I'll be hunting whitetail deer with my son in Northern Wisconsin this November, using the 270 Win (130 gr) and a 7mm RM (160 gr). The Barnes TSX and the Nosler Accubond shoot equaly well in our rifles. Given that we have the choice, which bullet would you recommend we use and why. Thanks in advance.

tsx in the 270, ab in the 7mag.

IMO, the tsx is a slightly tougher bullet than the AB. So, with that, I'd use it in what may be considered the "lesser" caliber.

Honestly, it certainly doesn't matter which you use in either for a deer. They're both outstanding.

I wouldn't hesitate to punch a deer right in the shoulder with either.

I've shot both and have no preference of one over the other in general.

Hi Muggles,
Northern Wisconsin usually means timber, swamp and small openings. Short to medium range at best. Good chance of snow but not for sure. I've used Hornady Interlocks, Nosler partition and ballistic tip, Remington core-lokt all with good results. Of the two you mentioned I would personally go with the Accubond. It's more similar to the ones I have used. I prefer a little lead in my bullets anyway. Good luck hunting "up nort".

Greg

Considering the game, the caliber, and the average distances from whitetails I've hunted in Wisconsin, I'd use the Accubond. I want the animal "dead right there." I've seen the accubond open up a little faster and that's what I'd want. Now, to be truthful, I used the Hornady Interlocks and never felt under-bulleted.

This one took four 270 cal 130 grain TSX's to anchor last year. All four were in the heart/lung area and ice picked right at 175 yds. Ended up having to finish him off with my 45 because I ran out of 270 ammo. The rifle is a 1949 model 70 and shoots around a half inch at 100 yards. I posted this pic/story last year and got flamed...mostly for hunting with only 4 rounds in the rifle! I remembered taking a doe with one shot prior to that 8 pt, never putting another round in there. Stupid me.

Went back to 130 grain Accubonds and am happier now. My two cents worth. Best of luck this fall!

I have killed well over a hundred wis whitetails with cup and lead core bullets haven't had a bit of trouble with any of them. Avg range around 75 yard some less killed a really nice 10pt at 15 a couple of years ago.

The last dozen years or so my favorite has been a model 99 sav. in 300sav with a 165 gr rem corlokt at about 2400. Killed deer from 300 plus to the above mention 15 footer with trouble.

both bullets will work just fine.

Either will work fine.

Both work well, Accubonds will be cheaper. In the socialist republic of Kalifornia, ther is talk of outlawing lead bullets to protect the scavenging birds, so just in case I am working up TSX loads.

John

I agree with P dog shooter, I have over 75 N.MN deer, some pretty big bucks, all I ever used was Core-Lokt 150 gr. from a 308. Either of those good bullets will work fine.

ELKMAN2, you are da man. From the moment I clicked on this topic and saw requesting a bullet for a whitetail deer I said Core-Lock. I just do not buy into the argument that a premium priced, empty out each pocket priced bullet is needed to cleanly take whitetail deer.

I would use the TSX and the 270.

It is not needed but given the choice, that's it.

I like TSX's for other reason's. It doesn't seem to ruin as much meat as cup and core bullets. The extra pentration is there, if by chance you need it.

I'm with Doc 100% and I've used both bullets for N.American and African game, but the 270 pushing 130 bullets might be a better choice with the Barnes. You may need the penetration on those big ol' WI bucks. Good hunting, David

quote:

Originally posted by Hank H.:
This one took four 270 cal 130 grain TSX's to anchor last year. All four were in the heart/lung area and ice picked right at 175 yds. Ended up having to finish him off with my 45 because I ran out of 270 ammo.

We had a two guys at our deer camp lose very nice bucks with "gimme" shots using the barnes X bullets. I don't have any proof of it, but I strongly suspect the ice pick effect you mentioned. I've seen it before on several deer that we've recovered, after long trailing jobs. Everyone at our camp has now quit using barnes X (or TSX) bullets due to these failures.

Hank, I usually get flamed when I mention this also. I believe you. I personally won't use any of the barnes X or TSX bullets due to their unreliable expansion. Pretty much any decent bullet will work well on whitetails, there's no reason to risk using gee whiz stuff like X bullets that too often don't work as advertised.

After last season I will not shoot X bullets in calibers under .375. Started using them in th eearly 90's and used them off and on in various rifles through last year. Sometimes they work great, other times they pencil through, leaving tracking jobs that at times were almost impossible and always very long. Never had game go so far as they do after being shot with any sort of X bullet.

If you do a search in any internet bulletin board, you will find story after story by people who do not know each other and have no reason to lie, saying X's bored through with little or no expansion. If you are in open Alpine situations or open plains, then it might not be such a problem. In the thickest parts of the Deep South, it is a problem of the highest order.

For some reason, when people just give their testimony of first hand experience with X bullets, ardent users of X bullets give them a severe flogging on the forums. I have never understood that one, but have seen in on every single board where X bullets are talked about.

One hting I have noticed is that they usually work in calibers from .375 and up. I think it is bacause the hollow point is large enough to give expansion most of the time(I say "most" because any bullet will fail to open occasionally). Also, if the muzzle velocity is under 3000 fps, I have noticed that the exit wounds and internal damage is much less, there is less blood trail to follow, and the game runs farther. A wierd thing about any of the flavors of X bullets is that this is the only bullet I have used where the game shows exactly zero signs of being hit. Of course if the CNS is hit they drop, but a shot through the chest just produces a deer running away in what looks like a miss.

I will say one thing about the TSX's-if yoru rifle will shoot at all, the TSX's will usually make it look like a superstar!!! Man, those things flat out shoot tight groups. I do keep a few different calibers of TSX's for rifle testing.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc_Stokeld:
Also, if the muzzle velocity is under 3000 fps, I have noticed that the exit wounds and internal damage is much less, there is less blood trail to follow, and the game runs farther.

I think you summed it up right there for the smaller calibers... They seem to be a "speed" bullet... As you probably know, Barnes is introducing a tipped TSX and I bet it is for just that reason, plus getting a better BC...

This years elk rifle will be a 338-378 Wby using 225 grain TSX.. Hopefully luck is on our side this year and I'll know how they work on elk... The shorter ranges that we tend to see where we hunt means the bullet will still be traveling at 2900 to 3000 fps on impact so we shall see....

Just my two cents anyway...

Ken....

I will be using the TSX this fall in a 30-06 loaded to about 2865. I will try to hit some running gear to ensure expansion and secondary fragments to cause collatteral damage.
I have heard tales of non expansion with the BarnesX bullets. I have experienced it firsthand with a 168 gr XLC blue bullet. I have heard very little of this type of report with the TSX. Some folks do not make the distinction of TSX, SLC, X. I am giving the TSX a try because of several deer autopseys over the last two seasons and they fly really well out of my '06. We will see. Any reports from the field on the TSX's.

Nice deer Hank. No flames here. I did the same thing on a kudu in '99. Ammo in the car doesn't help much. Any evidence of those bullets opening on that deer?. The doe I lost with the SLC bullets was a chip shot with a dead rest at 20 yards. The deer hesitated like it didn't know it had been hit. Then ran. No blood, no hair. Thousands of deer tracks going in all directions thickets nearby that you couldn't get through with clothes on. I think that one penciled through between ribs with 0 expansion. I guess I will never know. Could I have missed? Maybe. It has happened. 20 yards with a dead rest and 30 minutes to get the shot right? I don't think so. "D"

It is possible to over-think this question. I hunted deer up north for over twenty years before moving to this end of the state (shotgun slugs only down here). You really don't need to fret what kind of bullet you're using on a white-tail that's less than 100 yards away. As long as you put the shot just behind the front leg practically any factory load will do fine, including those you mentioned. We always used 30-06 core-lokt in 180 or 220, but I really believe at that range almost anything will work fine-- as long as you aim properly!

no flame intended, but how about a plain ol' corelokt, powerpoint, etc.?

Muggles,I'm going up to Northern Wisconsin in November also. I will be using 140 Barnes X out of my 270 Weatherby Mag and my son will be using 130 Sierra GameKing BTSP out of his 270 Win.
I would feel comfortable using either one you mention. You should use the one you feel more comfortable with.
You may get more expansion from the accubond than the TSX so if that is an issue to you go with the Nosler.
Hope you guys get a big one. Good Luck