Now available if you shoot a .270, 7mm or 30 cal.

200gn .338 is not available. ...#&*($%!...

https://www.federalpremium.com/components/family/federal-premium/trophy-bonded-tip/

But where at? No retail show them yet. Saw this on the Fed website, but started looking and found nothing g out there.

That is excellent. I will keep my eye out for them. I scored a bunch of "pulls" from Rocky Mountain Reloading in 130 grain .277's, and so far they are very good. Still want to run one into water jugs to look at weight retention and expansion but they seem like awesome bullets. Please keep us informed where you can find them.

I've not shot any critters with them, but they did great when I tested them in both wet and dry media.

However, Federal apparently hates me and is not including the one I wanted.

I bought 5 boxes of factory loaded ammunition when they first came out in180 grain .300 Win mag. The tips kept falling off when cycling the bolt, tying the rifle up properly. I raised this issue with Federal at SCI. They said they were aware of the problem and had corrected it. Told me to use the rounds I had bought "for practice". Never again!

I also would love to see the 200gr .338 offered! That's the bullet i've always wanted to try in my 338 federal. Maybe in the future? Anyway when I find some available I'm interested in trying the 140's in my 7mm-08.

Expensive practice rounds.

My 280 AI loves the 140 TTSX. I'd think these would be a good alternative to have on hand. Like beretzs , I'd like to do a water jug comparison between these and the TTSX.

Got this today from Federal regarding the 200gr .338 bullet.


"There is a very good chance we will be offering this bullet in the future. However, a this time it is not in our immediate plans. Our inquiry will be passed to our product development team."

Thanks

Federal
BB

I can't raise an outlet for them either. I guess patience is in order.

May try the .284 140 grain TBT in my .275 Rigby. When I get it later this fall.

Oh yeah, I'm for sure getting a bunch for my. 7mm Mauser! Hopefully turn out some 375s? Will be nice. guarantee they will sell out of all calibers instantly and be backordered forever.

One can hope...

I sent them a note saying I would be interested in the 200s. I actually mentioned that a 180-185 .338 version would be nice for them to develop .

A .375" 240 gr TBT would be fun to use in my .375 RUM.

I'm not holding my breath...

The same "announcement" came out in 2010, but never materialized. If the TBBC had been widely available and reasonably priced (i.e. not $44/25) I would have been using them from the beginning...

Think I'm gonna have my 7mm Mauser's barrel stamped with a "275 Rigby" on the other side, just so I can say I hunt Africa with a 275 Rigby. All special and warm and fuzzy feeling. If and when I pay off the law-a-way!

Also interested when these will be released as I have been waiting for this for several years.

I'm really glad Federal decided to do this. I believe the TBBC is the best bullet on the market. There are some other good ones but TBBC is my favorite. No experience with the tipped version, hoping they're as good as the old ones. I'll be waiting patiently for the 300 gr 375 version.

Zengela,I even have some Hornady .275 Rigby brass to go with the rifle.

When first I read this I thought I might want to try some of the 160-gr on pigs, but then figured at 35 yards they'd probably over-penetrate.

Rev,use the TBT if you want,over-penetration is never a bad idea.

On another note,would like to see the Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solid offered to reloaders.

not sure you can stop one on this planet!!!!!

where is the 270 375 cal?

Respectfully, forget the Sledgehammer.

I shot an elephant and a buff in Chirisa in 2010. Both were shot at close range. The factory loaded .470 Sledgehammer solids recovered from the elephant had riveted, bent and fishtailed. Ditto for the one recovered from the buff (.416 Rigby). An apprentice PH showed me some recovered Sledgehammers in .375 which did the same thing. I discussed this with Federal at either SCI or DSC in 2011 (forget which). They kept the bullets, said they would "open a file on it" and promised to return the bullets. Never heard from them again.

I switched to Barnes solids after that and have never looked back. On my trip to Zim this year, I wanted to try Woodleigh hydro cup point solids in .470, but couldn't find any in factory loaded ammunition, though Federal does list it.

Any solid has the potential to deform when striking heavy bone. In my personal experience, the Federal Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer has a greater propensity for deformation than does the Barnes monolithic solid. I have used Woodleigh traditional non-hydro RN solids in the past (as loaded by both Norma and Superior), and they have performed with good effect, but I was never able to recover any of them.

Thanks for the info,Winchestermodel70.

They are available at Midway.

Is there any BC info out there for these bullets?

I've seen a couple bears put down with them.

Innie. Outie. Smacked the rocks behind them and remained in one piece.

I haven't seen anything out there about them as far as BC. I have some 270 and 7mm bullets coming. Looking forward to giving them a shot. I like the original TBBC, so I can't see these being worse.

.43 for the 7mm 140gn according to their website.

Thank you PRM. Appreciate it. Wished they'd drop their 200 grain .338 bullet. That sucker would probably be a monster.

The G1 BCs are:

270
130 - .440
140 - .455

7mm
140 - .430
160 - .520

I have a box each of the following coming:

.277 - 140 gr
7mm - 140 gr
.308 - 165 gr
.308 - 180 gr

I'm looking forward to these bullets.

Look forward to your results with the 165 in the 308. What powder? 2000MR, CFE223, AR-Comp all look interesting, and of course there's always Varget.

I've got Varget, 2000MR and TAC on hand. I'll try them all. 2000MR really makes 180's go, and TAC is showing real promise as a replacement for Varget with 165's. We shall see.

The plus to Varget is the temp stability. I like that feature in an elk cartridge. In my limited tests TAC isn't so good there. It's a ball powder, acts like all the others.

Strange, TAC has been superbly temp stable for me in a few different chamberings- .223 and 75's, 7-08 and 162's, .308 and 130's.

I'm curious to hear your results. TAC is new to me and I have a lifetime supply of it.

As to 2000MR (a ball powder), it's very close to the temp stability of Varget, and far ahead of RL15.

My less than scientific quality tests conducted by loading four rounds and shooting two at an indoor range at 70 deg, and then two outdoors in colder temps ~12 deg, ~17 deg, and all measured by Magnetospeed:

12 deg
200 Hot Cor, TAC (-100 FPS avg)
200 E-Tip, TAC (-71 FPS avg)
185 TTSX, TAC (-68 FPS avg)
210 Partition, 2000MR (-61 FPS avg)

17 deg (sat out all night at 9 deg)
210 Partition, 2000MR (-25 FPS avg)

AA2230 lost 90-100
Leverevolution lost 43

Powders that lost less than 10 FPS are 8208 XBR, RL16, IMR 4451, H4350

The idea that different cartridges has some merit in that RL17 lost nothing on the 338-06, but lost 63 FPS in the 6.5 Creedmoor. Data points of four rounds for each cartridge. Hardly conclusive.

Brad - where did you find the bullets sold as components? I'd be interested in trying some.

On TAC, I have some loaded under 165 Part in my 308 but haven't had a chance to shoot them yet. I'm also curious on your results with MR 2000. I saw the vels from that powder in the 308. Please keep us posted.

Only place I've seen them is Midway:

Trophy Bonded Tips

Looks like they're selling quick...I screwed around and didn't order when I first saw them and missed out on the 7mm 160 but snagged a couple of the 270 130s.

Are they plated with nickel or just something nickel-colored?

Nickel.

Is nickel in the bore anything to be concerned about?

Thanks for the heads up. Missed the 30 cal 150/180.......

Picked up some of the 7mm 140's to try in the 7-08 and .280.

I have always been a fan of the TBBC bullet and have never been disappointed with their results. However, I have been a bit skeptical about firing nickel plated bullets down the bore. Is there fouling with nickel deposition or bore wear since nickel is harder than steel? Or is the plating too thin to worry about? Your thoughts?

I haven't seen any problem, whether in my bore-scope, or when cleaning.

When these bullets were first introduced about a decade ago, they were also available to handloaders for a short period. That didn't last long, but aside from seeing some used in the field (including .30-06 180's on my biggest elk), I was given some component bullets--but before I could even load and test any, they quit selling them to handloaders.

They work well on big game, but like all other bullets aren't magic.

I'm going to send some 28/140's into some dry print.

That will tell the story.

Is the nickel just cosmetic or does it do anything like the coating on the old Barnes XLC's?

I just ordered two boxes of the 165's for my 308 Sako.

I'll post back after loading and shooting some...