Barnes TTSX

[T-Money]

Hi Dennis,

This may be coming late but I thought I might offer some information. I live in California where we have to use non-lead ammo. I use the Barnes T-TSX 168 gr. exclusively in my .308 win. for hunting. Here are a few things I know/noticed about these bullets:

-They are quiet a bit longer than other bullets
-They do tend to like a jump into the lands and not be jammed
-Because they are longer, they seat deeper and cause more pressure
-They are very accurate (I get .5 MOA groups to 300 yards)
-They seem to like higher velocities
-I send mine down range with 44.1 gr. of Varget at about 2700 fps.
-They are devastating on game
-They tend to leave small entrance and exit wounds (my experince)
-The damage and energy transfer to vitals and tissue is tremendous

In August I dropped a 300 lb. boar with this load. I had to pop him twice. The first shot hit behind the rib cage about 4" on the left side (it was a hard quartering away shot). That bullet traveled about 32" through the torso before coming to a rest under the armor plate in the front right shoulder. It destroyed the liver and lungs. The second shot was in the neck below the ear. This left such a small exit hole that I didn't even see it. The damage was brutal. It destroyed the spine, fractued the skull, and ruptured blood vessels in the brain. DRT!

I also dropped a small buck and doe with this load in the 2009 gun season in Haskell county. I travel back to OK every year for Thanksgiving to visit the family and do some deer hunting (got skunked this year). Both shots were double lung at about 90-100 yards. Each deer ran about 50 yards before they expired.

Here is a picture of the pig and the recovered bullet. The expanded diameter is .601" and the recovered weight is 167.0 gr. I think maybe the plastic tip might weigh about 1 gr. Nevertheless, near 100% weight retention. 99.4% to be exact.

 

[Crowmosly]

I've read those Barnes are awesome for stopping deer and larger game... Nice little piggy... (pets it on the head) lol

 

[dennishoddy]

T-Money, thanks for the field report!
So far your loading results and mine are pretty much Identical.
I did seat them a little deeper than Barnes recomends, but they remained accurate.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to see how they perform on an elk this weekend.
Nice Hog BTW

 

[criticalbass]

Another Barnes incident: I saw, at a gunsmith's place of business, a T-post section with a bullet hole in it. It was a keyhole shaped hole. The 'smith told me he had cut the section out of the T-post for a friend who had been shooting at a hog with a barnes bullet (can't remember the caliber). The hog was a few feet past the post,and was killed instantly by the bullet which was still in one piece. Knowing how hard T-posts are, I find this surprising, but . . .

I am loading some 25-06 rounds with Barnes solids that do not expand because I want to have a couple of pelts tanned. These are designed to not expand, so shot placement is going to be critical, which is not an issue with my heavy Mauser based 25-06. CB

 

[dennishoddy]

Another Barnes incident: I saw, at a gunsmith's place of business, a T-post section with a bullet hole in it. It was a keyhole shaped hole. The 'smith told me he had cut the section out of the T-post for a friend who had been shooting at a hog with a barnes bullet (can't remember the caliber). The hog was a few feet past the post,and was killed instantly by the bullet which was still in one piece. Knowing how hard T-posts are, I find this surprising, but . . .
I can believe it. Have been shooting the Barnes MZ bullets for years with great sucess. I know with my redneck ballistics tests that a centerfire bullet in the 2500+ velocity will penetrate thicker, and stronger steel than a T post.
I am loading some 25-06 rounds with Barnes solids that do not expand because I want to have a couple of pelts tanned. These are designed to not expand, so shot placement is going to be critical, which is not an issue with my heavy Mauser based 25-06. CB

That should work good.
I've been reading about the Frangible bullets that go in, and then turn into powder.
Wonder how they would work for what your wanting to do?