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

rem338win said:
Johnn those bullets look like they have been painted with ghey. What did you do?
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I don't really know so,;) I'll have to take your word for it:p. Seriously though, when I decided to change to some of todays bullet technology, I had questions on the performance difference between the TSX and the TTSX. Someone on site, sent me that picture with some first hand experience of the difference in expansion between the two bullets. Partially because of that picture and the explaination is why I decided to go with the TTSX in about four of the big game calibers I use.
 
I've shot a number of deer with TSX and TTSX bullets, the only one that went more than 20 yards was one i shot at from above and only hit one lung. The blood trail was impressive but it ran about 75 yards. When I say impressive, I mean it looked like someone threw red paint all over the snow for the entire trail.
 
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TTSX exit wound on deer. Deer went bangflop.

You can probably use whatever bullet you want on deer, though. :)
 
Thats what happens with x bullets and lung shots. I used the 117 horny ssts in my bee for a long time. Most animals drooped on the spot. Those bullets never exit and completely blow apart at weebee velocities. I use the 100 gr ttsx in my new weebee and havent got a kill yet. I will aim for bone. I killed a goat with a 110 accubond. It held together but didnt exit. I put 4 into the goat in about 30 seconds before it dropped dead. The first one would have done it but I always shoot till its on the ground. Stick with the ttsx.
 
crazydave said:
Just use nosler partitions, never had a failure of one yet.
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The reason I went to the Barnes TTSX was to try and eliminate the meat loss, caused by lead the fragmentation. In past I have used some of the more specialized hunting bullets like Nosler partitions, Speer Grandslams and Norma Dual core. All offered very good accuracy and were highly effective in reliably putting game down. However, on the last two Mule Deer draw hunts in Alberta, I saw very graphic example of the considerable difference in meat loss between the Deer taken with lead core bullets I was using and those my partners got using Barnes TTSX. Time for me to get with todays technology:).
 
A double lunged deer ran 500 yards before expiring?? I call bull! I use tsx in my 25/06 ackley and 300 rum and ttsx in my 270 wsm. I've double lunged, quarter forward, neck, and shoulder shot deer with my 25/06 ai, and 270 wsm using 100gr tsx and 110 ttsx respectively and never had a deer run more than 125 yards....but then again I've never had a double lunged deer run 500 yards using any bullet.
 
Johnn Peterson said:
The reason I went to the Barnes TTSX was to try and eliminate the meat loss, caused by lead the fragmentation. In past I have used some of the more specialized hunting bullets like Nosler partitions, Speer Grandslams and Norma Dual core. All offered very good accuracy and were highly effective in reliably putting game down. However, on the last two Mule Deer draw hunts in Alberta, I saw very graphic example of the considerable difference in meat loss between the Deer taken with lead core bullets I was using and those my partners got using Barnes TTSX. Time for me to get with todays technology:).
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They do make a bit more of a hole but partitions do hold together well and retain a fair amount of their origional weight.

When i hunt i do not aim for the shoulders or any part that has much meat meat to waste, behind the shoulders is where the magic happens so to speak, so i use the bullets that will reliably expand and hold together.

To each their own, but pencil wounding a animal and tracking for long distances is not my cup of tea, if barnes work for you then so be it, but i will stick to my partitions.
 
I have shot quite a few deer with these things in the .308win. I pencil holed a few but they still never went any farther than 50-75 yards. The rest had either dropped in there tracks or went a few steps I never aim for bone. Saving the meat and keeping the lead out of my family's food is one of the biggest reasons I use these.
 
crazydave said:
They do make a bit more of a hole but partitions do hold together well and retain a fair amount of their origional weight.

When i hunt i do not aim for the shoulders or any part that has much meat meat to waste, behind the shoulders is where the magic happens so to speak, so i use the bullets that will reliably expand and hold together.

To each their own, but pencil wounding a animal and tracking for long distances is not my cup of tea, if barnes work for you then so be it, but i will stick to my partitions.
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Agreed, the partitions do work well and by design, do retain a good percentage of original weight for penetration. But, if I blow the front end off using a Nosler, that's still results in a lot of what I was refering to as lead fragmentation and resulting lost meat. From what I've seen of the TTSX, not only do they offer reliable adequate expansion, but in addition, they hold together well for great weight retention and excellant penetration. The result, a good wound channel with a lot less meat loss.
 
crazy_davey said:
John, how many animals have you killed with the TTSX?
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Just changed over to TTSX in four calibers this past year so, while on the agenda for next year, to date, none. Hunting with my Daughter and Son In Law in AB, and counting two Deer here on the 'wet' coast, I've seen five taken with TTSX bullets, by three different calibers. That's why I said earlier, "from what I've seen".
 
The CGN elections desk has declared the Troll elected with a Majority government, based on the results in the partisan posts?

Whenever theres a thread, that starts a debate over something so precious to some, that it can't even be whispered by other's, it's declared Troll Day at the forums.

Why? We have freedom of speech, freeedom of expression, freedom to participate or not to participate in debate?


I have seen enough posted here, and countless examples by experienced shooters, that I would try the TTSX for deer in my .270, .284 or 7mmRM .308, .30-06 etc etc, and would not doubt the outcome one little bit.
I see the benefits of these solid copper bullet's, but I'm also am seeing where some have had less than optimum experiences with the TSX. With hard hitting calibers. Why??

Are they misleading me,.... or is there a logical explanation for these blips in the otherwise excellent record of these bullets? I see Barnes on their website proving they will expand on deer, so obviously there must be someone saying they don't!

When I see some saying shoot the TSX into the shoulder blade for extra expansion on the smaller of the deer family, I'm thinking there is something to the original posters question.

By the way,.....my NomexIIIA/bunker flamesuit, is for the ship firefighting mock up's and air crash training. Ever been in a steel oven, with flames licking all around you, and except for the faint glow of flame, you can't see a GD thing for steam on your faceshield.

Come to think of it,....... I guess it's something like CGN debates at times.................except the faceshield is replaced by a monitor....:p
 
Johnn Peterson said:
Just changed over to TTSX in four calibers this past year so, while on the agenda for next year, to date, none. Hunting with my Daughter and Son In Law in AB, and counting two Deer here on the 'wet' coast, I've seen five taken with TTSX bullets, by three different calibers.
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I haven't switched over yet from TSX's and still undecided if I will or not.

Here is a bighorn sheep killed at 550 yards, shoulder shot with a 150g TSX(legs removed already in the picture). Broke both shoulders and exited, sheep folded on the spot. The whole front of that sheep looked like jelly.

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Because of the angle of the shot the bullet went in the middle of the right shoulder and came out high on the top of the left, still broke them both though.
 
I often think that people shoot an animal in the lungs with a TSX and see a small entrance and small exit and assume the bullet didn't expand. IN actuality though, the bullet expanded, made lung soup and exited. It's what's inside that counts. ;)

Every bullet can fail from time to time, but after using TSX and TTSX bullets quite a bit, I'm pretty confident in them. However, like I said- any brand bullet will kill a deer.

If a person worries about expansion, just drop down in size, raise up the velocity and it will still do the job.
 
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