My results are found in an email correspondence with Ty at Barnes. Let me say that he responds very quickly to questions sent via email. My email to him read:

I wanted to ask you some questions about how my bullets performed this week on whitetail. I loaded 120 g TSX in my 7 mm 08. The muzzle velocity is 3010. I shot two deer at short ranges (50 yards). In both instances, the bullets performed extraordinarily. Both deer fell in their tracks. In one instance, I found pieces of lung 15 yards beyond the deer. Very impressive.

On the other hand, the 100 g TSX I loaded in my 257 wby caused some concerns. The muzzle velocity is 3646. I shot two deer in the 75-100 yard range. In both instances, the bullet passed through the deer. In both instances, the bullet did not open up. It was hard to tell the difference between the entry and the exit wounds. In both instances, the deer went 50-100 yards before dying. In both instances, there was almost no blood trail. Is this complaint common? What is the problem? Do they have trouble opening at such high velocities?

His response to me was the following:

Thanks for taking time to email.

At the blistering speeds that the 257 WBY is capable of and at close targets, you may see some petal loss from the X, XLC, and TSX Bullets. A worst-case scenario is you can loose all of the petals and retain over 70% of the bullet weight to continue penetration. The remaining shank has little frontal diameter and consequently the wound channel is smaller. Not to worry, they still complete their mission. Some would argue that you receive the benefit of the secondary projectiles (petals) for more damage. With this said, the exit hole is typically small and it would appear the bullets didn't expand. Nothing is further from the truth. We are currently using high-speed photography to show how quickly the bullets begin to expand. Our bullets are expanding within the first inch of penetration. See the attached link.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/x-citingfacts.php

I'm sure both deer died because of their injuries, but lets face it, these are animals and they will keep going until there isn't oxygen to the brain, or you do enough damage to the nervous system to shut them down. Slower impacts retain the petals and consiquently have larger frontal diameter thereby creating a larger hydrostatic shock that gives more dramatic kills.

I suggest a high shoulder shot to anchor the deer. You'll be surprised at how little meat damage there is compared to other explosive types of bullets. Or slow the bullets down so the petals are not lost, this will give you a more dramatic bang-flop kill.

Based on several tests here at Barnes, no other bullet will retain this much weight and provide the penetration at these super velocities. I suggest this is superior to any other projectile and is currently still your best option.

We thank you for your input. I'm sure it will aid us in the future as we continue to develop better bullets.

Ty

I would say the easiest way to check would be when you field dress the animals, what does the soft internal tissue look like? If the petals shear and destroy everything in the chest cavity while the core completely penetrates then I would call that excellent performance.

The three antelope that I have taken with the TSX (7mm, 140g, 3200 fps) looked like they suffered a red jello explosion in the chest cavity with 1-1.25" exit holes at 200-300 yard shots.

I had a 30-378 that really liked the 150 barnes xlc's. A couple years ago I shot an elk quatering away at 75 yds. This with a muzzle velocity of 3700 fps. He flopped down right on the spot. The exit hole was very small. No blood shot meat anywhere. I figured I had lost the pedals at that speed but a blunt nosed bullet at that velocity DOES INDEED STILL GET THE JOB DONE.
Since then I've found some heavier bullets that are getting good accuracy. That speed and impact on a big animal was expecting alot but the 150 got it done. As a matter of fact we found later boning meat that the shoulder on the far side of the elk was terrifically pulverized by the bullet even after it went through about 3' of elk.
With todays calibers we can make rocket ships out of 257 wby's and 300 rums etc by using light bullets.....but the best choice is still to give the bullet a chance to perform and for that reason we should be keeping our muzzle velocity down for the big game animals. Or, when we do get a failure only blame ourselves and not the bullet manuafacturer.

Frank,
Sounds like my results also from 140TSxs in a 7mm08. I have stock piled enough TSXs to last til the end of my hunting days.

I killed several animals with the 180gr TSX out of my 300win. An elk at 347 through one shoulder quartering from the front. Complete pass through. A mulie buck at 305yds, both shoulders slightly quartering pass through, both of these animals were DRT. I shot 2 white tail does both in the 100 yd area, double lung shots both DRT. I am very impressed with them, even on the double lung shots the exit holes were 2in in dia. with major internal tissue damage. I don't have a chrony but book is around 3100 IIRC

I too think the tsx is a great bullet. Shot a large bull elk this fall at 137 yards down hill. Bullet entered 3/4 way back just below spine and exited the off shoulder. Dropped like a rock and the internal damage was immense. The exit hole just poured blood, believe it drained the animal. Small entry and a large exit hole.

quote:

you may see some petal loss from the X, XLC, and TSX Bullets. A worst-case scenario is you can loose all of the petals and retain over 70% of the bullet weight to continue penetration. The remaining shank has little frontal diameter and consequently the wound channel is smaller.

Kind of like a Nosler Partition losing their front?

I found two petals from a doe that was shot from above with a 22-250 53gr TSX. Went in high on the shoulder destroyed the vertabrae and the bullet exited the bottom between two ribs. Everything in between was destroyed.
Only tissue holding the deer together.

If you don't want a deer to run, you have to break it down. I've had deer run 100yards after being punched through both lungs with 375,350, and 338 calibers.

Have any of you guys shot these tripple shock in the 9.3X62?? What was the performance and were they accurate???. I am wondering how expansion would be at 2200 fps. That is about what it would be at 100 yards for the 286... Thanks Maddog

quote:

Originally posted by MADDOG:
Have any of you guys shot these tripple shock in the 9.3X62?? What was the performance and were they accurate???. I am wondering how expansion would be at 2200 fps. That is about what it would be at 100 yards for the 286... Thanks Maddog

Ditto

quote:

I suggest a high shoulder shot to anchor the deer. You'll be surprised at how little meat damage there is compared to other explosive types of bullets. Or slow the bullets down so the petals are not lost, this will give you a more dramatic bang-flop kill.

This is exactly what I've been stating for years. A few years ago, Ty and I had a lengthy discussion about this shot placement. I told him that this is my placement of choice and for various reasons. I was giving him feedback on how this shot had performed flawlessly 100% of the time with the TSX bullet.

If I owned a 257 Weatherby and shot those 100 TSX bullets, I'd definitely aim for bone each and every time. Even a quartering shot, aim for offside bone.

It is my opinion that the probability of the petals shearing was very good. That explains the small exit hole. Like previously mentioned, they key is to observe the tissue damage while dressing the animal.