I put this over in Medium Bore rifles forum without responses, so I thought I would cross post it here where the loaders might set me in the right direction on the TSX.

Do you recommend a lighter weight bullet when loading the Barnes Triple Shocks to achieve the best expansions ?

Way back in the days of the Barnes X bullet, when that was the bullet to have, I found that the X bullet wasn't for me . I got them and loaded them up and while they shot well , I soon found out as a lot of guys did that I had excessive copper in my barrels . Ok I can live with that .

But finally I got to shoot a deer with a X and while the shot and hit was good, it almost appeared as I had missed. Then we got blood and eventually found the deer. The shot had been good and it drilled a neat little hole through both sides of the deer. I had seen enough and since I have never had or loaded a Barnes bullet.

Fast forward to present day. The Triple Shock is the premium bullet for a lot of guys. There are far too many good stories and recovered bullets and that to shrug it off.

So for my 7mm Rem Mag I was thinking it may be time for Barnes again for some plains game use on larger animals. I have the 416 Rem Mag along to handle any heavy chores.

But I am curious about which weights to use if I give the Barnes another try?

I prefer the 160 grain bullets in the 7mm which goes along with my general medium heavy for caliber selections in most rifles. I prefer the Sierras for deer and either the Nosler Accubonds or the Partitions for heavier work. I have several 7 Mags so I can experiment some.

At some point I am pretty sure that I may have understood that when using the Barnes TSX that you not only can use a lighter bullet, but that you might should to insure the best expansion.

One good thing about the Partitions is that you get some expansion at a wide range of velocities , but I can't say on the Barnes . I am going to look - but a Barnes book is one of the few not on my shelf.

What you TSX guys do, or do you just stay with the weights you are used to loading ?

How about weighing in on this guys . Thanks for your inputs .

While I know the Partition works in the 416, I might load some of them for it too. The Phs sure like the TSX so I ought to at least see how they shoot for me.

In the 416 in one way I wouldn't think which TSX bullet you use makes much difference. But then again maybe using the 350 grain would be better than the heavier 400 grain pill as you would have more velocity to help mushroom that cone.

Your story pretty much mirrors mine with the old X. I use to shoot an 7mag extensively and loved 160 grain partitions. Now my go to bullet for most all my hunting rifles is a TSX or a TTSX. And yes I do step down typically at least one notch in weight. I would run with a 150 grain if I were you. Then as far as the TTSX vs the TSX. It has been my experience that if I expect an impact velocity at below 2600-2700 FPS I use a TTSX for more reliable expansion. Once all my stock is gone on the TSX I might just switch to TTSX on my faster rifles and see how they do. For my 280 rem I am really liking the 145 LRX. However have not yet blooded that rifle to see how they do.

Honestly, I shot the old Barnes xs out of my 280 Ack and they shot like crap and filled my barrel with copper, so I quit using them. I think however, that they have fixed all that and the new ones are good. I understand your thinking about the weight; I think the same thing but have not tried it. I agree with Mckay that i might step down a notch if I try them again. I guess I am old school; old fashioned lead and copper jacket bullets have killed a lot of stuff for me.

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Your story pretty much mirrors mine with the old X. I use to shoot an 7mag extensively and loved 160 grain partitions. Now my go to bullet for most all my hunting rifles is a TSX or a TTSX. And yes I do step down typically at least one notch in weight. I would run with a 150 grain if I were you. Then as far as the TTSX vs the TSX. It has been my experience that if I expect an impact velocity at below 2600-2700 FPS I use a TTSX for more reliable expansion. Once all my stock is gone on the TSX I might just switch to TTSX on my faster rifles and see how they do. For my 280 rem I am really liking the 145 LRX. However have not yet blooded that rifle to see how they do.

Thanks and I will maybe give the tipped a go.

In using the Accubonds I like that tip, but in spite of padding them etc I hate it when the tips break off. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

If I put zebra and kudus on the 7MM ticket would you think I should still go down, or just stay with the 160s? I am thinking at 100- 200 yards .

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Honestly, I shot the old Barnes xs out of my 280 Ack and they shot like crap and filled my barrel with copper, so I quit using them. I think however, that they have fixed all that and the new ones are good. I understand your thinking about the weight; I think the same thing but have not tried it. I agree with Mckay that i might step down a notch if I try them again. I guess I am old school; old fashioned lead and copper jacket bullets have killed a lot of stuff for me.

Thanks . I obviously had that problem too with copper . But it all ended it when I saw the neat little hole in the animal. The Barnes are the only bullets that ever cut copper like that in my barrels.

I would think on whitetails or on pronghorns and the like I sure should go down if I used the TSX. Or maybe as McKay says just use the tipped.

It was just a thought as I have heard so much on the TSX as of late I thought I might have to try them. But I can just ride out the Accubonds and Partitions I have in the cabinet too . At least I already know the loads and that they work. But there could be a new and better game in town.

I shoot a bunch of TSX and TTSX bullets. I do go down in weight and get more velocity. I use the following with good results.
6mm - 80 and 85 gr.
6.5 - 120 and 130 gr.
7mm - 140 and 150 gr.
30 cal. - 150, 165 and 180 gr.
338 - 225 gr.

I've made a grand total of two trips across the pond. One trip with 180 grain Partitions and one with 180 grain TSX bullets in a 300 WM. I'm heading back in June with that same 300 with either 168 gr TTSX or those same 180 gr TSX bullets. Accompanying this rifle will also be my 375 H&H with 300 gr TSX bullets.

I can't say one bullet did better than the other because the furthest any of the plains game animals I took was a kudu that ran about 50-75 yards, when taking the TSX at 168 yards on a quartering towards shot. But, what I can say is that I have never caught a Barnes bullet in any of the animals I shot with it, which is going on about 3 dozen now. Bullets range from the 80 grain TTSX in my 243 Win to the above 300 WM. I can't say that about the Partitions as I have pretty nice collection of spent bullets found in various critters.

I've basically switched all of my loads over to the TTSX or TSX bullets.

I love the reliability of knowing I'm going to get two holes in a critter should it make it out of eye sight.

Good luck!

As I put in the original post the Ph's as a group sure seem to think a lot of the TSX .

While it is unusual to get all of them on a page, they have seen the good results all the Barnes TSX users report . So I think it is worth a try for me too with the newer bullets .

And a good thing is that they are somewhat available too .

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Your story pretty much mirrors mine with the old X. I use to shoot an 7mag extensively and loved 160 grain partitions. Now my go to bullet for most all my hunting rifles is a TSX or a TTSX. And yes I do step down typically at least one notch in weight. I would run with a 150 grain if I were you. Then as far as the TTSX vs the TSX. It has been my experience that if I expect an impact velocity at below 2600-2700 FPS I use a TTSX for more reliable expansion. Once all my stock is gone on the TSX I might just switch to TTSX on my faster rifles and see how they do. For my 280 rem I am really liking the 145 LRX. However have not yet blooded that rifle to see how they do.

Thanks and I will maybe give the tipped a go.

In using the Accubonds I like that tip, but in spite of padding them etc I hate it when the tips break off. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

If I put zebra and kudus on the 7MM ticket would you think I should still go down, or just stay with the 160s? I am thinking at 100- 200 yards .

I have shot both with a 168 tsx in 300wm and it drilled right through them. Have shot elk with 150 tsx in 300H&H and drilled right through at 300 yards.

168 TSX out of a 300WM. Frontal Impala at 310 yards. Did not have a tape measure but we thought it was about 50-54" of penetration. Yes it is sticking out the hide backwards as it tumbled as it slowed down. Really had to rip the bullet out of the hide as it had that classis rolled petal formation.

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Your story pretty much mirrors mine with the old X. I use to shoot an 7mag extensively and loved 160 grain partitions. Now my go to bullet for most all my hunting rifles is a TSX or a TTSX. And yes I do step down typically at least one notch in weight. I would run with a 150 grain if I were you. Then as far as the TTSX vs the TSX. It has been my experience that if I expect an impact velocity at below 2600-2700 FPS I use a TTSX for more reliable expansion. Once all my stock is gone on the TSX I might just switch to TTSX on my faster rifles and see how they do. For my 280 rem I am really liking the 145 LRX. However have not yet blooded that rifle to see how they do.

Thanks and I will maybe give the tipped a go.

In using the Accubonds I like that tip, but in spite of padding them etc I hate it when the tips break off. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

If I put zebra and kudus on the 7MM ticket would you think I should still go down, or just stay with the 160s? I am thinking at 100- 200 yards .

I have shot both with a 168 tsx in 300wm and it drilled right through them. Have shot elk with 150 tsx in 300H&H and drilled right through at 300 yards.

Did it also expand or did it drill a neat little entry and the same exit wound diameter ?

Wow thanks for that pic too . You always will remember that !

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Your story pretty much mirrors mine with the old X. I use to shoot an 7mag extensively and loved 160 grain partitions. Now my go to bullet for most all my hunting rifles is a TSX or a TTSX. And yes I do step down typically at least one notch in weight. I would run with a 150 grain if I were you. Then as far as the TTSX vs the TSX. It has been my experience that if I expect an impact velocity at below 2600-2700 FPS I use a TTSX for more reliable expansion. Once all my stock is gone on the TSX I might just switch to TTSX on my faster rifles and see how they do. For my 280 rem I am really liking the 145 LRX. However have not yet blooded that rifle to see how they do.

Thanks and I will maybe give the tipped a go.

In using the Accubonds I like that tip, but in spite of padding them etc I hate it when the tips break off. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

If I put zebra and kudus on the 7MM ticket would you think I should still go down, or just stay with the 160s? I am thinking at 100- 200 yards .

I have shot both with a 168 tsx in 300wm and it drilled right through them. Have shot elk with 150 tsx in 300H&H and drilled right through at 300 yards.

Did it also expand or did it drill a neat little entry and the same exit wound diameter ?

Wow thanks for that pic too . You always will remember that !

It expanded. The only time I have had with poor expansion (still some) with a TSX was when I was running them slow. Still always had a large exit than entry but not what you would expect. So stick with the TTSX with slower less than magnum rifles or just go TTSX for all.