TSX Bullets

[GLTaylor]

I have a question about the TSX bullets. When they first came out several years ago I bought some in 25, 28 and 30 cal to try. Every caliber copper fouled my barrels badly and quickly. I got aggravated with them and put them up. Haven't used them since. I see a lot of references on the Forum to people using and liking these and other solid copper bullets.
Have they improved the currently manufactured bullets so they no longer foul barrels, or does everybody just put up with this nuisance?
My TSX bullets are probably 20+ years old
Thanks for your input.

 

[cohunt]

what do the driving bands look like? IIRC they changed the band design along the way at some point--- also, it is recommended that you completely remove all other copper before you shoot the barnes as different companies jackets can increase the copper fouling when mixed ..i prefer hammer bullets

 

[Montroseman]

I have used TSX and TTSX bullets exclusively for big game the past 15 years. I love their terminal performance, even better than partitions . They also shoot well in most guns if you back them off the lands .040 to .100.

If your bore isn't rough they clean well with Remington 40X bore cleaning solvent.

 

[memtb]

As mentioned, a rough bore will exponentially increase fouling! Also (as mentioned), the long, generally accepted rule when shooting Barnes Bullets, is to thoroughly clean the bore of any residual fouling from other bullets.

I've used Barnes Bullets since the early '90's ( the original X Bullet), and never had a fouling issue.....though, I was running them through a "match grade" barrel. Once having used them, I never had a desire to change.....except to change to newer Barnes Bullets as their technology progressed!

I had a friend that tried the originals, and got hideous groups. Once I "finally" convinced him to polish his bore, he got much better grouping. It was close to match performance, but adequate for hunting big game @ ranges under 400 yards. Slightly off topic, his first and only elk was taken that year. A "single" X Bullet from a 25-06, took the biggest bodied bull, I've ever seen. He also got an exit, which the Barnes are recognized for.....and loved by many! memtb

 

[Oldschool280]

I used them in a few rifles, 7/08, 30/06, and 375 h&h . The 235 in the h&h was my favorite. In have not had noticeable fouling issues, i do use sweets 7.62 every 40-50 rounds though. The 235 in the h&h at 3000 fps was an awesome hog stopper. All shot very well. Im about to try some 200 ttsx's in the 35 whelen

 

[GLTaylor]

I shot benchrest for years and still clean barrels (probably excessively). I thought my barrels were clean? All 3 calibers fouled in different barrels. Maybe I'll try them again, or trade them to someone that wants them. Mine have 4 driveing bands in the 25 cal, 5 in the 28 and 30

 

[WyoHunter1]

As mentioned. Clean then clean again. Shoot and clean every 40 to 60 rounds. Use Sweets 7.62 or Montana Extreme copper solvent.

 

[Tiny Tim]

As others have said, be certain the bore is clear of ALL other gilding metal from other bullets. I also polished the throat portion of my 243 with JB bore polish (blue) and that helped with both the fouling and the accuracy.

 

[GLTaylor]

Thank you all. I may try again.

 

[GonzoK34]

When using copper bullets or for that fact any bullet type the key to accuracy starts with a clean bore. Every firearm I acquire the first step is a through cleaning removing grease, oil, carbon and copper.
BoreTech CU2, Sweets 7.62, BoreTech Carbon Remover, JB Bore Paste, Flitz Polish.
I use a bronze bore brush wrapped with 0000 steel wool and 7.62 to scrub the bore. Flush out with break parts cleaner. Run a patch with BoreTech Eliminator and with each pass squirt a shot of eliminator and make 10 passes. Let it soak 15 minutes. Flush out with break parts cleaner. Run a clean patch of eliminator if it's blue repeat the process.
Light blue and I use CU2 with the bore brush and again soak for 10-15 minutes. Once the patches come out clean. Break parts flush and the polish with flitz's. Wipe down with Kroil. Add a drop of SLIP 2000 Gun Oil to the bolt and bolt race way, a dub of gun grease to the bolt lugs and DONE.

I have cleaned allot of rifles my predator club members claim are shot out. When all that was needed was a through cleaning.
Good Luck
Gonzo
SEMPER FIDELIS

 

[rickjoty]

Being from California I have had to shoot all copper for years. The Barnes work well. Sometimes I seem to get better performance from the Barnes TSX than the TTSX. Perhaps the high velocity heating deforms the plastic point. That is what Hornady asserts. I do sort my bullets by weight and there is more variation than I would like. I used to clean my bores like crazy with 7.62, Wipe Out, and others. I've now taken the clean only when I need to. But, yes, I seem to get lots of copper build up. I'm not sure if it is more than when I shot copper jacketed bullets though.

 

[Jluck]

I have a question about the TSX bullets. When they first came out several years ago I bought some in 25, 28 and 30 cal to try. Every caliber copper fouled my barrels badly and quickly. I got aggravated with them and put them up. Haven't used them since. I see a lot of references on the Forum to people using and liking these and other solid copper bullets.
Have they improved the currently manufactured bullets so they no longer foul barrels, or does everybody just put up with this nuisance?
My TSX bullets are probably 20+ years old
Thanks for your input.

All the rifles fouled badly and quickly? All at the same rate? This seems unlikely. Do you have a bore scope? What is the frame of reference or comparative for "badly and quickly". This has me intrigued.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I've heard a lot of bad reviews from the old Barnes bullets. Most of those reports being around 20 years old. But personally, Ive really grown to like them here lately. Very accurate, very deadly, complete pass through regardless. I shoot 168 TTSX out of my 30/06 and see no reason to EVER shoot anything else. I'm actually getting ready to start playing with the 127 LRX in my 260 rem. They like to sit back off the lands about .05. I had a little trouble getting them to shoot good in my 30/06, but once I figured out the proper setback, the results were awesome.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

I bought cheap a large number of the original "X" bullets in 25 cal. for my wife's .250 Savage. These bullets have no grooves. The bullets fouled and shot poorly for the first 250 rounds out of her then new Savage Weather Warrior. I cleaned down to bare metal after every range session and worked on the throat with JB's. Then, like magic, they started to shoot really well. I attribute it to bore conditioning and, after discussion with a NZ expert, bullet aging. Those early bullets seemed to be much harder than current production. I was going to try and anneal a bunch but Nathan thought there would be little gain after all these years because age-softening had probably taken place.