Barnes TSX or not

[PARA45]

This is what the 300 grs TSX did to the inside of my Lioness.

This is the exit hole.

I’m sold on them.

 

[M70375!]

This is what the 300 grs TSX did to the inside of my Lioness.

View attachment 595217

View attachment 595218

This is the exit hole.

View attachment 595219

I’m sold on them.

That's what I would expect of them based on every animal I have ever shot including a mountain lion at 33 yds withn270 and 130 gr TTsx. Thanks for your input!

 

[poco]

I don’t have any experience with lions, but I’ve shot abundant amounts of game with
Barnes , from white tail, nilgai, boar , black bear
nothing that really bites ya , they have done a hell of a job on all my thin skin game using 308 - 375

 

[Aaron N]

I can’t see how a TSX would expand any less in a lion than a PG animal in the same weight class

 

[Scott CWO]

I used Swift A-Frame on my lion and worked great. I had both available but chose it over the TSX.

 

[M70375!]

I can’t see how a TSX would expand any less in a lion than a PG animal in the same weight class

My thoughts too

 

[M70375!]

I used Swift A-Frame on my lion and worked great. I had both available but chose it over the TSX.

Maybe I will load both of them in the magazine

 

[DrBob]

Partition versus A-Frame? Too bad the old Lion Load from A-Square isn't around. My 2 cents would be for Nosler Partition. Problem is ... few choices. Midway has the 260 grain Nosler. Graf has the TSX at 250... which should do well. Good luck!

 

[Canadaboy]

Botswana is not on the current CDC list of countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. If I were to travel to an endemic area I’d get the vaccine (coming down with hemorrhagic fever doesn’t sound like a fun safari to me) but there are no endemic areas in Botswana currently.

 

[TOBY458]

I shot a lioness with a 270gr TSX. It did plenty of damage and ended things pretty quickly. I did shoot her three times before she gave up totally, but the first shot was enough. Just wanted to make sure!

 

[Oil & Dirt]

I shot a griz with a ttsx from over 200 yards out of a 300 RUM. Blew thru both shoulders and broke a rock on the river bank. Tried to follow up but second round dented primer and never fired. Bear did die within 20 yards but I’ve not shot them since. I agree with altitude sickness, hit him in the shoulder with an accubomb

 

[black tail]

I watched a hunting buddy nail an Elk in the heart with a copper bullet and the animal never even acknowledged the hit....just kept grazing. Distance was 130 yds.

The second shot flipped the bull over on its ass and he went down hard.

Don't ask me why. I never had a jacketed bullet create such a scenario.

Accubonds are perfect for Elk in the right calibers.

 

[Hmaxwell]

My PH recommends swift A frames.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Any one use Federal terminal ascent on cats?

 

[Halligan1975]

Any one use Federal terminal ascent on cats?

I’ve never used them on cats, but for what it’s worth here is some data from my hunt last June:

300 WM; 200 Grain Terminal Ascent; 2815 FPS @ Muzzle

1. Eland: Weight Retention = 163 grains or 82%; Average expanded diameter = .570”
2. Giraffe: Weight Retention = 184.4 grains or 92%; Average expanded diameter = .633”
3. Waterbuck: Weight Retention = 176.3 or 88%; Average expanded diameter = .668”
4. All shots on the above were through the shoulders/vital triangle. On the eland and waterbuck, the bullets were found immediately under the skin on the far side of the animal. On the giraffe the bullet was found laying inside the chest cavity.
5. All shots on kudu, warthog and impala passed through with good damage to vitals. One impala was a frontal shot, and the bullet exited the rear ham.

Just throwing that out there if it’s of interest to you. My PH was impressed with penetration/expansion ratio.

 

[Rare Breed]

I shot a lioness with a 270gr TSX. It did plenty of damage and ended things pretty quickly. I did shoot her three times before she gave up totally, but the first shot was enough. Just wanted to make sure!

As is seen on my video posted I used a TSX on my lion that expanded like it should, went through its ear through both lungs. It blew him over but he still got up and charged…as my PH said sometimes that just happens. My first shot should and would have killed it but it took my PH final shot to put him down at seven yards

 

[russ473]

M70375! ask your PH what they recomend, gives you and your PH peace of mind.... Yellow fever is not needed for Botswana or SA

 

[StevenQ718]

As is seen on my video posted I used a TSX on my lion that expanded like it should, went through its ear through both lungs. It blew him over but he still got up and charged…as my PH said sometimes that just happens. My first shot should and would have killed it but it took my PH final shot to put him down at seven yards

Your bullet might have done the job, but a faster expanding bullet like Partition or Accubond could've sealed the deal more quickly.

 

[Houston Bill]

I used 260 grain Nosler accubond on my lion with great results. In general, knowledgeable folks like Kevin Robertson, author of The Perfect Shot and The Perfect Shot ll, do not recommend stout, tough bullets like Barnes TSX or Swift A-Frame for the thin skin cats like lion and leopard. Quoting Robertson is his book The Perfect Shot ll, "From the side-on postion, bullets like the Barnes TSX will more than likely whistle through the largest lion with little shock effect" "The Nosler Partition and Accubond are both bullets that are well suited for lions".

I believe @Hunter-Habib, another very knowledgeable person regarding the hunting of lion, also would recommend the Nosler Partition in the 375 as an ideal bullet for lion.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I used 260 grain Nosler accubond on my lion with great results. In general, knowledgeable folks like Kevin Robertson, author of The Perfect Shot and The Perfect Shot ll, do not recommend stout, tough bullets like Barnes TSX or Swift A-Frame for the thin skin cats like lion and leopard. Quoting Robertson is his book The Perfect Shot ll, "From the side-on postion, bullets like the Barnes TSX will more than likely whistle through the largest lion with little shock effect" "The Nosler Partition and Accubond are both bullets that are well suited for lions".

I believe @Hunter-Habib, another very knowledgeable person regarding the hunting of lion, also would recommend the Nosler Partition in the 375 as an ideal bullet for lion.

You know me like a map, Bill !

I strongly discourage using Barnes X bullets for hunting lions (although gents like PARA45 clearly had very impressive positive results with them). These monometal bullets need to be pushed to rather high speeds in order to expand rapidly/reliably and they will sometimes fail to expand properly on lions (even more so for one that is shot over bait). Especially on broadside heart-lung shots (Unless the shoulder bone itself is selected as a target). A lion (unless excited in which case it has adrenaline coursing through it's veins) actually is softer framed compared to a lot of plains game.

My preference is for old fashioned lead cored bullets with a copper/gilding metal jacket which will expand quickly on lions. But the bullets must still be well constructed (with bonded cores being even better), because the bullet must still be able to hold together so that it can penetrate well. The chest muscles of a charging adrenaline fueled African lion can best be compared to tyre rubber. My favorite lion bullet of all time is actually the Nosler Partition (but they have become virtually impossible to find now, as Nosler doesn't appear to have manufactured any new consignments in the last 2 years or so). Among currently manufactured .375 caliber bullets on the market, my choice would be for the Federal Classic Power Shok in 300Gr weight.

P.S: I agree with Doctor Kevin Robertson and he is an incredibly knowledgeable sportsman. Even though he has never personally shot a lion (as of 2024), he has hunted plenty of leopards. And his advice is sound, even for lions.