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Barnes – .375″ – 270gr TSX – Bullet test

Barnes Bullets is a copper bullet manufacturer from USA and is one of the biggest and oldest copper bullet manufacturers. Their history starts from the year 1932. You can found their homepage here: https://www.barnesbullets.com

We want to give our thanks to our reader who sent these .375″ Barnes TSX 270gr bullets for us to test  in our Hard-Hitting Shooting Lab. 

But to the results!

Barnes – .375″ – 270gr TSX ( Triple-Shock X ) bullet results!

TESTING

Testing was made by reloading the bullets to the 375 H&H Magnum cartridges. We measured the impact velocities ca. 5 meters from the muzzle. Harder impact velocity was 766m/s (2513fps) and the lower impact velocity was 619m/s (2031fps).

The ballistic coefficient of this bullet is 0,326 (G1). So If the velocity at the muzzle is 766m/s (2513fps), the lower impact velocity of 619m/s (2031fps) simulates the impact at the distance of 172 meters (188 yards).

THE BULLET

The Barnes TSX bullet was introduced in 2003 and they say it has become their most popular hunting bullet. Like they say on their homepage:

“Barnes’ TSX Bullet Features include all-copper construction, no fragmentation, rapid expansion, 28% deeper penetration than lead-core bullets, and maximum weight retention.”

“Barnes TSX, TTSX, and LRX share the same all-copper design resulting in virtually 100% weight retention. Four razor-sharp cutting petals expand to double the bullet’s original diameter to create a very long and wide wound channel. The TTSX differs from the TSX in that it features a re-engineered nose cavity that accommodates a polymer tip. The LRX also features a polymer tip along with a longer nose profile and a boattail design that delivers match grade accuracy at long range with an incredibly high B.C. without sacrificing terminal performance.”

At the higher velocity of 766m/s (2513fps) the expansion of the bullet was good. The bullet doubled (2,1x) its width, as the manufacturer advertices. The bullet expanded to the very end of the expansion chamber. It is possible, that this bullet can handle more velocity without breakdown, or not. By reloading you can push it even higher velocities and adjust desired impact velocity for example to the 50 meters.

Also at the slower velocity of 619m/s (2031fps) the expansion of the bullet was at the OK level (1,68x), considering that we are talking about the big-game rifle cartridge and bullet, and the impact at the 172 meters (188 yards).

Retained weights of the both bullets was almost 100% and of course at the excellent level.

WOUND CHANNELS

Test targets were the wet newspapers. The bullet with impact velocity of 766m/s (2513fps) penetrated 76cm (29,9″) of wet newspapers, and the bullet with impact velocity of 619m/s (2031fps) penetrated 74cm (29,1″). The amounts of penetrations was exellent. 

The wound channels can be seen below. Lower impact velocity and lesser mushrooming of the bullet, can clearly be seen from the cavitation.

SUMMA SUMMARUM

Really good bullet choice to .375 H & H Magnum for the big-game hunting. You can expect good working at the wide velocity range and with exellent penetration. Quality big game bullet from the biggest copper bullet manufacturer.

Sincerely yours – The Hard-Hitting Shooting Lab

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Rhino Solid Shank – .375″ – 235gr – Bullet test

The first .375″ bullet test for our homepage! The Rhino Solid Shank!

Rhino bullets are designed in South Africa. They wanted to design a “no-nonsense bullet” which would be suited to the harsh African conditions. By the manufacturer, the Rhino Bullets have been designed and constructed to stand up to anything you throw at them, and yet retain the accuracy required by a benchrest shooter. More information about the Rhino bullets, you can found on their homapage: https://rhinobullets.co.za

We want to thank you the P&H EsVo Group Oy for possibility to test the Rhino bullets in our Hard-Hitting Shooting Lab. You can found Rhino bullets on their online shop at https://www.esvo.fi

But to the results!

Rhino Solid Shank .375" 235gr

Rhino Solid Shank .375″ 235gr bullet.

TESTING

Testing was made by reloading the bullets to the .375 H & H Magnum cartridges. We measured the impact velocities ca. 5m from the muzzle. Harder impact velocity was 845m/s (2772fps) and the lower impact velocity was 719m/s (2359fps).

If the velocity at the muzzle is 845m/s (2772fps), the lower impact velocity of 719m/s (2359fps) simulates the impact at the distance of 162 meters (177 yards).

THE BULLET

Rhino Solid Shank is specifically designed for hunting. It has a copper jacket with lead core. The lead is bonded to the copper jacket and the bottom half of the bullet is solid copper. It is designed to form four mushroom petals that produce a large but controlled wound channel.

On our tests the bullets performed exellent on both speeds. Retained weights were very good and the width of the mushroomed bullets were exellent. The bullet with the harder impact formed over 2,5x to the width of the caliber, and the bullet with lighter impact also formed almost to 2,5x width.

WOUND CHANNELS

The great expansion of the bullets can also be seen on the little shorter penetration. Test targets were wet newspapers. The bullet with impact speed of 845m/s (2772fps) penetrated 43cm (16,9″) of wet newspapers, and the bullet with impact speed of 719m/s (2359fps) penetrated 36cm (14,2″).

The wound channels can be seen below. The harder impact of faster bullet can easily be seen from the cavitation.

SUMMA SUMMARUM

The bullet that I would gladly use at the moose hunting in Finland. Little shorter penetration is desired feature when hunting moose with the dogs. When the bullet does not exit from the moose after the hit, there are always less threats to dogs to get the hits.

This Rhino Solid Shank bullet has really good capabilities to form to a really wide mushroom and with the 375H&H you can push it to really high speeds. I believe, you can definetely see the effect when this bullet hits to the moose!

Sincerely yours – The Hard-Hitting Shooting Lab