recovered TTSX's

[Pathfinder76]

I plucked these from under the hide on the offside of a Bull Elk today. I found it neat that all bullets flung at him were recovered and all in various forms.

[steve]

Interesting.. wheres the elk pics?

[martinbns]

The ones on either end look like the TSX bullets I have recovered before.

I suspect they stayed in side the elk because initial velocity wasn't that high in the 280 AI. In my experience large animals will hold the 168 gr TSX when shot from a 30-06 far more often than when shot from a 300 win mag. Two in a Kudu and one in a Zebra form the 30-06 and only one in a really big moose from the 300 winny.

Most bullets penetrate less when driven hard, Barnes seem to work better.

[Homesteader]

Could it be that the reason they "work better", ie penetrate further at magnum velocities, be because they shed there petals at high impact velocities such as the way the center bullet in the picture looks.

[Traps]

Originally Posted by Homesteader

Could it be that the reason they "work better", ie penetrate further at magnum velocities, be because they shed there petals at high impact velocities such as the way the center bullet in the picture looks.

That would be my guess, looks like the 280AI is just on the verge of that magical muzzle velocity.

Thanks for posting chuck. I have a bunch of 7mm 150 gr at 2900 fps that I am going to test out next fall.

[Rackmastr]

Awesome performance!!! I am going to go to the TTSX this year as opposed to the TSX I have been shooting.

Great pics....now you have me curious if you tipped a bull over yourself!!!

[Pathfinder76]

Rack, I did.


I look at the bullet performance as proof of what I think is something we often overlook. That is the animal itself. All these bullets were shot at the same animal from the same distance within seconds of each other. Muzzle velocity was pretty high, but big animals are big animals and the animal in this case was really the only variable.

Originally Posted by martinbns

The ones on either end look like the TSX bullets I have recovered before.

I suspect they stayed in side the elk because initial velocity wasn't that high in the 280 AI. In my experience large animals will hold the 168 gr TSX when shot from a 30-06 far more often than when shot from a 300 win mag. Two in a Kudu and one in a Zebra form the 30-06 and only one in a really big moose from the 300 winny.

Most bullets penetrate less when driven hard, Barnes seem to work better.

Actually, I've found the total opposite. The only TSX we recovered was a sub 20 yard shot on a kudu with the .338. The 406 yard shot went clean through him. I'm sure there's a velocity where this isn't true any more but at very high velocity, expasion is very fast and violent in my experience.

[Wrongside]

Aaahh... guess that answers my earlier question. Congrats.

Great performance by the TTSX. Helps confirm my leanings toward them for next year.

[Rackmastr]

Good post Chuck, and congrats!

My bull last year I shot at 328 yards through both shoulders with a 140TSX at 2950fps MV. Busted through both shoulder blades and exited.

Second shot was as he turned to run uphill (hit very hard) and I hit him in the spine as he faced away heading up an opposite hill. Bullet hit the spine and had opened perfectly, anchoring him at 380 yards. Not shabby for a 7-08AI

[foothillsman]

Chuck, I'm considering using them in my 300 mag. The two which went through the rib cage, did one connect with bone in the rib cage and the other not? The answer will help me to determine the bullet weight I will pick. I'm trying to determine why one is without the pedals if that is possible.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by foothillsman

Chuck, I'm considering using them in my 300 mag. The two which went through the rib cage, did one connect with bone in the rib cage and the other not? The answer will help me to determine the bullet weight I will pick. I'm trying to determine why one is without the pedals if that is possible.

They both hit ribs. I'm not sure what the deal between the two was.

[4roddin]

The TSX is a very mysterious bullet I had some 130gr boat tails loaded up in my .300 Win Mag for deer and black bears the groups are phenomenal sitting around .412 three shot at 100. I shot a black bear and I actually found 3 of 4 pedals on the fur on the entry side and the rest went through clean that was at around 300yards and the speed was about a grain shy of max whatever that is for Barnes load I think around 3450 or so. Killed the bear deader than dead instantly. Then come my 09 Buck I shot it with a 130gr BT TSX out of a .270Win and the bullet recovered looked exactly like the ones on the website and again one shot perfect kill the buck was on a dead run at about 175yards and I put one through the boiler room and it tucked hooked its antlers in the dirt and did an end over end flip. Barnes work amazing. Have yet to shoot anything with the TTSX's though. I loaded some (168gr TTSX) for next years elk and just dialed a load in right around .53 3 shot groups out of my .300RUM Sendero. Great Bullets you pay more but man do they drop the game FAST.

[Cowtown guy]

I load for myself and my hunting buddies. After 3 moose and a pile of deer I have yet to find a bullet. I load for 7mm08, 7mm Rem mag, .257 Roberts and .243 Win. We have killed deer from 15 yards out to past 425. I won't change. I like the idea of the TTSX but with what I have been experiencing I just don't see the need to do anything different.

[rem338win]

Nice bullet pics Chuck. I love the way these bullets shot and perform. O haven't recovered a TSX or TTSX ever from anything, and I have always wanted to. Guess I need to shoot a monster bull like yours. :-)
I have the 140's doing 3050fps and have had over 3ft of penetration ending through a hip and still no recovery (300yds).
Of course you know you need a MAGNUM now. HHahhahahha.

Originally Posted by foothillsman

Chuck, I'm considering using them in my 300 mag. The two which went through the rib cage, did one connect with bone in the rib cage and the other not? The answer will help me to determine the bullet weight I will pick. I'm trying to determine why one is without the pedals if that is possible.

When your looking at loads for your .300 win mag Barnes has a bullet called the MRX as well, they are a cored bullet but it is a tungsten based core witch is very dense and that helps get a little higher b.c. (.533). It's a short bullet when compared to the ttsx and alows for a little extra powder. I shoot a .300WSM and I launch the Barnes MRX 180gr at 2980fps and they cary it very well at longer ranges 2330fps @ 400y and still showing 2170ft-lbs at that range. the numbers that I'm showing here are off a box of federal "vital shock" factory ammo if a person was to handload you would see some improvments on those numbers and save a lot of cash I'm sure. As far as chuck's post I have never recovered any bullets, all have gone clean through but really cool pictures anyways. the three deer this year all fell in there tracks and I mean that the one mule deer never left it's track's I'm very happy with the performance of this bullet and just thought it was worthy of mention! good luck.

[4roddin]

here is a pic of the only barnes i have EVER recovered came out of a big thick whitetail buck after going thru the shoulder vitals and was deflected up by the spine somehow...weird.....this is just above min load in a really old .270winchester. Dropped the buck like it go struck by lightning.

[Pathfinder76]

My Dad, Brother, Cousin, and I have recovered quite a few actually and we are starting to take pictures of and document them. In my opinion Barnes rules the bullet world for substantial big game, but I'm starting to see a trend that is quite interesting.

Our PH in Africa had a classic quote..."Those that aren't using Barnes TSX still have a lot to learn I think."

Glad we showed up with them....lol

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Our PH in Africa had a classic quote..."Those that aren't using Barnes TSX still have a lot to learn I think."

Glad we showed up with them....lol

That's a good one. I like it.