I have been a big fan of the Nosler BT's for Contenders/XP's for hunting deer/antelope sized game. Has anyone tried either the Barnes TSX or new TTSX in their SP handguns? If so, did they expand properly at handgun velocities?

I used the TSX in 30cal and 416 cal on Whitetail. Your question did they expand properly? I don't know-no recovery but I did drop 2 deer on the spot so I guess they worked just fine.

It's hard to argue about bullet performance when the critters are DRT! I've had that same experience when using them in rifles.

Bullets that are "hard" like the barnes tsx & trophy bonded bear claws do not expand as readily as they do in rifles. They also will increase the pressure of your round. You can't argue that they will kill, but a more ordinary bullet would do just as good. Hornady and Speer bullets have always worked for me in my Competitors. My favorite two bullets are the Hawk bullets and Woodleigh bullets. Note that JD Jones of SSK highly recommends against using Barnes TSX bullets in the Contender and Encore. At least every other month in the Sixgunner they discuss problems with these bullets when loaded in single shot pistols.

I'm forced to test these out as my hunting area is in the CA Condor range, Lead Free zone.

Currently testing...

TTSX 6.5 100gr in the 6.5tcu
TSX .375 235gr in the 375jdj

I'm told by Barnes that I need at least 1900 fps at target for expantion. And both my cartriges listed are just under that with normal to hot loads... so I may have issues on the contender side of things. The encore would not have any trouble getting the proper velocity due to higher pressure rounds. But the contender suffers a bit, unless you use standard handgun/revolver calibers.

I agree with what is said here and with what JD writes. If I remember correctly, he also states that we as handgunners try and push are guns without having the proper test equipment and we get into trouble. If you want to match or exceed rifle velocities, shoot a rifle! I use the TSX in some of Encores because I can get good velocity with less powder. The banding was designed to reduvce the pressures associated with teh older style Barnes flat base bullets. Agin, if someone chooses to load these bullets without working up from the starting loads, they can easily get into trouble. I have reloading manuals from 20 years agao, and although most powders are in range, the maximums are always different. In a nutshell, work up from the bottome and use a Chronograpgh ---not just the primer. I don;t use The TSX in all of mine, but most beause os expense in working up loads. I like to shoot a lot and to be perfectly honest, I have never lost a deer to a Core-lokt or Sierra Game-hunter, nor have I ever recovered a 44 caliber 265gr hard cast semi-wadcutter from a white tailed deer! Just be safe in your selections!!

I don't have much choice, Lead Free laws force me to find an alternative, heck I can't even use a traditional muzzleloader anymore...

Go a 308 win rifle bbl for my encore just so I can hunt at my ranch... It's going to take a while to get used to a rifle again...

FINALY got out to test some loads for the 6.5tcu using the 100gr TTSX. Well a starting load of 27gr of Win 748, min load in my book, is over max in my Barrel. Flat primers and flowing back into the firing pin hole... Lots of bullets to pull now... This load was suposed to only get me 1700fps at the muzzle and as expected no expantion at 50 yds.

3 rounds went into the burm and I was able to dig them out. My place is all denatured granite so the bullets are pretty ground down on one side, and they still had the plastic tip in the nose.

Going to try H4198 next as it looks like it may get fast enough. However if I can't get past minimum load with serious over pressure signs I'll have to stop using this bullet.