TESTED: NEW Lapua TRX Bullets

Lapua’s new line of TRX hunting bullets and ammunition gives hunters a new solid copper option for game. In this video, we’re running tests on the new 6.5mm 120 grain TRX!

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About the Lapua TRX Family

I’ve used thousands of Lapua casings as well as shot their .22 rimfire line. Lapua has long been associated with the highest tier of competition shooting, producing bullets like the 120 grain Scenar and Super Long Range rimfire ammunition.

Loaded 6.5 Creedmoor Cartridge with TRX Next to a Lapua TRX Bullet

Summer 2025 brought the entry of TueRange Expanding (TRX) lead-free bullets and loaded ammunition.

From Lapua:

Introducing: the TRX TrueRange Expanding® Hunting product family

Lapua is proud to announce new True-Range Expanding® (TRX) Hunting Bullets and Ammunition. Lapua TRX® products are crafted for hunters and precision shooting enthusiasts who demand the highest standards in ballistics and terminal performance.

TRX® delivers industry leading precision from short to long distances with the highest ballistic coefficient (BC) values in its class. Lapua’s R&D engineer Mikko Latvala comments, “The high BC’s of the TRX® ensure a flatter trajectory and superior resistance to wind drift. This enables hunters to confidently take longer shots with precision, even in challenging conditions.” Thanks to its high BC value, the TRX® projectile maintains its velocity and stability at extended ranges, making it ideal for both medium and long-distance hunting.

TrueRange Expanding Bullets

Upon impact, Lapua TRX® Hunting Bullets offer exceptional terminal performance, unmatched energy transfer, and nearly 100% weight retention with a solid-copper, polymer-tipped design. Whether targeting big game or small to midsized animals, the TRX® delivers deep penetration and controlled “mushrooming” expansion, even at longer distances, ensuring a clean and ethical kill with minimal tracking required.

The TRX Hunting Bullet will be available this summer in the following calibers:

TrueRange Expanding Ammunition

Loaded with Lapua’s new TRX® solid-copper bullet, TrueRange Expanding Ammunition offers exceptional ballistics and devastating terminal performance. Its polymer tipped projectile delivers pinpoint precision with a high BC, controlled expansion, unmatched weight retention and energy transfer.

Lapua TRX® Ammunition features the highest quality components recognized by the world’s best precision shooting enthusiasts, including Lapua cartridge cases and Vihtavuori propellants. All Lapua TRX® ammunitions assembled with patented Air Lock® water-proof technology, protecting your powder and primer from harmful moisture and other elements detrimental to ignition.

Factory-loaded TRX® Ammunition available this autumn in 6.5 x 55 SE, as well as 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester. More information on these products coming soon.

Other TRX bullet and cartridge offerings announced later this year – stay tuned for more!

Load Data and Shooting Results

I wanted a load that would run about 3,000 fps and took an inventory of the powders I had on hand. N555 seemed like the best choice, at an estimated 2,850 fps for 44.0 grains with a 120 grain bullet.

I loaded this to 2.8”— magazine length for a 6.5 Creedmoor and took my custom 6.5 Creedmoor out to the 100-yard range.

I had to do some sight in as I had installed a new scope, taking one shot then dialing up and firing three for the first group I put on paper with the TRX bullets.

This group measured 0.109” at 100 yards – much, much tighter than the 2 MOA and 4 MOA groups I’ve seen with some other copper bullets at the same distance. (It’s important to note that I’ve also had some stellar performances with other copper bullet SKUs, it’s just that the TRX group was especially tight from my rifle.)

I couldn’t resist firing some more rounds. The first five shot group went into 0.398” and the second five measured 0.513”. I did observe mirage while firing the second group which could be a contributing factor to the larger size. This ammo ran about 2,950 fps with a low SD.

Lab Results

Kyle Shields pulled samples of the 6.5mm TRX bullets and took a variety of lab measurements to evaluate their consistency.

Here were the results.

Clear Ballistics Gel Testing

While synthetic ballistics gelatin will not 100% reflect what a bullet will do to a human or animal, it provides us with valuable data and allows us to compare the performance of different bullets and different loads. It’s also just fun to watch via high speed camera footage!

I used American-made 10% Clear Ballistics Gel for this test. The 6.5mm 120 Grain TRX penetrated 31” leaving a controlled wound channel with good expansion.

If you review the footage closely, it actually pushed into the third gel block, and sort of sprung back. Keep in mind that this load is running near 3,000 fps. Slower loads will have much less expansion.

I removed the bullet from the gel and weighed it. Lapua advertises 95% weight retention, but this bullet weighed 119.60 grains, having retained 99.8% of its weight!

Conclusion

Lapua’s TRX offers a nice combination of accuracy and penetration without compromising either. I’d like to try this bullet in a 6.5 PRC or Sherman Short.