Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Loads for 80 gr TTSX in a .243

Just got some 80 grain Barnes TTSX bullets to load in .243. Wondered if anyone had any loads that worked well for them. Have not loaded for this gun yet so was looking for some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Joe

I usedto load 44gn of VARGET in mine for 3400fps.

JW

41.0 gr of 4064 3420 in my 24 in Bbl..

Ingwe

Hodgdon lists 38.5 Varget as max for a Sierra BTSP producing 50,300 and 3355 FPS> This matches my experience and Chrony. 44.5 is a whole lot more Varget than I want to have my face and eyes near when it goes off.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/243WinchesterWeb.pdf

The 45.5 gr. load of Reloader 17 was netting me velocity in excess of this posted load from Barnes... I was getting 3500+ out of a 22" Kimber but I'm still trying to tweek it to get it shooting good. Varget was by far the most accurate & consistent powder I've tried so far...velocity isn't everything.

I tried 46 and 47 grains of R19 last week and the results with 46 grains in particular were too stupid to mention on the internet without being called a liar.

Speed wasn't red-hot (3050 and 3150 respectively as I recall), but then again it was out of a 20 inch M7 barrel.

Headed out in the morning to see if I can duplicate.

BTW--I tried R17 out of this gun at max published Barnes data and didn't see the speed bump I keep hearing about...at all. Thus my return to R19 tomorrow.

Dave

I load anywhere from 39.5 grains Varget down to 36.5 grains Varget...

I'm getting about 3,210 from the 39.5 load out of a 22" tube with excellent accuracy...

The one Varget load I tried was 40 grains...it was giving me between 3268 & 3283. 40.5 of IMR 4320 was getting me 3400 out of the same 22".

Thanks for the help. I'll have to try a few of thesse and see how they work.

Joe

Remember that most of the Hodgdon range are Australian AR powders and I used them all since introduction when no, or little data, was avaliable. Over the years I revisit the loads to compare the powders and burning rate adjustments where made, which I emphasise, are made from time to time.

Last time I checked that load was about 4-5 years ago and it verified previous results. It is not rare. I actually have some other loads that are 5-10 grains over book maximums with round primers, cases falling our of the chambers and miked rims expanding considerably less than factory ammo.

Excess Pressure management is not the exclusive domain of the reloading manuals. I have sen too many errors in them over the years.

JW

I ALWAYS started w/IMR4350 for ALL 70-100s in 243s and have had great accuracy and speed. Admittingly, there is likely more speed to be had w/100s w/slower powders. And with the lighter slugs like 70 I had used Varget to good effect.

My 85 X load was the same as my Sierra GK BTHP load, max w/IMR4350, netted only 3100, but out of a 20" tube. Good, not great, but plenty for a nice hog at 240 yds, DRT

I would feel the 4064, 4320, and Varget would get a nod for common powders if you want to milk top speeds and why not if they shoot well.

Sure you will find a load quickly, seating depth seems to be a key often with Barnes, but never heard a bad report on that 80 TTSX.

You should have much success, at the range and field. FWIW, my rifles showed a preference towards Federal and WW cases over RP for the best of accuracy.

Out of my kids 2 fwt pre 64 's (22" barrels), we get good accuracy and 3300-3350fps with either 41g of varget or 45g of IMR4350 and the 80g TTSX.

That speed is all I'd expect in 85s (never shot 80s) from a 22" gun in 243. I heard something about lower pressure w/that bullet, SO there may be a smidgen left on the table, but w/good accuracy, I'd NEVER want for more, you have a flat deadly load and will kill just fine as far as you can hit vitals.

I'm running IMR-4350, but here is the real deal.

After shooting up a whole box of these expensive bullets, I changed the seating depth to 0.050 off the lands and got an inch and a quarter group. I then tried 0.075 off the lands and got a 7/8" group. I then tried 0.100 off the lands and got a 3/8" group. All groups were 3 shoot groups.

Next time out to the range I shot 6 foulers and let the barrel cool. The next three shots went into 1/4"

Older Remington 700 with 22 inch barrel. Pillar bedded, fresh crown on the barrel and a 2 pound trigger and a Leupold 1.75x6.

Two Wyoming goats with this rig last year. Both one shot kill at 200 yards.

My point is that the seating depth on these bullets is truley important.

While looking for a load for the mentioned 243 80gr TTSX I stumbled onto this post, anybody else have a comment on seating depth for said bullet??

RL-17 is the magic powder with the 80's in my wife's .243.

45.0 grains from a 22 1/2" tube gets me 3430 with excellent accuracy on a regular basis.. Needless to say, the Varget load I mentioned earlier is not used on my end anymore.

Having a hard time with 80 TTSX. Rifle is a M70 EW .243. Rifle has a long throat ( max chamber with this bullet measures 2.91", magazine measures 2.86") which means I must load to about 2.82" max. This just barely engages the first ring on the rear of the bullet. .090" to .100" is the jump to the lands. Have tried from this OAL down to 2.65" OAL with groups usually in the three inch range. Any ideas? I have loaded from starting load to max with both H4350, and RL 17, with the same results. Even with the long throat, Rem CL factory loads are consistently giving .75" groups, almost as good with Federal 85 gr. Factory Sierra GK's and a handload with Hornady SP fb loaded over H4350. I have Big Game, 4064, and several others, but am I wasting time and $$ trying to get this bullet to shoot in this gun?

Does your seater put them in the brass straight?

That is one tool I don't own, but they pass the roll test on a smooth table top. The die however is used to load the Hornady bullet and it shoots great.