Bartholomew Roberts
April 8, 2011, 01:35 PM
I've been reading about the new Barnes 50gr TSX bullet. Black Hills is now loading this in a 5.56mm pressure loading. This bullet appears to offer a lot of really interesting possibilties.
Unlike previous .223/5.56 TSX designs, it seems to be better about not folding back the "petals" on the hollowpoint after passing through tough barriers like auto glass or thick bone.
The copper bullet means it is long for its weight, so you get a decent BC combined with the higher velocity from less weight - and because the round stays together well, it still seems to get good penetration.
In fact, it seems to both expand well and penetrate well over a large range of velocity. In this ballistics gel shot, it turns in almost identical performance from an 8" barrel at 2,634fps as it does from a 20" barrel at 3,205fps (http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/DocGKRData/223%20Barrier%20Rounds.htm) (15" of penetration and a good sized cavity)
It looks like it would run well out of everything from an 8" barrel 1:12 twist to a 24" 1:7 twist barrel; but it looks especially promising for SBRs since it seems to perform even at relatively lower velocities.
Just read about it and not shot it yet; and like most premium ammo, it is pricey... $69/50 rounds is what I've found so far. However, what I've read definitely has me interested.
Unlike previous .223/5.56 TSX designs, it seems to be better about not folding back the "petals" on the hollowpoint after passing through tough barriers like auto glass or thick bone.
The copper bullet means it is long for its weight, so you get a decent BC combined with the higher velocity from less weight - and because the round stays together well, it still seems to get good penetration.
In fact, it seems to both expand well and penetrate well over a large range of velocity. In this ballistics gel shot, it turns in almost identical performance from an 8" barrel at 2,634fps as it does from a 20" barrel at 3,205fps (http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/DocGKRData/223%20Barrier%20Rounds.htm) (15" of penetration and a good sized cavity)
It looks like it would run well out of everything from an 8" barrel 1:12 twist to a 24" 1:7 twist barrel; but it looks especially promising for SBRs since it seems to perform even at relatively lower velocities.
Just read about it and not shot it yet; and like most premium ammo, it is pricey... $69/50 rounds is what I've found so far. However, what I've read definitely has me interested.