Barnes TSX vs. Hornady GMX
- Thread starter chuck nelson
- Start date
I'm interested to see some comments on this. I am switching to the gmx next season for game after a bad experience with a close shot with a 140 berger. What I understand of the gmx is that it should foul less than the barnes because it is guilding metal and not solid copper. The hornady should have a slightly higher BC as well. I should mention I am going to keep a few bergers on hand for those long shots though because past 400y I think they are superior to everything else because the will still expand.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
the GMX looks "slippery"
I've probably put about 5 or 6 hundred barnes X bullets down range in 3 different rifles, and the only real "fouling" I came across during that time was a very small amount of copper trace on the swabs I passed through when I got home. I filled the bore with the copper dissolving foam, and it barely changed color. I assume the fouling they talk about must be accelerated in barrels that are roughly finished, and I have seen a couple of those. My friend has a hawkeye borescope, and he showed me a rifle that had a lot of machining marks and rough patches in the rifling, and he said the barrel of this gun and others like it are bad for keeping a little copper for themselves when a bullet passes by.
But, if your gun is well made, the amount of copper a rifle retains in the barrel will not be much.
But, if your gun is well made, the amount of copper a rifle retains in the barrel will not be much.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
The GMX is supposed to be a "harder" bullet and expand less. It's not rated for impact velocites of less than 2000 fps. From what I have read, the GMX performs at 2000 FPS about the same as the TTSX at 1800. Not really an issue for a 7mm RUM, but it may be for a .308 win or .270.
Hornady is recommending the same loading data as for other Hornady bullets of same caliber and weight.
My experience loading GMX indicates that they are harder than TTSX and created pressure signs sooner. I think that their contact area with bore is greater due to only two grooves high in the shank.
I will stick to TTSX as small saving in price would not justify reworking loads.
Andrew
My experience loading GMX indicates that they are harder than TTSX and created pressure signs sooner. I think that their contact area with bore is greater due to only two grooves high in the shank.
I will stick to TTSX as small saving in price would not justify reworking loads.
Andrew
I haven't tried the Barnes bullets yet (saving that for hunting time 2011) but the Hornady GMX worked very well for me this year.
I was loading 165 grain GMX bullets with H4350 in my 30-06. Using Lake City cases I found 57 grains was as high as I could go without encountering the beginnings of flattened primers.
I figure this must have given me a velocity of around 2750 fps.
Accuracy wise, my groups were between .8 and 1.1 inches, with a Winchester 70 Sporter.
I shot one doe, and well, I can't say it did anything i never saw a bullet do to a deer, but it worked. Nice exit hole through the ribs, and it messed up some organs alright.
It wasn't as explosive as say, a Ballistic Tip, but then again why would it be? I would compare it to a lead nosed, heavy bullet.
Real test would have been moose but I wasn't lucky enough this year.
I was loading 165 grain GMX bullets with H4350 in my 30-06. Using Lake City cases I found 57 grains was as high as I could go without encountering the beginnings of flattened primers.
I figure this must have given me a velocity of around 2750 fps.
Accuracy wise, my groups were between .8 and 1.1 inches, with a Winchester 70 Sporter.
I shot one doe, and well, I can't say it did anything i never saw a bullet do to a deer, but it worked. Nice exit hole through the ribs, and it messed up some organs alright.
It wasn't as explosive as say, a Ballistic Tip, but then again why would it be? I would compare it to a lead nosed, heavy bullet.
Real test would have been moose but I wasn't lucky enough this year.
Slightly off course on your TTSX and GMX, can I suggest to try a happy medium bullet which performs well at close and long range. I use 140 gr. Nosler Accubonds in my 280 AI and it performs wonderfully at various distances. Swift and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw are other premium bullets which will perform as well. I've heard good and bad with both Barnes and Bergers therefore I'm dubious to use them on big game. Bon Chance!
On the other hand,I have actually used the TSX,MRX,and TTSX on game,with nothing but great results.A hunting partner used the 140gr Accubond in his 7mremmag for a couple of years,but now he has switched over to the TTSX as well.In fact,all four of our normal hunting group now use the TTSX exclusively,because not one of us has had a bad result on game.
I would imagine thats one good switch too, Stubblejumper!
I didn't find the Accubond was a good multi purpose bullet at magnum speeds (300 magnum here).
It worked very well on moose but was failing to open on deer. I consider it my mistake, a misapplication of the bullet, but I would have more faith in the TSX opening in deer at magnum speed even at very short ranges where the Accubond failed.
I didn't find the Accubond was a good multi purpose bullet at magnum speeds (300 magnum here).
It worked very well on moose but was failing to open on deer. I consider it my mistake, a misapplication of the bullet, but I would have more faith in the TSX opening in deer at magnum speed even at very short ranges where the Accubond failed.
drummerboy73
Regular
I use the 140 gr TSX in my .280 AI and load the 130 gr GMX in my girlfriends .270 WSM. Between the 2 of us we shot 5 deer and one antelope this year. 4 of the deer and the antelope were one shot kills with one of the deer travelling about 30 yrds.The whitetail buck I shot took 2 shots due to poor placement on my part.The result from both bullets were equally devastating. Both of them perfomed very well. I would use either without hesitation.
I haven't had any experience with the new tsx or ttsx barnes bullets although I did shoot some deer with older x bullets designs and the performed great. This past fall I was fortunate enough to harvest a decent size calf moose shooting 165 Hornady GMX out of a 30'06 at 2840 fps with excellent performance. The shot was approx. 100 yards breaking both shoulders with the bullet exiting the far side. The bones were smashed into small bits about the size of teeth. Although it was just one animal I would recommend them v
