Old thread but the OP's question was never answered.

I bought a put-together rifle based on the Savage 110 action off of gunbroker. It isn't pretty but it can shoot. I bought it with brown bear in mind someday but until then I thought I'd use it for deer.

I wanted as light-for-caliber a bullet as I could find for deer so bought some of the Barnes 160 grain TTSXs. I got a load off of reloadersnest that shows a velocity of 3100 fps, although I haven't chronoed it in my rifle.

With the 160s, I have shot 1 inch groups at 200 yards. Zeroed at 100 yards, the bullet strikes 2.5 inches low at 200. Since where I hunt most shots are at about 100 yards, I consider this trajectory acceptable.

I've shot 6 whitetails with this bullet with mixed but acceptable results.

1) 150 pound buck hit behind shoulder at 100 yards. The bullet created a 1 inch hole in the ribs on entry and a 3 inch hole on exit. And this I've never seen before-- a lung was blown out sticking 6 inches from the carcass. This deer ran 25 yards.

2) A doe shot at 100 yards quartering slightly away from me so I had to target the near shoulder. The shoulder was destroyed, leg broken, 2 inch hole in ribs and, oddly, about 10 inches back another hole about 3 inches. The bullet went through the heart, just creating a narrow channel, and then never exited, but I didn't find it. The deer ran about 40 yards.

So far, I was thinking this bullet was too frangible but:

3) Another 150 pound buck shot at 20 yards. Deer dropped at shot. Bullet hit low behind one shoulder and exited in front of the opposite shoulder. Despite the greater velocity the exit hole was less than 1 inch.

4) A small doe at 80 yards behind the shoulder. Deer dropped at shot. Again an exit hole of about 1 inch.

5) A small buck at 60 yards. Deer dropped at shot Another 1 inch exit hole.

6) A medium-size buck at 95 yards. The bullet hit forward of the near shoulder and exited behind the opposite shoulder with another 1 inch exit hole. Deer ran about 40 yards.

Most Texas deer run 80 to 150 pounds and I think this bullet is okay for them but I think for larger deer a case could be made for trying the 180 grain TTSX.

Last edited by postoak; 12/04/16.