BarnesX.308

I have been shooting X bullets exclusively since 1997 and TSX bullets since they came out. I like the way they perform on deer which is mostly what I hunt.

My dad recently bought 3 boxes of the tipped TSX bullets. How do they perform as compared to regular TSX bullets? We rarely shoot over 100 yards so a sleek bullet is not necessary. I also liked the way the TSX and X bullets' hollow point opened up, even on small doe. Will the tipped open up as quickly?

Thanks.

halcon

I have used the 80gr tipped TSX in a 243 Win on three deer this year,which were all one shot kills so no complaints from me . I did find the bullet in one buck which is very unusual for a barnes bullet , usually all of them are complete pass throughs . Anyway it was a perfect mushroom just like the pictures always show them . Personally I'm sold on Barnes bullets I've used them on deer ,elk , antelope and bear .

BarnesX.308

Thanks. In our camp we've used them to take about 50 deer in the last 12 years. From small doe to huge-bodied bucks. All but three dropped in their tracks. 1 took three steps and the other two ran about 50 yards.

My concern about expansion came from watching the Barnes video where they explain that expansion starts from tissue entereing the hollow point cavity and pushing out. I thought the tip would make it easier for the bullet to slide in before expansion started. Then I read that they redesigned the nose cavity to make expansion faster so I guess I'm convinced.

If you're dropping deer with these bullets, the expansion should be just fine. I'll give them a shot (pun intended )

Frank in the Laurel

I can't believe that someone actually recovered an X-bullet !! I 've never seen one from any angle on any game animal that was not a pass through. Here in PA you don't want any game animal running more than about 25 yards because it's more than likely going to be shot again by someone standing next to you.. I always aim with my crosshair going right up and down the front leg, with an X-bullet I need not worry about hitting major bones at all as a matte of fact I want to break them to stop the running away.. don't shoot behind the shoulder, shoot the shoulder and anchor them on the spot! X-Bullets, the unleaded green way to go!! HOPEFULLY they won't change since selling the company!!

BarnesX.308

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

Did the Brooks family sell out?

salukipv1

I think I read that the tip actually helps expand more quickly...

for the most part I would assume they just increase BC's.

I notice factories loading them with light for caliber bullets, and wonder why? like in a .300win mag say, they load 130grs? they should be loading 165 or 180grs IMO.

BarnesX.308

Because they retain almost 100% of their weight. A 200 grain Nosler Partition will exit weighing about 130 grains. A 150 grain X bullet will be heavier when it exits.

halcon

[quote=Frank in the Laurel;3560481]I can't believe that someone actually recovered an X-bullet !! quote]


This was the first X bullet I've ever found in a game animal . This buck I jumped while stalking and he was about 25 yards away facing me ,my only shot was the neck face on . The bullet entered the neck and traveled almost the full length of the body ending up just in front of the left hind leg . Suprisingly very little spoiled meat . Field dressed weight on my rinkydink scale was 193 lb . The 80 gr bullet ended up weighing 82gr on recovery .

ajstrider

I'll first state that I have not used any of the tipped TSX bullets yet, but I am curious about them too. They fix the lacking long range ballistics of the TSX bullet. Supposedly the tip on them is suppose to aid in even faster expansion. The hollow point cavity is larger I do believe with the tip filling it in. So as the tip hits, it pushes the larger hollowpoint cavity open and the expansion should begin sooner as a smaller amount of pressure should be required to start expansion. If you look back in recent bullet technology you will notice the Ballistic Tip bullets and Hornady even puts a tip on their bullets to aid in expansion sometimes. If your shots are under 100 yards, I don't think I would bother switching though unless you just really wanted to. I don't think you will notice much of a difference.

Federal is loading lighter weight Tipped TSX to fill a niche in the ammunition market no one else has filled yet. Hunting out west where people like flat shooting cartridges to shoot across the mountain ranges or even across the fields in southern states. They are generally deer hunting and don't require a massive sectional density to get the job done. So Federal is loading lighter than normal weight bullets to up the velocity and create a flatter trajectory. And like someone stated earlier, when a bullet retains essentially 100% of its weight, it kind of redefines sectional density vs penetration.

For example if you shoot a .270 130 grain bullet for deer with an average construction bullet and assume 80% weight retention (which even a lot of average bullets don't really retain) you will end up with a 104 grain bullet in the end which is less than the 110 grain Tipped TSX weight. Meanwhile the 110 grain bullet has a better trajectory.

It is all about where you want and what kind of performance you really want to get out of your ammo. For the last 80 years people have been harvesting animals with terribly constructed soft point bullets. We have come a long way and argue over small details it seems now a days.

Pygmy

I have not tried the TTSX bullets, but I certainly have been impressed with the X and TSX bullets...

I've used them for moose, caribou and whitetails in my 9.3 x 62 ( 250 grain) and for deer in my 7MM08 ( 120 grain) for the last ten years or so... Most of my animals have dropped on the spot and none have gone far.. In my experience, they kill just as quickly and leave less bloodshot meat than cup and core bullets...They have always expanded for me, but not excessively...Most of the time they leave a half dollar sized exit hole...