Does bullet weight make a lot of difference with the Barnes bullets, particularly the TripleShocks?

I'm thinking of working up loads for the 30-06 with the 150gr TSX's, thinking that the Barnes bullets seem to expand about the same in any caliber, no matter the weight. And in the limited game shooting I've done/seen with them, there've been almost 100% pass throughs. So why give up the minor loss in trajectory from 150gr to 180gr? I appreciate any comments, especially from anybody with more on-game experience with these in different weights/same caliber?

Thanks,

Steve

I've used the 180 gr TSX and friends of mine have used the 150gr and 168 gr. It does not seem to matter what the bullet weight is, they all exit and the game falls dead.

Guess some people just want to assure that there's plenty of shock/energy when the bullet hits. For me, I prefer the lighter weight bullets. They get the job done. Now if I was going to hunt something big, then yeah, I might work up a heavier bullet load. JMO

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
Does bullet weight make a lot of difference with the Barnes bullets, particularly the TripleShocks?

Not really. But you need to define "a lot." Within 250 yards or so, I'd say you wouldn't notice much difference in the 150, 168, 180 even on an elk so long as you punch it where it counts. It will die and more than likely, the bullet will exit.

I like the 168 myself for my .06. I've killed plenty of game with it and all fell dead with shoulder/spine shots.

To add to your question about bullet weight. It is my opinion and experience that the tougher bullets like the TSX allow you to use lighter weight bullets per caliber with devastating results. My brother used the little 110 tsx in his 270 for all of his antelope and deer in 2005. They all dropped. I've posted pics in the past.

I can't imagine any game animal not dropping to your 150/.06 combo. You'll be fine.

I agree with Doc. My experience with TSX bullets in a 270, 300 Win Mag and a 22-250 indicate that you usually can go a little lighter with those bullets and perhaps pick up some speed to flatten out the trajectory.

My son hit a mature blacktail deer at 204 yards in the hind quarter as the deer was facing away. The 150 gr XXX from his 06 broke the femur in the hind quarter and traveled thru the body and we found it under the skin on the other side just under the neck. The recovered bullet could be used for a poster for Barnes advertising.

My 14 year old shot a 5x5 bull at 300 yards with a 168TSX from his '06 and had complete penetration, would a 150TSX have done so? Maybe, maybe not...as a comparison I shot an elk at 220 with a 130 XLC from my .270 (very similar as far as penetration is concerned) in nearly the same location on the animal and it did not penetrate, we recovered it under the far side hide.

Interesting question......

IV

It is a trade off and a marginal one at that...accuracy, penetration, shooting distance, and the size and tenacity of the intended traget.

Within the weight range you outlined, 150-180 grain bullets, is the 168 grain TSX...thats my preference for my use...I have confidence in that weight for most anything short of DG.

I have been shooting the 150 TSX in my 300 wsm for a couple of years now. I have killed 2 300LB+ Whitetails in Canada and performance was awsome.

One at 260 yards and the other at 190 yards.Both were complete pass throughs, both were broadside in the boilerroom. first one ran about 30 yards and the 2nd one ran about 10 yards. Exit holes were easily double diameter, lungs turned to mush.

Here is a quote from the Lazzeroni web page "I chose the 150gr weight for the 30 caliber LazerHead as I feel that it provides the best balance between velocity potential, ballistic coefficient, sectional density, penetration and weight retention."

I think you can drop down a step in bullet wt and still get the performance you want. I shoot 120 grain in my 270 and 7/08

Simdow

Simdow

If you want the best performance out of the barnes you should pick the wt that will give you (as best you can guess) impact velocity under 3000 fps. Anything over that and you are risking pedals coming loose. Not saying it will happen for sure but it will be more likely.
So, in a '06 it probably doesn't matter if you go 150,168, 0r 180. BUT when you start going to magnums like the 300 wby, Rum etc then there is only one logical choice....180's and bigger.

FYI--this fall I bought and shot some 165 northfork bonded bullets because of the good things I read here. I though they would be good in my '06 and decent in my 300 wby. The weatherby liked them real well and off I went to Alaska hunting. I wound up with a moose opportunity and shot it through the front shoulder as it came up over a ridge 100 yds away. It broke the front shoulder and lodged in the shoulder bone of the opposite shoulder. The moose went down and was finished off quickly. The bullet looked perfect text book northfork pic's and held 92% of it's wt on this fairly high velocity/tough hit. It just couldn't have done better......now the question....would a 180 have had enough momentum to make it through the 2nd shoulder....and did it really matter??? Perhaps a different angle on the hit and I wouldn't have broked either shoulder and it could have been "off to the races". IT'S ALWAYS A GUESSING GAME ISN'T IT....but one thing is for sure....use a GREAT BULLET for best results.

IdahoVandal, I don't understand your last statement... "it did not penetrate, we recovered it under the far side hide." How is that not penetrating?

My experience w/ the 130 grn. TSX in my .270 on a mule deer at 140 yds., angling away was almost identical to snowwolfes story. the bullet grazed the front of the rear leg and entered the body just behind the last rib, vapo-rubbed the lungs and we found it under the hide of the far shoulder. The deer dropped in it's tracks and the bullet looked like any of the one's you see in a Barnes ad.

quote:

My brother used the little 110 tsx in his 270 for all of his antelope and deer in 2005. They all dropped. I've posted pics in the past.

Doc, That would probably be similar to using the 130 grners in the 30-06. I bet you could really make them hum w/ some R15 or 4895. The Barnes bullets tend to be long when compared to the cup-n-cores of the same weight. I don't know how thw .308 130s would shoot but, If you could get the accuracy, it would be a great antelope/small deer load.

Reloader

kraky:

One of the main reason I really like the TSX is that they work great when pushed to velocities over 3000fps, at impact. I use the 168 grain TSX in a 30-378, pushing them slightly over 3500fps at the muzzle and have taken Muley's and Whitetails from 100yds to 450yds...now it may be possible that they lost part of the "X" but since they completed penetrated, in all cases, no way to know for sure...they certainly have provided very good terminal performance on everything I have taken with them...

I have only recovered one TSX bullet from a game animal. That was a 500grain bullet out of my 458Lott used on a Cape Buffalo...loaded to 2250fps that bullet entered front on the Buff, broke the back leg and came to rest against the hide in the ankle....thats a lot of penetration for any expanding bullet....that bullet weighed 499grains and was a perfectly expanded "X" shape...after penetrating damn near the length of the Buff!

Jjs--I have a 30-378 to. Mines a sako TRGs and they have a bad reputation of not having a recoil lug. Mine doesn't seem to like any bullet over 150 grain. I shoot 150 xlcs at about 3690 fps. I wish I could shoot 180's/200's but I'm not giving up 3.5" 300 yd groups for 7-10".
I shot a 6x6 elk 4 years ago at about 80 yds with the 150 xlc. He was slightly above me and quartering. The bullet exited his off shoulder going so fast it turned it to mush...but I didn't see much internal damage of the organs....just dropped in his tracks. It was wierd and I was so excited that I didn't do a real good autopsy---just a quick gut and go looking for my buddies!!!! I kind of think that bullet had no pedals at all---kind of like a blunt rod travelling at super high speed was still effective. Again, to say what I said before....you never can say with certainty what the bullet will do....or the animal...but it's sure best to use a good bullet anytime you can, especially on big game.

quote:

Originally posted by brianbo:
IdahoVandal, I don't understand your last statement... "it did not penetrate, we recovered it under the far side hide." How is that not penetrating?

Merely a typo- Did not pass through (I meant to say)... obviously it did penetrate....

IV

Here's a 168/30-06 pulled from this years bull:

Petals flying off is a good thing. The secondary missles create much more damage inside the animal.

quote:

as a comparison I shot an elk at 220 with a 130 XLC from my .270 (very similar as far as penetration is concerned) in nearly the same location on the animal and it did not penetrate, we recovered it under the far side hide.

Just for comparison sake My brother shot a cow elk at about 175 yds with my 270 a 130grain XLC (2900 fps at muzzle). It was a broadside lung shot that did completely penetrate and exit the offside. She was a full grown mature cow that walked 20 yards and fell over dead. Perhaps it wouldn't have exitted on a bull or not if it hit a shoulder first or..... and so on, buy I'll never complain about that kind of performance.

kraky:

Have you used the TSX version? I ask because I have not found a rifle that would not shoot the TSX better than the standard "X" or "XLC" styles.

My 30-378 is an Accumark and shoots well with 150, 168, and 180...the 168 just being a tad better and just flat out performs at long range for the 3 different Accumarks I have reloaded for friends.

Yes the TSX is more accurate in my rifles, proably the best bullet Barnes has made. They have a new bullet coming out this 2006, but the cost is high. 1$ per shot!

I use the 165 TSX in my 300 WSM.....and a 150TSX in my 308 Win....great groups at top vel.

quote:

My 14 year old shot a 5x5 bull at 300 yards with a 168TSX from his '06 and had complete penetration, would a 150TSX have done so? Maybe, maybe not...as a comparison I shot an elk at 220 with a 130 XLC from my .270 (very similar as far as penetration is concerned) in nearly the same location on the animal and it did not penetrate, we recovered it under the far side hide.

Here is a similar data point - .308 150gr TSX at about 2800fps impact velocity. High shoulder shot on an old, past prime (antlers) but still very large bodied bull, complete pass through and dumped him on his belly. His head was still up, so I double-lunged him and he rolled over. Of course, the second bullet exited as well.

The high shoulder shot smashed the near shoulder but missed bone on the other side.

I was impressed, but not at all surprised. TSX aren't magic, but they are pretty darn good!

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
Here's a 168/30-06 pulled from this years bull:

Sweeeeet

I wish I could recover one

Here Tarbe, another one, just for you. 160 TSX 7mm Rem Mag from a Moose this year.

quote:

Originally posted by BCSteve:
Here Tarbe, another one, just for you. 160 TSX 7mm Rem Mag from a Moose this year.

Rats, can't see the pic!

Gotta be easier keeping 'em in a moose, eh?

Oooooh! Now I see it.

Thanks!

I'm surprised at seeing so many TSX bullets recovered from game animals. I would have expected most of them to keep on going...

Jaywalker

300 win 180gr TSX 3000fps: elk#1 227 yards two through and through lung shots.

elk#2 279 yards two through and through lung shots, 1 neck shot (the only one recovered)

270 win 130gr 3000fps: deer #1 head on 70 yards, recovered in back ham

deer#2 130 yards quartering towards shot through and through

270 win 140gr 3000fps: deer #1 300 yards through and through,

deer #2 250 yards through and through,

deer #3 100 yards head on through left chest

My conclusion:

1. TSX are damn good bullets. ALL I now use.

2. Elk are tough motherfuckers!

3. FWIW: 3000fps in 180gr 308 and 140/130gr 270 have the same tragectory. All guns mod 70s, 14.25 LOP and 2.75# pull. Familiarity breeds confidence!!

Agree with jaywalker as I have never found a xxx after shooting a whitetail, have used them for kills with a 243, 270 and '06 and nothing found but dead deer and two holes through the chest, with the exit hole usually quarter to half-dollar sized.
No elk shot by me yet but it looks as if they certainly are thick, tough beasts.