BARNES TIPPED TSX BULLET
Just the other day I was doing a review of the Tikka rifle in 7mm-08. It was advertised as being able to shoot one inch groups with factory ammunition. I had tried factory ammunition and the best reloads I could find. The best I could do was just the one inch mark. It was getting frustrating because in the past I have found only one rifle I could not improve on accuracy with my reloads.
Then Barnes sent some of their Tipped TSX bullets for me to try out. I took the best 120 grain bullet load I had and replaced only the bullet with the Barnes bullet. At first I could not believe what I saw in the rifle scope so I turned my spotting scope up to sixty power. There were three bullet holes in a clover leaf pattern. Just to make sure this was not a fluke, I touched off three more and again they were all touching. Next I got out my chronograph and these Barnes bullets, like their non-tipped brothers, chronographed at an average eighty feet per second faster than the bullet I had previously shot with this load.
I have used the TSX bullets since they came out. Last year I took three deer with the Barnes TSX but unfortunately I never recovered a bullet. The exit hole was not larger than normal and the wound channel was significant. The best part was there was no bullet separation resulting in peripheral damage.
I have used these bullets in the following calibers: 7mm-08, 6.5mm-06, .260, 6.5x55, 6mm Rem., .243, .25-06 and .257 Roberts. In each rifle the bullets proved to be of the same accuracy or better than my best loads. The velocity was increased also up to more than 120 feet per second.
So what makes these bullets so great? They have no lead in them. They have a high ballistic coefficient. They retain almost 100% of their weight after impact. They are designed to expand like the petals of a flower. They have wide grooves cut into the shank of the bullet. These grooves give it the extra velocity by reducing drag. This also means less fouling in the barrel.
The TSX and the Tipped TSX are a little more expensive but they are worth every penny. With the higher ballistic coefficient these bullets would be great for long range shots on just about any North American game animals.
