I couldn't find the info on Barnes' website, but I'm sure someone here knows if Barnes has ever mentioned such info.

What is the minimum recommended impact velocity for Barnes TTSX and TSX bullets? I'm specifically interested in the .308" 130 gr TSX and 168 gr TTSX.

IIRC:

TSX (no tip)= 2000 fps

Tipped TSX = 1800 FPS.

Could be wrong.

It happened once before . . . .

BMT

BMT, that is what I have always understood as well.

Both the 130 TTSX and the 168 TTSX are teted in water by Barnes and in water 2000 FPS is the minimum. In shooting hogs by Barnes they have found them to open at lowwer velocities


Cal the Barnes Tech line and asked them

I kinda know some folks at Barnes, and my be wrong in my recollection, but I think I was told the old X-bullets opened down to 1900 fps. The TSXs are a tad different alloy and are supposed to open down to 1700fps. Mind you I'm sure thats not a full-on magazine ad type opened boolit, but they will experience expansion at those levels IIRC.
And oh, yeah, I mighta been wrong once before too so please don't make me put on my Nomex suit...I sweat in that thing!!!
Ingwe

Slapping bone can make a difference.

I called Barnes and asked them as well. I think it was actually the reverse, 1,800 for TSX and 2,000 for TTSX, that is, IIRC. Probably not enough difference to worry about either way.

Edit: This was with regard to the 130 gr. 308 (most of the other 30 cals were the same).

I called Barnes once about the 35 225 gr TSX and was told that particular bullet starts to open at 1600 fps. I forgot to ask how fast till it opens fully though.

I'm just curious: what do you think happens to the deer or elk that gets plugged by a Barnes at 1600 ft/sec that only creates a .308 inch (.270, .338, etc.) hole through its lungs?

It'll die.

When is the issue . . .

BMT

That is why I like my bullets to going faster like around 1900-2000 fps minimum at impact.

The Barnes recommended minimum impact velocity is around 2000fps. Anything over this and they open very readily. Wish I took a picture of it but I put a 375 insurance shot into a downed cape buff and it first passed through an ear, under the ear was a perfect star entry wound, it was at full expansion after going through the cartilage.

Here are the Barnes I have recovered. L-R
.375 270 XLC, zebra @ 125yd, diagonal front shoulder to rear ham, 2800mv
.375 270 XLC, water buff @ 50 yd, between eyes recovered behind skull, 2800mv
.257 100 TSX, mountain goat @ 390 yd, shoulder to shoulder under hide, 3600mv
.257 100 TTSX, large russian boar @ 5 yd, entry in shield, unknown recovery point, 3400mv
.257 100 TTSX, large russian boar @ 7 yd, high entry in shield, unknown recovery point, 3400mv