Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 120 ttsx case study

I started shooting these bullets 4 seasons ago when I bought my first 7mm08. Loaded with 43 gr of RL15 and estimated velocity of 3000fps. They shoot bughole groups, so I've never tried to get faster. I've killed about 25 deer with them anywhere from 5 yds to 370 yds. In that time, I've found 3 bullets.....all from deer that were facing straight to me.

The bullet on the left is from a doe shot about 175 yds. Shot entered between brisket and shoulder and stopped just inside her ass cheek. She ran 30 yds.

The middle bullet is from a buck shot at 50 yds, straight in the brisket and lodged under the skin near the last rib. He dropped.

Right bullet is from a doe I shot last week. 130 yds. Shot right where neck joins chest and stopped in middle of hind quarter. She ran 75 yds and had a pretty good blood trail.

It's hard to complain about bullet performance when the deer dies quickly, but the last one has me a little concerned about lack of expansion. What are your thoughts? According to Strelock the bullet should have had an impact speed of 2600 fps. I've killed deer with these bullets several times at 350 yds+ where the velocity would be down to 2100-2200, but never recovered one that far.
Am I being too picky? Are these bullets harder than I thought?
Dead is dead, right?

Hard to argue dead, there just like any other bullet, you could shoot a box of 50 into the same test media and they all expand differently.

All depends what they hit. The right one could have caught bone on the way in and closed up the nose a bit.

I tried them in a 280 AI at about 3400. No lack of expansion, that's for sure. But, wicked destruction going that fast. I have them also loaded in a 7-08 but haven't shot a deer with that yet. I think I prefer the 140 TTSX and 145 LRX in the 280 AI though.

The two on the outside don't show a lack of expansion, I think it shows a lack of petal retention. I can't think you at a speed of 2600 youd really lose your pedals unless some bone was involved on impact. If they're losing pedals at 2600 and soft tissue that would be a little scary.
It would sure be great to have those other bullets that went off into Mysteryland to compare and see how they fared.

Keep rocking them. Nothing to fret, that's for sure.

Easy to check by weighing.

And see if the one on the right has a visible cavity in the middle, that had not opened to the bottom. Very unlikely that it is a manufacturing defect, but I guess anything is possible.

Left to right:
112.8 grains
119.1 grains
110.9 grains

Definitely didn't expect the 2 less deformed ones to weigh the least...... I guess they did lose some portion of their petals but they definitely didn't peel all the way down. Visible cavity in both.

For over 10 years either the wife or I (sometimes both) have been shooting a 7-08 or 7-08AI. And most of the time I've loaded 120 gr TTSX or NBT. Have yet to catch one of either. Folks on this forum kill lots of deer with .22 caliber bullets. And like you said dead is dead, even though you'd like a little better expansion on your two outside bullets.

I agree with bearstalkeer - rock on.

A blunt flat-nosed projectile going fast through tissue is still going to provide a lot of hydrostatic shock.

Thank you, Roy.

Think I understand your concern.

Still it seems that bullet has an outstanding track record for you. You can't overlook that!

Lots of other choices out there if you want. TTSX comes to mind along with a GMX.

You have an accurate load which certainly comes first. If you want to experiment with another bullet, who knows - you just might find accuracy with that bullet as well. In the end, accuracy rules! Expansion seems to be what you're seeking and that is important as well.

If you got the time and resources, give a composite tip alternative a try.

A guy ran a bunch of bullet tests on animal bones here years ago. It was a really awesome test. He used a ton of bullets and as I remember the pedals were fairly likely to shear off the ttsx on bone.
The Hornady GMX though seemed to perform pretty flawlessly and keep petals intact. The problem I've had with the GMx is I just can't get accuracy out of them. The TTSX always seems to come into an accuracy node pretty quickly. Kind of like the song goes .......you can't always get what you want!

Thanks for all the responses. I'm definitely not going to jump ship and change bullets because of one that didn't look perfect. They have been great for the most part.
I do have some big game powder and plan to work up a load with that before next yr and see if I can pick up 100-150 fps but I won't sacrifice the accuracy I have now.

I also have some 139 gmx that I plan to load to try. They will be slower from the muzzle but looking at the numbers, they pass the 120 ttsx at 200 yds due to a much higher bc.

Not 7mm. but a 120 TTSX out of a 26 Nosler does mess up some meat, but it leaves the muzzle at 3,450 fps. I've yet to catch one. Pretty much DOA, everything I've shot so far, including WT's and hogs. Don't need to hit bone.

With 26" #2 Shilen Match barrel, it's half MOA at 400 yds. with full charge of 869.

Monometals do like speed...

In comparison, in my 6.5 Creed and 6.5x55, I use softer bullets, currently leaning towards 139 gr. Scenars in the Swede, 123 gr. Scenars in the Creed, based on how well these guns shoot those bullets. I don't shoot monometals at 2,800 fps., as I like to chest shoot WT's. Hogs, it doesn't matter, I go for the shoulder, neck or head.

YMMV.

DF

Big Game will probably give you a little more velocity over RL 15. But, you are probably not getting all you can from your load of 43 gr. I load 44.0 gr behind the 120 gr TTSX in both of my 7mm-08's and get right at a chronographed 3100 fps out of both. (22" barrels). If you try Big Game, in my experience it likes to be pushed hard (max load).

Yeah. I tried 44 grains but the groups opened up somewhat from 0.5" to 1.25". I'll take the accurate load any day.

Yep, accuracy is most important. I just assumed from your post that you wanted a little more velocity. But, you've had good results it seems with your load so I'd stick with it. The TTSX is a good bullet and will do all that is necessary from a 7mm-08. However, the common theory here on the fire with the TTSX is that the faster the better; speed kills.

Country boy, keep us posted on the 139gmx. I've used the 'ol fashioned 139btsp with good results.

I'd also be interested to hear comments from those who've used the Nosler 120 and the 120 ttsx extensively. From all I hear I'd be fine with the 120bt. (I'm planning ahead for a load when my son can fill a tag in a couple of years)

No lack of expansion here....

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ger_1_International_Who_has_#Post3091822

A great deer bullet which seldom gets mentioned, is the 130 Speer, either version.

I would just load 140 ABs or 150 BT and rock on, but if shooting closer shots, a faster lighter 110 to enhance expansion.

No doubt, the 139 dropped a few animals for me and a C/C is plenty good if not needing to go unleaded. It was the bullet Rem loaded in their original "Corelokt" ammo

I load the 110TTSX for two guys I hunt with. Both shoot it at 3,200fps from their 20" Model 7SS 7mm-08 rifles (RL15). The load is quite accurate in both rifles with very little tinkering/development, and it has worked really well on everything they've pointed it at. We've yet to catch a bullet. To be fair, everything has been inside 250yds so far. One of the rifles wears a free-floated H-S handle and shoots around 3/4MOA. The other is one of the new Model 7 rifles with the lightweight injection-molded handle and it shoots almost as well. Factory Superformance 139gr SST loads shot like crap in that one, plus they recoiled a lot more.

So the 110TTSX may be a viable alternative for those who maybe haven't been able to get the 120 to shoot or maybe are looking for a touch more speed. That bullet/load was responsible for the majority of the meat in the back of my Tacoma a few weekends back.....

What's the max load for Big Game and the 120 TTSX out of a 7mm-08, and what's the corresponding velocity? 22 1/2" barrel.



P

Pharmseller, I started at 47.5 gr. of BG and worked up in half a gr. Increments up to 50.5 gr. Then I backed off to 50.0 where velocity is 3180 fps. Accuracy was acceptable at about an inch and a quarter for three shots (repeatable), but accuracy in my Cooper was better with RL 15. I haven't tried BG in my Montana yet; waiting on the weather. Cooper is a 22" barrel.

I will add that the above loads were with Remington brass. I got some of the new Lapua brass and got roughly the same velocity with 48.5 gr. of Big Game. Lapua brass is a little thicker, therefore less powder produces the same pressure and velocity.

A truck load of evidence...

Light and fast for TSX/TTSX...

Speed kills, especially with monometals...

DF

Thanks.



P

DF, that's my thoughts, inside around 300 yds, in a mono I would run a 110, a 120 I would stop at 400yds, then bump to 139 or heavier.