I've had mixed results. Some run like a scalded dog after being hit for 200 yards with zero blood trail. Others fall over dead. They don't leave much of an exit, typically entrance and exit are same hole.

Nope.

I’d go with the 120 TTSX and drive it maximum velocity i could, i was shooting 140’s and swapped to the 120’s for the fatter trajectory and energy. They shoot excellent in my 7rm, and never had one run from the 140 or 120.

I have historically shot 140 accubonds in my .280 I played with some 140gr TTSX this past summer and they shot very well. I shot one deer at about 75 yards or so and was impressed. We do shoot the 80gr .243 in the rifles for the kids and no complaints there either. I have played around with the GMX, they give similar results on animals but haven’t given me quite the accuracy as the TTSX. I do get more rounds down the pipe between cleanings with the GMX’s. But then again every barrel will vary.

Why do you think not?

A solid bullet will penetrate further and retain more weight better than a cup and core bullet 99% of the time.

Not an all copper bullet by any means, but I’ve been really impressed with the 120 grain NBTs in my 7-08 this year.

You don't know near as much as you think you do.

You opened a can of worms bringing ballistic tips into the conversation, LOL

I shoot a lot of Berger hunting bullets and I have had good luck with them in light fast calibers such as .25-06 and similar. I shoot some Barnes as well but they seem to be about a MOA bullet which is perfectly acceptable in most circumstances. If Barnes are MOA... Bergers are 1/2 MOA in my experience. That's the only reason I gravitate towards Berger.

I don't think you can make a great argument for stepping down bullet weight then shooting them out of a larger caliber gun.... like 7 Mag. Why? It will push a 160 nearly as fast as a 140. There is not advantage in shooting a tiny bullet. At that point you have changed the dynamics of what you are doing and instead of relying on the "killing power" of the larger caliber gun you have reversed course.... and you are now relying on bullet performance. The velocity is a moot point the trajectory and maximum point blank range are very close. The muzzle energy is nearly identical. As many issues as some have with their bullets entering the Bermuda Triangle and blowing up, not expanding, blah, blah. Why would I want to put all my stock in a tiny bullet with some kinda mythical and almost legendary on the internet expansion capabilities. Not this guy.

Recoil is the only reason I can get behind. IMO You should just shoot something smaller if that's the problem.

I would say 100% of the time, but that's not necessarily the optimum performance for killing light skinned game like deer. I like some fragmentation, it creates a larger wound channel IMHO. I don't need a bullet to penetrate the deer and three trees behind it. Folks on here like to talk about how much energy you need to kill a deer, although I don't necessarily agree with that sentiment, but a bullet that zips through a deer with higher retained velocity also has taken that energy with it instead of transferring it to the deer.

If the game is thick skinned, heavy boned and can fight back, I would definitely consider a Barnes. I just see no need for one on a little Alabama whitetail.

This is very true. ^^^^

Nothing wrong with lots of energy.... I like it to drive a big bullet home and that works every time.

A 160 Sierra out of a 7 mag will blow a hole right through any whitetail in North America.

What more wound channel do you want

Looks like the bullet "blew up" to me. An intact bullet doesn't make a wound channel 18 inches wide. Honestly I'm really not that impressed with the photo to me that looks like a varmint bullet and a bad shot that raked the deer on the right rib cage about 6 inches deep but I'm not standing there cleaning it.

On the next thread someone will be crying about meat damage is the reason they think they need a Partition. Because it shoots a nice hole all the way through without a bunch of bloodshot meat.

Interesting bunch on this ALDeer board there is not doubt about that. Wondering in the Wilderness IMO.

This stuff is just NOT that hard. To me at least.

Shoot a deer with a 165 grain Sierra out of a 308/30-06 and tell me I'm wrong. You won't. I'll make a believer out of you.

Barnes TTSX 80 grain 243
This is the entrance and the internal damage was very impressive.

The issue for me is that the standard bullets work. No need for me pay a premium for Copper.

That’s the exit the bullet went in the front on the other side shoulder. The wound is nowhere near 18 inches maybe softball size. As far as bad shot I don’t know what you consider a good shot but I got quite a few deer convinced that that’s a pretty good shot. I’ve shot dozens of deer with an 06 and a few with a Sierra. And I’m not knocking them but give me a Barnes any day.

I like variety, and I use bullets from all of the major manufacturers except Speer. Some I pick for long range applications, some for woods hunting, and a couple for when I finally get to take that trip to Africa. For deer hunting, I want a bullet that expands rapidly at whatever range I'm hunting, so I choose a gun for that purpose. I don't believe that a mono bullet will reliably expand at 500 yards from my 308 when velocity has dropped to 1800 FPS , but a Hornady AMAX will. Likewise, a 150 gr Sierra GK from a 7X57 at 50 yards will make a devastating wound channel on a deer. The mono will do that also - for more than twice the price of a Sierra GK.

Au! Don't talk no kinda ballistic common sense on Aldeer. I've loaded 40 rounds of Barnes and they worked...but no better than standards. Drt's look promising for nonhandloaders( dynamic research technology)

I don't want to come off like an a-hole which I am but don't mean to be towards anyone here. For the record I shoot all these bullets myself including Barnes. I think Berger shoots better but the Barnes has better performance. The only thing I don't shoot much of is Speer in rifle calibers. But I shoot a lot of Speer handgun. I probably have more Nosler Partitions and Accubonds on hand than anything but that is just because I don't shoot them up as fast since they are loaded for hunting. To me all copper bullets are a solution looking for a problem. Maybe California liberals are to blame. Give me one all copper with a very good design and high BC and I'm on board with shooting it. Otherwise - I don't have a reason.

IIRC, the military is also pushing lead free alternatives, not just Kalifornistan.