100gr Barnes TTSX .257 Cal Hunt Results

[SixFive]

Shot a medium sized doe Friday with my .257 Weatherby Mag and the Barnes 100gr TTSX bullet. Was my first time using a Barnes bullet. Picture perfect heart lung broadside shot at 275 yards. The doe walked off and went about 30 yards into the woods, laid down and died. The blood trail was not impressive at all, the bullet did go through but the exit hole was not much bigger than the entry hole. I was surprised, the week before I shot a nice 8 point with a .308 and 125gr Hornady SST bullet that was much more devastating, massive blood trail and only took a few steps. Not sure I am sold on Barnes bullets, My bullets of choice (Accubond) are all sold out so I thought I would try these Barnes, so far not impressed. I will try a few more.

 

[Olspark]

I have tried the Barnes TTSX 120 gr in my 7/08 with pretty much the same results. I wasn’t impressed either but then I thought maybe you’re supposed to hit bone to make them work or maybe they weren’t going fast enough. I’ve never tested those theories because I have plenty of other bullets that I have experience with. I’ll stick with them for my hunting needs.

 

[dk17hmr]

I have killed allot of stuff with Barnes TSX and TTSX. Mixed results on blood trails but honestly don't usually need them. Where I hunt I can usually see the animals drop.

Mostly high velocity impacts with the 22-250 and 25-06AI but even decent results from a 6.8spc. I like them for high velocity cartridges and when I know I'm going to be head shooting.

 

[Orr89rocz]

I heard the lrx is more explosive in short range and may give you better results

 

[SixFive]

I actually built this rifle to shoot the heavy for caliber 133gr Berger hunters, I just could never get the groups I wanted out of it, best was about 1 MOA. It has a 1:7.7 X-caliber 28" barrel but I think I am going back to trying to find a load that will shoot the 133s. RL25 and N570 did not seem to group well, I am going to try N165 it has been a great powder for me in other calibers. One honorable mention is the 100gr TTSX do shoot a bug hole, most accurate round I have tried to date. I theorize the .257 WBY is shooting them TO FAST and they are losing ALL their petals thus the small exit hole.

 

[SixFive]

I have tried the Barnes TTSX 120 gr in my 7/08 with pretty much the same results. I wasn’t impressed either but then I thought maybe you’re supposed to hit bone to make them work or maybe they weren’t going fast enough. I’ve never tested those theories because I have plenty of other bullets that I have experience with. I’ll stick with them for my hunting needs.s

I really wanted to try the Accubond bullets but they simply cannot be found in .25 caliber. I know I had the speed with the .257 WBY Mag, in fact I think maybe that was the issue, to fast blew off the petals and pencil holed the exit wound.

 

[Orr89rocz]

Did you try the regular 115 vld

 

[SixFive]

Did you try the regular 115 vld

Yes, they shoot accurately about .380" C2C 3 shot group at 100 yards. I also have about 600 of them, not sure why I want the 133s so bad, I just sorta do The 115s are my fallback. I think my initial concern was the 115s would not pass through deer but instead explode (at weatherby speeds), Maybe the 133 extra weight will provide better pass through? I dunno, I get manic about this stuff and end up all over the place!

When I bought this rifle (Weatherby Vanguard), I pulled the barrel, blue printed the action, bought a 1:7.7 twist heavy X-Caliber SS barrel, chambered and cut threads for the action. Then I put it all in a Bell and Carlson stock with the full aluminum bedding, just to shoot the 133s, I just got agitated somewhere along the way working the loads. A custom rifle shooting anything less than .500 MOA stresses me out!

I also did not have access to complete Berger load data for the newer 133s at that time and was using QL software, Berger sent me complete reloading data today and I have a lot of loading options now to try. Berger customer service is just the BEST!

 

[snert]

Hit them at the shoulder joint. Two busted shoulders and a hole out the other side.

 

[Gary in MD]

Been using the 257 wby since about 1991 or so, I've usually found that the quickest kills came from the 100 grain cup and core bullets. (Sierra, Hornady, Nosler) But the 115 grain Berger will also anchor them in place DRT. The 100 gr TTSX shoots awesome, killed 2 or 3 deer with quick kills. The 110 Accubond was accurate in my rifle but the two bucks that I shot with it traveled further than any other deer that I've killed with the 257 so I quit using them. The 115 grain ballistic tips shot well and also the 117 grain Sierra flat base.
Right now, I have the 115 Bergers and the 100 TTSX loaded and will probably shoot targets with both at 300/400 yards and use the one that shoots better on the next trip to the range. Mostly using RL22 over the years but using 7828 right now. Mark V action, 26" Hart 10 twist barrel.

 

[1K6BRA]

I have shot two deer with 80 grain .257 TTSX bullets from a 25-06. One doe dropped in her tracks and a buck took a couple of steps and fell. Internal damage was no different than any cup and core or bonded core slugs that I have used. Complete devastation with a $.50 piece size hole on the other side. I have shot 12 deer with my 6.5 x 284 using 100 grain TTSX bullets. same results. The only one I can remember going more than a step or two was a buck I shot in New York that probably made it 30 to 40 yards. They probably wouldn’t be my choice for a really long range hunting,500 yards and above but I am never offered those type of shots here in the north western Pennsylvania and New York thickets.


I need to add that all the deer I have shot with these TTSX’s have been in the heart lung area.

 

[SixFive]

I have shot two deer with 80 grain .257 TTSX bullets from a 25-06. One doe dropped in her tracks and a buck took a couple of steps and fell. Internal damage was no different than any cup and core or bonded core slugs that I have used. Complete devastation with a $.50 piece size hole on the other side. I have shot 12 deer with my 6.5 x 284 using 100 grain TTSX bullets. same results. The only one I can remember going more than a step or two was a buck I shot in New York that probably made it 30 to 40 yards. They probably wouldn’t be my choice for a really long range hunting,500 yards and above but I am never offered those type of shots here in the north western Pennsylvania and New York thickets.

I love my 6.5-284 but I shoot the Norma Bondstrike 143gr, killed many deer with that one hole shooter and never have to track with that Bondstrike bullet

Like I said, I think "maybe" the .257 WBY MAG speed caused the petals to all sheer off resulting in the small pencil hole exit.

 

[Preacher]

I actually built this rifle to shoot the heavy for caliber 133gr Berger hunters, I just could never get the groups I wanted out of it, best was about 1 MOA. It has a 1:7.7 X-caliber 28" barrel but I think I am going back to trying to find a load that will shoot the 133s. RL25 and N570 did not seem to group well, I am going to try N165 it has been a great powder for me in other calibers. One honorable mention is the 100gr TTSX do shoot a bug hole, most accurate round I have tried to date. I theorize the .257 WBY is shooting them TO FAST and they are losing ALL their petals thus the small exit hole.

Try some H100V you will be surprised at the outcome.....

 

[nakneker]

My wife used 100 grain Barnes TSX for years in her 25-05 Tikka. Connected on several deer and elk with it and it never failed her. One elk was a cross canyon quartering away shot walking at a downward angle, the bullet broke the left rear leg bone exited the leg and entered the last rib on the left side, went through the chest cavity, through the right front shoulder missing any bone and lodged under the skin on the forward part of the right front shoulder. A quick second shot wasn’t really needed but she sent it anyways. I was surprised the little 100 grain did what it did. The bullet mushroomed about 20% of the way back and retained 99% of it’s weight. My experience with Barnes bullets is the rifles I tried them in either loved them or hated them, itty bitty groups or horrible groups. Personally I like bullets the expand a bit better, a good friend said the LRX does with his experience.

 

[SixFive]

Try some H100V you will be surprised at the outcome....

Tell me more!

 

[Doug Casner]

Had a 257 weatherby since the 70s. Shot some deer antelope coyoteswith different bullets. Speed kills. Doug

 

[Olspark]

Hit them at the shoulder joint. Two busted shoulders and a hole out the other side.

I understand that, so is a broadside shot through the lungs not the preferred shot with a Barnes bullet? In your experience the on shoulder shot obviously works.

 

[Preacher]

Tell me more!

How about I tell you will really be surprised...
Just to many calibers have done really good with it, and it's usually cheaper and slower than H-4350..
Some say it's temp sensitive, but I've never noticed it to be a problem from 80˚ to below freezing
during hunting times in NW NYS........

 

[searcher]

I have tried the Barnes TTSX 120 gr in my 7/08 with pretty much the same results. I wasn’t impressed either but then I thought maybe you’re supposed to hit bone to make them work or maybe they weren’t going fast enough. I’ve never tested those theories because I have plenty of other bullets that I have experience with. I’ll stick with them for my hunting needs.

I use the 7mm 120 TTSX in my 7 mm Rem Mag, doing around 3,550 fps. Massive tissue damage, pass throughs on deer and pigs. Never had to shoot one twice. They all dropped. That has been my experience with the 140 and 150 as well - and the .25 100 grn in my Roberts. I like them a lot so far.

 

[searcher]

Shot a medium sized doe Friday with my .257 Weatherby Mag and the Barnes 100gr TTSX bullet. Was my first time using a Barnes bullet. Picture perfect heart lung broadside shot at 275 yards. The doe walked off and went about 30 yards into the woods, laid down and died. The blood trail was not impressive at all, the bullet did go through but the exit hole was not much bigger than the entry hole. I was surprised, the week before I shot a nice 8 point with a .308 and 125gr Hornady SST bullet that was much more devastating, massive blood trail and only took a few steps. Not sure I am sold on Barnes bullets, My bullets of choice (Accubond) are all sold out so I thought I would try these Barnes, so far not impressed. I will try a few more.

I don't know how many large deer I have shot with all kinds of premium big game bullets, where either the heart or lungs were obliterated (or both), and the animal still was able to run 30-50 yards before piling up. If you shoot an animal with a nice layer of fat, they sometimes leave no blood trail, even on nice pass thru. If you don't want them to run anywhere before dying - shoot them in the head, spine or through the shoulders. The classic heart/lung shot kills them dead - but they'll sometime run a short way. Has no bearing on bullet in such a case, from what I have seen.