Barnes tsx

[Chaplin]

I've also had really good luck with the 165 out of a .300wsm., and actually very good results with the Barnes ammo out of all my rifles. My old favorite all around bullet used to be Partitions but the Barnes TSX or TTSX is quickly becoming my new favorite. So far I have taken 4 goats, 1 sheep, 2 moose, 1 brown bear, and multiple deer with it, most of which were one shot kills. With the accuracy and performance that I'm getting from these bullets, I have a difficult time trying anything else.

 

[Rare Breed]

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 an 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 an elk in the right hind quarter, that bullet traveled down the leg and blew out the knee on that leg.

Similar experience. My Barnes TSX entered my lions left ear then traveled through both lungs…never would have expected that from angle

 

[Vintageguy]

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

This is absolutely an issue one should consider. Swift’s stock has been sad since back in the pandemic while Barnes TSX were readily available. Tonight I checked and Swift has no A-frames in 375 300gr, or 458’s in 450 and 500gr. Meanwhile all we’re in stock with Barnes.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I've used most of these bullets mentioned and they all worked just fine..even the solids. My favorite bullet is usually the 350 or 450 gr pp from Woodleigh in the 375 and 416 respectively. why? they work for one reason but so do TTSX, Nosler partition and accubonds and others. Bullet failure is all but a thing in the past, some of you should have been around in the early 1950s when they all failed from time to time, well maybe not, we wouldn't have a spit to talk about.

 

[skydiver386]

Another plus for the Barnes X availability not just in North America, but Africa as well. The store that I went to in Pretoria had other brands in scattered calibers, but Barnes X ammo? They had piles of the stuff!

 

[Philip Glass]

This is exactly why I am not a fan of TSX on Buffalo. To each their own, and other PH's and hunters can do their own thing. I just know where we hunt buff, you can just never say if he's alone in that thick stuff or not and don't know what is behind him.
I was surprised how much weight was shed by an Accubond during a 2022 hunt. More than I would have liked. The 300gr Accubond we recovered ended up with 200 gr. Dead is dead, and it worked, but that was a bit too much for my liking.
Don't think that there is anything better than a Swift A Frame on the market but was extremely impressed with the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw on Buffalo. Pretty much as good as any A Frame we have recovered, but my sample size of the TBBC's is not big.

My two recent buffalo with 500g and 400g TSX did not pass through. I am sure it can happen.

 

[Philip Glass]

The problem as I see it is that just about any DG bullet may and can shoot completely through a buffalo and it is up to the PH and shooter to make sure that if it does happen that another animal isn't hit.

I have passed up quite a few shots on plains game just because of knowing that my bullets would pass completely through the targeted animal. This has always been with the first shot, I can understand about problems with a second and third shot if the animals group together, but then isn't that what waiting for a good shot is what it is all about?

But I have also read that on DG to have your first round being a soft point to do the most damage to the targeted animal, then having solids just encase the rodeo starts, but then isn't there a problem with those solids passing through the targeted animal and hitting another one?

Funny we are talking about pass through on Buffalo while some PH's still insist on solids for follow up shots!

 

[Andrew62]

Funny we are talking about pass through on Buffalo while some PH's still insist on solids for follow up shots!

I was listening to a big game hunting podcast this past year, the host mentioned he had just hunted cape buffalo, he had a soft in the chamber, everything in the magazine was solids. He shoots the buffalo, it is still standing broadside, but with other buffalo behind it, so he does not take a 2nd shoot, only to have the buffalo run off, never to be seen again. It is for this very reason that I personally will never put another solid in my rifle to hunt buffalo. Of the 12 buffalo I have taken the only one I ever had issues with was back in 1988, my first safari, my guide had me bring nothing but solids. That buffalo took 7 shots, all of other buffalo I have taken with TSX, Swift or DGX, have pretty much been one shot kills.

 

[62flint]

I just spoke with a SA ph
To my surprise he liked the 270 grain tsx over the 300.
He stated the longer bullets in the heavier weight in Barnes is why they tumbled in the animal.

 

[Inline6]

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.

You are spending thousands on DG hunt, the dollar cost difference of the bullets should not be the deciding factor. My .02

 

[UpNorthMI]

You are spending thousands on DG hunt, the dollar cost difference of the bullets should not be the deciding factor. My .02

Availability is the deciding factor, I was just pointing out the significant cost difference between these two products.

I’ll be using Barnes 300gn TSX in 375 H&H and Swift A Frames 180gn in 300 Win Mag on my upcoming trip.

 

[Philip Glass]

I was listening to a big game hunting podcast this past year, the host mentioned he had just hunted cape buffalo, he had a soft in the chamber, everything in the magazine was solids. He shoots the buffalo, it is still standing broadside, but with other buffalo behind it, so he does not take a 2nd shoot, only to have the buffalo run off, never to be seen again. It is for this very reason that I personally will never put another solid in my rifle to hunt buffalo. Of the 12 buffalo I have taken the only one I ever had issues with was back in 1988, my first safari, my guide had me bring nothing but solids. That buffalo took 7 shots, all of other buffalo I have taken with TSX, Swift or DGX, have pretty much been one shot kills.

I've seen videos of buffalo hunts Where so many shots were taken. One I think was Death by Double Rifle. Two guys with .470's or .500's and obviously solids shooting the buffalo over and over with little effect!
My last two buffalos were with the double and TSX, both I shot twice and both were instantly down. The telling shot was the Zim Buffalo on TIA last year where the second shot entered the rear and went all the way to the far shoulder. No need for a solid. That hippo I took for bait last year was one TSX to the shoulder and then stupidly a solid through the neck as he ran towards the water. The solid went through doing little damage. If using TSX solids are only for ele brain shots and the tinies.

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

I've seen the effect of a .470 Nosler flat point solid through a buffalo. It's like if you'd drive a pencil through the flesh without no other damages. Not even a little bruising around the hole. Solids are good if they break major bones. Otherwise, they are about as effective as a pencil. I'll 100% stick with the Barnes TSX.

 

[pilar]

I just spoke with a SA ph
To my surprise he liked the 270 grain tsx over the 300.
He stated the longer bullets in the heavier weight in Barnes is why they tumbled in the animal.

I’m thinking of going 270gr also across the board in my 375Ruger
tsx likes some speed and I think 270gr @ 2750 would peddle and penetrate fine

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

I’m thinking of going 270gr also across the board in my 375Ruger
tsx likes some speed and I think 270gr @ 2750 would peddle and penetrate fine

According to my little experience with these bullets, the 270 grains TSX fired at 2600 fps from a 375 H&H will start to expand even in an Impala.

 

[RayAtkinson]

Not overly fond of SWIFTS, as game seemed to move a bit far at the shot, but left a good enough blood trail with my 338 and 300 H&Hs on about 20 gead of PG but thats not a real test and most folks like them. I prefer North Forks and Nosler's..I like the Barnes X but in lighter weights per caliber, they work best at higher velocity such as the 130 TTSX in my savage 99F 308.... I pick a bullet brand or two for each gun I own, not one bullet make for everything. Mnolithic are good bullets but not the last word.

 

[62flint]

Looks like 67 grains of varget and a 300gr tsx is the ticket in my 375. Shots touching at 100 yards with a 5x scope.
I have not choreographed it but I expect the load to be 2400+ fps.
I am considering a 270tsx for everything also.