Barnes LRX/TTSX Success and Failure...

[wilkup]

I'd like to learn more about this and any pictures you may have of recovered bullets.
Do the petals fall off at warp speed?
Are you getting bang flops?
Let's see the good, the bad, and the ugly!

 

[Rich Coyle]

I'd like to learn more about this and any pictures you may have of recovered bullets.
Do the petals fall off at warp speed?
Are you getting bang flops?
Let's see the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Never had a bang flop with a Barnes X, TSX, TSSX, or LRX. Also never recovered a bullet. Don't remember ever loosing an animal either. That would be memorable.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Dad has had bang-flops with the 150 TTSX in his 7mm Wby. That's usually what happens if he shoots a deer, antelope, or the one cow elk it took to date. Highly impressive so far.

 

[Bbear]

Have had some of the most accurate rounds I've ever loaded in my 25-06 and 7mm-08 with the TTSX's. I've had a few bang/flops when I hit the shoulder or a major bone. With the 7mm, I've had 3 that just penciled through the ribs though. Though I did find the deer, blood trails were poor and all three made over 100 yards before dropping.
With the 25's in 100 gr, Using RL 22, I shot bug-hole groups and had the same problem. In fact, the Barnes were the only bullet I've ever hit a deer well and lost.
I know lots of folks love the bullet but for me, it seems to require hitting a major bone to put them down quickly. Just my experiences with them.

 

[frankinaustin]

My 7mm-08 LOVES that Barnes LRX 145 (42.6 gr Varg) at 2.199 CBTO. It will shot sub 1/2 MOA out of a red hot dirty barrel all day long. Great bullet and so forgiving with respect to accuracy.

However, I'm a bit of a skeptic on Barnes for dropping smaller bodied animals. A year ago I shot an antelope and it dropped. Great shot through both lungs. However, when I was field dressing the animal, there was minimal organ damage. I was lucky. And so was the land owner, because he got a great liver and heart to eat!

I shot a small Texas doe head into the chest on last Nov. She jumped and ran. Never found her. Shot a turkey too and it was obliterated by the Barnes - nothing to eat afterword. A hunting buddy shot a small Texas buck with a 270 Win loaded with Barnes and it ran about 150 yards and then stopped in an open field. Two more shots finally took it down.

If I'm shooting a Barnes bullet, I'm aiming at the head or right below. That way if I miss, its a clean miss with no wounding. I should be a better shot, but I get the shakes when I see an animal and I just need a wider margin of error with bullets. Going forward, I am hunting with Noslers. They shoot good enough and they are the only bullet that consistently produce a bang/flop.

 

[Birdhunter1]

350 yard broadside shot on a doe Antelope last year in Wyoming with a 7 mm Weatherby Mag and a 140 gr Barnes TSX with an average muzzle velocity of 3450.

It was a bang flop, broke a rib entering and went through both lungs where they attach to each other and on out the other side.

 

[just country]

morning, i shoot 145 LRX's in my WSM. shoot hogs, pencil in .500-.750 out.

outstanding accuracy and bullet performance. working on 7mmWbee load.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I remember I did have a bang flop with TTSX on a smallish blacktail. Went through both lungs. So I guess I joined the group.

 

[Rottenron]

I shoot the TTSX 180 Grs out of my rumat 200,300 yards it will pick a deer up off its feet and troughit to the ground.Blightbulbut I found out if I shoot one at 100 yards it will almost look like you did'nt hit it becuse the way the deer reacts but they do run off and I find them about 100 yards away.At close rang the bullets dont expand enough to do the damage to it.

 

[Boman]

I've had great performance with the TTSX's and LRX's. Most of my kills are with a .340wby, my dad's as well. This is on elk, mules and whitetails. All bang flops but considering the cartridge that's expected. However the one antelope buck I took with it, he was the only animal to walk away. I double lunged him at 329yds and he made it 10 steps.

With a .270 win,30.06 I've seen mulies,whitetails and cow elk bang flop and even a cow moose with the 270. I've never recovered one bullet. But most shots have been under 400 yds.

 

[600BP]

I've shot barnes bullets for many years. Having said that, I can say for a fact that they are very destructive bullets WHEN heavy bone is hit. I drove a barnes bullet through both shoulders of a large black bear, from a modest load in a 35 Whelen. The bear actually flipped over DRT. The bullet was never recovered.

Conversely, I have shot whitetails and muleys with a barnes bullet, from a 257Bee moving in excess of 3700fps, and have observed both bang/flops and penciled through holes where the deer ran 100 yards and fell over. The deer that dropped in their place were high shoulder shots. The animals that ran then dropped were double lung and/or heart shots.

Years ago I was caribou hunting with a custom gun builder who shot and made loads exclusively with Barnes bullets. He told me if i was using a barnes bullet for thin skinned game, I should drop at least 10% in bullet weight from the normal lead bullet, (ie if i was using a 150gr lead, try 135gr barnes). He also told me that these bullets, while designed to expand, will do so much more violently when hitting heavy bone.

While I still shoot barnes bullets, I reserve using them ONLY for larger heavier game. They certainly work.

Erik

 

[kirkeb]

I'm headed elk hunting next week. I'm going to be shooting 250gr TTSX out of my
375h&h at about 2900 fps. Looking forward to the result if successful!

 

[rharfo]

3 one shot kills with 300 wm 168 TTSX. Two mule at 350 ish, one cow elk at 400+. All pass thru no recovered bullets. All three dead in their tracks. Gonna use some. 180 TTSX for pa black bear this year only because the ammo came with the gun.

 

[kirkeb]

Out of a 300wm a 180 swift aframe is going to tough to beat IMO. Just got back from Namibia. Killed 8 animals. Only shot that didn't pass through was on a blue at a hard angle. Put him on the ground. The bullet retained almost all of the weight. 1 kudu, 1 blue, 1 black, 1 hartebeest, 2 wart pigs, 1 impala and 1 gemsbok. My buddy also dropped a wart pig with it. Very devastating