.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

[Thegman]

Has anyone used Barnes 55gr TSX on medium/big game? What were the results? The factory loads group great out of my rifle.

I've used the 55 TTSX on a few deer and a big black bear. They worked well...sort of...the black bear was a bit of a rodeo, but largely due to the first shot not being where a first shot should have been.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Daughters rifle got an arca rail and new ball head mount. Next stop paint and it will be done for the time being.

 

[BigNate]

Has anyone used Barnes 55gr TSX on medium/big game? What were the results? The factory loads group great out of my rifle.

From what I've seen, it ( tsx) needs quite a bit of speed to do much damage. Even then the wound channel is narrow. I used a 50gr ttsx out of a .223 on a doe broadside at about 60 yds with success, but probably won't use them again for anything but out the back door.
I had better results with 45gr tsx, out of a .22-250, again shorter range, more damage, shorter run.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I have read hundreds of pages and did a search but can anyone comment on the 75Amax? Im out of the country and will be hunting withing a few days of coming home, not enough time for components to come in so I was going to run what I have which is the 75amax at 2850fps.

Edit: The other option is the 75gn Black Sabre, there are the only loaded heavies I have found in stock.

Amax will knock the hell outta whatever you put it in

 

[JCMCUBIC]

From what I've seen, it ( tsx) needs quite a bit of speed to do much damage. ...

Speed helps, bone makes everything right. Tipped version can help a bit as well. I used to use the 62 TSX and 62 TTSX quite a bit. I always wanted the shoulder...I consider it a concession.

 

[KJ_ND]

Anyone else getting ftfs on AAC 75gr? I have ~1 in 30 that is a dud in my RSS. Fine for practice, but that's all. Just my lot # ?

Haven't ran the 75 gr. Ran 100 rounds of the 77 gr OTM and 40 of the sabre without issue. I had 4 FTF and some case failures in two different rifles on 77 TMK AAC.

 

[PsRpOiGrRiAtM]

Black Sabre is not a 75gr AMAX. It is a VMAX stretched to 75gr.

@Formidilosus is there any definitive difference in A-max vs V-max? Different jacket structure? Different lead composition? In everything I've read so far, it's very inconclusive on what difference, if any, there is.

Part of me believes that Hornady would put the time and effort to differentiate various bullets, as that's entirely what a bullet manufacturer does. But the other part of me sees the efficiency of using the same components and manufacturing processes and just labeling them different, and relying on Marketing to sell the difference.

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus is there any definitive difference in A-max vs V-max? Different jacket structure? Different lead composition? In everything I've read so far, it's very inconclusive on what difference, if any, there is.

Part of me believes that Hornady would put the time and effort to differentiate various bullets, as that's entirely what a bullet manufacturer does. But the other part of me sees the efficiency of using the same components and manufacturing processes and just labeling them different, and relying on Marketing to sell the difference.

Considering that a 75gr AMAX can not be loaded to 2.26” coal- yes, there is a difference.

 

[PsRpOiGrRiAtM]

Considering that a 75gr AMAX can not be loaded to 2.26” coal- yes, there is a difference.

So from your understanding, is it just a profile difference, or materially different in composition?

 

[Taudisio]

So from your understanding, is it just a profile difference, or materially different in composition?

I don’t have an amax, but far left is the eldm and next to it is a vmax. You can make your own conclusions.

Edited to fix my error, that was an eld-x before. I took another photo of the eldm vs the vmax.

 

[Luvda208]

I don’t have an amax, but far left is the eldm and next to it is a vmax. You can make your own conclusions.

I have seen the 75 black sabre next to a 77 tmk and they look like identical jacket thicknesses, was not sure how they compared to the eldm.

 

[Taudisio]

I have seen the 75 black sabre next to a 77 tmk and they look like identical jacket thicknesses, was not sure how they compared to the eldm.

I don’t have any TMK’s I want to cut at the moment. I have a 75gr sabre cut and it is identical to the vmax except with a cannelure.

 

[NMJM]

Have any of you noticed a difference in performance with the tipped vs hollow point Sierra Match King's?

 

[Dave0317]

Have any of you noticed a difference in performance with the tipped vs hollow point Sierra Match King's?

Search for “match bullets” on rokslide. Lots of data points to read up on.

In summary though, the tipped bullets expand very reliably and consistently. Hollow point Match bullets sometimes perform well, and sometimes the tip gets closed or just doesn’t open and it just pencils through.

If you have a choice, use tipped on animals.

 

[ramblinman]

Have any of you noticed a difference in performance with the tipped vs hollow point Sierra Match King's?

Whatever it is, tmk always upset well. Maybe once below 1900fps I might have had a pencil through..

Whereas stories like Avery’s 230gr smk bull is pretty standard.

The meplat on a tmk is a lot larger then an smk

Pretty ez to file off tip of a 75gr eld a bit and run mags that allow a bit more coal in stanag confines. Or just go 73. Expect not a ton of penetration on eld-m 75gr at velocity above 2700. Deer still die tho

 

[LCV]

Have any of you noticed a difference in performance with the tipped vs hollow point Sierra Match King's?

This is a good thread. You should consider reading it

 

[Matt5266]

New guy with the zinger

 

[sierracharlie338]

Have any of you noticed a difference in performance with the tipped vs hollow point Sierra Match King's?

yes very different and don’t perform the same. TMK works much better.

 

[hunterjmj]

I've been following this thread for some time and I really wanted to go Model seven or model 700 sa but just can't turn anything up. Finally handled a tikka and I really like them although I didn't want to. Anyhow, I'm collecting components and will have a rifle soon. Have Norma brass and 400 more 77tmks on the way.
Still have dies, shell holders, bullet comparators to get but I'm on my way.

 

[WIDrake]

So from your understanding, is it just a profile difference, or materially different in composition?

My understanding, while very limited, is that the vmax is a softer bullet. Meaning the copper and the lead should both be a bit softer than the components in the eld. Again, very limited understanding, but the vmax is designed to upset faster and not penetrate as deep as other bullets to try and only make one hole in a pelt.

Just my 2 pesos