Difference Between Barnes 30 Caliber 165 TTSX vs. 168TTSX; Response from Barnes

Originally Posted by jerrywoodswalker
You probably knew this already.

But I was wondering what the difference was between Barnes' 30 Caliber 165 grain and 168 grain TTSX. What is the purpose of having two bullets with only a 3 grain difference? I got this response from Barnes. I knew the BC was different from their spec's, but the rest was new to me. The Bold is my emphasis.

Jerry

"Hi Jerry,

Great question! The 165gr versions incorporate a short nose profile, often referred to as the ogive, to accommodate cartridges that require a short COAL (Cartridge Over All Length) requirement, such as the 300 Win Mag and 300 WSM. The 168gr TTSX has a longer ogive than the 165gr TTSX and it provides a more efficient, more streamlined design that allows it to retain its velocity and energy better. We test each bullet and assign it a value that rates each bullets ability to overcome air. This is referred to as the BC or Ballistic Coefficient. The higher the BC value the more efficient it is. So you’ll see a slight downrange advantage to the 168gr versions with their higher BC’s when they are incorporated in cartridges such as the 30-06, 308 Winchester or 300 RUM that can accommodate the a longer finished cartridge length and magazine requirements.

The 165gr TSX and TTSX require a minimum impact velocity of 1800fps and the 168gr TSX and TTSX require 1500fps in our water tank test for minimal but reliable expansion. We suggest 100 to 200 fps above these minimum for good bullet expansion and good wound channels.

Thanks, Ty

Ty Herring | Consumer Service