Upcoming Elk Hunt Update / Barnes TTSX 150 grain / 7MM Remington Mag.

[gilream]

UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE
I have loaded the 150 TTSX bullets and find them to be very consistent and very accurate using 63.5 grains of RL 22, Winchester cases (several firings), Fed 215M primers. Looks like the starting seating depth of .050 off the lands is going to be the most accurate although i've shot one group at .644" seated at -.060. Velocity is around 2970 fps out of my 24 inch Douglas barrel. I have been extremely pleased with these Barnes bullets as far as accuracy goes. I find them more acurate than my old favorite, Nosler Ballistic Tips. Have not seen them perform on game but everyone says they are top notch bullets. Only downside that I see; they are more expensive than the ballistic tips i'm used to working with so I try not to waste shots.

Thanks for all of the comments here and please keep them coming.

 

[338Lapua]

The tests iv seen fired into Ballistic gel, the TTSX penetrated by far the furthest..and expansion was twice the diameter of the given bullet.... for strictly hunting I think they are worth the price.

 

[Rock_Stomper]

For what it's worth I just used these in a 120 Grain version for my 6.5 Grendel. I took two hogs with them that were 1 shot kills. Both were dead right there. I was amazed of the performance of these bullets. I willl definately be using them a lot more for hunting.

 

[Larryh128]

To qualify this statement, my favorite bullet was a Nosler Ballistic tip or a combined Technology ballistic tip, UNTIL I tryed a TSX. The TTSX is better and I can guarantee you that the performance is nothing short of astounding. The guys that tout this bullet or that over a TTSX simply haven't shot a TTSX. The only exception would be super long range shots, in this realm the Bergers have no equal because of the unreal BC of the VLD's. However, and I'm sure that I'll raise someones hackles, they do not compare in plain old terminal performance. Fantastic bullet that I now use in 5 different calibers. You can however drop way down in bullet weight if you wish from the 150's & still get the same performance. In my 300WSM's, I only use a 130 TTSX & I would shoot any bear that walked with it if the opportunity arose. Don't plan on looking at the bullet expansion as I haven't recovered one yet.

 

[1holeaddict]

Im shooting a Savage 7mm Mag with a 19" barrel. My load is 71 grains of Retumbo behind a 162 Amax and im getting an average of 2850fps. 71 grains of Retumbo behind a 168 Sierra is running around 2835fps. These are not hunting bullets but just to compare velocities.

 

[TheSnake]

Don't plan on looking at the bullet expansion as I haven't recovered one yet.

Larry, is that because they all went through and through?

 

[Larryh128]

Definite thru & thru. Hasn't mattered what caliber that I've shot what with. No expanded bullet to display, BUT you don't need to be an expert tracker.
Majority are DRT & the ones that take a few steps, don't take many. Thru examination with the hides off, the bullets "pop" open & continue to drive completely thru. The exit hole is generous to say the least. Damage is unbelieveable . If you want to "eat up to the bullet hole", these aren't for you. The hydraulic shock is amazing. I think that the only chance to look at one is on a completely north/south shot.

 

[rogn]

I used the 160s on an African hunt and the only "let down"was a shoulder shot on an eland . Its an 800 kg ; 1700 pound animal and the bullet hit the arm bone and fragmented. The eland went about 90 yds and coundnt go farther, but he took a couple of finishers. Its a big beast. The zebra, bushbuck and impala were one shot each. Kudu and gemsbok were multishot bcause of aperator error. Recovered several bullets, due to animal size and philosophy that you shoot til they stop moving. The 160 TSX left the WSM at 3060. Id use the same bullet again.

 

[wboggs]

I have found the Barnes TTSX and TSX bullets to be the most deadly game bullets I have ever used in 65 years of hunting on every species of thin skinned game. They do drop a little more than your BT's because they have grooves and a lower B.C.

 

[Romulus]

The elk I've seen killed with Barnes would support the pass thru story.

1. My brother shot an elk at 320 yards with a .257 Wby while it was quartered away heading for Fed land and the first shot went in through the rear ribs and hit off the other rib cage and got stuck under the hide in the chest/ throat area. The finishing shot blew out a rib on each side and went bye-bye.

EDIT - Another elk at 80 yds with his .257 Wby quartered away and facing downhill (running : D) the bullet went in through the hip area and traveling along the ribs blowing bits of bone off and again went through the chest area and stuck in the neck. Repeat performance.

2. My father shot a nice bull at 180 yds with a .30-378 with a 180 grainer TSX and it blew 4 fist sized windows to the boiler room. For whatever reason the bull wasn't going down even being opened up so bad, so someone handed him a .270 with a jacketed bullet to skip a reload and he shot him and that last round put him down. That elk was really messed up

3. Contrary to the deep penetration of 1+2, I shot a decent buck at about 10 ft with a .30-378 180 grain TSX and the bullet did not exit- it hit some ribs and then a vertebrae and blew up never exiting. The concussion was so bad it blew the back side skin off the ribs like the connective tissue had been skinned without ever cutting it open. Probably will never happen to me again.

Although in really fast cartridges I think the bullet can behave strangely, it is the bullet I would use for elk hunting just in case you need the penetration.

 

[wboggs]

I have never had a TSX bullet fragment or blow up despite taking over 100+ African animals of all sizes with a .338 Ultra loaded with MRP, 250 TSX, at 2986fps (in the hot African sun). Your experience just shows that anything can happen.
I have recoved a few expanded bullets but not many. One was a downhill frontal shot on a Mountain Zebra at about 200yds. Bullet took out about 8 inches of backbone and was further back under the skin.
I believe you can use the Barnes with complete confidence

 

[TheSnake]

I have no doubt that your 150 TTSX will perform well and get the job done.

This is my opinion, if a bullet passes thru and thru most of the time, I don't believe I have chosen the correct bullet for the job. There is no doubt in my mind that when the bullet passes thru the opposite side and keeps on going, all of the energy I could have used on my target did not get expended inside the target where is should have. For me, I want a bullet that will NOT go thru but will either expand wide enough or partially fragment and stay inside the body and release all of it's energy most of the time. I personally do not choose Barnes bullets for thin skin game for this very reason. Isn't this why we use varment bullets on small game so it does not pencil thru?

If I were going for dangerous game, I would consider using Barnes.

Again this is just my opinion.

 

[wboggs]

The only problem I have had with bullets that failed to exit is the lack of a blood trail. Many shots seem to come very close to dark and looking for a very scant blood trail is difficult when you get older. You sometimes need some young eyes.