Barnes LRX/TTSX Success and Failure...

... 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...
I agree with all that.
 
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.


These are the bullets I am planning to use in my new WSM build. Wondering what speeds you are pushing them at?

On the barne's question. I have killed multiple deer with Barnes LRX's and TTSX's
Several LRX kills with 145gr 7mm out of a 280 Rem I used to have(around 2980fps) and out of my 7STW at around 3400 fps, many more White-tails with my 260 with 127gr LRX's. Only ever had one DRT, but I don't care if a deer runs off 40-80 yards. I shoot them behind the shoulder, through the ribs. I have found shooting just back of the front shoulder, there is very little if any meat damage using Barnes bullets. Perfect for me, very short tracking, no meat damage.
 
FIRE306 I am the same I dont like to make big holes in game and waste good meat.I used the 215 gr Bergers last year in my 300 Rum Ishoot a doe at 300 yds I pulled on the shoot and hit her high behind the shoulder she droped had to shoot her again so I shoot her in the head at 300 yds and I mean took her head offfff.When I got to her were I shoot her the first time going in I could put my fist in it and on the exit side I had a good ten inch hole.Thats to much but alot of guys like making big holes.
 
I leave this Wednesday for Colorado for second rifle season I will be shooting a 300wm with 200gr LRX 72grains of rl26 . I only got drawn for a cow elk tag. If I am lucky to get one I will try to get some pics.
 
Non-expanding bullets, which are designed to expand, are one reason I'll completely avoid using a hunting bullet. Poor accuracy from a high BC long range bullet is another non-starter. I've experienced first hand a few cases where expanding bullets haven't expanded on game animals. Things can go downhill in a hurry when that happens. After all the prep time I invest in my equipment prior to the hunt, I have no tolerance for getting everything right, only to have a bullet full-metal-jacket through the ribs of a game animal or bear.

I don't mind rib-shooting game animals and having them run 50 - 150 yards when the bullet has expanded. I get awfully disgusted when they're running around like a winged banchee on the mountain side, or they're still alive 20 minutes after being double lunged because my bullet penciled through the ribs. Best way to lose a bear where I hunt them that I know of, besides missing them entirely.

I've not used the LRX or TTSX on game yet, so no experiences to offer. I have seen a grizzly killed with a TSX, a moose with the TSX, and quite a few blacktailed deer with the orignal X bullets. They all opened up at the relatively close ranges the game were hit. Even with rib shots. The 62" bull moose was a little farther @ 625yds. A 210gr X-bullet fired from a 338-378 Wthby. Once thru the ribs - bullet recovered with two petals missing under the hide on the far side. Once in the butt. Bullet pulverized one of the hip ball joints. All petals remained fastened to this bullet. Go figure? But this second bullet only penetrated about 14", to my surprise. The bullet was found against the back of the stomach. Never punctured the stomach wall.
 
I leave this Wednesday for Colorado for second rifle season I will be shooting a 300wm with 200gr LRX 72grains of rl26 . I only got drawn for a cow elk tag. If I am lucky to get one I will try to get some pics.

What GMU are you hunting and let us all know how the 200LRX do I have some just haven't had time to load up some test yet
 
I've used the 168g TTSX for hogs and whitetail. If I do my part, they work. The only times I've not been able to recover an animal is due to my shot placement, and only on hogs, and that was because I wasn't able to track them through thick vegitation. I've made several gut shots since that was the only part of the hog exposed and I was worried about the hog leaving.

I've not lost a deer when using the TTSX bullets. I've had 3 that have traveled less than 50 yards from the point where they were shot. I've had a quite a few that drop where they stood.
 
Using 180 gr TSX in 300 Win Mag, have shot 4 big whitetails at ranges from 100-250 yards. All DRT with the lungs completely demolished.
 
I still use Ttsx in a 7-08 and 338 but I gave up using LRX. I shot them in a 270wsm and they were they most accurate bullet I have ever shot . While on a whitetail last year in northern Alberta at -25 to-30 Celsius I have a chance at a pack of wolve and a tip broke off the LRX and ended up on the bolt face and I could not close the bolt. Took a few minutes to find the problem. Ok , so once was a fluke I thought but the next day had a coyote on the trail and the same thing happened but the bolt closed. I didn't take the shot and when I emptied the round from the chamber the tip broke off that one also. I would of been ****ed the first time if the wolves would of been a 160-190" Whitetail. So for that reason I no longer will use the LRX in cold weather.
 
Cold weather comment is odd, I personally live in northern Alberta and have been shooting the LRX 4-5 years now (exclusively) in one-of my hunting rifles... never ever ran into that tip problem

My bet is it's related to a feeding problem, causing your tips to break. What make of rifle/magazine-type is it you're having that problem with?

I have over 800 of the LRX bullets fired over my range (& through use hunting) and the
majority were all chamber-fed out of my clip, and I'm sure 50% of those rounds were cycled in -15 and colder weather.. I've never ever seen that happen
 
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