Barnes TSX or Swift Scirocco II for Plains game?

Spartan5 · Monday at 6:46 AM

Good morning everyone, for my 300 win mag, actually for three of us that are taking 300 win mag our trip. These are the two main bullet options that I have right now. Both are 180 grain. I am curious if we should take some of each or lock in on just one. Both shoot within an inch for all of our rifles at 200, so I don’t have concern on having to re-zero for either of them. If you have hunted one or both, can you share your feedback? Thanks in advance.

Spartan5

dogcat1 · Monday at 7:06 AM

I have used TSX on 12 trips. They work. Best of all most shots are pass thrus leaving a serious wound channel and even better blood trail should follow up tracking be needed. Virtually any caliber from .270 up works on plains game. Shoot what you like the best.

uplander01 · Monday at 7:09 AM

Used both, my choice would be the tsx, but there really isn’t a bad choice there.

PARA45 · Monday at 7:10 AM

I've used a 375 H&H with 300 grs TSX in three different trips. Shot and killed a total of 12 animals, 9 PG and 3 DG. All one shot kills without any issues.

Mark458 · Monday at 7:18 AM

The TSX will be a better give better penetration and the Swift will most likely have bigger wound channel. Both will get the job done. I prefer the larger wound channel with a heavy bullet.

skydiver386 · Monday at 7:46 AM

I have experience with the TTSX and TSX in 257dia 100gr, 308dia 150gr, 375dia 300gr and 458dia 450 and 500gr. Of over 20 animals, only had 2 that were NOT a pass through, a Waterbuck with a 308Win 150gr that ran maybe 15 yards and piled up, and a Cape Buffalo with a 450 Rigby 450gr that went less than 10ft. One bad hit on a Springbok needed a second shot, but all others dropped at the shot, or piled up within a few feet.

I'm sold on the Barnes X series of bullets.

This is the TSX from my Buff that expanded quite nicely.

Firebird · Monday at 8:11 AM

If you are just shooting plains game then both are fine. The swift may open a bit quicker but both bullets will give you pass throughs. The only advantage to the swift is if you are stretching the distance, then I would give it the nod, otherwise you won’t see any difference in the two as far as terminal performance

45-70guy · Monday at 8:12 AM

Either will work but whatever you decide I would stick with all 1 and not mix them up.
Easier to not get confused.
I debated TSX and North Forks for a long time, took all North Forks and they were fine on all plains game.

BeeMaa · Monday at 8:42 AM

My 300WM prefers the 165 grain TTSX but the 180 will do everything you need. I'd keep it simple and take just one bullet.

375Fox · Monday at 9:27 AM

Can’t go wrong with either choice, but I think lead core bullets generally kill faster. I haven’t hunted with Scirocco’s though, but appears pretty similar to Nosler’s Accubond. I’ve had good luck with both TSX and Accubond in my 300 win in Africa. The hit reaction was much more noticeable with Accubond however.

Challer · Monday at 9:33 AM

Both will work very well for your purposes. TSX is generally more available.

Kevin375 · Monday at 11:37 AM

I have no experience with Barnes bullets in .300 Winchester magnum on game but I used the Swift Scirocco 180 gr with a great success in the past, both in Namibia and Europe.
I used to load them with Reload Swiss 70 at around 915 m/s (3000 f/s) and I had an excellent accuracy in my Blaser.
With a Namibian girl, we shot a good number of games with the Swift Scirocco 180 gr : 1 jackal, 3 Burchell zebras, 2 black wildebeests, 10 blue wildebeests, 1 warthog, 1 red lechwe, 2 cheetahs, 2 élands, 3 waterbucks, 1 impala, 2 oryx, 2 kudus and 1 giraffe.

Kevin375 said:
View attachment 637389
Bullets recovered in blue and black wildebeests, eland and burchell zebra.

View attachment 637388
Bullets recovered in 2 blue wildebeests : 84.30 % and 77.7 %

View attachment 637390
Bullets recovered in a giraffe

The first one, shot in the shoulder, was recovered under the skin in the opposite shoulder and it has kept 88.2% of its weight.
The other one, shot in the neck to finish it off, and that broke the spine, has kept 84.7%.

farmer_john · Monday at 12:02 PM

I use the sirrocco 2 in my 3006 does everything i could ever want.

crackerman · Monday at 12:12 PM

My trip last year I shot 180gr TTSX in my .30-06 and 168gr TTSX in my .308.

Zebra, Impala, Warthog, Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok all dropped to a single bullet.

Do your job and the bullet will do its.

Desperatezulu · Monday at 12:22 PM

If the Scirocco's group as well as the TSX I would use them. You can push them a bit faster and slightly better BC. Both deadly in terminal performance, so nothing much to choose there.

In my limited experience, the Scirocco's are quite finicky with loads. Tougher than an Accubond - toughest of the lead core boat-tails for me.

Rickmt · Thursday at 11:59 AM

Tsx= 2 holes

skydiver386 · Thursday at 12:13 PM

Rickmt said:
Tsx= 2 holes

Like KC and the Sunshine Band used to sing...

gregrn43 · Thursday at 3:56 PM

I've worked up a load for my 300 win with the 180gr scirocco's to take to Africa next year plains game hunting. I'm using H-1000 powder with a velocity average of 3030fps. I've shot two 5 shot groups that was 0.9 inches. I've not taking any game with these bullets. Whitetails and hogs is all the big game that I've hunted. Really don't need a premium bullet for those.

Berettaco · Thursday at 4:04 PM

I use both and like both. Both can and will pass through an animal but the Barnes is more likely to exit than the scirocco in my experience. If you prefer to shoot the shoulder and under 100 yards, Barnes is an ideal choice for Africa. For longer 300-400 yard shots, you may get better grouping with sciroccos.

I have tried a bunch of different ammo for US and African hunts and all did the job. You can’t go wrong with either of the options you listed

C.W. Richter · Thursday at 6:12 PM

Did you mean TSX or TTSX? I've used all 3, and as much as I love Swifts (A-frame), the Scirocco IIs neither printed as well or had the same terminal performance as the TTSXs on (much-tougher-than-American-med-game) African PG. With the TSX, TTSX (in a mag caliber) the animals fell in their tracks; with the IIs, they'd run off a bit and expire (even Springbok, Impala, etc.) A-frames and Nos PTs are perfect for PG, but the TTSX also does a good job. With the old TSXs, at 06 and lower Vs, they would tend to behave like an archery field point (and in a 338-06, I had an Oryx drop its head after the 1st heart/lung shot and come at us-another frontal within 2" (90 degrees, crossing) put it down for good but that was a little hairy! GL Enjoy. I like even heavier in the WM (190-200 gr) due to its higher SD/BC.

Barnes TSX or Swift Scirocco II for Plains game?

Spartan5

dogcat1

uplander01

PARA45

Mark458

skydiver386

Firebird

45-70guy

BeeMaa

375Fox

Challer

Kevin375

farmer_john

crackerman

Desperatezulu

Rickmt

skydiver386

gregrn43

Berettaco

C.W. Richter

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