6.5 x55 with 120 grain Barnes TSX

[lgm270]

The classic load in the  6.5x55 has always been the 140 grain bullet at from 2,600-2750 fps.    The 140 Grain Nosler Partition is a great game bullet in this round.

The Barnes  x bullets, characterized by all copper construction, are much longer for bullet weight than lead core bullets.  The 120 grain 6.5mm TSX bullet is as long as the 140 grain bullet. 

The extraordinary terminal ballistics of the X bullet suggest that the all copper  120 grain TSX is  a likely successor to the traditional 140 grain  lead core bullet.

Does anyone have any practical experience with the 120 Barnes TSX bullet in the 6.5x55?   Does it perform well at 6.5x55 velocities?  Any other comments or observations?

 

[Coyote Hunter]

lgm270 –

So far I have been very favorably impressed with the Barnes TTSX and MRX in my .257 Roberts (100g TTSX), .308 Win (168g TTSX) and .300WM (180g MRX).  They expand very rapidly yet hold together.  I have yet to recover one and have no doubt they will perform very well in the 6.5x55.
Will they replace lead core bullets?  No, probably not – at least not until lead cores are illegal.

[Graybeard]

I don't own a 6,5x55 and doubt I ever will but I am loading a rather similar bullet the .257" 115 TSX for my .257 Whby Mag. Surprisingly to me at least this bullet in this rifle is shooting extremely well. This is the first rifle I've owned and loaded Barnes bullets into that shot them well enough to take it hunting. Since it does I do hope to be able to report on how well they perform on game. They are easily shooting sub MOA in my rifle even when I  make a poor shot and send one wild. When I do my part they can hover around a half inch.

I've heard much praise and must castigation of Barnes bullets. Some say they expand well and penetrate fully in almost all instances. Others say they pencil right thru with no expansion evident. Mostly I think those latter reports were from the early bullets made at least I hope so. When I get a chance to try them on game I'll let folks know my personal experience with them.

[Coyote Hunter]

While the Barnes bullets (XLC, TSX, MRX, TTSX) have shot well in every rifle I’ve tried them in, I am one who had disappointing results with the older X (XLC) bullets.  That experience left me leary and although I’ve worked up a variety of TSX loads I’ve never been able to bring myself to hunt with them, falling back on North Forks instead.

In the past two years I’ve taken three antelope and two mule deer with TTSX and MRX bullets.   Based on the wound tracks, these bullets expand very quickly.  I haven’t recovered any, but all have been broadside shots.

"Very pleased" would be an appropriate way to describe how I feel about my experiences with the TTSX and MRX.

[nomosendero]

I don't own a 6,5x55 and doubt I ever will but I am loading a rather similar bullet the .257" 115 TSX for my .257 Whby Mag. Surprisingly to me at least this bullet in this rifle is shooting extremely well. This is the first rifle I've owned and loaded Barnes bullets into that shot them well enough to take it hunting. Since it does I do hope to be able to report on how well they perform on game. They are easily shooting sub MOA in my rifle even when I  make a poor shot and send one wild. When I do my part they can hover around a half inch.

I've heard much praise and must castigation of Barnes bullets. Some say they expand well and penetrate fully in almost all instances. Others say they pencil right thru with no expansion evident. Mostly I think those latter reports were from the early bullets made at least I hope so. When I get a chance to try them on game I'll let folks know my personal experience with them.

Yes, those first X bullets did not expand well at times, I had some of that.

Concerning accuracy, the bad results I had was with the old X, so far not once with the TSX.

Bill, you will like the performance of that bullet. I used it on several Antelope, Mule Deer & Whitetail. My 25-06AI pushed the loads about 100fps or so slower than your loads if you loaded top end, so I would expect the same results from your WEA. The bullet expanded well at the longest yardages I had a shot for in WY & I never recovered a bullet, even up close. I shot one decent 3X4 Whitetail at about 7-10 yds at our family AR. place. I was high in a treestand & the Deer came quartering toward me. I shot him high in the shoulder angling downward of course. The TSX busted his shoulder (sorry for saying shoulder), went through a lung, liver, paunch, came out low, but the Deer had the opposite rear leg forward & it shattered the leg & buried up in the ground. And the wound channel was significiant.

I was impressed!!

[usherj]

I used the 130 TSX in that caliber. Recovered one from a lengthwise shot on a whitetail. Performed perfectly and still weighed 130g. With 45.5g of H4350 I attained 2800 fps but had odd pressure issues and discontinued use of it. It was very accurate as well (.5 to .75). Now I use the 140 partition with RL22 (2650 fps) and have had no problems. Excellent accuracy now that they are seated close to the lands. In that caliber I am sticking to one bullet weight to keep things easier. Even though the trajectory is not as flat, it should be more stable.

[ed k]

i used that 120 on a doe at 230 yards out of a 6.5 rem mag. pass thru shot behind shouler.exited with a golf ball hole and she was 40 yards away dead. worked that time anyway. ed k