150 grain tsx . recoverd 2 bullets perfectly expended just under the far side hide . Yes i shot twice . First shot knocked em down and he started getting back up so follow up . love them for coyotes when big game hunting . As long as you dont hit the shoulder they only leave a 1-2 inch exit in the hide .
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
If I ever were to kill an animal I'd probably use a Swift also.
Actually, yes, I'm loading the Scirocco now for 4 or 5 of the rifles I have that can be used for hunting. 7/08 , 7RM(not mine) and 7 WSM , 25 cal, and 270.They just plain work and with decent ballistics.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I did a poll on here once with bullet failures and those numbers spoke for themselves.I don't feel like looking back that far.
I think the mono's and ballistic tip/SST type were the most reported of what the hunter considered a failure.
and YET you kept using them ? RJ
What do you consider “failure”?
Either you've used them 3 times, and had one fail, or you've had multiple failures and yet you still used them after the first one failed.
So do you have noteworthy experience with this bullet, or did you have one fail and thus have written off the product? The way you put it ("right around 30%") makes it sound like you have shot a fair number of animals with them.
I am shooting Barnes since they were out in 1989 for about 30 years.
Starting with X bullet, MRX, TSX, and TTSX now.
Now I am shooting 150 gr TTSX in 30-06;
180 gr TTSX in 300 Win Mag;
225 gr TTSX in 338 Win Mag
They are all excellent and no lead fragments in your meat.
As to performance ..no complaints from grouse at 10 m out of 300 Win Mag with 180 gr TTSX to Elk at 520 m with 225gr TTSX out of 338 Win Mag.
Lets see grouse picture;
Starting with X bullet, MRX, TSX, and TTSX now.
Now I am shooting 150 gr TTSX in 30-06;
180 gr TTSX in 300 Win Mag;
225 gr TTSX in 338 Win Mag
They are all excellent and no lead fragments in your meat.
As to performance ..no complaints from grouse at 10 m out of 300 Win Mag with 180 gr TTSX to Elk at 520 m with 225gr TTSX out of 338 Win Mag.
Lets see grouse picture;
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I am loading 180gr Barnes TTSX for my friend 300 Wby Mag for last 20 y or so ( now it is 180 gr TTSX initially it was TSX)
From coyotes to Moose and Elk he uses them for all including deer. He would not shoot another bullet ...period.
Failure to expand, right where you quoted me..
10-12 animals, 3 failures with 3 different cartridges (280,308,30-06) all under 100yds...
Quit using them ! RJ
I am shooting Barnes since they were out in 1989 for about 30 years.
Starting with X bullet, MRX, TSX, and TTSX now.
Now I am shooting 150 gr TTSX in 30-06;
180 gr TTSX in 300 Win Mag;
225 gr TTSX in 338 Win Mag
They are all excellent and no lead fragments in your meat.
As to performance ..no complaints from grouse at 10 m out of 300 Win Mag with 180 gr TTSX to Elk at 520 m with 225gr TTSX out of 338 Win Mag.
Lets see grouse picture;
expensive bird.
2 recovered fully intact (280, 30-06) other than missing tip and rifling marks.. Another was a bear @ 40 yds high behind front leg. Bear was shot again a couple days later (neck shot), when skinned out the wound was found , no ribs hit very small hole straight through. Yes it was the same bear, same spot, bear had right ear split in half.. Shot by the guy I hunted with just a couple days earlier..I used his rifle and ammo 308, ttsx..
I said I did!!!!
