Someone Convince me to Reload/Hunt Big Game with Barnes TSX

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track

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In the past I used 100 gr. Barnes TSX on whitetails with my 257 Weatherby. Both bucks were lung shot (complete pass through) and ran a distance of 500 and 200 yards before collapsing. (two different occasions) If it was not for snow I might of lost these bucks because there was only little specks of blood.
I was very pleased with the accuracy and volocity of these bullets but did not like the wound channel or results of the kill. Convince me to go back to them.
 
If you didn't like the results from 2 occasions, why do you need convincing to continue using them? Plenty of other bullet choices for you.
 
Try the TTSX, they expand better at lower velocities though that shouldn't be a concern with the 257.
I've never had trouble with my 257 and 100 TSX,I shot that load a lot. The only one I've recovered is from an elk.
tsx001.jpg
 
track said:
In the past I used 100 gr. Barnes TSX on whitetails with my 257 Weatherby. Both bucks were lung shot (complete pass through) and ran a distance of 500 and 200 yards before collapsing. (two different occasions) If it was not for snow I might of lost these bucks because there was only little specks of blood.
I was very pleased with the accuracy and volocity of these bullets but did not like the wound channel or results of the kill. Convince me to go back to them.
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Those are unusual results for sure. Any chance the little hollow points could have gotton obstructed?

I have shot several White-tail deer with them and I handload them for some of my friends and never had one go any further than about 70-80 yards and they where leaking very badly. I have shot coyotes with them and still had normal expansion.

I have used 130gr TSX in a 300wsm at a little over 3400fps and shot deer from 75 - 450+ yds all with great results. A guy I load for shoots 168gr TSX in a 300WSM at 3050fps +- and he has taken deer from 564 - 50yds with perfect results. I have used them in my 7mm-08 and load for another person with a 120gr TSX in 7mm WSM, no problems. Another fellow I load 85gr TSX in his 243win, no problems.

I certainly don't get the dramatic DRT with the broadside double lung shots I do with ballistics tips, but neither do I worry about penetrating the shoulder on a quartering shot. If I am in a situation where I need to put the animal down on a broadside shot, I always take a high shoulder shot anyway.

Confidence is a tough thing to get back though and if you are have good results with other bullet brands and have confidence in them I am not sure I would change. If you feel your present bullet is not doing all you want then give the TSX another try or maybe better yet move to the TTSX.
 
"Both bucks were lung shot" If you always wait for one through the ribs, and almost never take a shot through a shoulder or other oblique angles, then there are better bullets for you. I would move to something like a accubond, or about any of the bonded core choices.
 
Whitetail are easy to kill, don't require much penetration so the bulk of the benefit of a great bullet like a TSX is wasted on the hill behind the deer. I've shot whitetails head on with TSX bullet and had them exit.

I LOVE tsx bullets on critters with a bit thicker skin or that are bigger than a whitetail. They are seriously deep divers and will stay together at almost any velocity, but on whitetals they aren't necessary even in a 257 Roy.
 
I don't see any good reason to use the TSX on a scrawny little deer, but I've done it, and done it with a .257. Don't do it anymore.

Since you want to be talked into it how about this:

The TSX might be the best choice for shooting something that you want to die someplace else. This specialty use doesn't come up with any great frequency, but your needs may be different.
 
500 yards on a double lunger? hard to imagine...

I've shot deer with 45gr TSX from a 221 Fireball and had them go down within 25 yards
 
I saw similar results with 130 grn tsx out of my 270 win , quartering shot , 1 shoulder 1 lung and liver went about 100 yrds . This year i used a 110 grn ttsx and am very pleased . My own theory , the lighter faster bullet deployed faster and lost more energy in the deer . Thus contributeing to a faster kill .
But thats just my opinion , this year im gonna try the gmx out maybe on bear this spring .
 
I've shot and seen shot about 80 head of big game with X/TSX/TTSX bullets, and the farthest I've seen one run was ~200 yards. That was a deer that had damage to only one lung, due to a steep angling shot that was mis-judged as being more broadside than it actually was.

I just watched a 170" WT buck fold in 25 yards after being hit through the lungs with a 100gr TSX from a .257Bee this fall. Did you happen to do an autopsy on those two deer that went 500 yards, to see what kind of internal damage was done? I'd bet that you either hit only one lung, or else you just hit the upper tips of the lungs, rather than center-punching them and doing some major damage.
 
Don't particularly feel the need to defend one of the most predictable and accurate premiums available today. They are also one of the most widely used so I am sure you will be lots of people to give their experiences.
I have shot deer to moose from 50-546yds with a .243 to 338 Win Mag and never had an animal move more than 50yds. Never recovered one, and their wound channels and blood trail has always been more than acceptable. I am well into 40 game animals personally with Barnes.
If I was to have a .257 Weatherby I would shoot the TTSX at 3500fps, and never worry about it.
 
Jordan Smith said:
I've shot and seen shot about 80 head of big game with X/TSX/TTSX bullets, and the farthest I've seen one run was ~200 yards. That was a deer that had damage to only one lung, due to a steep angling shot that was mis-judged as being more broadside than it actually was.

I just watched a 170" WT buck fold in 25 yards after being hit through the lungs with a 100gr TSX from a .257Bee this fall. Did you happen to do an autopsy on those two deer that went 500 yards, to see what kind of internal damage was done? I'd bet that you either hit only one lung, or else you just hit the upper tips of the lungs, rather than center-punching them and doing some major damage.
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I most certainly performed an autopsy where the entry, exit and lungs only had a 1/2 inch opening. These were the only two animals killed and I wasen't to impressed. Never did I have an animal run that far with a Nosler. I was most pleased at the range with this bullets performance on paper, crono and phone books, but not on the real thing. I like the "flop dead" or run just a little, but not 500 and 200 yards.
 
track said:
I most certainly performed an autopsy where the entry, exit and lungs only had a 1/2 inch opening. These were the only two animals killed and I wasen't to impressed. Never did I have an animal run that far with a Nosler. I was most pleased at the range with this bullets performance on paper, crono and phone books, but not on the real thing. I like the "flop dead" or run just a little, but not 500 and 200 yards.
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Well if the Nosler works for you, then I'd probably stick with that. ;)
 
Hmmm, that certainly is interesting.

The TTSX opens easier, at lower velocities, and more aggressively than the TSX, IME, so you might want to give that a go.

Another option is to shoot for bone with the TSX. A high shoulder shot or a hit through the scapula and both lungs usually drops them on the spot, or within a few feet. Meat damage is minimal with TSX bullets at moderate to high velocity (you'll still wreck some meat if you're using a hyper-velocity bullet at close range).
 
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bearkilr said:
Well if the Nosler works for you, then I'd probably stick with that. ;)
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That's not a bad option, either. :)

We live in a VERY bullet-rich time in the history of the world, and, having used several of them, I can say that there are a multitude of excellent options when it comes to effective hunting bullets.
 
Just shoot for the shoulders with an X bullet= DRT. It's not like the bullet will blow up like a cheap cup + core when bone is struck.
 
track said:
I most certainly performed an autopsy where the entry, exit and lungs only had a 1/2 inch opening. These were the only two animals killed and I wasen't to impressed. Never did I have an animal run that far with a Nosler. I was most pleased at the range with this bullets performance on paper, crono and phone books, but not on the real thing. I like the "flop dead" or run just a little, but not 500 and 200 yards.
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I am also in agreement. I hunt moose soley with my 300WM and have shot 2 donkeys at a max 283 yds with the 168gr TSX with very poor results. Thankfully both Moose were eventually recovered. Shoot placement was what I would call perfect. Double lung on the first and same on second at base of lungs and grazed the heart. Exit wounds were the size of a pencil in both cases. It is MHO that if I have to worry about cavity obstruction in hunting conditions if that is what happened then I won't take them in the field. I have reverted back to the tried and true Grandslams and have had perfect results.
 
Jordan Smith said:
Hmmm, that certainly is interesting.

The TTSX opens easier, at lower velocities, and more aggressively than the TSX, IME, so you might want to give that a go.

Another option is to shoot for bone with the TSX. A high shoulder shot or a hit through the scapula and both lungs usually drops them on the spot, or within a few feet. Meat damage is minimal with TSX bullets at moderate to high velocity (you'll still wreck some meat if you're using a hyper-velocity bullet at close range).
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True, and this may help explain why.

BarnesTTSXTSX.jpg
 
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