TSX Through-and-Throughs?

Shooting 180gr TSX loaded in 30-06 by Federal I'm seeing complete pass through on big mule deer, with a pretty small exit hole.

Near identical shots with the same gun but 180gr ballistic tip has also led to complete pass through but with a considerably larger exit hole and more internal damage.

Last year I landed a shoulder shot on a running deer with the ballistic tip and it completely hamburgered the front quarter, only sending bits of the bullet through the rib cage into the vitals. The deer only made it 40 yards before dropping and it was a 1-shot kill, but the experience has me back in the TSX camp for better weight retention and penetration.

Don't know if that helps, just my experience...

Depends on the animal of course, but I certainly get more "pass throughs" on Deer.

One thing to consider however, is that many folks will use the TSX or TTSX in a bullet weight somewhat lighter (for caliber) than they did before. In those cases, penetration is often the same (or a bit less) than the heavier bullets they used previously (if of controlled expansion design).

If you use a TSX of the same weight (and velocity) as the load you replaced, then... I think most folks will report getting more penetration (if not complete pass-throughs).

All of this assumes conditions being equal I.E. (same type animal, weight, distance, angle, etc).

How do like (or dislike) the performance of the recovered bullets? I have had excellent results, but some folks do not.

I've used 180gr. TSX's on deer and boar, and never recovered one (out of approx. 12 kills) ...they've all gone out the other side.

Entry holes were .308", exit holes 3/8" to 3/4"

I use TTSX 168 grain .308 I have killed a few whitetails with them and every one of them were dead right there with complete pass through. It has been the only product i have seen work exactly as advertised. I now deer hunt exclusively with them. Obviously i am by no means saying that they are the only bullets that will drop em DRT, buy i am sold. Hope that helps a little.

Loosedhorse what caliber/weight? And what are you hunting? TSXs are known for better then avarage penatration for their caliber/weight but that might not be enough for a passthrough if you are shooting black bear with an 52gr 22-250.

What chambering? TTSX or older TSX? Generally speaking you drop down 1 or 2 bullet weights with Barnes bullets and shoot them as fast as possible. I'm using 130's in my 308 @ about 3050 fps. I've not shot anything with this combo yet but I've seen 400+ lb. black bear, elk and moose with complete pass throughs and DRT results with this load.

Also, what range? Barnes bullets need to impact animals at around 2000 fps to get good performance. They are not the best choice for longer ranges where velocity has dropped too much.

If shooting the same bullet weight, the Barnes type bullets should penetrate better, but they do less damage on the way through. So pick your poison. 100% weight retention and complete penetration is not everything.

What barne's x bullets does better than others is brack bone and keep on moveing thru. So long as your useing heavy weight per caliber. Very good at takeing out shoulders. If highly disruptive tissue damage is what you want, look at another type bullet. First time I used barns was on an elk hunt 23 years ago. No elk but shot a 225lb mule deer from the rear. Bone damage started at the rear hip and pelvis at the joint shattered, 3 vertibra fractured, one backstrap destroyed, several ribs cut into and the front shoulder blade peirced and bullet stopped under the hide. Around 51" of travel. It went straight through that deer with hardly any movement.

Thats what barne's has allways been about. I still have that bullet.