Barnes TSX vs Swift A-Frame on Buffalo

[Piet-Vis]

How was the terminal performance of 270 gr TSX?

Well the Hippo was dead.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I'm a Swift Aframe person. I have always had great luck with them.

458 Lott 500gr Aframes recovered from buffalo.

 

[ftrovato]

I'm a Swift Aframe person. I have always had great luck with them.

458 Lott 500gr Aframes recovered from buffalo.

View attachment 654632

They just work all the time no matter what they hit!

 

[dogcat1]

I have used 4 types on buff. A-Frames, TSX, Bonded Solids, and Trophy bonded bear claws. I also used an unknown bullet from a manufacturer in Europe. All worked heart.
Right now, I have 200 or more TSX’s on hand so those are choice now!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I've shot 2 big buffalos on safari. One at about 65 yards board side neck shot. The other 20 yards front brain shot right between the eyes. These were both full grown bulls both FREE CHASE one was 43 inches from Zambia both shot near the Laungwa.

Both shot with a .375 H&H magnum 300 grain swift A-Frames. My 2017 buffalo ran about 20 yard and keeled over. I followed up with an insurance shot. The second buffalo June of 24 I shot him right between the eyes and he fell at the spot he was didn't flinch or move.

I shot my crocodile at 85 yards this past year. Neck shot behind the smile with the same bullet. He didn't move, just wagged his tail a little. Followed up with a devastating shoulder shot. I shot a bull elephant with the same rifle, 3 shots he went down. I love TTSX for think skinned game. If I were to tell you to use a bullet for dangerous game in Africa it would be the Swift A-Frames.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hillcountry63]

Having used both on Buffalo , I prefer the Barnes TSX 300gn. My rifle likes them better but I wouldn’t be afraid to use the A-Frame any day.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

I think i heard Mark Haldane say that since they hunt in large herds, he is quite cautious of exits on buffalo amd wounding unintentionally the buff behind the target. I believe he said if you use Swift A-frames and it exits and hits another animal, he will pay for it. If you use any other bullet and it exits, the client pays.

I have no experience with either but i thought that comment (with money behind it) was telling.

 

[sgt_zim]

I think i heard Mark Haldane say that since they hunt in large herds, he is quite cautious of exits on buffalo amd wounding unintentionally the buff behind the target. I believe he said if you use Swift A-frames and it exits and hits another animal, he will pay for it. If you use any other bullet and it exits, the client pays.

I have no experience with either but i thought that comment (with money behind it) was telling.

Heard him say that very thing on a JvB podcast a couple months back. JvB and 5 or 6 of his friends are headed over in the next month or 2

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Just a short report from my hunt that ended about 10days ago. We hunted both Free State and Limpopo for 10days and bagged six animals. Most were with my 7mm/08 which performed adequately considering that it was a compromise choice over the 7mm Mag and the 30/06, either of which would likely have done better. As for my 375HH on Buffalo? I ended up using the Barnes 300g TSX for that since my rifle shot them a little better and I had many more of them on hand. My rifle holds five rounds 4 +1 and I was determined to place the first shot well and to keep shooting as long as the buffalo was standing and a shot was available. In my rifle the factory Barnes ammo is rated at about 2500fps but chronos nearly 2600 and groups very very well. In fact it is easy to shoot 200y shots off sticks with it.

Our buff was in a small herd and they were very skittish. We had difficulty closing to our desired range of about 80y since they would bolt every time we got within about 120y. Finally, a good broadside shot was presented at 125y. I hit the shoulder a bit high but still in the KZ. The big bull bowed up and ran to my right. I quickly shot #2 at center mass, hitting it behind the ribs. It ran about 10 more yards and stopped facing us with its head down. I aimed for the shoulder blades above the head but hit a few inches left. It moved sideways but was wobbly and the 4th shot hit the shoulder within 3" of the first and the bull rolled over dead. After a short wait, we approached carefully from the rear and placed a 5th insurance shot into the spine but it was not necessary, the bull was finished. I did not get to witness the skinning but none of the rounds penetrated all the way thru the animal. I asked for any recovered bullets to be given to me but none were delivered. So, I cannot say how they expanded but considering past performances, I expect them to be in the 2x expansion range. Cape Buffalo are very tough. There is a good chance that the 1st shot killed him but never say never. I would not hesitate to use TSX again.

I later used the A-frames on a Kudu which only worked OK. I finished him with a TSX because of issued with the reloaded A-frames which misfired several times despite working well at home. That is not an issue with the bullets at all. My Buff measure 40" and the Kudu 49".

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Why do you think you had misfires?

Just a short report from my hunt that ended about 10days ago. We hunted both Free State and Limpopo for 10days and bagged six animals. Most were with my 7mm/08 which performed adequately considering that it was a compromise choice over the 7mm Mag and the 30/06, either of which would likely have done better. As for my 375HH on Buffalo? I ended up using the Barnes 300g TSX for that since my rifle shot them a little better and I had many more of them on hand. My rifle holds five rounds 4 +1 and I was determined to place the first shot well and to keep shooting as long as the buffalo was standing and a shot was available. In my rifle the factory Barnes ammo is rated at about 2500fps but chronos nearly 2600 and groups very very well. In fact it is easy to shoot 200y shots off sticks with it.

Our buff was in a small herd and they were very skittish. We had difficulty closing to our desired range of about 80y since they would bolt every time we got within about 120y. Finally, a good broadside shot was presented at 125y. I hit the shoulder a bit high but still in the KZ. The big bull bowed up and ran to my right. I quickly shot #2 at center mass, hitting it behind the ribs. It ran about 10 more yards and stopped facing us with its head down. I aimed for the shoulder blades above the head but hit a few inches left. It moved sideways but was wobbly and the 4th shot hit the shoulder within 3" of the first and the bull rolled over dead. After a short wait, we approached carefully from the rear and placed a 5th insurance shot into the spine but it was not necessary, the bull was finished. I did not get to witness the skinning but none of the rounds penetrated all the way thru the animal. I asked for any recovered bullets to be given to me but none were delivered. So, I cannot say how they expanded but considering past performances, I expect them to be in the 2x expansion range. Cape Buffalo are very tough. There is a good chance that the 1st shot killed him but never say never. I would not hesitate to use TSX again.

I later used the A-frames on a Kudu which only worked OK. I finished him with a TSX because of issued with the reloaded A-frames which misfired several times despite working well at home. That is not an issue with the bullets at all. My Buff measure 40" and the Kudu 49".

View attachment 694884

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Why do you think you had misfires?

All of the misfires were from reload ammo using PPU brass. I think the manuf The headspace on this rifle is a little loose and while the firing pin protrusion is more than adequate, it had never hit the primer terribly hard. It had never misfired in the past but several days of bouncing around in the African dust may have gotten enough dust into the bolt to slow the firing pin just enough to not go bang. That coupled with the PPU brass perhaps not sized correctly led to the issue. It still shot all the other ammo well.

After getting home, we had a gunsmith clean the bolt and polished the firing pin/spring assembly. Ideally setting the chamber back 2-3 thou would be called for but the cleaning made it 100% effective with all factory loads. Plus the primer marks are much deeper now. I think that is going to be sufficient.

 

[M70375!]

Both bullets will do equally well. I personally would pick the swift A frame because it reliably doesn’t exit but can’t say it’s better than the TSX in 375 H&H. I think you are looking at it wrong though. Barnes TSX and Swift A Frame aren’t rapidly expanding bullets that dump energy immediately. I’m not surprised you saw better results on medium game with your Fusions. They open faster and more easily and make a bigger immediate wound channel on the right shot. Swift A Frame and TSX are made for deep penetration and reliable performance every time and every shot. You are trading a big immediate wound channel for predictable bullet performance and deep penetration on large game, particularly shots on heavy bone where lesser bullets might break up and not penetrate.
I’ve taken buffalo with Swift A Frame, Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, and non-bonded federal soft points. I’ve hunted other game in Africa with Barnes X, TSX, TTSX, Accubond, Woodleigh PP, Hornady, and local ammo. I like predictable bullets even if it’s a trade off on certain species. I’ve tracked duiker further than any other game animal in Africa post shot because tough 375 bullets don’t open well on them.

Barnes tells me that the TSX is designed to open to double diameter upon first 2 inches of penetration.

 

[375Fox]

Barnes tells me that the TSX is designed to open to double diameter upon first 2 inches of penetration.

Very possible, but that’s not the type reaction I’ve generally seen except with 55 gr TSX in 223.

 

[375Fox]

Barnes tells me that the TSX is designed to open to double diameter upon first 2 inches of penetration.

I’m not sure if this is best video or not, but this channel has lots of tests into gel blocks. Generally the copper bullets don’t make nearly the wound channel of lead core bullets. That has been my experience using them as well. However, you get repeatable performance every time on all shots.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Barnes .375 H&H 300 grain on a Croc

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Barnes TTSX .243 - 80 grain on a Roan

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I would add that on this trip, I used a 7mm/08 for other PG hunting and on day three took both a Springbok at 242y with a 140g TSX load. One shot bang flop. Also a black wildebeest which was shot at 314y with this same load. The first shot incapacitated it but it did take a 2nd to finish it. This was a 314y shot with a 1-8x optic. My PH was amazed but this was what I practiced for. My marksmanship was less than perfect but all the animals were in the salt. Later in Limpopo, I took a Blesbok and a Warthog using the 139g Hornady CX ammo which is similar to the Barnes but about 100fps faster. The Blesbok took several shots but the Warthog was a one shot and done. No bullets were recovered.

Exit wound on the Springbok was the size of a tennis ball. Entry wound on the Warthog was larger. I will refrain from posting the bloody pics. I like the fusion load for PG better than the TSX but when using a marginal, lower power rifle for the size of game and when in need of reliable deep penetration, the Barnes is a reliable option. i.e. The 7mm/08 on a Wildebeest or Zebra or a 243 on about anything.