Excellent. Killed a Kudu at 275 yds, 2 shots, as the Ttsx bullets, imo, don't seem to have the shock, if you will, of a lead based bullet. Hit it in the right shoulder, as it was coming down a hill, below us, and quarter L-R..bullet came out through the paunch on the left side. He kept walking, but went into some brush,then came back out going R-L and I hit him, again, right behind the left shoulder and out behind the right (classic double lunger) he kept walking and went into some more brush, and dropped dead about 50 feet in. I hit an Impala at 50 yds, almost face on. Bullet went in between the left shoulder and neck (actually hit the neck a few inches back from shoulder area) and came out about half way back on the right, and he was doa. One a waterbuck, would have been fine, but pH shouted, don't shoot, we want to use the sticks, as I was about to take a texas heart shot on a Waterbuck at 25 yds...before I could recover he went over the hill, and we trailed him up and again, I'm on the sticks and putting the last bit of pressure on the trigger, when I'm told "hurry", which caused a jerk, and hit him in the rear of the ribs, though had the sight right on the back edge of the shoulder. He took off (about a 100 yds shot) and we followed him up and got another shot in at 25 yds or so, when he was standing in some brush. He turned and went into the brush, and we couldn't track him, and it was getting dark, but we found him maybe a 100 feet away in the morning. The bad shot placement was the cause of it not working here. I think had I taken the Texas heart shot on the Waterbuck, the bullet would have gone end to end. Indeed, the PH said he didn't like the Ttsxs, as they penetrated "too much". We shot a small warthog too, but with the 150gr BT bullet, at about 50 yds. Hit right behind the left shoulder, and out the other side, and he literally flipped onto his back. I had my 308 sighted in 2 1/2 inches high at a 100 yds, and was able to hold right on, on the long shot on the Kudu. I did miss a Blesbok at 400, because I underestimated the range (400 yds, vs my guestimate of 350) and the bullet went right under it, but in line with a behind the shoulder shot.
I shot 18 animals in Namibia in 2009, and used the 140gr Ttsx in my 280, and everything I hit (not all of it with the 280), was slammed and down now.
When I was talking about the light weight 338 bullets was thinking more along the line of the lead based ones. Talked to Ty at Barnes, and he said the 308 150 has one more "groove" in it than the 338 bullet, which causes the BC to be lower.
DVD, saw your note on the 180 in the 06. I never go that heavy as unless hunting something like Elk, is too heavy (IMO) to open right on deer. I used 165s on Kudu and Eland in my 06 and they worked fine (used Nosler partitions). My buddy Elmer Keith designed the 338/06 (333OKH same thing with 33 caliber bullets) and wanted LONG heavy bullets for penetration. His criteria was a bullet going in behind the ribs on the left side, had to be able to reach the right front leg. The Ttsx and TSX both seem to have enough penetration, at least in the 225s. Elmers favorite bullet for the 338/06 (lead based of course) was the 275gr Speer.
An intersting project would be to take a pillow case, and fill it tight full of wet grass and twigs, and back off 50-100 yds and see it the bullets will penetrate it.
Last edited by ghost; 06/14/12.
