Barnes TSX question

Shootgun

Well-Known Member
I'm using Sako Powerhead (130 grains Barnes TSX bullet head) factory ammunition in my .270 Sako A7, and they group extremly well, half MOA over 5 shots, but having shot one roe buck and one fallow pricket in the past 2 weeks, i noticed they don't expand that much as a regular soft point normaly would. The roe buck fell on the spot and the fallow managed to run for about 20 yards than it fell dead, so no issues here, but both exit holes were about 1,5 inch in diameter. Is this the norm for the Barnes TXS bullet heads?
Thank you!
 
no experience of those factory loads but...
solid copper is never going to expand as well as cup and core lead soft points and general view is they need to be driven faster to achieve similar expansion
Sako clain to run their Powerhead 130gr at 915m/s or 3100fps

Assuming they actually do make that MV in either your or anyone else's rifle it is still 100+fps lower than factory norma soft point 130gr.

I would want them slightly faster than factory SP ammo of the same weight, or go lighter
 
reading your account shotgun I don't see a problem with the performance ? both deer dead within 20yds.
 
Hi shootgun
I use Barnes ttsx in my 6.5, they open up like a propeller and don't fragment like a lead core bullet as that's the design of them. I stuffed a shot a while back and retrieved the bullet from the carcase, it had performed like the manufacturer said it would and had only lost 4% of weight.
Regards
Jimmy
 
Thanks guys.
I have asked the question as i've heard people moaning about them. Personally i'm very happy, and i'll stick with them.

Regards
 
You shouldn't get a massive exit wound but the internal organs should be massively damaged. Don't be afraid to take out one shoulder with a chest shot as you won't lose much meat by doing so in my experience
 
I have reloaded some Barnes TTSX 150 gr. in .308 and have the starting of a good load, but have not tested it yet on deer. Accuracy so far is great so long as the bullets are seated deep. And even full length resized as I like. I decided to try the Barnes bullet after having to cut out so much meat from deer recently shot with conventional lead bullets. The worst example was a fallow buck shot last November through both shoulders at 20 metres where the bullet just exploded almost and did not exit. The deer did flop over, but I am thinking it might not be best to eat so much lead. From all accounts the Barnes bullets keep on going and that is good from tracking and trailing perspective and no toxicity to the venison. I can chuck it all in the mincer even if near a the shot wound. We will see.
 
All of the replies echoes what I've found with Barnes bullets, minimal meat damage, you can eat right up to the bullet wound channel, drills through bone, and you CAN go down a weight to get more velocity as well. Seat them up to 70 thou off the lands as they prefer a longer jump than conventional bullets. I've used them in 270 up to Blue wildebeest blesbuck and down to springbok, all one shot kills when shoulder shots were taken. deerwarden
 
As i'm not reloading, i'm limited to 130 grains in my .270, as is the only one sako produces for this caliber.
I have to admit, i never saw so less meat damage at the last two deers i shot. Apart from the entry and exit hole and the bruises around, not much else really.
 
I've only used TSX's a few times , but have seen others results on game as well . Pretty much like everyone else here . The advise on dropping a weight is sound , I know three or four guys who swear by the 165's in their 30/06's for Moose , Elk and other large game . The 165's perform better than most standard cup and core 180's penetration wise and don't break up on bone . Mind you , the standard cup and core 180's work quite well too .


AB
 
Shot a fair few deer with them in 270 never had any problems these were supplied through my work
 
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Very late to this post but relevant to me now.
I can still use lead ammo where I stalk but have some of the 130gr sako powehead barnes for me .270 (think they are the tsx as they are just hollowpoints not balistic tipped)
They group well
BUT would people choose these over normal lead bullets for performance and efficiently killing deer if they had the choice??

Stalking next weekend so want to know what ammo to zero with lead or lead free 🤔
 
Very late to this post but relevant to me now.
I can still use lead ammo where I stalk but have some of the 130gr sako powehead barnes for me .270 (think they are the tsx as they are just hollowpoints not balistic tipped)
They group well
BUT would people choose these over normal lead bullets for performance and efficiently killing deer if they had the choice??

Stalking next weekend so want to know what ammo to zero with lead or lead free 🤔
Yes, and I have done for the last 20 years although with the TTSX. A recent trip to Africa meant using two different calibres both using TSX that performed flawlessly
 
Very true you can drop a bit of weight on the Barnes as they dont break up, the 4 petals they expand into are lethal. I shot all my big game in Canada with them, hit a big bear in the shoulder once and it dropped him when a lead one could have broken up and left me with a wounded bear to track in the twilight. Obviously shot placement is important and I found they were very accurate but do foul the barrel so needs a good scrub with solvent after zeroing or your rifle or groups will open up.
 
Sounds normal. Exit is smaller as the bullet has not fragmented. The performance you describe is better than my experience.
 
I thought that about lead until I found a Barnes bullet inside a deer that was a diagonal shot quartering away and if I can find it I will post it ,it had flattened out into a mushroom with 4 sharp flat petals that
shredded everything it went through. Totally changed my opinion on Barnes. No experience of any other non lead bullets though. You do need enough speed to make them expand, but by dropping a weight the speed should be there.
 
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