The reason you don't recover TSXs is that they barely expand (and at many velocities DON'T expand). What really matters for penetration is expanded SD, so they penetrate just fine.
The reason we haven’t recovered TSX’s is we’ve never used them on game, based on unacceptable and inconsistent results using the original X bullets on game.
The TTSX and LRX are not the same. The tip boosts B.C., helping retained velocity, and the damage we’ve seen done isn’t the kind done by unexpanded bullets.
What they don't do so good at is width of wound channel. I've seen more well-shot game lost with TSXs than any other premium bullet.
We have a 50% (or slightly better) rate of straight-down DRT results with MRX, TTSX and LRX bullets (all tipped X bullets). Two of those were mule deer where a frontal shot exited the rear. We’ve lost a grand total of ZERO animals with the TTSX, antelope, mule deer or elk. Those that don’t go straight down don’t go far. I did have an antelope run about 50 feet before collapsing and one cow elk swapped ends and took about 4 steps uphill. I wish all the C&C and other bullets we use had as good a record.
The advantage of a high unexpanded SD is that you can have your cake and eat it too if the jacket thickness and weight retention are suitable - a wide wound channel AND a deep wound channel. That's the strength of bonded/soft core high SD bullets like the heavier Weldcores. Their wound tracks are ideal. You can't get that with a low SD bullet - you can have one or the other but not both.
As far as I’m concerned, the Barnes TTSX, LRX, and bonded bullets (AccuBond, Scirocco II and A-Frame) we use are good enough. No problem with penetration or effectivity. S.D. may not be as high with the Barnes as with some of the Weldcore or other options available but dead is dead is dead. In other words, we DO get what we want with “low SD” bullets.
