ELK BULLET

idahovarmintcaller

idahovarmintcaller

New member
I need some advice on a bullet for Elk. I will be using a 270 WBY Mag. Shots will be from 50 to 400 yards. I am very interested in the Barnes TTSX bullet in either 130gr around 3300 fps or 140gr at around 3200fps.

I have heard the usual horror stories about the terrible barrel fouling, poor accuracy, tremendous meat damage etc from copper bullets. but not from anyone who has actually used them.

I need some information on these bullets from someone who has actual experience using them such as: accuracy, expansion, meat damage, barrel fouling,all around suitability for Elk.

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated
Thank You
 
You should look at Hornady Interbond if you would like to move away from ttsx barnes bullets.
I have shot the Nozler Partition bullets but liked the performace of the bonded Hornady Interbond better.
 
We have shot quite a few deer with Barnes TSX bullets and some Nosler E-Tip bullets. I have only shot one buck with a Barnes 120 gr TTSX bullet out of my 260 Rem.

We have not recovered a bullet yet with any of the copper bullets that we have shot deer with. They have all passed through the deer. Even the 120 gr Tipped TSX out of my 260 Rem went through the buck at a long angle. The buck was running down hill straight away from me and the 120 gr TTSX bullet went in the bucks back just in front of the hind quarters. The TTSX bullet broke the bucks back and came out the chest of the deer.

All of the other deer that we have taken with copper bullets were with a 30-06 and a 300 WSM.

We have not seen more meat damage than what we saw with lead bullets. Even though the copper bullets do pass through and leave a small exit hole does not mean they are not doing some internal damage.

We don't shoot very many of these bullets through our deer hunting rifles so we have not seen any copper fowling problems.

I would think a Barnes 140 gr TSX bullet out of a 270 WTHRBY Mag would be a great round for elk.

In the rifles we have shot the Tipped TSX bullets through they have shot more accurate than the TSX bullets did.
 
Originally Posted By: idahovarmintcallerI need some advice on a bullet for Elk. I will be using a 270 WBY Mag. Shots will be from 50 to 400 yards. I am very interested in the Barnes TTSX bullet in either 130gr around 3300 fps or 140gr at around 3200fps.

I have heard the usual horror stories about the terrible barrel fouling, poor accuracy, tremendous meat damage etc from copper bullets. but not from anyone who has actually used them.

I need some information on these bullets from someone who has actual experience using them such as: accuracy, expansion, meat damage, barrel fouling,all around suitability for Elk.

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated
Thank You

First off, excellent choice in calibers! I have a 270 Wby, it's an absolute death ray. I use 140 gr Barnes TSX for everything, loaded on top of Retumbo and sparked with a standard Federal or CCI 200 primer. No need for the magnum ones. Clocks 3280 fps out of my 27" Shilen tube, prints 3 1/2" 3 shot groups at 500 yards using a 10x scope. This barrel is very smooth, and copper fouling is non-existant. Powder fouling is very very light also. Killed a lot of deer with it, I worked that load up in 2004 and haven't changed it a bit. Have never hunted elk, but if I did I wouldn't hesitate to use the same load.

The TTSX would also be a good choice, but they weren't out when I developed my load and I've seen no reason to bother changing what already works.
 
I have no experience hunting elk, but if I ever get the chance I think I will put all my faith with a Nosler AccuBond.

Good Luck!
smile.gif
 
I shot a elk last fall shooting 168 gr.Barnes TTSX out of a .308. She was only 75 yards away and quartered to me. One shot just behind the shoulder and she dropped like a ton of bricks... And I recovered the bullet as it mushroomed like it should.

I only picked this bullet because it was the most accurate out of the other choices.. but at 75 yards, I'm.sure the others would have done fine.

Here's some pics...
IMAG0522.jpg


IMAG0558.jpg


IMAG0925.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760A 140 partition.


thumbup.gif
thumbup.gif
thumbup.gif
thumbup.gif


Other bullets will kill elk most of the time, clean.

The Nosler Partition in 140gr in the .270 has never let me down. FWIW
 
I loaded the old Barnes 150gr flat base in my 270 Weatherby behind 62grs of Reloader 22 and Remington 91/2 primers. 2800 fps by the book. Not fast but very accurate. He killed an Oryx at 326yds(rangefinder)with a stiff quatering wind. Most accurate load that rifle will shoot (Mark V Ultra lighweight).
 
No elk yet. I've killed yotes, bobcat, pigs, deer and black bear with Barnes bullets.

Heavy fouling...no
Shoot good ....yes
More damage than others...no
Do they work ... Yes Sir !
 
I have found Barnes TSX very accurate, very deadly and not any dirtier than any other bullet.

My daughter and I have killed Deer with
Barnes 85 gr TSX in 6mm Remington
Barnes 100 gr TSX in .257 Roberts
Barnes 130 gr TSX in .270 Winchester

I know people who have killed Deer and Pigs with 7mm-08 and .308 not sure bullet weights.
Everyone I know is happy with the TripleShok bullets.

I still wish I could use the 150 gr Sierra GameKing in my .270 I would use it.

If I were you I would be very tempted by the Sierra GameKing 150 gr bullet for your hunt. If you go with the Barnes TSX I am equally confident you will be happy also. Sierra GK are very accurate and kill like the hammer of Thor.
 
I just hate the "idea" of lead free pills. I would hate to be forced to use them. Plus, the stuff that Barnes pushed in Califonia and they are now pushing in Utah makes me sick. Insider trading is illegal, I don't see much difference in their force feeding of the copper bullets.

For those who haven't seen it, they now provide lead free bullets for Southern Utah, as a "trial" to see if there is an impact on the birds of prey.
 
I like the partition and sierra gameking. Barnes work good too but for me require more load work up...so I find myself useing the others. I load for a buddy of mine and last fall he took a cow elk at 175 yds with the gameking in 30-06...the elk didn't even take one step, just nosed over in the snow and died.
 
I have been using Barnes since 1992, loading them in 13 rifles ranging from my 22Hornet to a 300 Weatherby. I've killed, and been in on the kills, of quite a few elk with these bullets, as well as deer, antelope and coyotes.

Between myself and my hunting buddies, we have recovered exactly 2 Barnes, both from elk, one was a 140gr X at very close range out of my 270Win and the other was last year form my buddies 300Win, using a 175gr LRX, at about 300yards. His bull was facing him and he found the bullet in the rear quarter.

With the TSX or T-TSX, there is no excess copper fouling in any rifle, the accuracy is excellent, and they hit like a bag of hammers.

In my 270Win, I use the 130gr T-TSX and find they work great on elk. My longest shot on elk was a bull at 417yds. The 140gr XLC hit him in the right side, went into the upper left leg, busting up the big bone and exiting the animal. The bull took 2 steps and dropped.

So, in my experience, there isn't a better hunting bullet on the market.
 
Originally Posted By: K-22hornet.I have been using Barnes since 1992, loading them in 13 rifles ranging from my 22Hornet to a 300 Weatherby. I've killed, and been in on the kills, of quite a few elk with these bullets, as well as deer, antelope and coyotes.

Between myself and my hunting buddies, we have recovered exactly 2 Barnes, both from elk, one was a 140gr X at very close range out of my 270Win and the other was last year form my buddies 300Win, using a 175gr LRX, at about 300yards. His bull was facing him and he found the bullet in the rear quarter.

With the TSX or T-TSX, there is no excess copper fouling in any rifle, the accuracy is excellent, and they hit like a bag of hammers.

In my 270Win, I use the 130gr T-TSX and find they work great on elk. My longest shot on elk was a bull at 417yds. The 140gr XLC hit him in the right side, went into the upper left leg, busting up the big bone and exiting the animal. The bull took 2 steps and dropped.

So, in my experience, there isn't a better hunting bullet on the market.

+1 I even shoot the old blue bullets Willy +3/elk 0.
 
I have killed elk with the Barnes. I have also lost elk with the Barnes. Look at the weight retention, and the shape or size of the "mushroom". It is more like a small arrow head than a mushroomed lead core bullet.

You can kill elk with a 22lr, but to get it done every time, I would stick with a Partitioned or bonded bullet.

Those copper bullets are paper punchers at best. They mostly act like a FMJ. Penetration is great, but not much shock value, and no controlled expansion!

And don't even start with the lab controlled expansion tests that Barnes has done, because their bullets don't perform in a consistent expansion sense in flesh, period.
 
Thank you all for the response, and the great comments, I am going to load up some of the T-TSX's and see if my rifle likes them. Ill also try the Game Kings.

I was a little leery about using an all copper bullet but from the responses you give I need to give them a fair try.

I have untill October to sort things out and find the bullet/load combination that I can live with.

Kallincoyote..thanks for taking time to post the pics, much appreciated.
 
Originally Posted By: SmokelessI have killed elk with the Barnes. I have also lost elk with the Barnes. Look at the weight retention, and the shape or size of the "mushroom". It is more like a small arrow head than a mushroomed lead core bullet.

You can kill elk with a 22lr, but to get it done every time, I would stick with a Partitioned or bonded bullet.

Those copper bullets are paper punchers at best. They mostly act like a FMJ. Penetration is great, but not much shock value, and no controlled expansion!

And don't even start with the lab controlled expansion tests that Barnes has done, because their bullets don't perform in a consistent expansion sense in flesh, period.



The above post is spot on,But since it looks like you are going to use them anyways make sure you shoot high shoulder(spine) or the elk might not be found.

You can look at the above post with the cow elk and see the bullets expansion at 75 yards and hitting the spine, not much more than what I would expect with a FMJ.
 
Back
Top