Actual Barnes TSX Performance

264X300 · Oct 26, 2008

Finally recovered from my Colorado elk hunt and had some interesting results. With less than an hour and a half left in the first hunt, I scored on a small bull. The shot was appx., 100 yds with a 300 WM loaded with 73 gr of RL-22 and a 180 gr Barnes TSX. Shot placement was just behind the left front leg at a slightly quartering away angle. Bullet crashed through a rib, then made mush of the lungs and heart, crashed into the upper right front leg and lodged just under the skin of the right shoulder. Here is a picture of the bullet I recovered.

I just got around to weighing the recovered bullet against a new one and according to my scale, there was zero weight loss! At least on my hunt, the Barnes TSX performed exactly as Barnes advertises. My 300 WM shoots them well with a 2" group at 200Yds so needless to say I will not be switching bullets any time soon.

After the bull was hit he looked confused and tried to take a step so I hit him again. It was a glancing hit that took out three ribs and his left front should and he fell, rolled down the steep hill about twenty yards and was stone dead when I got to him. Just about as clean as it comes.

264X300

BGbasbhat · Oct 27, 2008

Pretty sweet report 264. I'm always skeptical of reports online about certain things, so thanks for the first hand feedback.

And congrats on your bull!! What hunt was it? Res, NR? I'm looking to start applying in CO next year.

peakfreak · Oct 27, 2008

Never used the tsx but I'm going to next time I load.

264X300 · Oct 27, 2008

Non Res Colorado 1st hunt either license. The small bull was the only elk I saw the entire first hunt, but I found out Wed., around 11:00 AM that I had been looking in all the wrong places. Wed., at 4:45 he was down.

There were not too many successful DIY hunters so I feel pretty lucky. The outfitters who took their clients in 4 - 6 miles were very successful. I personnaly walked in 4 miles and subsequently frame packed him out that far. That's what it took to be successful. I'll hunt smarter next year.

FYI
264X300

ultra300mag · Oct 27, 2008

Way to go. I shoot Barnes in all my guns and have done so for several years. I shot a nice buck in Nevada this year with my muzzle loader and it fell in its tracks. My nephew shot his there also at a range of 210 yards and recovered the slug from the spine. It was a perfect mushroomed bullet. I shoot the triple shock and it shoots great groups and performs very well. Anyway way to go on scoring on a bull!

littlebighorn · Oct 27, 2008

Ditto to UltraMag, but I never find the bullet because all of mine have penetrated all the way through. Well, all except my moose that I shot facing me. I didn't want to dig through his innerds, just to recover a perfectly mushroomed bullet.
Congratulations on the elk. Sounds like you worked very hard!

YukonDall · Oct 27, 2008

I SHOT A MOOSE THIS YEAR WITH A BARNES TSX 180 GR IN THE .300WSM AND GOT A COMPLETE PASS THROUGH....THE BULL WENT ABOUT 5-10 FEET. SAME ON A MULE DEER BUCK....FOLDED IN HIS TRACKS....I SOLD ON THE TSX.....YD.

fishnut · Oct 27, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-08 AT 03:34PM (MST)[p]This is from my boys elk this year. we had to dig it out of the hill after it went through the point of the shoulder and out the back hip. 168 gr TTSX out of a 30/06.
This is the best bullet made!

REDDOG · Oct 27, 2008

I think barnes got it right on the ttsx,i shoot the mrx and it impresses me every time, be it an elk or a pronghorn.

I dont want to piss off all the tsx guys, but a hollow point is easily bent and there for will not expand, i think if a guy shoots them long enuff you will have one fail to open.even the hornady hollow point varmint bullets have been turned into a solid because of tip damage.

Abomb · Oct 27, 2008

>I think barnes got it right
>on the ttsx,i shoot the
>mrx and it impresses me
>every time, be it an
>elk or a pronghorn.
>
>I dont want to piss off
>all the tsx guys, but
>a hollow point is easily
>bent and there for will
>not expand, i think if
>a guy shoots them long
>enuff you will have one
>fail to open.even the hornady
>hollow point varmint bullets have
>been turned into a solid
>because of tip damage.

Wow, you hit the nail on the head. My hunting partner shot an elk last year at 486yds with a 300 WM and TSX. We found 2 of his bullets in the animal that did not open. They had bent tips and that was all. I also shot the elk cause it was still standing. Both of his shots were kill shots but due to a non opening bullet ,they did not kill it right away, but were definitely kill shots.. I was shooting a 7mmRUM w/150grn Scirocco, bullet opened perfectly and lodged in the hide in the off shoulder after traveling through bone.He said he will never shoot a TSX again. Yes they are good bullets at close range but at longer distances you better be pushing that bullet at extreme speeds and hope for the best.

alwayzbhuntin · Oct 27, 2008

I would have to agree with fishnut, he knows a couple things about bullets.

?We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.? Aldo Leopold

REDDOG · Oct 27, 2008

Abomb, tell your buddy to try the mrx if he likes the idea of the barnes mono's. i've used them on several animals, close and far, great bullet. the tip solves the expansion problem.

fishnut · Oct 28, 2008

You can also try the newer Tipped TSX to extend the range. The .338 225 gr TTSX has a BC of over .500 and makes it a 700 yard bullet with expansion.
The .30 cal 168 gr TTSX has a BC of .470 so it does have a higher BC than the MRX and is cheaper to boot. It would be good out to about 600 Yards depending on cartridge.

huntindude · Nov 3, 2008

I've taken a Shiras, 5 elk and 3 deer with the TSX from 75-375 yards , perfect performance. I might try the MRX if very long range shots or a not so hot cartridge were a factor, other than that just shoot the TSX and don't worry they work.

ELKRIDGESS · Nov 3, 2008

Here are the two 140 grain Barnes TSX bullets recovered from my sons Idaho elk on Saturday. The shot was 200 yards, quartering away. The bullets entered about 6 inches a part and made a mess of the lower portion of the lungs. Both were recovered next to each other just under the skin near the front shoulder. Problem is the bull went about 400 yards with no blood...rifle was a 7mm-08. Not sure I am sold on the Barnes yet. Have had real good luck with Nosler Partitions in the past.

peakfreak · Nov 3, 2008

Looks like the bullet did what it was supposed to do...maybe the 7mm-08 didn't do it's part...or maybe elk are just to damn tough...

txhunter58 · Nov 3, 2008

Wow, I can't imagine a bullet looking better than the two your son pulled out. They retained their weight and made it through the bull. I gurantee you that the partition would have been to down to no more than 60% weight. I suspect slightly better bullet placement would have resulted in a short tracking job.

However, as stated, the TTSX or the MRX seem to be a slight improvement.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

alp75 · Nov 3, 2008

I shot a buck at 408 yards this year with the mrx out of my 300 wsm. He only went 40 yards and completely sprayed all the brush within that 40 yards in crimson. Excellent blood trail.

deerhuntr4885 · Nov 3, 2008

I just got back from my MT elk hunt and shot my first bull with the TSX. I shot him at 608 yards and the TSX dropped him in his tracks. I did not recover the bullet as it exited behind the off shoulder. I would say though that there was no blood and the exit hole was pretty small. If he had been able to run off I do not think I would have had any blood to trail him up with. But for now I am satisfied with the performance. It will take more shots/kills before I will be completely sold on it.

Mike Henne

fishnut · Nov 4, 2008

I just recovered this one on Saturday out of another elk shot at 347 yards with a .280 rem. 140 gr TTSX going in and 139.5 upon recovery. It was a racking shot I wouldn't have taken with any other bullet. Found it under the hide in the brisket. I did shoot it again as the first shot stopped it and it turned with its head down. We could see it coughing up lung through the spotting scope so I don't think the second shot was needed but as long as they are standing I'm going to shoot. Second shot took out the heart and went on through.

mtnview · Nov 4, 2008

I have been shooting 180gr TSX out of my Nesika 300 Rem Ultra for two years, after trials and errors with other bullets.

Last year, Colo bull elk, 480 yds, quartering away hard. One shot drop and bullet had approx 2' of penetration. Bullet recovered off side shoulder and displayed perfect expansion and weight retention.

This year, bull elk, 528 yds, broadside, one shot drop. Complete pass through the chest cavity. Mule deer 200 yds, one shot drop, quartering away, complete pass through.

3 TSX fired at big game, three tags filled.

I have shot a variety of loads and bullets and nothing has performed as well as the TSX.

orion23 · Nov 4, 2008

i swear by them. awesome bullet, never have any problems with them. Moose and elk this year dropped in their tracks, recovered the bullets and performed perfectly out of the 300wby.