Barnes TTSX BT 168gr

Bowhunter60

Bowhunter60

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I've been partial to Nosler for some time and have used the Partition and Accubond with great success. Lately I purchased a batch of Barnes TTSX BT 168gr bullets for my .308. I've loaded them up with 44gr of BL-C2 powder and have been very pleased with their performance at the range. Does anyone have any experience with these bullets on Deer, Elk, and Pig?
 
With Barnes bullets you want to run, lighter than normal, and hotter (if you can) than you normally do. Of course staying within pressure signs.

I'd drop down to a 140 grain bullet in the .308 and load him hot. Remember you have almost total bullet retention with the Barnes.
 
Ditto above. Shoot them fast and light for caliber. I'm running 145 grain LRX in a .280 Ackley at 3050 fps, for comparison. I have had great terminal performance on elk and moose with them. Also, Barnes seem to like a big jump to the lands, Barnes suggests 0.050.
 
I've been shooting them for over 15 years. They work just as advertised. I too would go lower in weight than you did, because the bullets need to be going around 1800-2000 fps for reliable expansion.
 
Tried em in a 300short mag platform....might've been subconscious affinity for 180's or lack of recipe patience but could not get em to group.
 
Personally, I would stay with the Partitions and/or Accubonds. If I had to use Barnes bullets in a 308, it would be the 130 grain TTSX.
 
I used just that bullet last weekend in 308 on a small whitetail. I've taken maybe three elk and three whitetails with it, after switching over from Nosler Partitians. At ranges up to 150 yards. I have yet to recover a bullet to weigh for retention. Everything has been a pass-through, even a big bodied 5x5 whitetail shot lengthwise up the brisket. My load has a chronographed velocity of 2823. It's by far the best load for my sensitive little Kimber. That said, I have thought about trying a lighter bullet.
 
Is it just me or does pushing a 168gr bullet out of a 308 at 2800fps seem really hot? My most accurate 300 Win Mag load for the 168gr ttsx is only about 3150 using 76 grains of h4831sc.
My best 168gr tsx load is 3131
That being said I think chronographs are absolute voodoo my buddy and I can line up both of ours and shoot through them and there's always 100-200fps variance.
 
Op I'd sell those and get some lighter ones as suggested above.
My wife's 270 is killing elk with 130ttsx at 3000fps it flat works. Only a few animals but all D.R.T. pass through's.
Unless of course your gun just shoots the heavier bullets better in that case I'd just load them as hot as you can and roll with it.
 
Last edited:
A 168 should be happy out of a 308 out to 500 if you're willing to shoot that far. I might consider dropping to a 150, but there isn't too much variation between them ballistically.

I ran a 168 through an elk out of a 300WSM and it resulted in a dead elk. I've seen pigs, deer, elk, bear and a moose all fall to the TTSX with ease.
 
I only shoot Barnes TSX bullets now. .300 RUM, .300 SAUM, .338 Win Mag. I load my .300 RUM really hot with the 180 gr. It shoots .5" groups at 100. It has accounted for deer, elk , and bears. The .300 SAUM I shoot from a sweet little stainless Rem. Model 7 with 150 gr. TSX's. This is my timber gun. I've killed deer, elk and bears with this load. The .338 I have shot moose with and the 225 gr. TSX. I have never had an animal that I thought the bullet didn't do exactly what it should have. My experience is that they like a max or even over max charge, (in my .300 RUM). For me accuracy has been very good with these bullets. I don't even buy anything else anymore.
 
I'm using 168 grain Barnes Lrx 2900 fps in my 7 WSM. I shot my dall sheep at 320 yards this year with it was a complete pass through. I'm gonna use them out to 500 and then if I needed a farther shot I'm gonna use my Bergers. I'm lucky that both bullets shoot almost identical out to 500. Looking forward to trying them on elk.
 
Thanks Guys, you all make some excellent points. I hadn't considered lightening up on the powder charge. I'm currently using BL-C(2) powder, which I like very much. It feeds through my powder measure very well. Right now, my current recipe is; Lapua brass, Fed210 primers, 44g of BL-C(2) powder, and 168 TTSX Barnes bullets. Barnes tables recommend a minimum charge of 43.1g of powder which should yield 2568fps and a max of 47.9g for 2830fps. I haven't chrono'd it yet with any of the powder charges to see if that's actually what I'm getting. However, at 43.1g I was getting sub 1/2MOA groups at 100yards.

So, now more to you guys point. It seems most of you agree, the Barnes TTSX is a solid performer on all game up to Elk or Moose. Since the TTSX is such a solid performer, if I'm right in saying that, would you still feel confident dropping to a 150g TTSX, pushed at a higher velocity, but keep the powder charge on the low end of the charging scale. Barnes reloading tables suggest a minimum of 44.9g of BL-C(2) for 2723fps and a max of 49.9g for 2994fps. Would you be comfortable with this load up on Elk?
 
I think you may have confused some of the responses the general consensus with mono bullets is to maximize velocity by using the highest safe and accurate powder charge with a lighter bullet weight for maximum velocity.
I believe that's what everyone who has responded ment.
 
elkmagnet said:
I think you may have confused some of the responses the general consensus with mono bullets is to maximize velocity by using the highest safe and accurate powder charge with a lighter bullet weight for maximum velocity.
I believe that's what everyone who has responded ment.
Click to expand...

Now that makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification.
 
Never recovered one but the exit holes were no bigger than the entry holes they just zip right through
 
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