Barnes Question

realtree hunter

realtree hunter

New member
I just had my 2nd and probably final rifle built. It is a 7mm rem with a 29 inch barrel. Im in the process of getting a load put together for it and wanted everyones thoughts on what the Barnes 120gr ttsx bullet would do to deer and hog sized game. Im sorta thinkin small light bullet moving faster = more than usual xpansion for Barnes but still holding together to make decent sized exit wounds. Anyone here that has used this bullet? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
That should be a great deer and pig killing combination.

Just because you will have a small exit hole does not mean that the bullet will not do meat damage.

Two years ago I shot a nice buck angling away from me going downhill with my Rem 260 with a Barnes 120 gr Tipped TSX bullet.

The bullet broke the buck's back and I could't believe the amount of damage it did.

In the early 80's I shot a buck in Wyoming with a Rem 7mm mag using a 160 Nosler Partitiuon bullet. It had a small hole going in and out of the buck. When we pulled the skin off of that buck the hole in the meat was huge all the way through the deer and there was a lot of blood shot meat.

At 7mm mag velocities just because a bullet stays together does not mean it won't do some damage.
 
Originally Posted By: realtree hunterI just had my 2nd and probably final rifle built.

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There like drugs man... No way your done!!!


I shot the barnes 120 when it was the "X" bullet. At almost 3400fps with a 26" barrel it killed decent but would tear the "pedals" off the shank. Ever deer I killed with them, I found the ears ripped off inside the deer. They may be better now with the TSX or TTSX??? I found typical cup & core bullets put deer down faster. However, if you always wanted to get the most penetration possible (not always a good thing in my book, but neccisarry at times) it's the bullet you want.
 
Originally Posted By: coleridgeOriginally Posted By: realtree hunterI just had my 2nd and probably final rifle built.

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There like drugs man... No way your done!!!

I shot the barnes 120 when it was the "X" bullet. At almost 3400fps with a 26" barrel it killed decent but would tear the "pedals" off the shank. Ever deer I killed with them, I found the ears ripped off inside the deer. They may be better now with the TSX or TTSX??? I found typical cup & core bullets put deer down faster. However, if you always wanted to get the most penetration possible (not always a good thing in my book, but necessary at times) it's the bullet you want.

I agree with the drugs comment.

On the Barnes topic, the X bullet, and the Tipped Triple
Shock bullets, are VERY different performance wise. I still
shoot X bullets in a Savage Striker, not because of the
bullet performance, but this firearm loves them accuracy
wise. I shoot TTSX bullets in 6mm WOA, 6mm Rem., 25-06 Rem.,
6.8 SPC, 308 Win., and 300 WSM. The X bullet performs more
like a Nosler Partition, and the TTSX performs more like a
cup and core bullet, except the TTSX has better weight
retention. The X bullet needs more velocity, or tougher
targets to help expansion. The TTSX needs less velocity,
and even soft tissue will move the tip into the bullet
for good expansion. The TTSX expansion is impressive,
even at long ranges. But expect when you field dress/process
the animal, there will be significant evidence of hydrostatic
shock.
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Squeeze
 
I used to shoot the 120 tsx in a 6.5ultramag. At those velocities the petals usually sheared off the bullet. Still penetrated very well and didn't bother me because I think those petals shearing off create more wound channel damage than if it holds together.
 

I have used the TSX 140 gr. in a Remington Sendero, 7mm STW. Flat shooting is an understatement, and it drops game (antelope and mule deer) with authority.

Offside damage gets mixed reviews since some wounds are minimal and others pronounced. It all has to do with where they are hit.

I haven't used the 120 bullets.
 
All my Barnes TSX have passed thru deer quite easily without too much damage, haven't hit a shoulder though. Pigs here can be pretty big and I had one bullet enter the arm pit(quartering away), take out the heart & lungs then hit the far shoulder and explode, then lodge in the armor plate with a ton of bone mess. I can get away shootong the .243 at deer but it won't penetrate the bigger pig cartilage armor plate so I move up to the 130 grain ~2,700 out of a 30-06. For what it's worth I think that the faster, lighter bullets seem to do a lot more tissue damage. Kind of pulverises the meat.

Also if you haven't loaded the copper bullets before the head space & crimpimg is not like lead bullets. Some guys get lucky but the pressures can go way up, hard to know unless you have the measuring equipment. Let us know what you come up with.

EDIT; why are you going to the copper bullets, just curious ? We HAVE to shoot them here in the condor lead-free zone. It's kind of a real hassle as the copper tends to shoot high and right in both AR's(.223 & .243) but not in the bolt guns.
 
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Thanks for all the input guys.

Coleridge, I hope its not but Ive been putting my money in places to use the rifles I have instead of buying new rifles.

Wedgy, I just wanted to try the TTSX in the 7mm because of the performance I saw from my 300 AAC Blackout on a 175lb boar pig I shot a couple of weeks ago. At 60 yds that little round pushed a Barnes Blacktip through both shoulders and both shields on that thing. The exit wound was through the bigger bone on the lower front leg. The pig went 30yds and fell over. I was so amazed I wanted to try more Barnes which led to the 120 TTSX. My buddy was so impressed with what he saw, he dropped $1100 on a new Blackout!
 
Typical load for a 7 Rem Mag for the 120g is:

Rem brass
CCI250
120g what evers
72-73g of R#22
Barnes are set .050 off the lands
other bullets seat touching the lands
3500 fps
 
Originally Posted By: SqueezeOn the Barnes topic, the X bullet, and the Tipped Triple
Shock bullets, are VERY different performance wise. I still
shoot X bullets in a Savage Striker, not because of the
bullet performance, but this firearm loves them accuracy
wise. I shoot TTSX bullets in 6mm WOA, 6mm Rem., 25-06 Rem.,
6.8 SPC, 308 Win., and 300 WSM. The X bullet performs more
like a Nosler Partition, and the TTSX performs more like a
cup and core bullet, except the TTSX has better weight
retention. The X bullet needs more velocity, or tougher
targets to help expansion. The TTSX needs less velocity,
and even soft tissue will move the tip into the bullet
for good expansion. The TTSX expansion is impressive,
even at long ranges. But expect when you field dress/process
the animal, there will be significant evidence of hydrostatic
shock.
smile.gif


Squeeze



I'm VERY confused by your statement!!!!?????

First, I will agree, the tipped bullet may expand a bit faster & at lower velocities but in the end (or should I say within the first couple inches) they end up with the exact same profile & characteristics. If you shot both into a big jug of water (caught the bullets) you wouldn't be able to tell one from the other. No way in heck either acts like a partition or especially a cup & core. Barnes is a MONOLITHIC bullet that stays all in one piece unless pushed so hard the pedals are ripped off (BY DESIGN THEY ARE NOT SUPOSED TO DO THIS). Partitions are designed to loose the lead "nose" inside the animal creating large would channels back to the copper "partition" were it holds that last little lead in & keeps the weight remainder to complete "deeper" penetration. A cup & core will completely disintegrate at ultra-high velocities & make a real nasty mess inside but may not hold together for an exit. Unless sent at lower velocities cup & core has really chitty weight retention, which is the reason the "Barnes" was created. Some guys need bullets to shoot lengthways through critters. Barnes penetrates better, bar none (complete opposite of cup & core). However, the larger wound channels made with cup & core kill faster with good shots (how would more tissue damage not?).

Barnes (talking about the solid copper monolithic X, TTSX, TSX) are WAY different bullets than cup & core designs or partitions.
 
if 62 gr tsx from a .223 exited this hog I think your 120 grain from your gun is going to stomp them like a mac truck!

My friend shoots a 6.8 spc with ttsx, i think 80 gr, he's taken some 300lb monster boars with one shot.

By the way... don't want to hear this is your last build, we don't like quitters!

IMG959286-1.jpg
 
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I used the ttsx in 150gr 30-06 this year. My buddy used a 300 winny 180gr, not sure what bullet. he shoots factory. We both took elk at less than 30 yards with similar shot placement, mine dressed about 100 pounds heavier. I recovered his bullet, mine was gone into wherever bullets go.

Just anecdotal evidence, but he was surprised when i handed him his bullet.
 


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