[roll_tide]

What is everyone experience with Barnes TTSX bullets and in what calibers.

I have shot them the past couple years out of .260, .270 and 7mm Rem Mag with very mixed results. Been shooting them primarily because of availability over my favored Accubonds. Both shoot very good out of my .270 and 7mag and the TTSX shoot slightly better out of my model 7 .260. Over the past years we have been able to shoot several bucks with the TTSX bullets and have had pass throughs on all but exit holes very unimpressive. The ones which have ran have resulted in little if any blood at all. Anyone else experience similar with these? Appears they are holding together too well without proper expansion. In the lands of pine thickets I hunt, we need all the help we can get when they do run even short distances.

Seems most people love these bullets but I have luckily been able to source enough accubonds recently to make the move away from the Barnes for now.

 

[randywallace]

TTSX is 100% copper, with dang near 100% weight retention and they expand about 2x the original diameter. They exit the deer unless you shoot them from the hiney to the chest. Even then, sometimes they exit.

They don't blow big ol huge exit holes like you will see from a ballistic tip or berger. On the other hand, you pop a 200+ pound deer IN the shoulder, rather than behind it, with one of those bullets that rapidly fragments and you won't have any exit wound at all.

I like the TTSX and have good results with them out of a 7RUM, .35 whelen and .308. On the other hand, there is nothing in the world wrong with the accubonds you are going to. But, accubonds aren't designed to do what the TTSX does. Weight retention on accubonds is designed to be 65-70%. While better on penetration and weight retention than a ballistic tip, you wont get the penetration from an accubond that a TTSX provides.

 

[rt8]

...The ones which have ran have resulted in little if any blood at all...

What kind of shot/impact are those poor boottrails from?

Imo...
-solid coppers are generally too tough for whitetail unless they're from a speed demon
-Accubond is the closest thing to the perfect whitetail bullet across a broad spectrum of calibers

 

[roll_tide]

What kind of shot/impact are those poor boottrails from?

Imo...
-solid coppers are generally too tough for whitetail unless they're from a speed demon
-Accubond is the closest thing to the perfect whitetail bullet across a broad spectrum of calibers

Most have been broad side or slightly quartering. None of the lacking blood trail shots appeared to have contacted much heavy mass (bones and such).

Like you, I'm convinced if you can get your gun to shoot them well, Accubonds are best combination for whitetails. Youth shot one with my .270 accubond last weekend and they were very impressed with the blood trail, though short!

 

[rt8]

I've been shooting 110 25cal ABs for Several years. I don't kill a lot of deer in general, but none of the several I've shot with them (broad side, or nearly so... Behind the shoulder) have gone more than a few steps or so.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

I shoot the TTSX’s in 260, 308 & 300WM. I shoot the TSX in the 7RM. I have had good results out of all. Most are DRT but I generally shoot high shoulder shots. You are right about lack of blood. My son shot a nice eight two years ago that we found but there was little blood. They all shoot very well in all my rifles, especially the 308 in 168 grain and 260 in 120 grain. I’m glad I’ve got plenty as there seems to be a shortage. Also wondering about the future of the load as Sierra has purchased the company from Remington in bankruptcy.

 

[DoyleAlley]

The mandate for lead-free bullets isn't going to go away. In fact, I look for expansion in the coming years. So, there will always be a good market for them. I don't think the TTSX is in any danger of being discontinued (although it could easily be absorbed into another brand).

 

[randywallace]

The mandate for lead-free bullets isn't going to go away. In fact, I look for expansion in the coming years. So, there will always be a good market for them. I don't think the TTSX is in any danger of being discontinued (although it could easily be absorbed into another brand).

Barnes was just picked up by Sierra in the Remington bankruptcy. They aren't going anywhere. They want Barnes as a stand alone product rather than just meshing it into sierra. Here is a conference call on the company that owns Sierra: https://seekingalpha.com/article/43...-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=single

As for lead free in general, there are several other manufacturers. Hornady GMX, Nosler Etip, winchester copper impact xp, etc.

 

[jakesnake66]

Like others have said, the TSX/TTSX is a fine bullet, but not the ideal choice for whitetail. I do use the 150gr TTSX in one of my 30-06s that I use for my "bean field" gun (which means it gets used about once every 2-3 years). I chose the Barnes mostly because in this particular rifle the TTSX over 51 grains of Varget is just crazy accurate.

I like the Accubond, too, but my standard, go-to whitetail bullet is the Speer Hot-Cor. In my experience it is ideal for deer. Also, back when I was obsessed witih reloading and shooting (often 2-3 days a week year round), cost was a VERY real issue, and Speer bullets are just an amazing value. I can find them for $20 for a box of 100, vs $32-$35 for a box of 50 TTSX or Accubond. I've never had a bad experience with the Speers, and my son and I have been using them for 10+ years in a variety of guns. I've literally lost count of how many deer he and I have taken with the Hot Cor bullets.

 

[gtk]

300 wsm

I've killed 5 elk with TTSX and one elk with TSX.
4 mule deer with TTSX
2 Whitetails with TTSX

Every single one a pass-through and "drop right there" except one elk double lunged and ran 100 yds before expiring

 

[Jbird22]

Jake, "ideal" depends on the type of shot the shooter prefers to make. I used to prefer behind the shoulder, heart/double lung shots. For that, ballistic tips were ideal for me. Several years ago, the search for a good bullet in my .280 led me to try Federal Trophy Coppers. It turned out to be the best move I ever made! There is no bullet made that is more ideal for substantial bone impact than the tipped all-copper bullet. Just put it on the shoulder and collect your prize. Also, the angle of the deer practically doesn't matter because penetration is practically from one end to the other like Randy said. I've recovered 2 bullets from deer that were practically facing me and expansion couldn't have been more impressive.

 

[bpitt]

We bagged two antelope last season with Barnes TTSX in .243, one at about 100 yards, and another one at about 70 yards. Both ran about 30 yards and collapsed. Good enough for us!

 

[pookie-ray-aint-mine]

I have used some TTSX in .243 .264 & .308 caliber, I prefer them in the .243 and most often there is no trailing. That being said, I prefer the Hornady SST's in most all calibers. They seem to be more sturdy than the average ballistic tip and are really accurate, but I hand load everything I shoot so I'm able to adjust to get what I want as far as accuracy goes.

 

[Outrider]

Have been standing on the sidelines here reading the responses. Very helpful to me as I have been thinking about trying Barnes TTSX and TSX bullets. However, being primarily a low light hunter I need a good blood trail for those last light shots when you are momentarily blinded by the muzzle flash and don't know which direction the deer traveled. Think now I will stick with what I've been using.