Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles More Barnes TSX "failures" LOL!

Yeah, expansion isn't much to get worked up over for sure.

I've recovered $0.10 Corelockts from dead animals that looked better...

Here's one I recovered expanded on the right (elk)... and one on the left that didn't open (antelope). That's a problem.

And of course, the one on the right was at close range/high velocity.

When things get far they start looking pretty much like expensive pencils... sort of like the 35 Whelen projectiles in this thread being bragged about.

Another expensive pencil (elk):

The TSX's shown here that didn't open are all bananas. Noses are bent over like they were beginning to keyhole at impact. I will bet they were recovered because they tumbled inside the animals, didn't break up and created quite a bit of damage. My question is why did they tumble? Too long for the twist rate, too low of a velocity or other factors?

Most of the X bullet failures were with the original X bullets, the TSX's seem to perform a bit better. Looking at Brad's photo it seems that they're still not completely reliable. I know a guy with a .375 original X bullet that looks like the one on the left from Brad's photo, he recovered it from an elephant and has it sitting on his mantle. Two guys I hunt with lost good bucks that they shot with the original X's, both no longer use them. Since neither deer was recovered it's obviously impossible to say for certain what happened, but both are very experienced hunters/riflemen with multiple good bucks to their credit, so when they say they made a good shot I believe them.

For what it's worth, I believe the major problem with the X/TSX design is the hollow point. It relies upon hydraulics to initiate expansion where a solid material like lead or plastic in the tip would likely initate the expansion better. My gut feeling is that you probably don't see the expansion problems out of the TSX with the plastic tip since there's something there to be driven back into the cavity to start the expansion. I think the hollow point design is the main problem with these bullets. I would consider using the tipped TSX, but I'm not touching the hollow point ones. There's too many good bullets out there today to rely upon a bullet with a questionable history like the X/TSX.

I always get a kick out of these threads that start with a picture of an expanded X bullet offered as some kind of proof that they will always do that. It ain't the 98 out of 100 that expand that are the problem, it's the other 2 that screw you.

You left out one possibility... shot into a dirt mound behind a target. Funky colored bullets.

didn't someone else post these?

LAWRENCE ROOT of Pinedale, WY
Date posted: 5/1/2005
Opening morning 2004 my buddy from PA borrowed my 1958 721 300 H&H loaded with 168 3x BTs at 3100 fps that put 3 in 3/4" @100. A 14" buck trotted by his rock blind at 225 yards. First shot a bit low broke right shoulder, buck stopped and quartered toward him. Second shot (He's an old bolt action match shooter!) hit high lungs, broke spine and dropped the Lope dead at about 200 yds. No recovered bullets (Never are with Xs). Accurate, deadly, always 2 holes and work in everything from my 25-06 to 12 bore (sabots). Why are there other bullets at all?

Barnes bullets don't always kill on the first shot.



Barnes TSX Midway Review

Your point? Assuming you have one

Shot placement is still more important than the type of bullet. Just ask Lawrence Root.

Perhaps Barnes and a few other bullet makers are getting the formula correct on copper bullets nowdays! However, I been a victom of the marketing readeric since 1995 and have tried several rifles in various calibers, using the BARNES X bullet, Blue XLC bullet and it is always the same old song and dance routine. Bullets do not shoot accurately in rifles, nor do they open or mushroom out as they should.

I have lost a couple of nice trophy's along the way down the yellow brick road with Barnes bullets. I myself have run them through my media tests and water tank tests. My results still proved that Barnes never got it right in comparison to what a Nosler Partiton does in dependability of being accurate and the bullet mushrooming out on big game animals.

I am still a skeptic on copper bullets! If they don't open up on your animal, chances are they will never be recovered for comparison sake. My water tank test is the best I have seen so far and I am not holding my breath on anybody's pure copper bullets outdoing a lead jacketed bullet.

However, I hope for the sake of the hunter who purchases their bullets, they can finally get things 100% correct for a change. I won't be holding my breath or discarding my TBBC, Swift A Frames, Woodleighs or Nosler Partition bullets any time soon, gentlemen of the pure copper bullet!!!

Those banana bullets are funny...they HAD to be wobbleing pretty good to do that & regardless of the make or composition of the bullet, if it is wobbleing either from lack of sufficient twist or deflection due to brush, it is gonna do the same thing be-it a partition, corelokt, whatever...You guys that are posting those pics are only reinforcing my opinion that you really do not have a clue...

Just wondering how you loose nice trophys and blame the bullet. There isn't one bullet out there that is impervious to failure, I shoot the TSXs and older Xs and the XLCs all with 100% confidence. If you loose a trophy you better start looking at yourself the shooter as I haven't seen anything bullet proof but I have seen people that claim to be shooters who can't hit a bull in the ass. My 10yr old daughter shoot lights out with a 22-250 and the 45gr TSXs and deer are dead, so bullets don't loose trophys HUNTERS DO!!. HAPPY HUNTING

Sometimes yes, but your statement is not an absolute. Bullets can lose animals. Even with perfect placed shots. I have seen it.

If the animal was lost, how did you determine the shot was placed perfectly?

Bullets can lose animals. Even with perfect placed shots. I have seen it.

I have seen it.

For what it's worth, I believe the major problem with the X/TSX design is the hollow point.

I said I have seen it. Hence it is not an emotional argument sir. I saw a bull elk smacked in the shoulder with a 160 gr Sierra Gameking from a 7mm rem mag. I was the spotter, I saw it hit. Never found the elk.

Am I the only one who has seen a bullet fail? Gotta be kidding right?

My experience with TSXs is limited but successful. However many people I know who've hunted the world, from Marco Polo sheep to many species of African game and the big bears ALL swear buy them. I HAVE to take their opinion seriously. Having said that, I think TSXs (and not so much TTSXs) like velocity and since I am convinced speed kills, it's a perfect recipe for me. At 3250 out ofmy 300 Weatherby or even 3000 out of my H&H, they FLATTEN game, always exit and leave nothing but jelly inside. For my 06, I'll stick with Partitions or Hornady Interlocks. jorge

I'd be willing to bet that Brad hates Barnes bullets because he's never shot anything but factory stuff... Bullshitt from Bozeman...Again...

Sir:

An arrow through the lungs and a non-expanded 308 caliber bullet through the lungs are two totally different situations. The arrow will in fact make a bigger wound channel and it will cut like crazy with the razor sharp edges.
Now the bullet (theoretically non expanded) will go through with little damage. It will look like a knittting needle hole through the vitals.
The animal will give up the ghost eventually but not anytime soon.
I have witnessed wounds like that in deer.


[Specifically a doe at 200 yards with a 180 gr Scirocco from a 300 Rum (mv 3250 fps). Looked like a hole with very minute tissue damage around the hole. In this particular situation the first lung hit looked like a knife wounded it. By the time the bullet traversed to the second lung and shoulder ---all mush! Wierdest thing I ever saw.]

Anyway, if both situations were equally destructive (or lack there of) bow hunters would lose their game consistantly.

A .308 non expanding bullet through the lungs will indeed make a much larger hole than will a knitting needle. Have you ever shot an animal with a non expanding bullet in 30 cal?

The most dangerous game inthe world are routinuely shot with solids. Yes I have used non expanding bullets mostly in a handgun and they are very effective

how many millions of dead things say they don't kill ?
humans included !

here's a beaver that got hit with a fmj. it acted like a knitting needle right ?

get a clue dude. they may not be the perfect bullet, but they kill, and do lots of damage, specially when they tummble.
and a barnes tsx bullet isn't like a fmj after the petals come off and the reamining bullet tumbles on thru ?

Put this stuff in front of the guys on the Long Rage [Range] Hunting forum.

They have an answer to everything, and it is always to just keep shooting [THEIR WAY]!

The LRH guys don't want to get closer; no bragging rights there. And, they will only walk that long ways to where the game stood, NOT to where the game ended up.

(No bragging rights either in telling about follow-up hikes caused by long range-low velocity-bullet failure stories)

here's a beaver that got hit with a fmj. it acted like a knitting needle right ?