Barnes TSX failure to expand....no way!

[doubleA]

Yes it happened, I have used X bullets in the past with success,all complete pass through's. This past week this deer was taken with with a head on slightly quartering shot through the chest.The distance was 120 yards using a 300 wsm pushing a 168 gr Barnes TSX to appx 3100 fps. The bullet destroyed the vitals and did get some intestines. The bullet was found on the off side just under the skin and to much surprise it just showed some rifling marks. This bullet penciled through and showed no signs of expanding, as a matter of fact I could load it again if I wanted to. This does concern me as it is possible to have a X bullet pencil and pass through a game animal and never know. This deer ran appx 70 yards and never bled a drop but fell in a open area so was easy to recover. Anyway you look at it, the bullet killed this deer and did's it's job but not as advertised. I have heard stories/internet woesof this happening but this is my first "hands on" experience and now know they are not the perfect bullet....of course there aint nothing in this world that is except my Savoir.

Through the trusty services of United Airlines, my luggage and deer are somewhere abroad and when I get I will post a picture of the bullet.

[charlie brown]

Thanks for the post!! I have been very interested in trying out the TSX, but have kinda worried that something like that might happen. I am trying the Nosler Partitions right now, as I have not heard of them failing. I am also wanting to try the Nosler Accubonds, but again, want to wait until there are some more field reports on them.

BTW - That is a cracker jack buck!! Where were you? Any details on the hunt? Good job!!

[Roskoe]

That is also the first time I have heard of a Barnes bullet failing to expand at normal shooting distances. . . . although you have to ask yourself "at what point in the animal's fairly immediate demise did the bullet fail?".

[stubblejumper]

I am surprised that a bullet that failed to expand did so much damage.I would have thought that it would have passed through the animal and exited with little damage done.

[handloader1]

DoubleA:

Contact www.barnesbullets.com , and let them know what happened. Good luck.

[halcon]

Anythings possible,myself Ihave hadtrouble beforewith Noslers not expandingin a 7mm Mag,but 99.9 %of the time no problems .

[Roskoe]

It is certainly possible you got a bad bullet. They are mass produced, and occasionally one gets out with a flaw. Maybe yours left Barnes without a the small hollowpoint it needs to open up.

A couple ofyears ago, we came upon a 5 point bull elk that was limping a little. My companion shot him with a 7 Rem Mag. While we were field dressing the elk, another hunter showed up and said he had shot the bull about 5 minutes earlier - but the elk ran off as if nothing had happened. Later, we dug a .30 caliber HPBT bullet out of the bull's shoulder. It was unexpanded, and weighed very little. After further examination, we determined that this bullet was produced without any lead core. The bullet is nothing more than a hollow jacket. I wish I knew how to get in touch with that hunter -just curious as to what brand bullet that was. Almost had to be a factory load.

[mossy33oak]

ORIGINAL: halcon

Anythings possible,myself Ihave hadtrouble beforewith Noslers not expandingin a 7mm Mag,but 99.9 %of the time no problems .

yep me too......160 gr Partiton outta a 7mmremmag hit 2" behind the shoulder, missed all bones but doublelunged him. Tracked him 120 yards. Pencil sized holes on both sides.