5.56mm SBR gel test: Black Hills 50 gr TSX fired from 11.5" barrel - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 5.56mm SBR gel test: Black Hills 50 gr TSX fired from 11.5" barrel

Posted: 3/13/2017 11:44:23 AM EDT

Why 50gr TSX Is The Ultimate 5.56mm Home Defense Load: Black Hills 5.56mm 50gr TSX Gel Test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3xgcu2yNRs

https://youtu.be/S3xgcu2yNRs

Posted: 3/13/2017 1:27:14 PM EDT

[#1]

Wow 2937 FPS out of 11.5" is smoking fast! Based on the data on the web for this load, I expected to see much more penetration, but 14.5" is just about perfect. It looks like a devastating round indeed. It isn't cheap at $1.40 - $1.60/round, though. Thanks for the nice work.

Posted: 3/13/2017 4:53:15 PM EDT

[#2]

I love Barnes Bullets...

Posted: 3/13/2017 6:45:12 PM EDT

[#3]

Thanks BF. Another great test with useful info.

Posted: 3/13/2017 7:04:16 PM EDT

[#4]

Which bullet is this? Is it the tipped version of the TSX, or the regular open tip version?

ETA....found it on Midway...looks like it is the open tip version. Might order some to load my own.

Posted: 3/13/2017 7:10:11 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Which bullet is this? Is it the tipped version of the TSX, or the regular open tip version?

ETA....found it on Midway...looks like it is the open tip version. Might order some to load my own.

View Quote

The BH bullet is exclusive to them. It is a different design than the one the commercial TSX bullet.

Posted: 3/13/2017 10:37:56 PM EDT

[#6]

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Quoted:

The BH bullet is exclusive to them. It is a different design than the one the commercial TSX bullet.

View Quote

Thanks for the added info.

Posted: 3/13/2017 10:43:36 PM EDT

[#7]

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Quoted:

Thanks for the added info.

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Quoted:

Quoted:

The BH bullet is exclusive to them. It is a different design than the one the commercial TSX bullet.

Thanks for the added info.

There's nothing wrong with the commercial 50gr TSX that's available for reloading. The BH version has thicker petals that resist shearing off going through auto glass, but it also has a higher velocity threshold for expansion.

OP, have you done any testing with the regular 50gr TSX?

Posted: 3/14/2017 12:45:04 AM EDT

[#8]

No, sir. I haven't.

Posted: 3/14/2017 10:38:45 AM EDT

[#9]

Very impressive.

To be blunt... 5.56 ammo developments are really making it hard to justify moving "up" to a larger caliber.

5.56 / .223 bullet performance is closing gaps between the various AR15 caliber platforms.

I am not saying a 6.8 ( etc. ) isn't better.... just harder to justify.

Posted: 3/14/2017 12:37:09 PM EDT

[#10]

I have a 1/9" twist on my 16" barrel and for HD, I use the 50grTSX rounds. They are expensive but I have a few magazines loaded with them.

Posted: 3/15/2017 11:03:29 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Very impressive.

To be blunt... 5.56 ammo developments are really making it hard to justify moving "up" to a larger caliber.

5.56 / .223 bullet performance is closing gaps between the various AR15 caliber platforms.

I am not saying a 6.8 ( etc. ) isn't better.... just harder to justify.

View Quote

I agree 100% with this. My deer rifles are collecting dust.

Posted: 3/15/2017 11:08:52 AM EDT

[#12]

Nice.
I haven't looked but do they state a min velocity threshold for expansion?

Posted: 3/15/2017 11:13:13 AM EDT

[#13]

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Quoted:
Nice.
I haven't looked but do they state a min velocity threshold for expansion?

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Appx 2300 fps IIRC. BH stated that an 8" barrel should be good to 75 yards or so. It's an outstanding load for SBRs even down to PDW sized 5.56 guns.

Posted: 3/19/2017 9:44:54 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Wow 2937 FPS out of 11.5" is smoking fast! Based on the data on the web for this load, I expected to see much more penetration, but 14.5" is just about perfect. It looks like a devastating round indeed. It isn't cheap at $1.40 - $1.60/round, though. Thanks for the nice work.

View Quote

A few years ago I chrono'd two rounds of this load out of my 11.5 at 2995 and 3000 fps. I also chrono'd one shot out of a 16" at roughly 3300 fps. It is indeed smoking fast.

Posted: 3/19/2017 9:59:40 AM EDT

[#15]

OP, have you tested the American Eagle 50gr tipped load (ae223gtv)?

I'm curious to see how this round performs out of very short barrels (7.5 - 9"). I have wondered if reducing the velocity with a short barrel might keep the projectile together and allow it to penetrate better.

Posted: 3/19/2017 10:05:43 AM EDT

[#16]

Thanks for posting OP.

Posted: 3/19/2017 10:24:53 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
OP, have you tested the American Eagle 50gr tipped load (ae223gtv)?

I'm curious to see how this round performs out of very short barrels (7.5 - 9"). I have wondered if reducing the velocity with a short barrel might keep the projectile together and allow it to penetrate better.

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I have not. This is the shortest .223 barrel I own.

Posted: 3/19/2017 1:14:55 PM EDT

[#18]

Very interesting. Appreciate your efforts.

Posted: 3/19/2017 2:14:34 PM EDT

[#19]

Is there any data out there on how this performs through barriers? I'm worried that it gets 20"+ of penetration through something like drywall, which I don't want in a home defense load.

Posted: 3/19/2017 9:36:05 PM EDT

[#20]

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Quoted:
Is there any data out there on how this performs through barriers? I'm worried that it gets 20"+ of penetration through something like drywall, which I don't want in a home defense load.

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This may interest you, but take it for what it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbdmQ5IN2j0

Posted: 3/21/2017 4:41:13 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3xgcu2yNRs
https://youtu.be/S3xgcu2yNRs

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so with everything you have tested, you decided to pick PPU 75gr OTM's for HD?

i have seen markm on m4c claim that the bullet performs pretty well in gel. you found that to be true too?

this one sure is impressive.

Posted: 3/21/2017 4:42:26 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:

The BH bullet is exclusive to them. It is a different design than the one the commercial TSX bullet.

View Quote

looks like barnes might wanna change over to this one!

Posted: 3/21/2017 4:50:00 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
looks like barnes might wanna change over to this one!

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

The BH bullet is exclusive to them. It is a different design than the one the commercial TSX bullet.

looks like barnes might wanna change over to this one!

I think most folks realize that the odds of having to shoot through auto glass are pretty damn low, and that the regular 50gr TSX is just fine for everyday use. Especially out of an SBR, where the lower threshold for expansion might be important.

Posted: 3/21/2017 4:52:19 PM EDT

[#24]

didnt the standard barnes version sheer pedals in gel at higher velocity?

Posted: 3/21/2017 5:13:07 PM EDT

[#25]

Not that I've heard.

Posted: 3/21/2017 5:22:19 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

so with everything you have tested, you decided to pick PPU 75gr OTM's for HD?

i have seen markm on m4c claim that the bullet performs pretty well in gel. you found that to be true too?

this one sure is impressive.

View Quote

Yes, the 75gr PPU looks to be similar to the 75gr TAP. It's not that there wasn't anything else that was better, just that few loads were a lot better and I was resistant to change. I had started warming up to the idea of changing and was trying to decide between 62 gr Fusion, 77 gr TMK, and 50 gr TSX. Being short enough to stabilize in a 1:9" twist barrel and having the added benefit of punching steel body armor from a 16" barrel pushed me over the edge.

Posted: 3/21/2017 5:29:07 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I love Barnes Bullets...

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+1

Posted: 3/22/2017 2:27:43 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Very impressive.

To be blunt... 5.56 ammo developments are really making it hard to justify moving "up" to a larger caliber.

5.56 / .223 bullet performance is closing gaps between the various AR15 caliber platforms.

I am not saying a 6.8 ( etc. ) isn't better.... just harder to justify.

View Quote

How much flesh are you shooting? I've been shooting bonded/copper/premium 556 bullets at deer/hogs/coyotes for several years. The performance has increased greatly over the last 10 years, but this year I broke out the old 270 "just because", and I had forgotten the kind of horsepower you can get from a full power load. Even the performance from the 300/6.8/6.5 blows away the 5.56, and moreso at range.

If you're just shooting paper, then there isn't an advantage until you get past 300 yards.

Posted: 3/24/2017 5:04:18 PM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:

Yes, the 75gr PPU looks to be similar to the 75gr TAP. It's not that there wasn't anything else that was better, just that few loads were a lot better and I was resistant to change. I had started warming up to the idea of changing and was trying to decide between 62 gr Fusion, 77 gr TMK, and 50 gr TSX. Being short enough to stabilize in a 1:9" twist barrel and having the added benefit of punching steel body armor from a 16" barrel pushed me over the edge.

View Quote

certainly excited to see how your other tests go with those PPU and GMX rounds.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 5.56mm SBR gel test: Black Hills 50 gr TSX fired from 11.5" barrel

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