What minimum Vel. is needed for Barnes TSX to expand?

[CanadianLefty]

Hello all,

In your experience in the field, what minimum Vel. is needed for Barnes TSX to expand?

Let's say using the 168gr. 30 cal with starting vel around 3350fps, what max range would you shoot at deer, sheep, Caribou?

Let's also say you're using the 200gr. TSX 30 cal.@ 3100fps for African game or moose and elk- wha max distance would you feel they would reliably expand to?

Thanks!

BTW, at what distance would B.C. of a 200gr. Accubond@ 3100fps MV overtake a 168gr. Barnes TSX at 3350fps MV -both in trajectory and wind drift?

It seems that under 500 yards, the lighter, faster bullets always win?

[wapiti13]

Anytime you are comparing two or three different bullets, it is not a one to one comparison. Info: BC of 168 TSX .476, 200 TSX .550, 200 Accubond .588. Using your velocity specs, a 6" kill zone & maximum point blank range (yds)it looks like this: 168 TSX MPBR 334, sight in 285; 200 TSX MPBR 315, sight in 268; 200 AB MPBR 316, sight in 269. TSX bullets from factory info need 1600+ fps to open. 168 at 700, 200 at 800 hit this velocity. I assume that AB will open easier at lower velocity. As much as I like X bullets, with your specs, the AccuBond will probably be a better bet if they group. Since the BC of the 200s are close, either will do better in the wind than the 168. Good luck. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CanadianLefty]

Thanks- that was very informative.

[Varmint Hunter]

Although I could not say from personal experience; it has been widely stated that the minimum impact velocity to reliably initiate expansion of the X bullet is 1,800 ft/sec.

I have killed many whitetails with the X bullets. However, my impact velocities are always above 2,600 ft/sec. I have yet to have one fail. Broadside shots on whitetails have never stopped an X bullet.

VH