My supply of the discontinued Federal Vital-Shock 165 TSX ammo. in 30-06 is just about gone and I need a replacement. It was very accurate out of my NULA and I took everything from whitetails to moose, caribou and black bear with excellent results. I am looking at the Barnes VOR-TX 168 TTSX and also see that Hornady makes a 165 GMX that looks similar to the TTSX and is available in both standard velocity and Superformance which might be nice when I go elk hunting next year. Anyone have any experience with these two rounds?

Haven't used those particular rounds, but I tried the Hornady GMX 80 grain side by side with the Vortex 80 TTSX in several 243's and had several that liked the Vortex and only one that had love for the GMX.

Don't know if that means Vortex is more accurate across the board or not, but my 7-08 really likes it, too - along with a Tikka 223 - for whatever that's worth.

I did run the Vortex in a 243 my daughter was shooting, and it seems to perform just like a TTSX/TSX as far as I can tell. She killed this buck at nearly 300 yards - through both shoulders, and quarter/half dollar sized exit. He was a big bodied deer for our country.



DJ

I'd like to know if the Barnes give more copper fouling than C&C bullets.

I tried the Barnes ammo on my 300 RUM and found the velocities to be very low. Accuracy was average.

They will not. Due to the alloy and reduced bearing surface, they will actually be found to foul less...

Thanks, Poobs. I had though the GMX was an alloy but I had thought the Barnes bullets were pure copper.

Im not sure on that, I just know they are better than gilding metal going down the bore.

Now I must say, the old original Barnes X was a terrible fouler and hard to get to shoot in most guns.

The TSX or TTSXs are the polar opposite.

I have no experience with the GMX, but tried the VOR-TX TTSX and Hornady Super Performance Interbonds (225grn) factory ammo out of my 338wm. The Interbonds produced significantly better groups than the TTSXs, and absolutely leveled the elk I took in 2012.

I also shot the interbonds out of my '06 (180grn) as well and they patterned nicely.

Thanks all for the replies. I'm going to buy a box of each and give them a try. Since it's a bit cool in NY right now I'll wait until March when I go to Florida for vacation. I'll post the results for anyone interested.

Not an answer to you specific question, but when considering factory ammo, I did some playing with bullets and Federal's Trophy Bonded Tip bullet performed as well as the TTSX's in my informal tests into magazines and did well in accuracy. I'm a big fan of TTSX's, but the TBT would be one on my list if going the factory ammo route. Just a thought in the event availability of the others is an issue.

Have not shot the VOR-TX in my 06; but I shoot the 120g TTSX in my 7mm-08 MK V and 130g TTSX in my Sako M75; excellent performace, doubt I could reload better. The M75 shot .75" 3 shot group and had not been shot in over a year.

Too late to edit my first post - meant to say that I'd run the GMX in the 243. That's what my daughter used on that buck.

DJ

I've had great success with VOR-TX ammo in a .25-06, .260 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag and a 7-08. That said the velocity out of my .30-06 with a 23" barrel averages 2650 for 168 gr TTSXs. Good accuracy though.

I tried 4 different factory ammo types in my 243 model 7 leading up to this fall and the Hornady Superformance 80 gr GMX gave me the best groups, about 1" at 100 yds.

I've shot two deer so far with them, a 130 lb doe and a 290 lb buck. Both deer were about 30 yards away, both shot just behind the shoulder and both ran about 50 yards with good blood trails. I can't complain.

Don't leave out Federal Trophy Copper. Stuff shot good in my .25-06 this year.

I shoot deer with more copper bullets than anythin else, in the 5.56 they give more penetration if you use them on shoulders than cup and core bullets due "on average", thinking of dropping to the 55TTSX to get a bit more velocity but the 62 shoots well in my gun.