Thoughts on Barnes TTSX BT Bullet Heads

[Custard]

Hi Guys,

First real post on this.

Recently picked up box of Barnes TTSX Cooper 130gr bullet heads for my .270, one of my permissions is interested in me giving them a shot.

Just wanted to hear a few opinions from folk that have used them as I am not too convinced after speak with a good pal of mine on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Treedave]

Gut reaction is too heavy for calibre, usually a weight used for 308. Lower (for copper mono) terminal velocities give poor results. Using 95-100 gr for .264/6.5.

 

[Miki]

They are not called 'heads'.
More advice will likely follow.

What are your concerns exactly ?

 

[Custard]

They are not called 'heads'.
More advice will likely follow.

What are your concerns exactly ?

Do apologise just what my family have always called them, I am sure you have different names for kit you use.

Just been told that they will not perform as well as my lead alternatives and that in most cases will yeild lower velocities.

 

[Custard]

Gut reaction is too heavy for calibre, usually a weight used for 308. Lower (for copper mono) terminal velocities give poor results. Using 95-100 gr for .264/6.5.

130gr is what I tend to use as that what I was taught by my father etc, ex forestry so he as always stuck with a .270 in a 130gr

 

[mereside]

Too heavy for copper, i use these to demo little expansion,110gr is the better option for 270, with copper you need to drop bullet weight from lead as it is harder so doesn't expand as easy, if your shooting boar or reds it might be better but be prepared for a runner,regards wayne

 

[Custard]

Too heavy for copper, i use these to demo little expansion,110gr is the better option for 270, with copper you need to drop bullet weight from lead as it is harder so doesn't expand as easy, if your shooting boar or reds it might be better but be prepared for a runner,regards wayne

Thanks Wayne, it's Reds I am mainly shooting tho have seen evidence of a few boars. Was aware of the Cooper being harder than lead, how much of a difference would you say there is. Can always pick up some 110gr to do a bit of comparison.

Not a fan of runners always like mine to drop on the spot.

 

[mereside]

You will see a huge difference, admit-tingly i am shooting roe in the demos but there is very little if any expansion, I would go to 110 gr ttsx, I know guys using and swearing by that combo in 270 for reds it is always better with copper to drop a size for good expansion, regards Wayne

 

[Miki]

Do apologise just what my family have always called them, I am sure you have different names for kit you use.

Just been told that they will not perform as well as my lead alternatives and that in most cases will yeild lower velocities.

I tend to call things by their real names, it causes less confusion that way.

Brass is lighter than lead by 32.161% consequently a 130gr lead bullet will be shorter than a brass bullet.
Depending upon the twist in the rifling of your barrel, the longer bullet may not stabilise.

Lead has a hardness of 1.5 on the Mohs scale and Brass is 3. To overcome this metals resistance to 'spreading' the tipped TSX bullet also has an engineered cavity that relieves the nose into 4 sections to aid (what I call) the 'Mushroom effect'
As has been said, you'd be better dropping to 110gr. In answer to your quest (velocity) No, a 130gr brass bullet will exit the barrel at the same velocity as a 130gr lead bullet.
A lighter (ie 110gr) bullet will exit faster.
Faster is better with a harder material as the terminal energy will defeat it's resistance to mushroom.

Here's a great source of info .. linky

 

[User00033]

The 130gr Barnes in .270 was the monolithic bullet that put me off monolithics, almost for good. Admittedly this was before I had any understanding of monolithics, as it wasn't my rifle or my reloads, and I wasn't the shooter, just an observer. This was on fallow, so larger quarry than roe. On that day two shots were taken and both deer were hit well, slightly behind the shoulder aiming for the heart. 200yds? Both animals took off like scalded cats, and only one was all recovered, the next day. The wound was very narrow with extremely limited peripheral damage. A classic "pencil wound" through & through.

A couple of subsequent similar incidents with monolithics resulted in my partner on this block banning their use, hich in hindsight was an over reaction to something we didn't really understand.

The bottom line is that you need to use a light and very fast monolithic projectile, in the smallbore rifles we typically use for deer you are looking at a bullet weight of 20-30gr less than the copper jacketed / lead core equivalent. You also need to be careful with your point of aim on very small deer like roe, it is infinitely preferable to take out both shoulder blades rather than trying to avoid bone. More resistance than less is the idea.

 

[Custard]

You will see a huge difference, admit-tingly i am shooting roe in the demos but there is very little if any expansion, I would go to 110 gr ttsx, I know guys using and swearing by that combo in 270 for reds it is always better with copper to drop a size for good expansion, regards Wayne

Yeah will pick up some 110gr and see how I get on. He won't shoot anything lower than 130gr on his 270 guess some folk won't change.

 

[mereside]

Yeah will pick up some 110gr and see how I get on. He won't shoot anything lower than 130gr on his 270 guess some folk won't change.

The 110gr will be the same as the 130gr in lead, shooting the 130gr in barnes will not give the same results as lead and this will be something he will quickly find out, if your friend does use these then after the shot make sure you wait for the beast to settle or have him shoot through both shoulders, you will see when you drop to 110gr how good these are,regards wayne

 

[Custard]

I tend to call things by their real names, it causes less confusion that way.

Brass is lighter than lead by 32.161% consequently a 130gr lead bullet will be shorter than a brass bullet.
Depending upon the twist in the rifling of your barrel, the longer bullet may not stabilise.

Lead has a hardness of 1.5 on the Mohs scale and Brass is 3. To overcome this metals resistance to 'spreading' the tipped TSX bullet also has an engineered cavity that relieves the nose into 4 sections to aid (what I call) the 'Mushroom effect'
As has been said, you'd be better dropping to 110gr. In answer to your quest (velocity) No, a 130gr brass bullet will exit the barrel at the same velocity as a 130gr lead bullet.
A lighter (ie 110gr) bullet will exit faster.
Faster is better with a harder material as the terminal energy will defeat it's resistance to mushroom.

Here's a great source of info .. linky

Should have been more clear will note that for future refrence. Thanks for the detail will have a good read through. By the sounds of things will be best to get some 110gr bullets and make a few with them as well.
Thanks

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Very accurate bullets
Praised highly in Africa and other overseas location
Sadly they do have a reputation for pencilling through our smaller thinner skinned game when hit at lower terminal velocities associated with longer range

IMO the meplat and hollow points on many of the higher BC Monolithics do not allow for reliable expansion unless faced with the significant resistance of larger thicker skinned game or driven through bone (and even then they do not react particularly predictably)
Dropping a weight class and driving them faster is a band aid response to a poor design characteristic

 

[Woodsmoke]

bullet heads . . .

Just wanted to hear a few opinions . . .

You won't like mine . . . . .

 

[Woodsmoke]

130gr is what I tend to use as that what I was taught by my father etc, ex forestry so he as always stuck with a .270 in a 130gr

130gr softpoints are all I use in my .270. I've not tried copper, but I think you'll need to come down to 110, or even 100gr and drive them significantly faster than standard . . .

Edit: already mentioned by guys with more knowledge than me. I'll stick to correcting people's terminology instead

 

[Custard]

130gr softpoints are all I use in my .270. I've not tried copper, but I think you'll need to come down to 110, or even 100gr and drive them significantly faster than standard . . .

Edit: already mentioned by guys with more knowledge than me. I'll stick to correcting people's terminology instead

I wish I was never taught that phrase now rookie mistake.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I wish I was never taught that phrase now rookie mistake.

It's kind of a running forum gag these days

 

[Shootgun]

I had totally different experiences with the bullet in question, the only thing is , i'm using 130gr TSX in my .270 , not TTSX. No complains whatsoever from me, shooting in excess of 100 deer so far with them. Accurate, minimum meat damage and almost 100% weight retention... what's not to like?

I have used 110 grains TTSX for a little while, but they were blowing my roe and muntjac to bits and not enough for big fallow.

 

[User00014]

Hi Guys,

First real post on this.

Recently picked up box of Barnes TTSX Cooper 130gr bullet heads for my .270, one of my permissions is interested in me giving them a shot.

Just wanted to hear a few opinions from folk that have used them as I am not too convinced after speak with a good pal of mine on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

Used Barnes for almost 15 years.
Awesome bullets.