Song Dogger
Well-Known Member
Two years ago, I shot an elk quartering away at 75 yards with a 7mm Rem Mag 140 grain Barnes VOR-TX TTSX BT (solid copper bullet). The elk hunched up, then ran. No blood. Didn't feel like I gut shot him, but even so, I thought it might have reached vitals given the distance, angle, and bullet. Never found him.
Same year, same ammo, I shot a different elk twice through the ribs at 450 yards. I heard the thuds and saw dust puff off the elk on both. Each shot turned him, but no obvious flinching. There was no blood trail, but my friend jumped him a few hundred yards away. I finished him with a couple shots at 350 yards. We recovered one bullet from the 450 yard chest shot, which reached the hide on the far side. See photos below for the bullet shape, weight retention (99%), and petal expansion (1.5 x original diameter).
I decided to try more power. Last year, I shot an elk in the neck at 200 yards with a 300 Win Mag 180 grain Barnes VOR-TX TTSX BT. No reaction, but I found a blood pool where he stood for a few minutes. But, no blood trail as he walked off. After a couple hour wait, I found him bedded down and shot him in the chest at 100 yards. He quickly stood up and was about to run, so I put another in the chest, right next to the first. He turned toward me and nearly reached me before slowly expiring. While processing it, a bullet fell to the ground, so I can't say if it was the 200 yard neck or a 100 yard chest shot. Again, see photos below for the bullet shape, weight retention (65%), and expansion (petals broke off, max diameter = 1.1 x original).
Prior to this, I've shot a dozen elk or so with simple Speer Spitzer Soft Points. Not a huge sample, and my memory is fading, but I generally recall better blood trails, more reactions when hit, less follow-up shots, and cleaner kills.
Before I start researching another bullet, any surprises or comments about the TTSX performance - either from my experience and photos below, or from your own personal experience?
Same year, same ammo, I shot a different elk twice through the ribs at 450 yards. I heard the thuds and saw dust puff off the elk on both. Each shot turned him, but no obvious flinching. There was no blood trail, but my friend jumped him a few hundred yards away. I finished him with a couple shots at 350 yards. We recovered one bullet from the 450 yard chest shot, which reached the hide on the far side. See photos below for the bullet shape, weight retention (99%), and petal expansion (1.5 x original diameter).
I decided to try more power. Last year, I shot an elk in the neck at 200 yards with a 300 Win Mag 180 grain Barnes VOR-TX TTSX BT. No reaction, but I found a blood pool where he stood for a few minutes. But, no blood trail as he walked off. After a couple hour wait, I found him bedded down and shot him in the chest at 100 yards. He quickly stood up and was about to run, so I put another in the chest, right next to the first. He turned toward me and nearly reached me before slowly expiring. While processing it, a bullet fell to the ground, so I can't say if it was the 200 yard neck or a 100 yard chest shot. Again, see photos below for the bullet shape, weight retention (65%), and expansion (petals broke off, max diameter = 1.1 x original).
Prior to this, I've shot a dozen elk or so with simple Speer Spitzer Soft Points. Not a huge sample, and my memory is fading, but I generally recall better blood trails, more reactions when hit, less follow-up shots, and cleaner kills.
Before I start researching another bullet, any surprises or comments about the TTSX performance - either from my experience and photos below, or from your own personal experience?
PS) for those inclined, the ballistics for all Barnes VOR-TX TTSX BT can be found at http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2017/11/Barnes-Ammo-Ballistic-Chart-Standard-2017-1.pdf
SIDE VIEW
TOP VIEW