Barnes TSX Question

[bobdahunter84]

My oldest son is quickly approaching the age that I hope to bring him white tail hunting soon. For nostalgia and recoil purposes, I'm leaning very heavily towards using his late grandpa's old 30-30 Marlin. I too started my hunting career with a 30-30, so it just seems fitting.

In my own hunting endeavors, I hunt almost exclusively with TTSX bullets. I also only shoot magnum cartridges, primarily weatherby. Everything I've always heard and read are that TSX bullets are GREAT if you have the velocity for them to expand properly. So they've always worked great for me.

I've looked at the Barnes Vor-TX 150 grain 30-30 ammo with the TSX FN FB bullets. A 30-30 was never known for lighting the world on fire with speed. Muzzle velocity is only 2,335 fps, and quickly drops to 1,905 fps at 100 yds, and 1,532 fps at 200 yds. Energy is similarly 1,816, 1,209 and 782 ftlbs at muzzle, 100, and 200 yds.

I would think longest shot he'd take is 150 yds, and a much higher likelihood something inside 75 yds.

But those seem like troubling ballistics for everything I've been told for TSX bullets. Anyone have any experience with this ammo in a 30-30?

 

[Beck]

I have always used Accubonds for deer. I love the TSX for thick skinned dangerous game. Never used the TTSX myself, but have a buddy who uses it on plains game. Seems to work pretty well, but I would worry that it wouldn't open up quickly enough on deer

 

[JimmyJack54]

I’ve never had a problem with expansion of a Barnes bullet, that I know of. Pass through, yes. Expansion, no. My experience is limited to .270 Win on whitetail deer and quite a few African PG and .458 Lott on Cape buffalo.

Barnes does make 30-30 ammunition in their Vor-TX and Pioneer lines. My understanding is that the bullet used in the Pioneer line is designed for maximum expansion at low velocity.

Here is a link to a podcast regarding Barnes that I found interesting:

Ep 248: Gregg Sloan & Mitchell Kukson From Barnes Bullets

Apple | Google | iHeart | Pandora | Spotify

thebiggamehuntingblog.com

Link to Barnes Ammo chart:

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Web-PDF-6.7.23.pdf

I hope this helps.

 

[TOBY458]

The bullet they use in the 30/30 ammo isn't the typical TSX. It has a much wider cavity up front, as it's the shape of a flat nose bullet, which is mandatory in a tube fed rifle such as the Marlin. I'm sure it's designed to expand at 30/30 velocities. But, unless you're just stuck on a TSX, the standard lead core bullets work perfectly on Whitetail size game. Go get you some 150gr Winchester, Federal, or Remington ammo and you'll do just fine. Trust me, I've used this ammo on several Whitetail deer with perfect performance.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Also, it is my understanding that Barnes TSX requires a significant jump to rifle barrel lands. Like fifty thousandths or they don't group well. I had some issues with them grouping out of my 30-06 before I discovered this.

I also don't see any need for TSX on game shot with that gun at those ranges. Remember, you want to eat that deer. Bang-flop is nice but chewing on shrapnel is not. I'm hunting deer right now with Barnes TSX ... 400 gr 404 Jeffery moving much slower than your 30-30 bullets. I don't need expansion. Big hole in, big hole out, no bloodshot. I will have to be 100 yards or less but that's not an issue. Anyway, Barnes is all I could get my hands on. You have lots of choices.

 

[Dukeisok]

The barnes tsx for the 30-30 is a different design than typical tsx. Large deep hollowpoint and it expands quickly. Lower minimum velocity. Barnes can give you the specs (i forget) but they are fine for the 30-30. I have experience with tsx in a 30-30 and it did great on small NC deer. Use it without concern.

If you handload (and i find that an enjoyable part of hunting with the kids), hammer bullets makes lever hammer bullets that are nice as well. They have a .308 120 and a 143 grain. This will get your velocity up some and reduce recoil even more if that is a concern for the age of your kid. I find these bullets very forgiving to reload and relatively low pressure compared to the tsx at the same velocity.

Good luck and have fun. My son was 9 when he killed his first deer and he is in the woods every chance he gets now at 15.

 

[sestoppelman]

For deer just about any bullet will do, just like it always has. Find a bullet that shoots well and go.

Using expensive bullets for deer is like wiping your butt with a whole roll of toilet paper.

Just aint needed!

 

[buffybr]

For deer just about any bullet will do, just like it always has. Find a bullet that shoots well and go.

Using expensive bullets for deer is like wiping your butt with a whole roll of toilet paper.

Just aint needed!

I like Barnes bullets, and I've used Barnes TSX and/or TTSX bullets for almost all of my hunts with my .300 Weatherby and .375 RUM rifles.

I have several Win Model 94 rifles, but my hunting use of them is limited. I shot my first deer with a .32 Spl, and I shot my mountain lion with a .30-30.

Like sestoppelman posted, at .30-30 ranges, "For deer just about any bullet will do, just like it always has. Find a bullet that shoots well and go."

 

[HankBuck]

My oldest son is quickly approaching the age that I hope to bring him white tail hunting soon. For nostalgia and recoil purposes, I'm leaning very heavily towards using his late grandpa's old 30-30 Marlin. I too started my hunting career with a 30-30, so it just seems fitting.

In my own hunting endeavors, I hunt almost exclusively with TTSX bullets. I also only shoot magnum cartridges, primarily weatherby. Everything I've always heard and read are that TSX bullets are GREAT if you have the velocity for them to expand properly. So they've always worked great for me.

I've looked at the Barnes Vor-TX 150 grain 30-30 ammo with the TSX FN FB bullets. A 30-30 was never known for lighting the world on fire with speed. Muzzle velocity is only 2,335 fps, and quickly drops to 1,905 fps at 100 yds, and 1,532 fps at 200 yds. Energy is similarly 1,816, 1,209 and 782 ftlbs at muzzle, 100, and 200 yds.

I would think longest shot he'd take is 150 yds, and a much higher likelihood something inside 75 yds.

But those seem like troubling ballistics for everything I've been told for TSX bullets. Anyone have any experience with this ammo in a 30-30?

BobdaHunter, far too many deer have been killed by 30-30s to ever question its ability - ballistics are for paper and 30-30s have no need for paper - they kill deer. They throw a nice heavy bullet 30 caliber bullet at “ample velocity” and recoil is very light - allowing new shooters to focus on accuracy and “bullet placement” ....which trumps ballistics every time. Add your Family history to that ole 30-30 and you’ve got more then enough reason to use it. Take photos when that rifle creates History AGAIN !!

 

[Dukeisok]

i will add that you can buy a takeoff buttstock from a 336y for the 336 that will shorten length of pull for a young kid. Easy to swap and no permanent change to grandpas rifle. That is just what i did for my nephew.

 

[colorado]

170g Corelokt will do just fine from a 30-30 on deer and black bear.

 

[DrBob]

In the mix should be the Hornady bullets.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

For deer just about any bullet will do, just like it always has. Find a bullet that shoots well and go.

Using expensive bullets for deer is like wiping your butt with a whole roll of toilet paper.

Just aint needed!

If you are ever in Durham, I’ll treat you to a grandmas sampler at Cracker Barrel and we can talk about that whole roll!

 

[DrBob]

If you are ever in Durham, I’ll treat you to a grandmas sampler at Cracker Barrel and we can talk about that whole roll!

True...deer having been dying for over a century and a quarter with the old cartridges. Most of today's cartridges are just repackaged older versions. Two Winchester cartridges some to mind.... the 284 which is the necked down Swiss and the 338 Win Mag which is a 330 BSA with a shortened case.

 

[sestoppelman]

If you are ever in Durham, I’ll treat you to a grandmas sampler at Cracker Barrel and we can talk about that whole roll!

You mean BYOTP??

 

[Tam Dl]

The 30-30 TSX has a huge reputation. I did some research on it a few years back, and was all set to add the rifle and the load to my stock. However, it has been very difficult to find desireable 30-30 rifles in Canada for several years now. They seem to have cratered in availability. I don't know whether it is supply or demand driven. I suspect we just can't get them out of the US, not to mention Marlin's various travails. 38-55 is available by the bushel. I am not in the market any more with the cost of levers having hit about 2 grand, from 600 a few years back.

I was traveling through Maine, maybe Lincoln, a few decades ago, and there was a hardware, or gun store on the main street, and they had about 80 feet of model 94s for sale, I guess everyone was upgrading to bolts, on the same day. Funny how things go in cycles.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The 30-30 TSX has a huge reputation. I did some research on it a few years back, and was all set to add the rifle and the load to my stock. However, it has been very difficult to find desireable 30-30 rifles in Canada for several years now. They seem to have cratered in availability. I don't know whether it is supply or demand driven. I suspect we just can't get them out of the US, not to mention Marlin's various travails. 38-55 is available by the bushel. I am not in the market any more with the cost of levers having hit about 2 grand, from 600 a few years back.

I was traveling through Maine, maybe Lincoln, a few decades ago, and there was a hardware, or gun store on the main street, and they had about 80 feet of model 94s for sale, I guess everyone was upgrading to bolts, on the same day. Funny how things go in cycles.

The Natives up north are very big on 30-30 leaver actions. They buy them up and use them up very quickly.

 

[Safari Dave]

I would use simple "cup & core" bullets with a .30-30, although there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 150g TSX FN FB designed for the .30-30, just more expensive than you need for whitetail deer.







.

 

[CoElkHunter]

REMINGTON CORE LOKT! Years ago, when my hunting buddy was just starting to hunt deer and elk here, the only big game rifle he had was a hand me down Montgomery Wards (Winchester) .30-30 from his father. He had a side mount Bushnell scope on it. Anyway, he shot a number of deer with it and ONE spike bull elk at 25yds. using 170gr. Core Lokts. Not ideal, but he didn't have much money back then and was hunting for meat to help feed his family, so it worked for him at that time.

 

[Tam Dl]

I would use simple "cup & core" bullets with a .30-30, although there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 150g TSX FN FB designed for the .30-30, just more expensive than you need for whitetail deer.

Is he talking trash about us?

You made them feel small like the guy on the right:

Boss move!