You wont go wrong with either the partition, or the ballistic tip. I have used them both with great success, and awsome accuracy. My favorite 338 win mag load pushes a 210 gr partition at a hair over 3000 fps and is sub moa out of my rifle. They have accounted for many moose and elk, and the odd deer if one crossed my path while hunting with the 338. I shot an elk in 2010 with my 30-06 at 391 yards with a 165 gr hornady interbond. Recovered the bullet on hide on far side after penetrating neck then chest and then front of front shoulder and it was a picture perfect mushroom. Its worth your while to try the hornady bullets as well. Good luck and happy testing.
TSX question
- Thread starter KDX
- Start date
If you are starting a .257 100gr TTSX at 2900fps I would switch to the .257 80gr TTSX. Mono-metal bullets need to be driven fast to keep effective range up.
Not sure what load you are using with the .257 100gr TTSX @2900fps in a 25-06 but that is slow. I'm driving the same bullet / cartridge combo and I'm @ +3300fps in a 23" barrel without pushing hard.
To the OP, I would stick with the TTSX in the .257RAI. Push them as hard as you safely can. If need be drop to the 80gr TTSX, you will be pleasantly surprised what you will be able to achieve with this combo - the flat, fast, hard hitting TTSX is damn near the perfect bullet for the prairies!
According to what I've been reading I should be able to run the bullets about 100fps slower than what a 25-06 will do. Shilen doesn't recommend anything heavier than 100gr with this barrel, but that remains to be seen. I'm just thinking of the odd 400-500 yard poke that can pop up from time to time here in Sask, so I was thinking of the higher BC bullets. It's definitely been an informative thread and I'm not knocking the monometal bullets at all.
QUOTE Jordan Smith from other thread
The TSX, just like almost every other expanding bullet out there, is fully expanded within an inch or two of entering the animal. It's not a question of how quickly it expands, but how easily. And my experience (shot and seen shot around 80 big-game animals with X/TSX/TTSX bullets) is that TSX bullets expand extremely reliably.
I believe that guys often think that the bullet has pencilled through, when in reality the bullet hit the animal, expanded immediately, did a bunch of damage to the internals, lost its petals, and exited the offside as a wadcutter. People see the small exit hole in the hide and assume it didn't expand. They often don't judge expansion characteristics on the damage done to the insides, but based on the exit hole alone, which is flawed logic, in my book.
You definitely don't need Barnes bullets for most deer shooting. They come in handy when taking a hard quartering shot, or an end-to-end shot. Of course it doesn't hurt to use a TSX/TTSX when shooting through heavy bone, either. Where they really shine is when hunting larger game than deer, and I'm often hunting elk, WT deer, black bear, etc, all at the same time. The TSX/TTSX works great as an all-purpose bullet when I never know what I might see. QUOTE
I would like to add that Federal 25-06 Barnes 100 TSX factory load has MV of 3210 ft/sec.
and as per manufacturer design Barnes should open as low as 1600 ft/sec which gives 825 yards !!!
And 257 Weatherby mag lists 100 gr bullet at 3520 2147 ft/sec and 1023ft/lb at600.
Don't have 257 AI with me right now
I would not use lead containing bullet for hunting. So my advise to OP is keep shooting 100 TSX for everything.
Watch this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV8ij1gK-ck
Andrew
__________________
The TSX, just like almost every other expanding bullet out there, is fully expanded within an inch or two of entering the animal. It's not a question of how quickly it expands, but how easily. And my experience (shot and seen shot around 80 big-game animals with X/TSX/TTSX bullets) is that TSX bullets expand extremely reliably.
I believe that guys often think that the bullet has pencilled through, when in reality the bullet hit the animal, expanded immediately, did a bunch of damage to the internals, lost its petals, and exited the offside as a wadcutter. People see the small exit hole in the hide and assume it didn't expand. They often don't judge expansion characteristics on the damage done to the insides, but based on the exit hole alone, which is flawed logic, in my book.
You definitely don't need Barnes bullets for most deer shooting. They come in handy when taking a hard quartering shot, or an end-to-end shot. Of course it doesn't hurt to use a TSX/TTSX when shooting through heavy bone, either. Where they really shine is when hunting larger game than deer, and I'm often hunting elk, WT deer, black bear, etc, all at the same time. The TSX/TTSX works great as an all-purpose bullet when I never know what I might see. QUOTE
I would like to add that Federal 25-06 Barnes 100 TSX factory load has MV of 3210 ft/sec.
and as per manufacturer design Barnes should open as low as 1600 ft/sec which gives 825 yards !!!
And 257 Weatherby mag lists 100 gr bullet at 3520 2147 ft/sec and 1023ft/lb at600.
Don't have 257 AI with me right now
I would not use lead containing bullet for hunting. So my advise to OP is keep shooting 100 TSX for everything.
Watch this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV8ij1gK-ck
Andrew
__________________
The fact that a bullet expands or pencils through without expanding can usually, but not always be judged by an animals reaction to the shot.
When a bullet pencils through without expanding, the internal damage is much less than if it expands, even a small amount.
Game can go a long way if expansion fails to take place.
The 1600 fps is quite a bit less than personal experience would indicate.
I believe the "real" figure is closer to 2000 fps for reliable expansion with the TTSX.
Therein lies my rationale for using a different bullet should ranges be long enough for my TTSX load to drop below that velocity threshold.
However, withing their effective range, the TTSX is a very good bullet, indeed.
Also, I have found the accuracy to be outstanding in most applications I am using it.
Regards, Eagleye.
When a bullet pencils through without expanding, the internal damage is much less than if it expands, even a small amount.
Game can go a long way if expansion fails to take place.
The 1600 fps is quite a bit less than personal experience would indicate.
I believe the "real" figure is closer to 2000 fps for reliable expansion with the TTSX.
Therein lies my rationale for using a different bullet should ranges be long enough for my TTSX load to drop below that velocity threshold.
However, withing their effective range, the TTSX is a very good bullet, indeed.
Also, I have found the accuracy to be outstanding in most applications I am using it.
Regards, Eagleye.
You would have to confirm with Barnes (I can't find the reference) but in my reloading notes I have the minimum velocities for the TTSX @ 1800fps and for the TSX @ 2000fps. Quick math suggests your .257RAI starting at 3200fps will fall below the 2000fps threshold for your 100gr TSX bullets just beyond 500 yards. Switching to the 80gr TTSX would extend the range well beyond 500 yards, though I would personally switch to a Berger VLD if I was intending to be shooting beyond 500.
