Recovered Barnes TTSX

[Shane Lindsey]

This was shot at wet phonebooks at 200 yards from a 300 WM at a modest 2530 FPS. 175 gr LRX.

 

[jdrivsd619]

This was shot at wet phonebooks at 200 yards from a 300 WM at a modest 2530 FPS. 175 gr LRX.

I don't know maybe i just need to get a 300 rum and shoot a bigger diameter bullet or something. i know a deer can be had with even a .22 cal bullet but i guess bigger bullet more room for error and more energy transfer?

but thats a great picture i want to make some ballistic jelly and shoot a few different loads at them to see what happens unfortunately California is going lead free by 2019 so I'm going to have to get used to shooting copper bullets.

 

[firstcoueswas80]

The 'more room for error' theory is a joke. A gut shot deer is a gut shot deer whether that be with a 22-250, 7mm or 300 superwizbang. Bullet placement and bullet type trump all other specifics.

 

[Engineering101]

jdrivsd619

I shoot Barnes TTSXs and they kill great BUT... I think you have to run them over 3,000 fps to get the best (DRT) out of them. I'm thinking your Creedmore would be better with a little softer bullet like a Sierra Game King or Ballistic Tip. I shot a couple dozen deer with 100 grain Game Kings out of my 6mm Rem. All one shot kills. I now have that rifle loaded with 80 grain Barnes TTSXs. I have too many other rifles I've been enjoying using so haven't shot anything with the 6mm Rem lately but I expect good results.

 

[i8adeer]

I wouldn't recommend the TTSX for long range. This is based off of a sample of one. Mine penciled in and out. Less than 200 yards I prefer them for whitetail. I see larger entrance wounds and smaller exit. You can still double lung and get a large entrance with lung soup. I've seen more DRT with the TTSX at close range than any bullet used in the last 35 years. Of the 75-100 WT shot in the few years the ones that ran averaged 20 yards.

 

[Bob L.]

I think they are great bullet for under 500/600 yards. Lower velocity rifles I am not sure. I will tell only what limited experience I have with them out of my 264wm. 120ttsx 3404fps. 3 mule deer, 2 cow elk, 1 coyote, 1 300lb black bear. Knocked the snot out of all of them including a drt on a cow at 600 yards.

Here is a 120ttsx removed from the length of a mule deer at 300yards. I think you need to give them a fair shake, I have been happy with them but my rifle and a Creed isn't apples to apples speed wise. I would run that Creed with the 100ttsx and get the velocity up personally.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

If I was using copper bullets they would be CE or GS bullets. The GS bullets will open at lower velocities but do not have the higher BC's that the CE bullets do. With your S2 you are going toi have a standard twist that will not allow for higher BC copper bullets... and do not believe the BC's Barnes claims. IMO, hollow point bullets perform more reliably than plastic tip bullets. Have read numerous reports of Barns bullets pin holing through.

There is a rumor of another brand of copper bullet coming out... stay tuned.

Good shooting

 

[HarryN]

I might be wrong, but my conclusion is that the best way to deal with copper bullets, is to move up 2 solid caliber levels from where you are with lead bullets.

In my case, starting with a .270, I am considering my next rifle to be at least a 338 or 375. (maybe 416 if I get silly) I guess I can thank CA for giving me a reason to buy another gun. (trying to find the silver lining in all of this)

I am very impressed what has been accomplished with the copper bullet technology, but when you really compare the "perfection needed" to make it work, the difference between having exactly the correct bullet ready to go, distance, and hitting a bone or not make a huge difference.

The easiest way to regain some margin for error, is to move up in caliber and the sweet spots for BC are 338, 375 and 416. It seems silly to use a 375 on a deer, but that is the hand we are being dealt. If there were no such thing as alloys denser than copper, it is entirely possible that few people would own guns smaller than 338 at all.

Start with your elk / bear rifle and that is now your deer rifle.

I agree though, Barnes is at least 50% marketing overhype. I am tending toward GS right now.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I think you would be fine with the 270 Win. I have some of the CE 140 gr MTH loaded for it and the BC is advertised at .59. They advertise bullet function down to 1500 fps. That is 1000 yds in my 270.

Plus they make for a sexy looking bullet.

 

[Wedgy]

Our southern California deer are a very soft target compared to pigs, mule deer, and elk so you won't get the expansion you are looking for unless you hit bone. I have never recovered a bullet, lead or copper, from any of them , being lucky enough to have made all good broadside heart lung shots with the edge of a shoulder usually a quarter size exit hole. Plenty of blood to track, all inside 50 yards. I have since dropped down to a lighter bullet at a higher velocity to get more expansion/damage to the heart and lungs as I don't want to destroy the shoulder meat. I don't use the 6.5 for these deer at all anymore, I dropped down to the .243 and push the 80 grain TTSX a little over 3500fps. Kind of acts like a varmint bullet(only one deer so far). Pigs are going to run unless you head/spine shoot them. Zombies they are. They will run without a heart or lungs for 200 yards.
As far as BC goes a copper bullet will generally have a higher BC than a lead bullet of the same weight as it will be longer and more aerodynamic. The Cutting Edge Bullets MTH I have used have penciled thru more than anything else in non lead but they shoot well. The 6.5mm 140 grain will not stabilize with a 1:8'' twist barrel as they claimed, not sure if they changed that yet.
As to your deer, very sorry that you didn't recover him. You didn't say how far he went yard wise but a heart shot means he isn't going to go very far. If it's thick brush or raining I will go for a head or shoulder but in open country I stick to the heart and lungs. Pigs have a little different structure than deer, I try to tuck it in as close to the shoulder as possible, otherwise you have a gut shot.

 

[300 ultra]

Iv' e used the TTSX..... a lot. they work bwst when pushed and through bone. Ive had more drt's with the ttsx then any other bullet. Aim for shoulder and watch the animal die in your scope.

100% agree. Shoulder shoot and use light for caliber bullets. I use 100 gr TTSX in my 25-06 and 225 TTSX in my 338 Ultra mag.

 

[jdrivsd619]

Wow great info Thanks a ton guys...... Loosing the deer that day defiantly made me loose confidence in bullet, caliber, and mostly myself....... i now shoot at least twice a week (I'm a very busy college student).

I am thinking about trying a 130 gr VLD Hunting bullet... and see how it compares to the barnes bullet..... i just don't know how i feel about the fragmentation and possible wounding on impact.....

I have heard good stories, and bad stories about both barnes and VLDs.... i guess its time to cook up some ballistics gel and toss some lead at it from varying distances

I just don't know where to turn just yet.

 

[greyman]

Quote from Wedgy "Our southern CA deer are a very soft target compared to pigs, mule deer and elk. end quote" Really just what species Deer are in southern CA? I have shot a lot and ALL have been Mule Deer unless you know something I don't please enlighten me. Starting from about Central CA you will get into Blacktail, as you move north just more BT and MD. You cannot compare pigs to Deer. Elk are no less or more tougher than a deer size wise comparatively, so what exactly are you saying?

 

[jdrivsd619]

I think what wedgy meant is that the black tip deer in comparison to mule deer tend to be smaller, and thinner skinned. Also most coastal zones in California all the way up through canada hold Black tail deer, eastern California still holds a lot of balk tail but also mule deer. For instance, in San Diego where i hunt 99% of there deer taken are black tail but everyone in a while you will see a muley come off of the borego springs reserve and get taken. An hour east of down town San Diego you will start seeing the burro mule deer which live in the Sonoran desert. These bucks are the "ghosts of the desert", big giant mule deer most hunters would never believe southern California can grow!!!

I might not be answering your question greyman but just an attempt