Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Barnes TTSX concerns for NE black bear..

So last week I successfully tagged an average 130lb (dressed) New England black bear. The shot that was given to me for a split second was one with the bear slowly walking away around 80 yards looking back at me in the wind carrying my scent despite the cover/attractant scents I was using to combat this situation. I instinctivively shot to drop the bear in its tracks by lodging a 150gr Barnes TTSX in a Kimber Adirondack .308 between its shoulder blades, essentially leaving him immobile and dead in his tracks. However, the shot freehand pulled left 2-4" outside the intended area and punched a clean hole through his left lung leaving me tracking him for a good 1/8th mile through the thickest, muckiest terrain I've ever experienced, in the rain, all after the well known death moan 30 seconds after the shot.

I was surprised how little damage the round made in this circumstance, however I'm asking you all if I used the correct bullet choice, or should I opt for something different for this species?

Classic mono performance.

Lead cores destruct tissue much better.

The never ending debate continues

A buddy shot one about 200 pounds with a 340 Weatherby and 210 Partition up in Maine, a hair too far back. It went about the same distance.

Sounds like a difficult angle,and tough shot especially where you catch one lung and you can expect them to travel a bit after a hit like that. I have used mostly Partitions and Bitterroots on mine....no problems.

You can't fool a bear's nose....

How do you like the Adirondack?

Are those 1-12"?

220 yards tracking job on a bad shot placement single lung shot? I don't think there is a bullet performance issue here. Some other bullets would have led to a lost animal.

An animal with one good lung can go a long ways.

Poor shot placement and the HORSESHIT about monos as the usual suspect comes out every time...

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+1





Tis a poor workman who blames his tools.

Should have used the 130 TTSX. That said I have leveled big black bears out to 325 yards with the 168 TTSX OUT OF A 300 Rum. You really need speed to get the TTSX to work best. I doubt any bullet would have faired much better in your scenario

So what I got out of that was the OP pulled the shot, missed the spine, took out a lung, had to track in rain, but still killed and recovered the bear. I'd say the problem wasn't in the bullet, but the shot placement. Rushed shots rarely have the immediate desired results.

I've not shot a lot of Barnes or other mono metal bullets, but I have friends who do. I also use them in my daughter's deer rifles just to manage the recoil for her by using lighter bullets than I'd use in a cup-n-core bullet. I have faith in the Barnes bullets and their effectiveness on game.

I still love the Nosler Partition and if I want a bullet that I know will get the job done every time I still reach for that one first. I know it's not the sexiest bullet, or the best long range option out there but it simply works well at the ranges I usually shoot. I used the Partition to secure my black bear in my avatar in one shot, but I had better shot presentation and was able to punch through both front shoulders. While I hastily took the shot at 200 yards, I wasn't offhand (off shooting sticks) and the bear didn't know I was there yet.

Here he is in larger pictures:

At typical New England shot distances, I don't see an issue with a C&C type bullet(Hornady, Nosler, Core lokt, take your pick), especially a 180 RN which is going to open quick and do alot of damage. As for bullet failure in this case, I agree with the others, poor shot placement can not be called bullet failure

One shot lung shot kill on a soft skinned animal, I don't see any problems here.

You only got one lung and it ran a little but you heard death moan within 30 seconds so it obviously did some real good damage somehow that you are not seeing. Again, you should be tickled pink with the outcome.

There IS that...of course.

It's not uncommon, after a shot, to second guess a bullet. The reality is that there is no single bullet which is always the best choice for the circumstances. However, it sounds like your bullet and your shot did the job about as quickly and humanely as any could have. "Shocking" an animal to the ground where it stands, regardless the projectile, caliber, or power is nowhere near as reliable as making a solid CNS hit.

It's very possible that a Partition or Interlock might have dropped the animal with less tracking, but it's almost certain that the next shot you take will be a completely different set of circumstances too. But nothing drops animals faster than breaking major bones, and nothing beats hard, expanding monolithics for breaking big bones.

Barnes work great when they hit bone. Soft tissue wise I would look to a 165 Ballistic Tip or 165 Hornady BTSP.

On the plus side you still have a dead bear! Congrats.

I shot a caribou with a 375 Rum using 270gr TSX killed it deader than hell. End of Story

One 225 gr TTSX (338-06, i.e., lower velocity) broadside low and behind the shoulder and this guy just dropped. A 100 yard shot. Bullet whizzed through with substantial destruction.



Same with this guy though quartering towards. A 150 yard shot.



We used the 200 gr TTSX with the 358 Win (slow again) in Africa in 2012 on all manner of game. All dropped at the shot.

Thanks for all the input fellas. I see free hand shooting drills using cup & core bullets in my soon future ✔️

I love it! The ergonomics fit me perfect, it's accurate, and a handy light rifle when hiking through the deep NH woods I hunt. My Adirondack shoots MOA or better, with minimal change of POI using 150gr Remington Core-Lokts, Hornady American Whitetail, Barnes Vortex, Winchester PP, and Winchester Balistic tip ammo.

Reloading will show more promise off the bench but I'll settle for factory loads until my house remodeling project is complete