Anyone used this combo on elk? What were your results? I have a load worked up and am considering this for my next elk hunt.

Here ya go... cow elk, 140 yards, 308 Win, 150 TTSX... no thanks.

How did you find that bullet after that elk ran off?

Amazing. Surprising. No guarantees.....Murphy's Law.

Clean the rock salt out before shooting next time...

I took a spike bull this year using the barnes, 50 yard shot, quartering towards me. Entered in front of the left shoulder, exit behind the right. Lungs and heart turned to liquid. He took 3 small steps and dropped. I did not recover the projectile.
I should have taken a pic after skinning him, forgot, sorry. You can see the exit hole behind the right shoulder in this shot.

I remember that day Mac, it was sure butt cold out there!My fingers were too cold to run my camera...<g>.

Dober

Maybe the cold slowed expansion?

Surely this is atypical right?

Dober, it was! -27*F IIRC.

Here's a shot you managed to snap:

It's happened to me, Dober, and other friends. My own unverifiable opinion is X-type bullets fail to expand more often than some think. They just aren't recovered all that often... when the work, they work well. I've never had a problem with Partitions, Ballistic Tips, or Accubonds working so will stick with those for elk.

wonder if a 130 at 3000 plus wouldve fared better??...i think mono's have little use when started under 3000 as its a known fact they expand far more reliably with speed...at 308 speeds a 165 accubond, 168 BT would be my first choices if i wasnt shooting a 130 mono as fast as possible...i might be wrong, just my opinion

Looking at that bullet for the umpteenth time, does that little bit of "expansion" correlate with any of the striations?
Or are there any striations?

thanks for the replies

Brad,

I've seen the picture in the past too. Can you give some details about the hit? Bone, no bone? Where was it recovered? Any chance it could have deflected and entered at a slightly odd angle? I'm sure you've answered those questions in the past, but I've not read the response.

I'm not doubting your experience in any way, shape or form. Just curious.

Dober's wasn't a TTSX, though. To be fair.

I've killed elk with the 130 in a 308. I haven't recovered the bullets but the elk never went more than a few steps. For all I know, my bullets looked like the one pictured. I don't know.

Does it matter? Accubond, Partition, or Ballistic Tip would have done the trick either way.

Bone/no bone, odd angles...any of that stuff is what we call "field conditions"

If a bullet can't do that, it isn't worth much to a western hunter.

Like I said, I was just curious.

I've probably only killed 9-10 animals (8-9 deer, 1 black bear) with the TSX/TTSX. They've worked as advertised for me -- to the best of my knowledge anyway!

I was simply looking for insight through the experience of others. There a several guys on here that share honest opinions and experiences. IMO, Brad is one of them. I didn't know if he thought there may be other reasons behind the lack of performance or they were just too tough to expand at 308 velocities.

Hi SAS, sorry for the late response... been busy!

Nothing was hit on the way to the target. MV was 2,820-ish. Plenty fast. Velocity or stabilization were not the issue. It's a 150 after all. The shot was straight on (no hard angles, other than I was shooting downhill on a gradual slope).

IMO, what happened was on impact (impact was on the scapula) the nose pinched closed causing the bullet to tumble. I found it in the off shoulder facing backwards.

Everyone who's shot a lot of hollow point bullets has seen them do weird things and essentially these are just over-sized hollow-points, plastic tip or not.

Hope that answers your questions.

Thanks Brad! That answers my questions.

I understand why you're busy. I've read where you're building a house -- by yourself. Dad (retired) was a builder. Aside from building others, we built our own. I'm on my second and he's on his fifth.....and we're both probably done. I may have one more in me? Lots of pride in swinging a hammer after the job is done...

Now that is funny but say its easy to see why they way over penetrate.

I shot a Raghorn bull one year with the 308 and 150 TSX's. Muzzle velocity was 2850fps.He was about 80 yards away, slightly quartering away. I found the bullet under the skin on the off side. It entered behind the shoulder and exited through the off side shoulder going through the bottom of the shoulder blade. It weighed 130 grains and was missing 2 petals.

Not a ttsx but the hornady gmx, which is their version of the tipped mono copper bullet.

savage 99 308, 150gr gmx, H4895, mv 2650, cow elk 150 ish, drt.

I did it to prove a magnum isn't necessary on elk.

Also had a hunter shoot a spike with a 150 ttsx out of a 3006 with factory ammo... heart shot at 300 yds, wobbled around and fell over promptly.

Kent

Of course I can easily take out a cow @ 150 yds with my 22/250 does that prove that the .308 isn't necessary on elk...?

Dober

And the same year of those two examples (2010) I was involved in 8 archery bull kills.

So no, even a 22/250 isn't necessary.

Kent

308 Win 2800 fps 150TTSX. Shot was ~100 yds almost directly facing with the cow standing at a down-hill angle. Aimed at the base of the neck/chest junction. She was on the gound before I could work the bolt. Bullet excited so I don't can't say what it looked liked but it 'worked' in this instance.

Nice example for the OP.

Anyway, since this has turned to a bullet failure thread. I thought the bullet pictured was a TSX from a couple years ago. If I'm thinking right, then has anyone had a TTSX fail to open with the plastic tip pushing inward?

Kent

There certainly is a lot of �speculation� by posters here which is why I only post if I have a question or first-hand experience. I�m pretty sure Brad�s bullet was a TTSX.

I shoot all makes of bullets and do not claim to have near the experience of some here. I do know that faced to choose a type of failure on a large animal, I would prefer a failure to expand and still have good penetration vs a blow-up and little penetration. Two holes also makes for easier tracking if necessary.

A hunter really needs to consider the shot presentation he is willing to take or pass when choosing a bullet. I knew on this hunt that shots would probably be close and fast in the timber, likely involving bone and some tough angles. Honestly, I was also packing loads with 150g BTSP as a softer bullet if I did get a longer broadside opportunity. Both loads shoot to the same POI which is nice.

TTSX.

Thanks for the clarification... if we had a better search engine I probably could have figured it out myself.

Does put a fly in the ointment of the TTSX/GMX equation.

Kent

Brad's is the only TTSX failure that I'm aware of. The much worshiped Nosler Partition has had a failure or two along the way, as well. Even the best bullets are not impervious to failure.

Again thank you for all of the replies. Living in the East there is really no need for anything other than the standard cup and core bullets for deer and varmits, so it is nice to hear from guys that have used other kinds of bullets.

Jordan, I'm aware of dozens of TSX failures, but agree I've not heard of many (if any) TTSX failures. Will say, one thing I don't like about these expensive bullets is their small velocity-expansion window.

As to the Partition, I've never actually seen or heard of a failure, other than one gunwriter who used a 150 NP from a 300 WBY and wasn't happy when it came apart. Doh.

NP's have been used 100-fold time more than the expanding mono's and there are far more problems with the mono's. I think anyone can see that if they've been paying attention.

But your point about the TTSX's is heard loud and clear.

But that doesn't change the shabby results I had.

The PT is definitely a reliable bullet. There's no arguing about that. I've only ever seen 1 that came completely unglued. And I fully recognize and give credit to your TTSX failure. All I'm saying is that while the TSX seems to have several documented cases of failing to expand sufficiently, the TTSX is a completely different bullet, and the documented cases of failure are limited to 1, AFAIK, so it seems like Barnes has improved upon the reliability problem significantly with this rendition of the X bullet design.

I'm not sure that failure to expand is a significant problem associated with the tipped monos, anymore. You've seen 1 TTSX failure, and I've seen 1 PT failure. Neither case means that said bullet is a bad one, nor that it's not generally reliable or worth using.

Have a good one, Brad.

About 4 years go I shot a nice interior grizzly with a .300 win mag and 200gr. TSX's. About 150 yards away and hit him just a bit behind the shoulder. Bear rolled out of sight and it took about 10 minutes to get where he was shot. No blood hair anything. Slowly made my way down the hill and hear some "popping" sounds in the brush to my left. Here was the bear walking slowly up hill and very much alive. Two more shots through the brush into his chest, and the bear turned and faced me. My last shot hit him at the base of the neck and that was it... rolled over dead. That shot exited his hump and blew a piece of spine out with a 2" exit hole. When skinning the bear There were very small holes right through his lungs. No mushed up stuff just almost perfect little holes. The shot that hit his neck/spine was a different story massive damage. We even had to look really hard to find the small exit holes on the shots through his lungs. he had about 4-6" of meat and fat on his ribs that the bullets went through with little damage.
Now I will conceede that I should have busted him in the shoulder, but had any of those hits been with a 200 gr. partition the lungs would have been soup and it would have been over. Everyone jumped on me with all four feet when I felt the bullets pencilled through, but they sure as hell did. Anyway I still use Barnes bullets and have killed three elk with the TSX and the TTSX but have swithched to lighter bullets and try to shoot for "bone"
Though if I go after another bear with the .300, it will be loaded with 200gr partitions.

Lefty C

I could be wrong Lefty but b4 you went wasn't there a discussion on the Fire about maybe the 200 TSX wasn't the best bullet to be taking?

Thx
Dober

Dober,

Can't remember. plenty of discussion after though. like said though I still use and like Barnes bullets...but like partitions also. Used a lot of sierra Game kings to kill a bunch of stuff before I learned they wouldn't work.

Lefty

Here is an animal taken with a TSX out of a 308 win.. No failure here.



Here is another TSX failure....

I hate it when Brad posts that picture and gives the details......here I sit with a 257 ROY that shoots 100 gr TSX's at 3620 fps and puts em into .5" wondering.......grin

Quite happy with my TTSX (185gn .338) experience thus far. 6 bullets through critters and they all resulted in dead critters. All were pass throughs, including one that went diagonal through a lot of elk. I'll admit I was surprised at how small the exit hole was on that one. Blood trails were quite good though, no tracking required, and they are the most accurate bullet I've tried. Next up is a 160gn TTSX at ~3020FPS. Ought to be reasonably similar to a 150 out of a .30 cal.

I've been playing with the TSX bullets, 100 gr. in .257 Robt., 120 and 140 gr. in 7x57 and .280 Rem. but so far have only killed paper with them. haven't found a load that makes me and my rifle happy, at least not yet. Onr the other hand, I have taken two cow elk with the 225 gr. TSX bullet and both were one shot kills down DRT. The first eas at 150 yards as the elk was quartering to the left. Bullet hit just behind the short ribs and exited between the neck and right shoulder. Cow elk dropped on the spot. Elk number was on Jan. 13 this year. Shot was about 325-350 yards andd the TSX broke her neck right at the base of the skull. Luckist shot I ever made and I'll state why. I was aiming for a heart lung shot and I called it right on when I squeezed the trigger. We were puzzled that we couldn't finf a hole in the chest and it wasn't until we got to the meat packers that we discovered where my bullet hit. THis did bother me and when I got home after the hunt, I took the rifle to the range a couple of days later and the scope was way off. I made adjustments and the group was about 6".
This is a rifle that shoots sub-MOA on a very regular basis. I had a box of Remington factory 200 gr. loads that I wanted to shoot up anyway so went to the range again but with a differencr scope on the gun. After getting it on paper and properly sighted in, I shot the last 5 rounds for group and got a 1.25" group. Not too shabby as that rifle does not loke that load.
So yes, I got my elk and it was the luckiest shot I've ever made on game. I don't often name my rifles but that one has earned the name, "Elkslayer."
Paul B.

That does it..I am going to start hunting with a Louisville Slugger.

Seems like overkill when a Wiffle ball bat will do...

Just make sure and use a hickory one... the maple are too frangible and pron to failure.

Kent

Growing up, we would raise calves from day old dairy males they didn't want. Sometimes we would get them for chores or 5 bucks. My brother and I would raise them then sell'm at the auction, keeping 2 or 3 a year to butcher for the us and the extended family.

When I was about 11 or 12 my dad had me take over the killing chore on the calves... I was already the most efficient with a knife and club on the chickens, rabbits we raised, occasional goat and pig.

22 short where the imaginary X marks the spot and lights out.

One of his friends buys some old range bull at the auction and brings him over for us to butcher... I shoot it multiple times trying to find a way through the skull plate and it just shook it's head like a fly landed on it.

My dad had to finally go get the 06...

Sometimes a bigger stick is required.

But mainly, it's not hard to kill an animal.

Kent

Kent, my grandad had a hatchery and slaughter house. I used to help with the butchering, and back then (before humane killers were required) we used a single shot 22lr on all comers with never a problem... but a slaughter house is a more controlled environment than on your own back 40.

Yeah, mainly it's not hard to kill an animal.

Not 150''s but 168g TTSX bullets served will in my M700 .308W. Don't have a .308 Win anymore but still use 168g TTSX to good effect in my .30-06's.

Very happy with TSX, TTSX, Accubond, Partition, certain Ballistic Tip, and lots of Remington Corelokt and Hornady Interlocks in bigger bores.

I have my favorites, but don't play them.

My youngest son took a cow elk two years ago with a 130 gr TTSX out of his 270 winchester. They were reloads I had worked up for him.

Im thinking my 240 wby's would take an elk with a 95 gr TTSX.