Below are the Triple Shock bullets that I have been able to recover, all taken from elk. Off the top of my head I can think of sixteen other Barnes Triple Shocks that I have not been able to recover as they have passed through mule deer and elk like butter. I have learned that these bullets will pass through mule deer and elk at any range from 110 yards out to 608 yards (270 WSM, double shoulder blade cow elk at 608 yards) and a 80 Gr. TTSX on Takes a Buck at 619 Yards with a 243 WSSM. The 130g Triple Shock out of my 270 WSM Model 1885 never expands to the point that it slows down enough to remain in the elk or deer unless I have shoot them through the full length of the elk, from the front end to the back end. The bullets also perform best if I hit solid leg and shoulder bone in the front shoulder.
If I don't hit solid bone I never hear any sound that indicates a hit. With traditional lead core bullets I get an audible "whop" sound on impact. Triple Shocks for me have never produced the "whop" sound with a shot just behind the shoulders and through the rib cage. If I hit bone in the shoulders I get a audible indication that I made a hit with more of a "cracking" sound.
Triple Shock bullets are some of the most consistently accurate bullets that I have ever shot. Shot after shot they always group well on paper. The Triple Shock is my favorite short range bullet because no matter what I hit the bullet is not going to stop penetrating. At the shorter ranges say 350 yards and under you will get decent bullet expansion. At longer ranges the bullet still penetrates just as much as it does at short ranges however the bullet doesn't expand as much. The bullet basically always penetrates the same amount (well it always passes through) regardless the range, I just get a lot less expansion the further the distance. And no matter what the range I now hold to crush the center of the shoulders so I can hear the hits and see the deer or elk fall over quicker.
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You can read about this hunting experience in my journal entry: 2009 Cow Elk Hunt — Dallen's First Cow Elk Taken With A 243 WSSM |
 This 85g Barnes Triple Shock, TSX was recovered from a cow elk resting against the hide after going through both shoulders. This bullet had a muzzle velocity of 3500 FPS and the shot was 132 yards coming from a 243 WSSM A-Bolt rifle. |
 This 130g Barnes Triple Shock, TSX bullet was recovered from a cow elk resting against the hide in the rear of a hind quarter. This shot was from a 270 WSM, Model 1885 at 367 yards with a muzzle velocity of 3400 FPS. This was the third bullet of four Triple Shocks I sent through this cow elk. The first two shots were broadside shots that went through the chest just behind the shoulders (shooting to save shoulder meat). The third shot the elk had turned and was now facing me and I sent the pictured bullet from one end to the other. All three of the first shots appeared to be misses to myself and my spotter. The fourth shot I aimed for a heart shot and sent the Triple Shock through the shoulder/leg bone and out the other shoulder. This fourth shot gave a audible, cracking, thumping sound and the elk finally went down. |
 This 130g Barnes Triple Shock, TSX bullet was recovered from a cow elk near the hide in the rear of a hind quarter. This shot was from a 270 WSM, Model 1885 at 555 yards with a muzzle velocity of 3400 FPS. At this range and an altitude of 7,000 feet the impact velocity was somewhere near 2350 FPS. This bullet went from a shoulder in the front end to a hind quarter on the opposite side passing through and crushing the femur in the hind quarter. This was the first shot and although the elk was messed up she didn't appear to be falling over anytime soon so I sent a second shot through both front shoulders and out the other side and she dropped. |
Another thought I had with the .277 Triple Shock Bullet offerings. According to Barnes the 130g Triple Shock has a better BC (ballistic coefficient) than the 140g Triple Shock. In most bullets with the same diameter the heavier bullet has the better BC. Not so in this case. Although I have never shot the 140g Triple Shock, on paper the 130g bullet is going to leave the muzzle faster and maintain it's speed and flat trajectory longer because of the better ballistic coefficient. And with the complete penetration I always get with the 130g variety it makes me wonder why you would even want the 140g variety???
At ranges over 300 yards my favorite bullet with my 270 WSM is a 140g Nosler Accubond. The bullet isn't any more accurate than a Triple Shock, it just expands better at longer ranges and it fragments. And one thing I have found is that even if this bullet doesn't drop the elk or deer real fast they are really messed up and don't run off anywhere. I've witnessed elk and mule deer hit with the triple shock through the chest and shoulders that have brushed the hit off like it never happened then took off a running. So far the 140g Accubond although it my not drop the elk as fast the elk are very sick and have stuck around for a follow-up finishing shot.
I actually wish the Triple Shock bullets would loose their pedals upon impact giving much more internal damage with multiple bullet fragments flying around inside the chest cavity. I understand that high velocity projectiles passing through the chest cavity of a big game animal create tremendous shock to the animal. And who doesn't think the images of the perfectly expanded Triple Shock don't look cool? I have just heard and seen a few too many times where hydrostatic shock drops an animal, then they jump back up and take off. Sometimes the Triple Shock's shock effect is amazing and other times you are left with only the "pencil" effect of a single small hole going in and a single small hole going out. If the bullet doesn't initially shock the deer to death what else is going to bring it down?
The old Nosler Partition bullets are one of if not the best at performing well on game. They offer great penetration and also fragment to create more actual internal damage, not just shock. Nosler, could you place a plastic tip and a sleek boat tail shape on your partition bullets? Or just place the partition wall across the center of a accubond bullet. Then I could have a "cool" looking bullet that performs well on big game at almost any range.
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Where's the lead? Recovered 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range bullet. With a modest muzzle velocity of 3034 FPS from my X-Bolt this 150 Gr. bullet is reduced to 29 grains of bare copper after about 10 inches of penetration and a 189 yard shot into Dallen's 2013 Utah bull elk. Isn't the lead supposed to be bonded to the copper? Are these really Accubonds? Looks like Accubond Long Range bullets are just really fragile Ballistic Tips with better ballistic coefficients. |
Here are a few 140g Nosler AccuBond related hunts.
- 270 WSM Handloads
- 2010 Mule Deer Hunt — Last Day Busted G2 Buck with X-Bolt 270 WSM
- 2010 Elk Hunt — 5x5 Bull with X-Bolt 270 WSM
- 2010 Oklahoma Whitetail Hunt — Hunting with 243 WSSM & 270 WSM Rifles
- 2009 Cow Elk Hunt — Dallen's First Cow Elk Taken With A 243 WSSM
Here's some experiences with the 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range Bullet
- See how the bullet performs or should I say disintegrates: 2013 Utah Youth Elk Hunt — Dallen Shoots Big Ol' Charlie One Horn
- 2013 Utah Rifle Deer Hunt — Dallen Shoots "Whitey" A Four Point Mule Deer Buck
- 2014 Utah General Rifle Deer Hunt - Dallen Gets a Nice Four Point Buck
Here are a few links to 243 WSSM Triple Shock hunts.
- 243 WSSM Handloads
- 2011 Rifle Mule Deer Hunt — Dallen Takes a Buck at 619 Yards with a 243 WSSM
- 2010 Cow Elk Hunt — Dallen Takes Another Elk With A Single Shot From A 243 WSSM
- 2010 Oklahoma Whitetail Hunt — Hunting with 243 WSSM & 270 WSM Rifles
- 2010 Dallen's First Mule Deer — Four Point Taken with a 243 WSSM
- 2009 Cow Elk Hunt — Dallen's First Cow Elk Taken With A 243 WSSM
- Dallen's First Elk, Taken with a 243 WSSM