Barns TSX performance.

Pro953

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Sep 27, 2016
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Just wanted to pass on a Barnes success/performance story for those looking to go copper.

I run both the 165 TSX and 175 LRX out of my 300 Win Mag. Would love to run heavier but between copper and a slow twist Tikka barrel 175 is about as heavy as I can get and group well.

Went on a early season cow hunt and my last batch of 175 LRX were not grouping well so I brought my 165 TSX load. These average 3125 +/-.

Shot was 293 and slightly quartering away. Hit was a bit high into the ribs. Entrance was a solid tennis ball size hole. I found the bullet along the spine which explains why she dropped right where she was standing.

Upside great expansion and clearly did its job. Downside i think due to the higher velocity (shooter says roughly 2450 FPS at 290 yards) and aggressive expansion the rib bone was like a grenade and blew a fair bit of small bone pieces into the meat. Had a bit more meat loss than I would prefer. I ran the 175 LRX last year at 400 yards on a elk she dropped rather quick and had very little meat loss. Also a buck a bit further out again with little meat loss.

d44156ae6fd687af6f01e2513d409af7.jpg
 
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Good to see. I've also had really good luck with the 165 out of a .300wsm., and actually very good results with the Barnes ammo out of all my rifles. My old favorite all around bullet used to be Partitions but the Barnes TSX or TTSX is quickly becoming my new favorite. So far I have taken 4 goats, 1 sheep, 2 moose, 1 brown bear, and multiple deer with it, most of which were one shot kills. With the accuracy and performance that I'm getting from these bullets, I have a difficult time trying anything else.
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
1,340
Just wanted to pass on a Barnes success/performance story for those looking to go copper.

I run both the 165 TSX and 175 LRX out of my 300 Win Mag. Would love to run heavier but between copper and a slow twist Tikka barrel 175 is about as heavy as I can get and group well.

Went on a early season cow hunt and my last batch of 175 LRX were not grouping well so I brought my 165 TSX load. These average 3125 +/-.

Shot was 293 and slightly quartering away. Hit was a bit high into the ribs. Entrance was a solid tennis ball size hole. I found the bullet along the spine which explains why she dropped right where she was standing.

Upside great expansion and clearly did its job. Downside i think due to the higher velocity (shooter says roughly 2450 FPS at 290 yards) and aggressive expansion the rib bone was like a grenade and blew a fair bit of small bone pieces into the meat. Had a bit more meat loss than I would prefer. I ran the 175 LRX last year at 400 yards on a elk she dropped rather quick and had very little meat loss. Also a buck a bit further out again with little meat loss.

d44156ae6fd687af6f01e2513d409af7.jpg
Would you mind sharing that 175 lrx load? I’ve got the same gun and couldn’t get the 175s to group to my liking, most were a little over an inch. I’ve shot factory 168s right at an inch and factory 200 eldx at about .5 so I know the gun can do it. I just bought some 150 TTSX to try but if I can I’d like to make the 175s work. Thanks.
 

TreGrizz

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Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
52
Ive wanted to try out barnes as I like the idea of not using lead. My main concern is whether my 308 win will give me enough velocity for proper expansion. I see the 300 win mag had no problem with that!

you being 2450 at impact and getting great expansion makes me a bit more positive that the slower 308 will be able to get good expansion. Gotta get to testing!

EDIT:
 

TauPhi111

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Sep 10, 2017
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Ohio
For your 308 run the 168 ttsx they were designed for the 308 and 30-06
This ^ exactly. I heard the same thing straight from the a Barnes engineer's mouth (email actually). I use the 168 in my 30-06 currently, although i might switch to the 175 LRX just because.

I use Barnes in almost all of my hunting rifles, and if I don't I use a lathe turned mono like CEB. All are devastating on game with little meat loss.
 

Bsnyder

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Feb 14, 2018
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i shoot barnes in every gun i own now, my 300 wsm hasnt found the right combo it shoots the 150 ttsxs really well at 3350 but im looking for a little higher bc, 257 wby is one of my favorites and my best friend shot his cow elk at 290 through the shoulders and it broke both of them and we later recovered the bullet. we shot 26 big game animals with them last year and i was thrilled with all them being one shot one kills.
 
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Ive had great luck with them. I run a 160gr ttsx out of my 8x57is. The rifle took two mule deer last year one at 287 yards and one at 120. Both clean pass throughs and both bucks only went 50-70 yards. I also shot a white tail with a 80gr ttsx .243. Dropped right where he stood.20181023_205456.jpg
 
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I just switched to 200gr. LRX out of my 1:10 twist 300 Win Mag. and am getting good accuracy at 2,900fps. I have not taken any game with it, but Barnes bullets have been a mainstay in my ammo selection for quite a long time and I've had good performance on game from 40Lbs. to 1,800lbs.
 
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Pro953

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Would you mind sharing that 175 lrx load? I’ve got the same gun and couldn’t get the 175s to group to my liking, most were a little over an inch. I’ve shot factory 168s right at an inch and factory 200 eldx at about .5 so I know the gun can do it. I just bought some 150 TTSX to try but if I can I’d like to make the 175s work. Thanks.

Here is what I am running. PLEASE work up to the load. As you know, no two rifles are 100% the same. It’s a compressed load and runs pretty hot in my opinion.

Also, I find the Ramshot Magnum is a bit dirty so I have had to clean a bit more than the other powers I have run.

Hornady Brass
Barnes - 175 LRX
Winchester Magnum Priner
Ramshot Magnum power - 84.4 grains.


Good luck and be safe!





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May 22, 2014
Messages
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Here is what I am running. PLEASE work up to the load. As you know, no two rifles are 100% the same. It’s a compressed load and runs pretty hot in my opinion.

Also, I find the Ramshot Magnum is a bit dirty so I have had to clean a bit more than the other powers I have run.

Hornady Brass
Barnes - 175 LRX
Winchester Magnum Priner
Ramshot Magnum power - 84.4 grains.


Good luck and be safe!





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Thank you for the information I appreciate it!
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
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We had good luck with the 150 ttsx out of my son s 308. If you are worried about velocity that is a great bullet for that size case. I am planning on trying some Hammers next.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
959
Just wanted to pass on a Barnes success/performance story for those looking to go copper.

I run both the 165 TSX and 175 LRX out of my 300 Win Mag. Would love to run heavier but between copper and a slow twist Tikka barrel 175 is about as heavy as I can get and group well.

Went on a early season cow hunt and my last batch of 175 LRX were not grouping well so I brought my 165 TSX load. These average 3125 +/-.

Shot was 293 and slightly quartering away. Hit was a bit high into the ribs. Entrance was a solid tennis ball size hole. I found the bullet along the spine which explains why she dropped right where she was standing.

Upside great expansion and clearly did its job. Downside i think due to the higher velocity (shooter says roughly 2450 FPS at 290 yards) and aggressive expansion the rib bone was like a grenade and blew a fair bit of small bone pieces into the meat. Had a bit more meat loss than I would prefer. I ran the 175 LRX last year at 400 yards on a elk she dropped rather quick and had very little meat loss. Also a buck a bit further out again with little meat loss.

d44156ae6fd687af6f01e2513d409af7.jpg
my son's superlight 300 win mag - 200 gr Accubonds - Nosler manual H4831 loads all shoot at or, mostly, sub 1" 5 shots = IF you don't mind a little lead (from a BONDED CORE BULLET) they're tough to beat - I've gone non lead where I'm able with no complaints at all - I have to boxes of "Hammer Hunters" to try shortly - you can't predict nor quantify what a bone will do when hit by ANY bullet
 
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Pro953

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are loads different for same weight all copper bullets vs cup and core?

Due to density of the material a cup and core can either have the same weight or the same form factor but not the same. Due to this the load should be different. A 200 grain copper is longer than a 200 grain cup and core so depending on the rifle lots of variables will come into play that will change the load. Though this is theoretical as I have never tired run a copper vs cup & core side by side.


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Pro953

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my son's superlight 300 win mag - 200 gr Accubonds - Nosler manual H4831 loads all shoot at or, mostly, sub 1" 5 shots = IF you don't mind a little lead (from a BONDED CORE BULLET) they're tough to beat - I've gone non lead where I'm able with no complaints at all - I have to boxes of "Hammer Hunters" to try shortly - you can't predict nor quantify what a bone will do when hit by ANY bullet

Being based in CA I just stick with copper year round so I do not need to deal with keeping a stash of California legal ammo and out of state legal ammo.




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sorry, answered too fast I think … "monolithic" (NON lead) bullets are all a bit different, making it not reasonable or prudent to compare directly - NON lead bullets are made from pure copper, gilding metal (the metal used for lead type bullets JACKETS), and probably other metallurgy I'm not educated about - "cup & core" bullets are merely how bullets were designed ORIGINALLY (old school, they are still made and "some" thing they're the "cat's pajamas", and in these modern times there are BONDED CORE bullets (the lead core is chemically bonded to the inner surface of jacket making it VERY unlikely that they will separate on impact, it does happen sometimes though - what with politics governing Everything we do these days LEAD has become the new "fossil fuel" of shooting and firearm hunting, enter monolithic (NON LEAD) bullets - I personally think bonded core bullets ie; Nosler Accubond are the way to go (but I have been attempting to "make a statement" by shooting monolithics) I still like Accubonds the best, they seem to just "do it all" under a wide array of circumstances - Are you thoroughly confused yet ?
 
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If I am not mistaken, Hornady's GMX bullets are CA legal but made of "gilding metal" which IMO would be easier to deal with than copper
 

KClark

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I worked up loads for a Sako 75 Finnlite using Hornady GMX bullets. Best 3 shot group (I know, I know. I don't start on 5 and 10 until I'm sure it's not a waste of time) was around 5 inches. That was 50 down the drain.

I've always found good loads using Barnes.
 
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