Barnes TSX review

[trperk1]

While prepping for a Buffalo/Sable/Kudu hunt in early 2023 I ran out of my preferred ammo for my .375 H&H (300gn Swift A-Frame). I'd been looking for months and decided to try something more readily available. I bought 8 boxes of various manufactures and bullet type that was all suitable for the Buff. The Swift won out on accuracy and had the least amount of drop from 100 to 200 yards. Lastly, it was readily available. I used the rest to practice with.

On my safari, the Barnes 300 bullets worked well. It took a few the kill the Buff as any bullet would. The Sable was a frontal shot and he dropped not 15 yards away, stone dead. The kudu was a quartering towards shot, he dropped instantly and expired quickly.

This year I was hunting plains game; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. I decided to stick with the Barnes bullets as I had good luck with them, but used 180 grain in my 30/06. They performed beautifully on the Waterbuck. Great expansion and quick kill. I hit my Gemsbok low in the shoulder and it broke him down, the second shot required was due to me. The damage was devastating. The Wildebeest dropped stone dead with great expansion. For the Impala, Blesbuck and Duiker I got like ZERO expansion. They were complete pass throughs so no bullet to compare, all my shots were. But you could barely see the exit hole on the smaller animals. Now I shouldn't complain as they all made it to the salt. But my shots were through the shoulders on all of them. And even with that, I thought I missed the Impala. He jumped straight up, then ran a little circle and it was over. My point is more if I hadn't broken down the shoulders, my story would be different. Had to do these species again, and only using one bullet type, I would chose something that is quicker expanding.

 

[matt vejar]

For all plains game animal anywhere it’s hard to beat Nosler Partitions.

 

[matt vejar]

Nosler is running blems in 180grain partitions right now for $33 bucks a 50 pack.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I have hesitated writing this.

Recently 12 big bull elephant had to be destroyed, they had been badly burned in a fire.

A expertt PH was chosen to do the job. Caliber .458Lott bullet Barnes TSX all brain shots. Front or side shot one shot kills

 

[Firebird]

I shot several smaller animals and some bigger ones with .375 wby and 235 gr tsx hand loads. In springbok they didn’t leave big exit holes but none went more than afew steps. In the duiker I hit bone (leg or shoulder) and it blew him open. Same with eland, small exit hole but massive internal trauma, went afew steps and down.
I would use them again on anything, but you get what you hit-meaning the bone caused more energy dump and explosive damage than soft tissue.
Did you look at vitals to see what the bullet did inside?

 

[Saul]

TTSX and LRX should give you faster and more reliable expansion than the TSX.

 

[Safari Dave]

I have hesitated writing this.

Recently 12 big bull elephant had to be destroyed, they had been badly burned in a fire.

A expertt PH was chosen to do the job. Caliber .458Lott bullet Barnes TSX all brain shots. Front or side shot one shot kills

When one is a wildlife professional, you do what you have to do.

No shame in that.

The experience of Professionals Hunters (we have them in American but, here, they usually work for the government) should always be taken with the utmost respect.



IME - the TSX doesn't expand much and would probably be better suited to heavy-boned DG.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

While prepping for a Buffalo/Sable/Kudu hunt in early 2023 I ran out of my preferred ammo for my .375 H&H (300gn Swift A-Frame). I'd been looking for months and decided to try something more readily available. I bought 8 boxes of various manufactures and bullet type that was all suitable for the Buff. The Swift won out on accuracy and had the least amount of drop from 100 to 200 yards. Lastly, it was readily available. I used the rest to practice with.

On my safari, the Barnes 300 bullets worked well. It took a few the kill the Buff as any bullet would. The Sable was a frontal shot and he dropped not 15 yards away, stone dead. The kudu was a quartering towards shot, he dropped instantly and expired quickly.

This year I was hunting plains game; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. I decided to stick with the Barnes bullets as I had good luck with them, but used 180 grain in my 30/06. They performed beautifully on the Waterbuck. Great expansion and quick kill. I hit my Gemsbok low in the shoulder and it broke him down, the second shot required was due to me. The damage was devastating. The Wildebeest dropped stone dead with great expansion. For the Impala, Blesbuck and Duiker I got like ZERO expansion. They were complete pass throughs so no bullet to compare, all my shots were. But you could barely see the exit hole on the smaller animals. Now I shouldn't complain as they all made it to the salt. But my shots were through the shoulders on all of them. And even with that, I thought I missed the Impala. He jumped straight up, then ran a little circle and it was over. My point is more if I hadn't broken down the shoulders, my story would be different. Had to do these species again, and only using one bullet type, I would chose something that is quicker expanding.

Barnes TTSXBT, Nosler Accubonds for plains game

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

TTSX and LRX should give you faster and more reliable expansion than the TSX.

I'm going on a leopard hunt starting next week. I've been assured TTSXBT will devastate any leopard.

Nosler Accubonds are devastating as well for plains game.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have hesitated writing this.

Recently 12 big bull elephant had to be destroyed, they had been badly burned in a fire.

A expertt PH was chosen to do the job. Caliber .458Lott bullet Barnes TSX all brain shots. Front or side shot one shot kills

Was it a large bush fire because that's a high number of elephants to perish in the same area I would think? I'm surprised the PH used the expanding TSX bullet for head shots? I don't know anything about elephant hunting but everything I've read here by elephant hunters mentions solids for elephant head shots. Interesting.

 

[Andrew62]

I have hesitated writing this.

Recently 12 big bull elephant had to be destroyed, they had been badly burned in a fire.

A expertt PH was chosen to do the job. Caliber .458Lott bullet Barnes TSX all brain shots. Front or side shot one shot kills

Late in 2010 while I was on a buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe, they said they had a tuskless permit left. I had my .375H&H, I used Barnes 300gr TSX. My first shot was just above her eye line, it knocked her on her butt, I put the other 3 in her chest, she never went 10'. My last elephant I used Barnes banded solids, I had a 1 shot kill with a frontal brain shot.

 

[shootist~]

This year I was hunting plains game; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. I decided to stick with the Barnes bullets as I had good luck with them, but used 180 grain in my 30/06. They performed beautifully on the Waterbuck. Great expansion and quick kill. I hit my Gemsbok low in the shoulder and it broke him down, the second shot required was due to me. The damage was devastating. The Wildebeest dropped stone dead with great expansion. For the Impala, Blesbuck and Duiker I got like ZERO expansion. They were complete pass throughs so no bullet to compare, all my shots were. But you could barely see the exit hole on the smaller animals. Now I shouldn't complain as they all made it to the salt. But my shots were through the shoulders on all of them. And even with that, I thought I missed the Impala. He jumped straight up, then ran a little circle and it was over.

What was it Will Roger's said about a new rope?

Based (only) on your BWB you had the perfect bullet, IMO. Maybe a 165 would have worked better on the small stuff. Not sure on the WB, though.

I used 180 gr A-Frames at 2,750 fps (also in a 30-06) for my plains game hunt. It zipped through my Impala as well, but still poked a hole through both lungs. Not much blood except where he briefly stopped and expelled considerable lung tissue. One shot kill, but he ran a good ways.

I almost lost my Blue WB after a front-on chest shot. (180 AF again.) The skinners said it did a lot of damage including touching the heart - but did not penetrate very far. Gain on one end you loose some on the other it seems.

 

[Scott CWO]

TTSX and LRX should give you faster and more reliable expansion than the TSX.

Yes I use the LRX in my .375 for bears in AK and plains game. I also use Swift A-Frames.

 

[CoElkHunter]

What was it Will Roger's said about a new rope?

Based (only) on your BWB you had the perfect bullet, IMO. Maybe a 165 would have worked better on the small stuff. Not sure on the WB, though.

I used 180 gr A-Frames at 2,750 fps (also in a 30-06) for my plains game hunt. It zipped through my Impala as well, but still poked a hole through both lungs. Not much blood except where he briefly stopped and expelled considerable lung tissue. One shot kill, but he ran a good ways.

I almost lost my Blue WB after a front-on chest shot. (180 AF again.) The skinners said it did a lot of damage including touching the heart - but did not penetrate very far. Gain on one end you loose some on the other it seems.

"What was it Will Rogers said about a new rope?" I believe it was that as much as Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen complains about the .243 WINCHESTER, that he would even complain if they hung him with a new rope. Or something like that? LOL

 

[Jamie D Van Roekel]

While prepping for a Buffalo/Sable/Kudu hunt in early 2023 I ran out of my preferred ammo for my .375 H&H (300gn Swift A-Frame). I'd been looking for months and decided to try something more readily available. I bought 8 boxes of various manufactures and bullet type that was all suitable for the Buff. The Swift won out on accuracy and had the least amount of drop from 100 to 200 yards. Lastly, it was readily available. I used the rest to practice with.

On my safari, the Barnes 300 bullets worked well. It took a few the kill the Buff as any bullet would. The Sable was a frontal shot and he dropped not 15 yards away, stone dead. The kudu was a quartering towards shot, he dropped instantly and expired quickly.

This year I was hunting plains game; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. I decided to stick with the Barnes bullets as I had good luck with them, but used 180 grain in my 30/06. They performed beautifully on the Waterbuck. Great expansion and quick kill. I hit my Gemsbok low in the shoulder and it broke him down, the second shot required was due to me. The damage was devastating. The Wildebeest dropped stone dead with great expansion. For the Impala, Blesbuck and Duiker I got like ZERO expansion. They were complete pass throughs so no bullet to compare, all my shots were. But you could barely see the exit hole on the smaller animals. Now I shouldn't complain as they all made it to the salt. But my shots were through the shoulders on all of them. And even with that, I thought I missed the Impala. He jumped straight up, then ran a little circle and it was over. My point is more if I hadn't broken down the shoulders, my story would be different. Had to do these species again, and only using one bullet type, I would chose something that is quicker expanding.

Generally speaking it is best to go down in weight when using Barnes. I use 130s in 308, 150s in 06 and 300. I used 180s in my 300 first Safari went fine but not crazy about animal response. Went to 150s and I feel response is noticeably better. The faster you push them the better they work.

 

[rigby 416]

Why is it so hard to by swift.

 

[gillettehunter]

Run the TTSX's fast and they work great. The AB's are also good bullets when you can't get the Swifts. The TSX's seem to be a "harder" bullet.
Bruce

 

[Philip Glass]

While prepping for a Buffalo/Sable/Kudu hunt in early 2023 I ran out of my preferred ammo for my .375 H&H (300gn Swift A-Frame). I'd been looking for months and decided to try something more readily available. I bought 8 boxes of various manufactures and bullet type that was all suitable for the Buff. The Swift won out on accuracy and had the least amount of drop from 100 to 200 yards. Lastly, it was readily available. I used the rest to practice with.

On my safari, the Barnes 300 bullets worked well. It took a few the kill the Buff as any bullet would. The Sable was a frontal shot and he dropped not 15 yards away, stone dead. The kudu was a quartering towards shot, he dropped instantly and expired quickly.

This year I was hunting plains game; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. I decided to stick with the Barnes bullets as I had good luck with them, but used 180 grain in my 30/06. They performed beautifully on the Waterbuck. Great expansion and quick kill. I hit my Gemsbok low in the shoulder and it broke him down, the second shot required was due to me. The damage was devastating. The Wildebeest dropped stone dead with great expansion. For the Impala, Blesbuck and Duiker I got like ZERO expansion. They were complete pass throughs so no bullet to compare, all my shots were. But you could barely see the exit hole on the smaller animals. Now I shouldn't complain as they all made it to the salt. But my shots were through the shoulders on all of them. And even with that, I thought I missed the Impala. He jumped straight up, then ran a little circle and it was over. My point is more if I hadn't broken down the shoulders, my story would be different. Had to do these species again, and only using one bullet type, I would chose something that is quicker expanding.

This is what I love about Barnes! I've used it in many different calibers now and the ability to take down large game yet not damage smaller game is unique.

 

[PARA45]

I used Barnes TSX factory ammo on my 375 H&H for the time. I took this ammo to South Africa, Eastern Cape, and shot Warthog smallest to a cow Buffalo the largest and the TSX performed flawlessly. During that same safari, I took a Lioness, and it was a one shot kill too. This experience made a Barnes believer out of me.

 

[jnmullins]

My experience with Barnes bullets is that the exit holes are much smaller than a comparable lead core bullets. This is not to say that they don't expand, because they certainly do, but they don't expand to the same degree as a lead core and the permanent wound channel is sometimes smaller. I used a 300gr TSX in my 375 for a PG hunt with Limcroma Safaris last year and the only animal that dropped in its tracks was my zebra. The only animal that a TSX stopped inside was a cow wildebeest that I shot in the front shoulder as she was quartering toward me and found the bullet under the skin on her off side hip.

With more velocity, Barnes bullet seem to drop game like a lead core. I used a 190 LRX at 2930fps from my 300 Win Mag to take several deer, feral hogs, and a coyote last fall. They all dropped in their tracks, and I killed 3 hogs with a single bullet (they just happened to be lined up just right).