As I am a huge fan of Barnes all copper bullets in my 10ML-II, was just wondering what the over all opinions are of the Barnes plyomer tiped TSX bullets are in belted mags like the 338wm.

I have talked to more than a few hunters who use and every one loved them.

I would greatly appreciate those who have reloaded them and shot them out of belted mags, especially the 338wm what they thought of the TSX based solely on first hand experiences.

I would like to buy a box of 180grn, 225grn and 210grn and see how my 338wm likes them, as it shoots bullets in those 3 weights extreamly well, and are looking to try out Alliants new RL-17.

Thanks,
Arthur.

Haven't tried the polymer tipped TSX yet but have used TSX from 223 to 375 with good results. Most of my experience is with 308 dia bullets loaded for 308 Win to 300RUM. At velocities from 2650 to 3400fps I have never had any problem with these bullets. The only criticism of Barnes bullets I have ever heard were folks who used the old X bullets with copper fouling and marginal accuracy which was true but the TSX has cured these problems in my experience.

Art
Here are some results of recent tests I conducted with some of the bullets you are asking about. All this can be found on the Terminal Performance Thread over on Big Bores. Starting on page 16 or so I think, for more information.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...43/m/2861098911/p/16








Michael

Michael,

are these recent tests? i'd be curious to see the results if the bullets were slowed down by 150 fps and also what impact this has on the trajectory at say 100 and 300 yards versus what you have shown above.

thanks.

There is tons of intel on these bullets out there, just do a search on this forum and you will see!

I think in 338 WM you will be fine, in smaller calibers in is an absolute IMO that they fail to expand sometimes and act like a FMJ and pencil through, often with minimal damage. High velocity impacts help minimize this occurance, and larger calibers as well, it is the opinion of many, that the smaller calibers TSX's often have copper ocluding the holow point, accounting for their failure to open.

The TTSX is supposed to stop these shortcoming, but several learned folks have divined that the TTSX is actually a TOUGHER bullet than the TSX...confusing huh??? I can say that in 30 Caliber, I have had several critters that showed no discernable entry, and caliber or smaller sized exits, making for ZERO blood trail. Don't really know what this means, I haven't done any impact testing, the darn things shoot blazingly well for me, but I still am not all the way sold on them in 30 and smaller calibers yet.

I would be interested to know what those bullets were fired into that you display Michael, pretty cool stuff, and show less expansion than I might of thought at those close ranges with the 338--another reason I like to drive the TSX as fast as I can....i would love to see side by side with the TTSX.

I think the TTSX wil serve you well, IMO the new monos are designed for higher velocity performance, so I would trend to light for caliber bullet weights with these--but wait a little and someone will come on and give me a lesson about SD and wind drift

jsl3170

Tests were done in January along with a lot of other testing I am doing. You will be best served to go to the thread and start on page 16. It is now 52 pages. Mostly big bore tests, but one of the guys and myself needed some 338 tests done so I did an entire range of 338 work in both the 338 Ultra and a 338 Winchester.

By slowing down impact velocity you will increase penetration. These bullets will still open up at rather low velocity.

A FMJ or even a spitzer solid is not a stable projectile once it begins terminal penetration. We all know that the rear end does the driving while the bullet is in flight, but when terminal penetration begins the same bullet becomes a front end drive. No spitzer solid or fmj is stable at that point and will tumble if given enough medium, regardless of what that medium is. Unless it is a small amount of medium, it does not pencil through, all of the time. Being unstable during penetration it is not predictable at all, some will tumble or veer off course in the first few inches of penetration, others might possibly pencil through as stated, but most of the time given enough medium, or animal tissue, they tumble.

I don't have a lot of field experience with the TSX bullets in small calibers, some in 25 WSSM and the 100 gr versions, quite a bit with the 6.5 120 gr version, and some with the 350 gr 416 versions. All have done an excellent job, all opened up and expanded at various ranges, all performed extremely well on everything from warthogs and impala to eland, kudu, oryz, wildebeast and such as that.







I have a very high opinion of the new barnes bullets, an excellent bullet depending on the job at hand. However, we are blessed with many good bullets today, Swift, WOodleigh Softs, Hornady, North Fork, and the list goes on!

Go over to the Terminal Performance thread on big bores. Most everything is there.

Michael

The pictures that Michael458 has posted are exactly what the bullets look like after being shot into animals. Not only do they perform perfectly on test medium, they are perfect on live animals. Could not be happier with these bullets.

Last June I went to SA with my son to for his first African trip. I took a 338-06 in a Weatherby UL. Used 210 gr TSX at about 2690 fps. I took a zebra, black wildebeest, mt. reedbuck, blesbok and a HUGE waterbuck. All one shot harvests from 110 yards to 310 yards. Didn't rcover a single bullet....all past-thrus.
I see no reason to shoot any other bullet in that rifle. 100 yard groups had all 3 shots touching.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I wish that I had some pretty pictures of the bullets I used to kill 2 elk the past 2 years, but they were all pass-thru.
In 2008 I took an elk at just over 200yds with a 35 Whelen and a 225gr TSX. That elk went about 20yds spraying blood all over the place and was dead within seconds. It hit a rib going in and another one going out.
In 2009 I took another elk at almost the same place and distance using a 338 Win Mag. with the 210gr TTSX. At the first shot it just stood there and didn't move. I thought that I had missed and made another shot. It took another step forward and stopped, so I made 2 more shots before it stepped into the trees. I found the elk just in the trees dead and you could cover all 4 entry holes with your hand. They were all lung shots and the exit holes showed very little expansion.
I liked the way the TSX in the 35 Whelen had worked, so I am thinking that this year I will try the TTSX to see how it works.

Back on mute.

Would just like to say as big a thank you as can be expressed over the net. I was hoping for a few responces and instead I get actual bullet testing results. Thanks to the excellent nature of the information contained in the responces to my question, I now feel 100% confident in ivesting my $$$ in some Barnes T-TSXs.

Thanks to all and be well,
Arthur.

Arthur,

We expect a report back from you when you have finished testing, especially with the RL-17. I've only used RL-19 and RL-22 in the 338WM and I would like to know how it worked out for you.
Good shooting.

Back on mute.

Cando Joe,
I am not expecting all that much improvement accuarcy wise as my favorite loadings of RL-19 and 180, 200, and 225grn bullets all shoot far better than anyone has a right to expect from a 100% factory rifle, even with reloads.

The reason RL-17 has caught my attention is because I have read reviews of it by people who have used it with 225grn bullets and the 338wm have seen a worth while increase in MV, and not had to use a larger charge than with RL-19.

I'm simply looking for a reason to shoot my 338wm some more. My results might not be posted here all that soon as would like, but when I do I will post them.

Again thanks to all for your help,
Arthur.

Hi Art,
Prior to last year August, I was never a big fan of Barnes mono bullets. I am now. We went on a buffalo cull in Arnhemland with Matt Graham's Hunt Australia. Matt had suggested earlier that I use Barnes bullets in my 375 H&H. Earlier, I had marginal results with smaller calibers on smaller animals and literally quit using any Barnes bullets.

For the buff cull, I decided to listen to Matt and loaded up a couple of boxes of the old 270 gr. X bullets. Shooting the buff, I was able to get 14 consecutive one shot kills with the Barnes. What bullets that were recover were all like the classic 4 petal expansion you see in the above pics. That really impressed me so now, I'm a believer.

Geoff

Black Timber Outfitters

click on this site and take a look at the game pics. I can attest than many were taken with Barnes TSX and TTSX. I won't post individual pics bc I don't have their permission but I counted at least a dozen from pronghorn to mule deer, elk, and black bears. No one had to fire a second shot as related to me.

My pics are in there too.

I shot 10 African animals and a 6X6 Bull Elk all in 2008 with my .300 WSM and 180 gr TSX. All of the animals died very quickly and none ran more than 40 yards or so. My son shot a Kudu cow and a Kudu bull with his 7mm-08 using 140 grain TTSX. All of the broad side shots were pass thrues. The only issue I had was a severe lack of a blood trail. Even when shot thru the haert and lungs. Exit holes were small. Not an issue when you don't have to go far to find the critter. Internal damage was huge on them all.