Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Barnes 250 375 TTSX good enough for Bison?

I know these are good for elk but with Bison should I go heavier? This will be a meat hunt so not a big bull. I will be trying for a just behind the shoulder shot so could hit the off shoulder but probably not both.

Should work fine.

+1

I've wonder why the 270 TSX seems to be the darling, whereas the 250 TTSX has a better ballistic profile and shoots faster.

Here's an interesting option. Sorta expensive but very accurate. I've read some African PH's like them. They frag like a Partition, core bores on thru.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/375-235gr-er-extended-range-raptor

They shot well in my .375 H&H NH M-70 SS Classic. I know, I know, just three shots...

Have never hunted with them, too many other projects.

DF

The Raptors look good and there are reports on using them on Buffalo too. I have the TTSX and GMX 250s on order and already have a load for 250-260 grain bullets. With minimum lead time I am reluctant to try the Raptors, that and I am cheap. I have a couple of other cartridges loaded with the Lehigh fragmenting mono but have only shot a limited number of game with them, so far they are awesome. I think the 100 grain and the 85 gr. Lehigh in my 257 Weatherby and 25-06 respectively will be brush country magic, as in minimal tracking. Both are running around 3,600 fps and shoot pretty close to 400 or 450 still working on these.

I think the 250 TTSX will be good if one shoulder is hit which I hope I can avoid as this is purely a meat hunt. If I wanted to put one through both shoulders then I would go 300 grain mono.

DF: Pretty good group there, did you white out the powder burns? I would call that minute of buffalo for sure.

TTSX have a spotty record in Africa & Alaska. I
don't use them. Most guides shy away from Barnes.
Minimum for big game should be 270 gr like the Kodiak-Alaska Bullet Works-Juneau.
North Fork-Swift-Woodleigh-Nosler..

You need deep penetration on bison. Life is too short
to settle for compromise design or cheap bullets.

Are the Kodiak still available, I heard the owner passed away recently. I have some 250s loaded but they expand so much penetration is far less than the Barnes. I have caught them in small deer. I think that some of the Barnes reputation was from when they couldn't get reliable supplies of copper wire, I also feel the TTSX eliminated both the coppering and expansion issues. These were a non issue for me but the smaller bore Xs would get plugged up on occasion but not the larger bore or the TTSX. I am not sure but I think I have shot around 150 head of game or more with Barnes bullets with no issues yet, mostly the original X.

Also didn't North Fork fold? The Woodleighs are great but again due to wider expansion they don't penetrate as much. Don't mean to be a D**K and all opinions are appreciated.

Kodiak-Ak Bullets are still available, as are Swift and Nosler. Hunters are a picky breed
and we tend to like what personally works for us. North Fork did fold up,but I have a goodly supply.
Like Trophy Bonded, the earlier premium bullets. Ray Atkinson and I have similar backgrounds
and agree on bullets. Phil Shoemaker I have known for years in Alaska.
Of course, I have some 375 steel/gilding solids
like the older Rigby 416 solids-but hardly necessary on Bison.

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I'd have no problem with that bullet on a meat bison. I used a 210gr Partition out of a 338 Win Mag on a cow at 140yds. Lung shot, bullet exited.

For sure, those powder burns are sorta suspect, gotta clean'em up, white'em out...

Probably a lucky 3 shot group, but they are very accurate. Not sure I could shoot that group every day, but MOA or better can be counted on.

Raptors (.308, 135 gr) also shot great with impressive terminal performance on game. Here's a link to my review (second one) https://cuttingedgebullets.com/308-135gr-er-extended-range-raptor. Have posted this link before. That gun is a .308 Kimber Classic with 23" 5C Broughton barrel. OEM barrel was a bust; Kimber wasn't too interested in my 1 1/2"-2" groups. It's now easily MOA, a 1/2" gun with the right loads. Quite a difference a good barrel makes.

I think these .375 CEB Raptors would work on about anything I'd be hunting. I need to use them, just haven't gotten around to doing it. BTW, the factory NH M-70 .375 barrel is a shooter. IMO, it was too fat and heavy. Chopped and fluted really helped with balance and handling. Way too good a barrel to replace. Would be hard for an aftermarket, custom barrel to out shoot this one.

DF

Interesting as my brown bear guide was quite pleased I was using the 270 gr TSX in my 375. Same for every PH I have hunted with and spoke to in Africa regarding the TSX. They were pleased with the A-Frame as well. All were not fans of the Partition.

I have used both the Barnes TTSX 250 gr. and the TSX 270 gr. in .375 on large game, with equally satisfactory results.
Are you planning to go with an outfitter? If so, you need to inquire as to their preferences for shot placement. If head shots are recommended, it really doesn't matter much what you use, as long as the bullet will penetrate the skull.
Just last week I took a meat bison with my .480 Ruger, and the outfitter I hunted with recommended a head shot, for several reasons, including the fact that we were hunting in broken terrain where a bison hit and ran off would be a large problem, if it died in a deep ravine.

I have a friend who bagged a Bison with a 30-06 One shot is all that was needed.

Nah, common old '06 way under gunned for a bison...



Seriously, placement rules...

Wisdom from up North, "the boolit is way more important than the headstamp..."

I'm still asking why the 270 TSX in the .375 seems to be such a fav, whereas the 250 TTSX not so much..

I read one account by a PH, saying the TTSX tips sometimes break off, loading and unloading ammo multiple times. For that reason that PH preferred the TSX without a tip.

I'm wondering if the 270 TSX penetrates better than the 250 TTSX, which could be the case. TTSX may expand more, penetrating less.

One would think, on plains game and such, the 250 TTSX may theoretically be better than the 270 TSX with superior ballistic properties, faster speeds, somewhat flatter trajectory.

Interesting Loony stuff.

DF

Sir,
I killed a bison last Sept with this exact bullet. 200yds, 1 shot, down in about 25 yards. Complete pass thru with obvious expansion. If you want to PM me an email address or a phone number i will be glad to send a pic.
I will use it again in the fall.
Bill

DF, I have seen no difference in the performance of the 250 gr. vs. the 270 gr. Both expand and penetrate extremely well. In fact, I have only recovered two, the 250 gr. TTSX from a Sable antelope, the 270 gr. from a Nilgai, both fired from my .375 Ruger at ranges a bit over 200 yards. For open-country plains game hunting, the 250 gr. has been my choice, because of better BC and faster MV, but either bullet is a good choice.

That 250 TTSX is what I use in my 375 Imp at 2900. Only taken one little buck with it but it’s very accurate. With as well as it shoots I should take it to elk camp as well!

Not sure about the 250 vs 270 but the general consensus is that a 270 may stay in a buffalo where the 300 almost always exits. But this is not reliable enough to use in a herd situation where an A-Frame and definitely a Woodleigh will not pass through.

On a Bison I better get a clear shot with no pass through worries. That TTSX in the 375 Imp is flying about like a 150 out of a 270 Win. no short range slouch. I can get close to 2800+ fps but I am going to go one grain or so under max so no hot weather issues.

DF

My M70 had the barrel screwed on so crooked I couldn't get a scope sighted in, Lee Haskin ran it through the custom shop and maybe put a custom barrel on it so I have in effect a factory blue printed rifle and it is a shooter.

For sure, that’s about what I said to myself, it’s a 30-06 with a 165 and a whole lot more smack down. I don’t need a 375 but it sure is fun to hunt with and it’s accurate and doesn’t give up much in trajectory to other similar cartridges. I’d have no thoughts at all to taking anything with that 250 Barnes.

OK flame on, but the 375 H&H is the best caliber in the world for hunting the world.

Glad I will get to put mine to a worthy use again as another Africa trip may not be in the cards for me, we'll see. Never say never.

Quote:
“Glad I will get to put mine to a worthy use again”


Tejano, You’re correct....it’s a great cartridge for the entire word. And, no reason for it to “not” be your everyday hunting rifle!

I’m running the 250 TTSX’s @. 3130 from my AI. Went to them because of the good BC. If I didn’t have a bunch of 250’s, I’d give the 270 LRX a shot (pun intended). I’ve had great accuracy and performance from the 250 TTSX, but, if I were starting from scratch.....I’d certainly be considering the 270 LRX. memtb