Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 130gr TTSX .308 loads

I'm wondering if anyone has any good loads for the 130gr TTSX in the .308? I've tried the TSX with CFE223 up to max of 54gr, and accuracy was ok but not great. It'll do, but I'd like to see better.
I got some TTSX's in the same weight to try, and thought I'd try some Varget. Barnes says up to 52 grains with this combo, but I can't get close to that before its spilling over the neck. I figured I'd start somewhere around 49gr, and see how it goes.

I have a few other powders on hand to try, if there's anything else you guys are using. Can't find brass to save my life, and my POS Hornady full body resizing die will barely size once fired brass enough to allow the bolt to close. Going to pull bullets on some old Federal factory stuff I have laying around and use that till I can find something better I suppose.

I've had excellent luck with good old IMR4895 and the 130 TTSX. In my wife's .308 51.0 grain gets a little over 3100 fps from a 21" barrel with excellent accuracy. Never noticed any trouble getting that much powder in the case.

I've had great luck with:
48.0 grains of TAC under the 130 TTSX and a Fed GM210M primer is the ticket. COAL is 2.77"
Speed is 3050 fps out of a 21" tube

48.5grs TAC
CCI 200
130gr TTSX
Lapua Brass
OAL 2.76
3085fps

4 shots from M7 that I had the original barrel replaced with a factory takeoff sporter contour and cut to 21".

I just acquired a .308 model 700 in a trade, put a leupold VX3 6.5x20 on it. Have shot some Barnes 130s, w/49.5 Varget, Fed brass, WLR primers, 2.810 COAL. It was surprisingly accurate. Easy to shoot a Quarter size group at 200 yards. By the way, this rifle is also very accurate with 44 grains IMR 4064 and a 165 Hornady Interlock. Have not checked fps with the chrony yet but accuracy is the more important thing to me. The shooting rest I use is a bag of corn on a S-10 Chev truck hood, nothing fancy here in Louisiana redneck country.

As to the problem with the Hornady resizing die. Call Hornady. They will make it right if they can. Mr. Hornady will do anything reasonable to satisfy a customer. Don't cuss 'em, call 'em. They are good people.

Thanks guys. Looks like it may not matter at this point, I shot it today with Varget and the bullets are tumbling. Something is wrong here, I gotta figure it out. Looks like TAC is working pretty good, I don't think I've ever seen any here but I will be looking for it now.

I took a half grain off of steelheads load above is where I settled after seeing the pic he posted above several years back! Works like a champ!

49.5g RL 15, RP brass, CCI 200, 2.750 OAL = 3020avg in my 22 inch barrel. Used this on a cow elk last year.

I cannot find any new RP brass so just started testing with Hornady brass. Last week at 85F I got ~3030 with only 49g RL 15. I have a couple rounds loaded up with 49.5 RL 15 to test this week. I am taking half the loads in a cooler this week just to see if it makes a difference in velocity. RL 15 always seems to shoot a little better than Varget for me and takes up a little less case volume. 52 grains of Varget is almost overflowing my cases before tapping to settle it.

The 130 TTSX seems to shoot a lot better if seated pretty deep.

How did that bullet work on the elk for you? My plan was to use this one for elk this year if I don't get one with the bow.

Worked great and I'm taking the same load this year. Broadside shot at about 30-40 yds behind the shoulder; naturally it exited. The cow turned by the bullet impact then wobbled a couple seconds before falling dead. I've used the 150 TTSX prior (front quarting shot) and it worked too, but I wanted more speed than 2800fps. It is hard to overcome 'old shool' thoughts about bullet weight but really the reason to go heavy with lead bullets is to ensure enough penetration as they lose bullet weight. The TTSX's will not lose weight and probably won't provide the dramatic shock of a BT or Partition but in my limited experience kill just fine when pushed fast. I will note that I'm not a long range shooter and take shots with a bow hunters mentality - I try to wait for a tight behind the shoulder shot and nothing with too extreme an angle where I'm shooting through guts or the hams.

I think of the 130 ttsx combined with the 308 Win as a short action 270, and it is currently my favorite big game combo. Good luck.