Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Barnes TSX vs TTSX

I shoot the 185 TSX out of my 338 Fed. I shot 3 does with it last year and judging by the size of the hole coming out, I would say they expanded well.

I've shot quite a few hogs with that same load. No issues to date.

We the merry band of turdlike people are above jumping on someone's sphincter...

Whew......

Mebbe so, but I'd still keep an eye on John Moses.

Just saying'...

I shoot TTSX out of most of my rifles. Performance is really not any different than the TSX but for me they are much more accurate.

It might help to check out the thread on impala loads on the African forum, which has a bunch of stuff on the TTSX/TSX question.

I don't load either, but if I may offer an anecdote:

I speak fairly often with Randy and Coni Brooks. Both tel me that they are very often driven by customer demand more than actual need or even benefit.

Boattails and poly tips are good examples. Randy told me a couple years ago that he'd never have offered bullets with boattail bases if customers hadn't constantly demanded them. They are more expensive to make, require separate tooling, add yet more inventory demands, and (says Randy) add little if anything to performance. Worse, they make an already very long bullet even longer.

Poly tips drew almost the exact same comments from both Randy and Coni at the last SHOT Show when I managed to buttonhole them for a few minutes.

I don't do nekked........

Badger - you getting those in a Tikka/Sako w/that COL?

The TTSX has a larger hollow point behind the plastic tip

338 bullets


Plus it reduces or eliminates detritus that is left from the manufacturing process in the hollow point on the TSX's



IMO that makes the TTSX a more reliable expander

Accuracy has been the same in my rifles

Excellent point woods. With more of my terminal ballistics info in pistol bullets I have seen how much performance can vary when a tip is plugged or damaged. The consistency of the tip as well as the larger opening making me feel better about the TTSX. I could give a chit less about a slightly better BC from the tip or a boatail. I have found the TTSX easier to work up a load with in both my .270 and .35 Whelen.

The both work but no doubt that the TTSX have been stupid accurate for me in everything I've used them in. Course the TSX don't lag by much.

I can tell you for sure that one doesn't fit in my Kimber. You must be pushing 2.9 COL on that one, maybe you have a Ruger? I have found with a 185 TTSX in my .338 Fed Kimber I need to crimp in the first groove to get them to fit in the mag, still work though, and the TTSX is my preferred bullet in all my guns from .270-.338.

Just a dummy round. Mickey is building one for me on a Model 700 SA.
I always kiss lands, but no doubt this one is on the long side. Will have the sharpie ready when Mickey is done...........

It looked longish, but some SA's can take more COL, BSA, Sako's, other's w/non OEM boxes.

Thanks....sure you can 'stretch' things w/a good box in your 700.

I just loaded up some 180gr TTSXs for my Savage .300 wsm, and they're too long for my magazine at the seating depth the gun likes for the TSX. I seated some a little deeper and they function, so now I have to see how they shoot. Hopefully accuracy doesn't suck. Otherwise it's back to the old TSX standby.

Ballistic coefficient is slightly higher for the TTSX, plus more reliable regarding controlled expansion.

Have used Federal Premium 130 TTSX in my .300 Win. Vanguard for several seasons. Killer on elk, and my rifle seems to like 'em a lot...