Barnes ttsx 120grain for deer?
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Steve7mm08
Well-Known Member
I have shot plenty of deer with the 120gn TSX, just changed to the 120 TTSX and planted a big bodied red stag at 312yds, very effective.
I do find you need to hit bone ie shoot through shoulder blade rather than behind shoulder for best effect
Varget (I use AR2208 which is identical) is best around the 45-46gn mark but work up. 50 thou jump in mine was the sweet spot
I do find you need to hit bone ie shoot through shoulder blade rather than behind shoulder for best effect
Varget (I use AR2208 which is identical) is best around the 45-46gn mark but work up. 50 thou jump in mine was the sweet spot
I have used the 140 gr. TTSX in my 7mm-08 and they worked flawlessly on whitetails. For the longer shots I would use the 140's instead of the 120's and for the 7mm-08 I would keep shots under 500 yards. Make sure you practice first though!
-X3M
-X3M
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
The distance at which the bullet still has enough velocity to open and expand. Beyond that, you could kill a deer with a well placed shot on a deer with a non expanding bullet, but you greatly increase your chances of loosing it, because it will likely take a lot longer to die, and provide a lot less blood trail.
-MR
I shoot the 120 TTSXs in my 280 at a little over 3200 fps and they perform great on whitetails with complete pass throughs and jelly everything in between. You should be able to get around 3000 fps with your 7mm-08 and that should be good to just around 500 yds according to my charts.....they drop to 1800 fps at that range and that is the magic mark where they don't open up and perform as they're designed to do. I have shot mine out to that range with excellent performance! I use Barnes Bullets in all of my rifles and don't find any reason to change. If I was shooting at extended ranges where these bullets dropped below 1800 fps, then I'd select another bullet. I'm good with my 300 Wby at 3200 fps with 180 gr TSXs to almost 750 yds. before I fall below 1800 fps. So far, I haven't had the need to shoot farther....Good Luck, Good Hunting & Merry Christmas!
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
I use the 120gr nosler ballistic tip because the ttsx does not expand as well at longer distance
(400 to 600yards).
I have made shots over 600 yards and the performance was very good with the NBT at those
velocities (MV = 3120 ft/sec) and the most accurate load in my 7/08s have been 49.5 grs
of H414 for 3010 ft/sec below 50o and 3151 ft/sec at 90 to 100o+.
The ttsx requires more velocity than the 7/08 can produce at longer distance.
Just my experiences.
J E CUSTOM
perfect thanks good info I have been looking for the bullet that will get me the max distance for my 7-08
coyotezapper
Well-Known Member
The 120 TTSX bullet at 3000 fps. is good to 700 yards before the bullet quits performing properly. It will become a hole puncher only kind of like a Match King. With a 250 yard zero it still drops 97" at that range though. Your shooting ability/scope adjustments are more of an issue than bullet performance.
Shootin4fun
Well-Known Member
Ancient thread, but I wonder what the effect of too MUCH velocity is on game. I just tried my first reloads with these 120 ttsx in my 7mm RM, and they're going out at 3480 fps with just 1gr over Barnes' starting load IMR4831. No pressure signs.
HOLY SMOKES, I'd like to slow it down but it's shooting sub .5 MOA groups. At that speed I'm concerned you'd have to hit shoulder bone at anything under 400 yards except on heavy large bodied animals like elk; but then I'd go heavier anyway.
HOLY SMOKES, I'd like to slow it down but it's shooting sub .5 MOA groups. At that speed I'm concerned you'd have to hit shoulder bone at anything under 400 yards except on heavy large bodied animals like elk; but then I'd go heavier anyway.
I've been shooting Barnes Bullets for longer than I can remember and at the highest velocities I can get which doesn't seem to effect accuracy in most cases! I take shoulder shots on whitetail if at all possible and don't allow my guided hunters to take anything other than broadside shoulder shots......don't like tracking in thick South Texas Brushcountry! A fast moving TSX. TTSX, or LRX just "wrecks" a deer with a double shoulder shot....DRT....and no bullets to be found! I'm shooting them in 257 Roberts, 25-06, 264 Win Mag, 280 Rem, 7 RM, 300 Wby and soon to be in 26 Nosler! Being in on 60-100 kills per season for 30 years, I've never seen another bullet compare to them at the distances most of my hunters shoot....under 400 yds!
Shootin4fun
Well-Known Member
My hunting experience with TSXs has also been good, but I'm wondering if I need to hit bone on deer or even pig to make a 120gr TTSX expand because it's going so fast; leaving the station at 3480 fps! I'm concerned this hard bullet will pencil through on a broadside or other soft tissue shot OR just cause too much meat damage due to hydrostatic shock. I've been shooting 130 TSX out of a 270 at 2940, and they do quite well at the moderate distances of 200 - 300 yards where I've killed medium game. TTSX should open up even better.
Yes, I would hit bone.....nothing like a high shoulder shot with a Barnes bullet for DRT! I've seen too many bullets of all makes split the ribs on behind shoulder shots, then just punch a hole through the lungs and do very little immediate damage. This is the case on a lot of the deer we have to track......it makes for a long slow death! That's why myself and all of my guides insist that all hunters take a broadside shoulder shot! You break down both shoulders with any bullet and they're not going anywhere!
Whatever range that you 1) can accurately hit the deer, 2) keep over 1800 fps, and 3) be above 1000 ft lbs energy. A long way with that load. However, the TTSX isn't really the sweetest deer bullet. Look at a Nosler Ballistic tip at 140 grains. Your 120 will slow way too fast and be anemic at longer ranges.
The problem with the TTSX is it will fail to open enough at lower velocities and if it doesn't hit something solid, something like using a full metal jacket. It will work, but you need to keep velocities up. If you want to reach out further on deer stick with a more frangible bullet. Actually **** near any expanding lead/copper bullet will be plenty for deer with your rifle. The Barnes bullet would be a better option for elk, where penetration is needed. ,
