Barnes tsx

[Hillcountry63]

Barnes TSX 300 grain in 375 H&H Winchester 70, one shot Cape Buffalo kill at 25ish yards. Shot was point of the shoulder and lodged under skin far side after passing through both shoulders, perfect mushroom.

 

[Doug3006]

It seems that the consensus among PHs is strongly in favor of TSXs and A-Frames the larger and tougher the game. For plains game, the preference seems weaker. Most cup and core bullets will get the job done on Impala, for example.

 

[Doug3006]

Hornady’s tag line is Accurate, Deadly, Dependable. I wish all ammo and component manufacturers would add the term, Available, to this. My 416 Rigby really likes the Barnes VOR-TX 300 grain TSX factory ammo. A big plus is that these bullets are actually available!

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

It seems that the consensus among PHs is strongly in favor of TSXs and A-Frames the larger and tougher the game. For plains game, the preference seems weaker. Most cup and core bullets will get the job done on Impala, for example.

I shot 2 impalas with the 270 grains Barnes TSX. The second one was shot through the ribs behind the shoulder. He ran may be 50 yards before collapsing. According to the exit hole, it was clear the bullet had expand. May be not fully, but enough to cause enough internal damages to the lungs.

 

[baxterb]

Interesting to me that for a very long time solids were used on Buffalo to ensure penetration but now a soft/tsx penetrates too much (to some). I hear the arguments and that’s fine, just an observation on the different perspectives of bullets/game over 100 years.

 

[Doug3006]

I shot 2 impalas with the 270 grains Barnes TSX. The second one was shot through the ribs behind the shoulder. He ran may be 50 yards before collapsing. According to the exit hole, it was clear the bullet had expand. May be not fully, but enough to cause enough internal damages to the lungs.

That’s pretty much been my experience too. The TSX is designed to expand, but also penetrate.

 

[JimP]

One thing that you need to remember is that even when fully expanded the Barnes X, TSX, and TTSX will be less than double its original size. And when it comes out that skin is going to expand and then snap back, so the exit hole may only be slightly larger than the bullet itself.

What a person needs to look at is what the bullet did as it was passing through the animal. I have heard a lot of hunters blaming the TSX or TTSX bullet for lost game when they need to look at their shot placement instead.

Also, once a bullet hits a animal where it comes out is anyone's guess. It might pass straight through or it may hit a bone, glancing off that bone and come out who knows where. I watched a friend hit a elk in the right hind quarter, that bullet traveled down the leg and blew out the knee on that leg.

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

What a person needs to look at is what the bullet did as it was passing through the animal. I have heard a lot of hunters blaming the TSX or TTSX bullet for lost game when they need to look at their shot placement instead.

That's true for any bullet.

 

[fourfive8]

Have used both TSX and A Frame on DG. Had some pass throughs with both. IMO, terminal performance of both is similar, all other thing being equal. I don't load nor shoot TTSX because I have no need for added BC nor long range shooting. I can detect slightly better accuracy with TSX.

 

[Shooter375]

A couple of years ago I killed a Cape Buffalo with a 375 H&H loaded with Barnes TSX. I was using a camp rifle with camp ammunition. The buffalo was shot standing broadside at 60 yards. The bullet completely passed through both shoulders. Entry and exit holes looked identical. At the shot the buffalo took off running. The PH fired a shot at the running buffalo with his 458 Win. Mag. He was loaded with 500 grain Dzombo solids. That shot struck the buffalo in the spine dropping him instantly. We approached the downed buffalo from behind and I put another shot through his spine between the shoulder blades for insurance. No bullets were recovered. The TSX did it's job. Currently, I am loaded with 300 grain Swift A-Frames in my 375 H&H but I would not hesitate to use 300 grain Barnes TSX's. Has anyone done penetration tests comparing 300 grain Swift A-Frames with 300 grain Barnes TSX's? I have only shot 300 grain Swift A-Frames into milk jugs filled with water but I have not shot 300 grain Barnes TSX's into milk jugs filled with water. The 300 grain Swift A-Frames penetrated 8 milk jugs filled with water. This is the video.

 

[Scott CWO]

I prefer A-Frame but use Barnes as well.

 

[Scott CWO]

A couple of years ago I killed a Cape Buffalo with a 375 H&H loaded with Barnes TSX. I was using a camp rifle with camp ammunition. The buffalo was shot standing broadside at 60 yards. The bullet completely passed through both shoulders. Entry and exit holes looked identical. At the shot the buffalo took off running. The PH fired a shot at the running buffalo with his 458 Win. Mag. He was loaded with 500 grain Dzombo solids. That shot struck the buffalo in the spine dropping him instantly. We approached the downed buffalo from behind and I put another shot through his spine between the shoulder blades for insurance. No bullets were recovered. The TSX did its job. Currently, I am loaded with 300 grain Swift A-Frames in my 375 H&H but I would not hesitate to use 300 grain Barnes TSX's. Has anyone done penetration tests comparing 300 grain Swift A-Frames with 300 grain Barnes TSX's? I have only shot 300 grain Swift A-Frames into milk jugs filled with water but I have not shot 300 grain Barnes TSX's into milk jugs filled with water. The 300 grain Swift A-Frames penetrated 8 milk jugs filled with water. This is the video.

Fun video. What was the range distance?

 

[Shooter375]

Fun video. What was the range distance?

It was close enough to get showered in water. 10-15 yards.

 

[Rem280]

Good luck finding Swift rounds. I do not hand load and buy the best I can. Barnes has product out there.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Rem 280 above makes a real good point. Barnes TSX in .375 300 grain are available, I can not find availability of Swift A frames in the same caliber and weight. Another point is cost, I just purchased a bunch of Barnes TSX 300gn .375 bullets for $44 for a box of 50, the Swift A Frames are priced at well over $100 a box of 50.

Barnes factory ammo with .375 H&H 300gn TSX is also available for less than $100 for 20 rounds. I'm currently loading .375 H&H 300gn TSX ammo for practice for my son and I for our upcoming May trip to cull some buffalo cows.

My PH recommended either Barnes TSX or Swift A Frame bullets for the trip. There was no choice it's Barnes TSX all the way based on their actual availability to hunters.

Barnes has done a real good job on availability of their TTSX and their TSX bullets over the last couple of years when the shelves have been very bare, I've certainly become a new significant customer having purchased many calibers and different bullet weights all of which have shot amazingly well.

 

[BwanaCat]

I use both and they perform well. Absolutely no complaints about either bullet.

Yes, Barnes has done a magnificent job the past few years in making the TSX and TTSX bullets and ammo available to customers (Hornady, too, with their ammo & bullets). Sadly, Swift Bullet Company has not for whatever reasons. I hope Swift picks up the production pace soon as they make great stuff.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi,

A question about Barnes TSX .375" bullet weight for buffalo. It is really needed a 300 grs vs 270 grs TSX?

 

[UpNorthMI]

Hi,

A question about Barnes TSX .375" bullet weight for buffalo. It is really needed a 300 grs vs 270 grs TSX?

I have no real world experience in how the 2 bullets would perform differently but every recommendation and lots of real world advice all seems to be based on using the 300gn TSX. Our goal is to cull 4 buffalo cows between my son and I in May this year, I'll certainly be posting my views on how the Barnes factory ammo in .375 H&H with 300gn bullets perform.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I have always religiously been exclusively using solid bullets for hunting hippopotamus on land, ever since my first African safari in 1974.

But I took one of my most recent hippopotamuses on land with a 300Gr Barnes TSX factory load (at the recommendation of my white hunter). He dropped to the shot. It’s too early to tell if the Barnes TSX is going to completely replace solids for my hippo hunts on land in the future. But based upon what I’ve seen so far, I’m mighty impressed.

Good for anything except lion or leopard.

 

[NDWoods]

Hippo on land is on my bucket list, and it will be .375 H&H with Barnes TSX. Thank you for sharing.