.458 Barnes TSX 350, 450 or 500 gr

[Hunter4752001]

Which would be the preferable .458 Win Mag projectile for buffalo if the only available choices were Barnes TSX, the 350, 450 or 500 gr? Note the current supply situation means that choices are limited to what is available.

 

[Inline6]

Which would be the preferable .458 Win Mag projectile for buffalo if the only available choices were Barnes TSX, the 350, 450 or 500 gr? Note the current supply situation means that choices are limited to what is available.

Buffalo bore had some in 450gr for sale not long ago. They have a little write up as to why they use the 450s. I used the 450s in my 458Lott to shoot a Watusi, with a head on shot it went completely through it's stomach. I'm guessing we'll over 5 feet of penetration(never found the bullet. I believe. @krish had some for sale. I'm not sure if they sold.

 

[krish]

I still have them for sale.
Krish

 

[Hunter-Habib]

450Gr Barnes TSX. 500Gr would cause you to run into case capacity issues. Then, you couldn’t get the optimal velocity. This is particularly a problem with the Barnes TSX bullet which requires a relatively high impact velocity to expand properly.

350Gr .458 projectiles have very poor sectional density … ergo bad penetration.

 

[jwp475]

I wouldn't put all of my eggs in the SD basket.
For example the 225 TSX is .358 caliber will out penetrate any and all lead core 250 grain higher SD bullets
Bullet construction is much more important.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I wouldn't put all of my eggs in the SD basket.
For example the 225 TSX is .358 caliber will out penetrate any and all lead core 250 grain higher SD bullets
Bullet construction is much more important.

Ah, yes. But all other factors being equal ...

 

[meigsbucks]

450gr. I’ve experimented with the 350gr in a .45/70 @ 2250 fps. I was disappointed with expansion. The .458 WM will be throwing it ~2400 fps Which would help in that regard, but penetration, especially if you shoot thru a shoulder, would suffer.
A 500gr, as others have stated, will encroach into your powder capacity.
Side note: If I hunt buffalo again, I’ll use my .458 Lott loaded with the 450gr TSX.

 

[jwp475]

Ah, yes. But all other factors being equal ...

How often are all other factors equally?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

How often are all other factors equally?

Well, here the original poster is comparing Barnes TSX with Barnes TSX with Barnes TSX. But if he was (for example) comparing a 450Gr Barnes TSX with a 510Gr Winchester cup & core soft point ... Then, the 450Gr mono would surpass the 510Gr cup & core even though the 510Gr .458 bullet had better sectional density than the 450Gr .458 bullet. Because the 450Gr bullet is better constructed and thus, would penetrate better.

 

[SRvet]

I couldn’t get 2400fps from a 450g TSX out of my BRNO 602. I got to 2215fps where I called it enough as the primers were starting to flatten. This is with the bullets seated out to make use of the freebore. The Barnes load data goes up to about 2250fps with the 450 grain bullets. A 458 Lott may well make 2400 though

 

[neckdeep]

I shot a broken legged 850# heifer with my 458 Lott and a 500 gr TSX traveling at 2175-2200 fps. Killed her deader than a door nail with one shot through the heart-lung area, pretty much instantly. I would go with the 500 or 450, either will work well I would guess. My bad, for the 458 win the 450, 500 to long