Has anyone tried, or is currently using the Barnes 130gr TTSX bullet in a 30 cal? Especially a mag of some sort? Curious about this bullet and its possibilities. Great reviews on Midway but you never get enough details on that short comment space.

MileHigh, I have been using them in 308 Win, 30 TC, and 300 WSM. I like them very much, they have proven VERY accurate for me, and I really like driving them at the attendant higher velocities with their lighter weight. I have shot several big hogs (which are fairly tough IMO) and a good # of whitetails, from 70ish lb does to a 250lb plus buck.

All critters I got complete pass throughs, yardages ranged from 30 ish yards, to slightly over 200 yards. I have had several of these critters with indescernable entries, and some with indescernable exits, many with caliber size exits only. Looking at the damage afterward when field dressing convinced me that all but a few had great expansion. I have NOT lost an animal with these bullets, but a few left NO blood trail, and went longer than I like, 150 yards on a couple of the whitetails, curiously the smaller ones....which actually supports a theory of mine, I think on lighter built critters, like deer, these (barnes bullets in general) are possibly TOO TOUGH.

At any rate, quick summary is typical for Barnes for me, very accurate, very tough, and have given pass throughs on all instances. I like them except on those 'penciling' ocassions and on purchase (price )

I plan on using the 130 TTSX in my 308 this fall at 3211 fps from a 24" barrel with Alliants new 2000 MR powder.

On paper it has been great, and looking forward to hunting with it.

I was thinking of the 130 TSX for a 20" 308 rig I have. If you all dont mind sharing, what twist are you using?

Thanks.

I loaded some for my friends .308 and they shoot great! He hasn't hunted with them, so we don't know about terminal performance.

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
MileHigh, I have been using them in 308 Win, 30 TC, and 300 WSM. I like them very much, they have proven VERY accurate for me, and I really like driving them at the attendant higher velocities with their lighter weight. I have shot several big hogs (which are fairly tough IMO) and a good # of whitetails, from 70ish lb does to a 250lb plus buck.

All critters I got complete pass throughs, yardages ranged from 30 ish yards, to slightly over 200 yards. I have had several of these critters with indescernable entries, and some with indescernable exits, many with caliber size exits only. Looking at the damage afterward when field dressing convinced me that all but a few had great expansion. I have NOT lost an animal with these bullets, but a few left NO blood trail, and went longer than I like, 150 yards on a couple of the whitetails, curiously the smaller ones....which actually supports a theory of mine, I think on lighter built critters, like deer, these (barnes bullets in general) are possibly TOO TOUGH.

At any rate, quick summary is typical for Barnes for me, very accurate, very tough, and have given pass throughs on all instances. I like them except on those 'penciling' ocassions and on purchase (price )

I wonder if you are getting such high velocity especially with the 300WM that the petals don't get blown off at initial contact then the shank is basically a solid traveling on through the animal.
Having shot TSX for years I originally went for the light bullet, high velocity phase and now load the light bullets down to intermediate velocities with better results. The 150gr at about 2750fps seem to work best for me in small game while 180's at 3400fps are my elk load in the RUM. As always, your mileage may vary and you know what they say about opinions

Blacktailer, I hear ya, and of course opinions are all over the place--but I try to stay un-emotional about bullets. I don't buy the blown of petals theory myself, since I started drilling out the tips on sub 30 cal TSX family bullets, I have only had one or two issues, and of course any rig is gonna have a high impact velocity at close range--which is where I have experienced the best results actually. I don't have any idea how one could actually know if the 'petals' blew off, but I would think it would result in a larger entry somehow, but heck I don't know--whatever it is, sometimes Barnes TSX;s 'pencil' through.

It is interesting you are seeing better results with lower velocities, that is counter to most that I have read...I actually load for accuracy primarily, and just use the rig that shoots the weight/cal bullet I want for the game at hand, but in 30 cal, I have really liked the lighter/higher velocity combo of these 130 grainers overall.

I think when considring discussions about TSX's that it is like the eternal bickering about Ballistic Tips, it is clear to me, that they (BT's) have blown up on impact on ocassion, and that they (BT's) DO work better at a lower impact velocity in general. Supporters will say that the 'blow ups' people have recounted are the result of something out of the ordinary--I think it is just an ocassional issue with that type bullet.

I still like the TSX's, as I stated before, but they have their place for me, just like most bullets!

Just bought a box of the 130's to load for my sister's .300 Win Mag.

Should know in a couple days the accuracy potential and, in a couple weeks, the performance on whitetail.

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
Blacktailer, I hear ya, and of course opinions are all over the place--but I try to stay un-emotional about bullets. I don't buy the blown of petals theory myself, since I started drilling out the tips on sub 30 cal TSX family bullets, I have only had one or two issues, and of course any rig is gonna have a high impact velocity at close range--which is where I have experienced the best results actually. I don't have any idea how one could actually know if the 'petals' blew off, but I would think it would result in a larger entry somehow, but heck I don't know--whatever it is, sometimes Barnes TSX;s 'pencil' through.....

I do not believe that you would see a larger entry wound even with the petal 'blowing off', as the 'blowing off' would more likely occur inside, after some penetration. At least that is what I would expect with 'thin skinned' animals (i.e. you're not talking rhinos here presumably!).

'Failures' one way or the other (i.e. either 'blown' petals or failure to open) are more likely at the velocity extremes - i.e. much under 2000 fps or over 3000 fps. Of course that is not to say that they cannot occur inbetween, but overall experience on TSX bullet performance seems positive.

I am itching to try the 80gr TTSX in the .257 Roberts at as high velocity as I can safely get it. Not the 130 gr .308 bullet, but the same principle.

However, I have shot a fair amount of game (mostly whitetails) with the original X and TSX. THe TSX is wonderfully accurate and does not foul the bore like the originals did. But I have had several pencil through with zero expansion. I am 100% positive that petals were not blown off, as I did extensive autopsies every time i FINALLY found the animals. Even when they had good expansion the deer ran farther on average than with conventional lead/copper bullets. To compound the problem, the deer bled FAR less on average than deer hit with lead/copper bullets. Most of the X and TSX's used were 140 and 160gr in the 7x57 and the 130 in the .270. I found that when run over 3000 fps I got bette rresults. Below 2800fps muzzle velocity I got really bad results. Impacts at velocities in the 2400-2600 range gave me the worst expansion and were more likely to pencil through just like a FMJ.

Until i see some sort of concrete proof i am holding off on the light TTSX's run really fast. It looks great on paper, but so far my life experiences have not shown me that reality mirrors theory. But I keep praying that it will! When it does I am going to get soem of the 80 grainers screaming from the .257 and see hwat they do on deer.

Between my guns and those which I have loaded for, we've killed about thirty deer with them. Mostly in 30-06 and .308 Win. I have used them in my 300 WM at ~3580 and they all worked perfect do far. no failure. One required a follow up for a deer hit first shot in the knee.

If there is such a thing as too fast, I have not seen it. For my money there are the best available to me today.

I have a friend who loads them for antelope in Wyoming in a 300 Weatherby Mag. Flat shooting and hit like a hammer. All of the antelope he has shot have been bang,flop .