Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25 Cal. 100TTSX vs 115 BT

A friend of mine and I worked up a load for my 25-06 that shoots the 100TTSX at 3300fps about 1/2MOA.
The gun seems to really prefer the 115 BT at 3150fps, which were clover leafs at 100yds. We tried the 110AB and 110ELDX and it didn’t like those too well (closer to 1” groups).
I’ve just never used cup and core bullets, should I just go with the 115 ballistic tips? I’m guessing at 100yds or less I need to stay behind the shoulder of whitetails or hogs.

I shoot stuff with the 100 Ttsx at that speed. It works well. No experience with the 115 BT though. Your loads accuracy and bullet choices indicate that you really won’t have a gear issue when it comes to killing a deer. Good shooting.

I have limited experience with the 100gr TTSX bullets, but a 115gr BT at 3100+ fps will hammer whitetails and hogs.

The correct answer is to shoot a bunch of deer and hogs with each bullet and see what you think about the results. You've got two very accurate loads, so put them to work and get some "field data".

I will allow that most of my 25-06 level experience involved the 110NAB at 3100 or so and the 100gr E-Tip at 3330. For me, give me the mono bullet at that speed and I'll put in in a shoulder. Great for that job, especially with a 250yd zero. Point and shoot at all reasonable ranges......

I've been hunting with .25 caliber bullets since I built my .257 AI back in 1977 for my deer/antelope rifle. So far it's made one shot kills on 3 Bighorn rams, a Dall ram, a Mtn Caribou, my 2nd best 6x6 bull elk, and dozens of mule/whitetail deer and pronghorn antelope. Most were shot with 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullets, the others with 115 gr Nosler Ballistic tips or Hornady 120 gr HPBT bullets.

I hunt with TSX or TTSX bullets in my .300 Wby and .375 RUM, but I feel that cup and core bullets work just fine in deer size critters.

Go with the 115 BT. You not be disappointed. I use it in my 25-284 at a hair over 3000 fps on piles of deer and hogs. It has been a stone cold killer on deer and hogs. I have yet to catch one even after shooting through 3/4 the length of a 247 lb hog starting at the dreaded armor shield every on talks about. I have complete confidence when I squeeze the trigger that bullet is going to deliver.

GreggH

1/2MOA won't kill deer? I can't reliably/repeatably shoot better than that with hunting rifles off of bench-rest rests/bags and a solid bench. Several of my rifles probably can and occasionally have, but, I can't.

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dave

.257R, not 25-06.

I shoot the 100 TTSX over H-100 V at 3,200 fps. I’ve also shot the 115 NBT over H-4350 at around 2,950 fps.

Both are deadly on WT’s and hogs. Both are half MOA or better, a slight edge going to the Nosler. My Roberts has a 24” Brux barrel.

DF

Curious what your loads were 2shot.

ttsx for the win...nothing wrong with the 115 grain b.tip but you cant find them and nosler has become greedy

I am a fan of the 115 ballistic tip....it hits hard and usually groups well. It has been an excellent performer for me for years.

That being said, I haven't tried the tTSX of any caliber on anything....nor have I tried the 110 a cub one

I have a couple boxes of the E-tips....just never tried them.

Burt2506

I have used both, both work well

That sounds pretty good for a bt. I'll have to keep an eye out for some. If the OP would have said elk on the menu, I would stick with the TTSX. But since he didn't, it sounds like the BT would be damn hard to beat. The only negative I can say about Nosler over the last couple years is they have gotten much more expensive. Even SPS has been way too expensive, where before you could buy partition seconds for $13.50/bag. If the common bt costs as much as a TTSX, you know where I'll spend my money (TTSX, for those that don't know).

My buddy is the hand loader but I think we used H4350 with Barnes and Retumbo with the Nosler BT.

Pigs and deer are not hard to kill. Learned that after watching grandkids kill them with a 243

TTSX is your huckleberry.................

I have shot a lot of deer and antelope with my old /25-06 and 115gr BTBT. Excellent. No need for the expense of a Barnes for most game. My pal has killed elk with 100 gr. BTBT from his .25-06.. Shoot straight and have a sharp knife.

The 117 game king bullet has effortlessly killed every deer I have shot with it out of a standard 257 Robert’s using a max load of H4350 and a Kimber 257 Robert’s. To me it has killed better than a 308 with 150 grain cup and core bullets. It is also quite accurate. I have also used the Hornady 117 grain interlock with as far as I can tell identical results. I just found I have 100 of the 100 grain game kings! Will have to try those this year! I shot one deer with a 100 grain TTSX but it was a 30 yard neck shot and he just collapsed at the shot.

I can tell you that the 115 BT works great on mule deer. I launch them at 3200+ from my 25-06 AI. Great accuracy. Never recovered any.

The 117 GK is a pure killer from a 25-06 even at woods ranges. Only a sample of 1 or 2 but the 100 grain GK was the same.

117gr Game king in my 257AI as well. It shoots well and crushes deer.

My old 2506 that is now my sons killed deer well with 100hr Sierra spitzers but he now uses 100gr tsx with great terminal results.

I had a customized 2506 I sold here, the 115 bt was loaded for it. I killed 2 does with it.


Out of the 3 bullet choices I don’t think any deer was more dead than any other.

I personally like the 117 in the AI more than the other 2

My favorite and the only one i shoot anymore is the Speer 120gr Hot-cor in my 25.06. I used the Sierra 117gr PH for a while years ago and it worked well as did the Hornady Interloc. I did try the TTSX 115gr some years back but my rifle just didn't seem to like them no matter the powder, seating depth etc, it just didn't shoot them very well. Used the Nosler 115gr BT briefly that someone gave me and they killed every deer i shot with them but made somewhat of a mess if i hit shoulder. When i got on the Speer 120gr Hot-Cor it shot so well and performed so good on game that i bought enough to last a lifetime so now that's all i use. Mike