The Barnes X Bullet

by
posted on March 18, 2010
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2010318141658-barnesx_f.jpg

For African rifles and cartridges, there are very few absolutes. The closest I’ll come to making a flat-out blanket endorsement is for a product I’ve never seen nor heard of failing, a product so highly regarded that many professional hunters specify it by name to their clients. It is the Barnes X bullet.

In its updated guise as the TSX (for the triple driving bands) or the tipped TSX (with a polymer tip), the X bullet has been proving itself on tough African game for nigh on a quarter century. I’ve campaigned with X bullets on a dozen safaris and I’ve yet to have a single problem.

An X-bullet is an expanding bullet, often called a “soft” in African parlance, going back to the original lead-tipped or soft-nosed bullets of the Kynoch era. As an expanding bullet, the goal of an X bullet is to retain good penetration of heavily boned, thick skinned game like Cape buffalo, yet also mushroom to create a larger wound channel.

It stands to reason that the faster and more violently a “soft” expands, the better. I recently saw a graphic real-life illustration of just how quickly a Barnes TSX bullet in .416 Rigby (400 grains) expands.

We saw a nice zebra stallion a good distance out and my PH told me to hold on the top of his back. I did, and fired. He ran off but we caught him again at closer range and a shoulder shot put him down. When we examined the zebra, my first shot had hit exactly where aimed—not as much drop as my PH said to allow, obviously. The bullet had hit just at the top of the back, above the spine, where the skin is only about two inches thick.

The entrance hole was caliber sized, but the exit—after only two inches of tissue—was the size of a silver dollar. That was proof positive than a Barnes TSX opens up almost immediately on impact.

On the flip side, I shot a Cape buffalo last year and hit the bull with a quartering-on shoulder shot, again using a .416 Rigby with a 400 grain Barnes TSX handloaded bullet. The penetration was perfect, breaking the massive shoulder joint and plowing on through several feet of tough buffalo muscle.

I’ve hunted with Barnes X bullets many times now and it’s one of the few absolutes I’ll swear to in African cartridges. Pick whatever caliber you like, but make sure you’re shooting for the X.

Latest

Ledetomm Knapp Memorial Scholarship 2025
Ledetomm Knapp Memorial Scholarship 2025

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania.

Head to Head: 7x57mm Mauser vs. .30-06 Springfield

I’ve had more than a few requests for this Head to Head, so I figured it was high time to pit two of the early 20th century’s most popular military cartridges against one another. Let's dive into the 7x57mm Mauser vs. the .30-06 Springfield.

NRA Hunter Education FREE Online Course Now Available in Louisiana

The National Rifle Association of America’s award-winning free Hunter Education online course is now available in the State of Louisiana, the latest addition as NRA works to make the course available to hunters in all 50 states.

Moultrie Updates Line of Game Feeders

Moultrie has expanded the capacity of its line of feeders, and bettered the cameras' integration with the company's connected technology to streamline the feeding process.

Building the Ultimate Elk Bow

Elk are remarkable creatures that dwell in some of the most hellish landscapes on earth. An elk bow needs to be tough, light, and ultra-accurate. Here's how to build the right one for you.

First Look: Spandau S2 20-Gauge

Spandau Arms, a brand of SDS Arms, has announced that the  Spandau S2 Shotgun is now available in a 20-gauge model in both a Mossy Oak Bottomland and a traditional wood finish.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.