Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 300WM 150 TTSX on elk?

I have friends who use the 180 TTSX and 168 TTSX/TSX in their 300WM and 300WSM for elk. I've used the 180 xbt years ago for Plains Game. A friend was asking me what I thought about the 150gr TTSX in the 300WM for mule deer and cow elk ( no big bulls) out to 400yds? I myself would expect it to work just fine, but has anyone used it for elk? None of my buddies are turret turners, all are "point and shoot" guys. We all pretty much zero with a 1-2" high at 100 and then just check the drop further out. None of us a long range guys either ( just threw in the 400yds figure as extreme case) My own average for elk is 190yds, ha. Any opinions welcome.

All day long Jim. I can’t see how it would be anything less than excellent at the 300 mag speeds.

That's what I was thinking and what I told my buddy. His brother gave him a new Sendero 700 in 300WM and some 180 barnes ammo. He got it zeroed, but did not enjoy the recoil. This is my buddy who is a big bowhunter and his biggest rifle is a 30-06. His brother and he are now retired and able to hunt more and out west. I'm thinking he should use the 150, if he handloaded, I would even suggest the 130 TTSX for deer.

I have not used it. I would think it would work fine, but I have to wonder what would be any benefit of the 150 over the 165 or 168 unless it shot more accurately ?

I know a 150 TTSX 7mm and a 168 TTSX are deadly on elk. Never tried the 150 in .308.

Used it for several. Worked great from 30-300 yards at 3300fps. All exited and killed fine.

Yeah , that combo should work on anything on this continent. If guys are using 223’s on big game.....

I would think the main reason is, if the rifle shoots it well, the 150 TTSX (Etip, whatever) is definitely going to recoil less. And since it will penetrate well, no use in getting beat up. Same reason I loaded the 120X in a 7mm Rem Mag for my Pastor in Texas. Deer and exotics were his normal game. I sent him some Federal 160 NP Premium ammo for his bear hunt in Alberta. But I was with him when he shot a big Spanish Goat/Ibex mix right at 400yds with that 120X. One and done. He is gone now, I sure do miss him.

150 or even 130g TTSX will work.

Load them up and go hunting.

I've used the 150 TTSX out of a 308 at 2800 on a cow. A 130 TTSX at 3000 was even better. The 150 in a 300 is a no-brainer.

Thanks guys, maybe I can get my buddy to listen to me and find him some to try.

Have a friend who has a 308 & has used the Barnes 130gr TSX successively on elk several times. The 150 TSX in a 300 WM will pass thru elk even at extreme angles. It does so even in a 30-06.. Have no doubt..... use with confidence......

One of my hunting buddies over here uses nothing but a well used Browning BLR 308 and 150 corlokts, ha. I guess I always liked to use something with a bit more "flair". I like a rifle/load that is just a bit outside of "norm", preferably one with a story or a history, or one I have decided to "make stories/history" with,

I just might have to treat myself to that CA Mesa I've drooled over for a couple years...I just traded off a beautiful (but a tad heavy) 338WM, but a 6.5# braked 300WM with a 150TTSX might be something I can't live without anymore! A new hip does wonders for one! ha

I think all that powder, Id be going at least 168. gets your minimum expansion velocity little further out there,

168 is a good one, but no further than I shoot game, especially now since I can't easily chase down a cripple, I think the 150 would work swell, for me and my buddy. BTW, I ordered the Mesa! ha

Jim, not to worry, I have killed lots of elk with a plain old Nosler 150 BTBT.. One bull was just over 400 yards.. Hitting him was a snap, and he walked maybe 20 yards.. Fast and flat that is cool!!

Dose anybody have a recipe for a 300WSM w/150gr TTSX ?

I would get a Barnes book. The loads that I used always shot best at near max or max.

WYCo- thanks pard. When I started playing (late 90s) with the 300WM, it was in a Classic 700 and I loaded the Nosler 180BT. I killed a pronghorn doe (347 steps) and nice 3x3 Muley (75yds) with severe damage, ha. I went to the Barnes 180xbt and went on to kill various Plains Game, each time it was as a spare rifle or a friend wanted me to use his rifle. It was always an awesome killer. I then went on to the 338s, the 200x in the 35 WAI and left the 300. Now I'm back! ha I made the mistake of handling one of those Mesas awhile back...stole my heart. I do love a Mod 700 Classic, but I don't hunt out of box blinds or the pickup ( Texas) since I moved out here and I seem to always get rained on/snowed on or slip and fall. Either way, before I had to sell (almost my soul) for Obammacare taxes awhile back, I always used that 35 WAI in a BP synthetic and baked on "moly something" coating. It was a tank! I got nostalgic on the Classics again, but had determined not to accumulate anymore, so back to "one and only". One 22 magnum rifle, one 12ga and now, one deer/elk rifle. Of course, my SIL has several I have given him through the years and can use when I want, so its no handicap to my "loonieism", ha.

Here there Jim shoot the 150 TSX with absolute confidence. It will pass thru mature elk even on sharp angled shots from front or back. . Because of it's length it will carry well. I have my own range out to 522yd & have seen many of the Barnes TSX bullet which are considered light for cal do quite well. These bullets are long for their weight . Some shooters only look at weight & fail to understand the BC of theses bullets. . Don't be afraid to use the 150 in your 300. It's performance ability will amaze you once you actually shoot some. Save the heavier 168's & 180's for King Kong.

I've never seen anything like of a 150gr TTSx at 3040fps in a 30-06. Hot knife in butter. Nothing is going to stop it. I'd prolly look at the 165 or 168 in the wsm. But if you don't go heavier.. don't worry that 150 is one wicked mother [bleep].

Jim: Using an online recoil calculator and reloading data for the 150 tsx and 180 tsx Barnes bullets the difference in recoil energy is 3 lbs. in a 7.5 lb rifle. That is the difference in recoil between a 22 Hornet and a 204 Ruger. Loonieism indeed.

Placed proper it wont do an elk any good.

Barnes website has load data.

I like the 165-8 for Elk but the 150 and even 130 will do just fine. Been loading 150 BT for deer in my 300WM and a max charge of R16 will fold them up like a taco. Check the Alliant and Speer sites for the particulars. R23 is another to check out for it's excellent temperature change resistance.

But you see Bob, I've been there, done that ( over a dozen Plains game with the 180 XBT and antelope/mule deer with the 180NBT ( the older ones that fragmented!) ha I just want to play with something different.

That 150gr TTSX will absolutely ruin anyting you shoot. Nothing is gonna stop it.

For comparison's sake, in my experience, using a 30-06 for years with both bullets, the 180 CoreLokt and the 130 Barnes TSX are very similar in performance so far as penetration and wounding. If anything, the TSX has an edge when big bone is encountered.

I misunderstood Jim. I thought the purpose of the exercise was recoil reduction. When I messed up a shoulder I loaded 150 grain bullets in my 300 WM thinking it would help. It did not.

Finally got to try some 150TTSX loads out last week. The best accuracy was 77.6gr H4831sc and 72gr R17. I'm using Jagmann new brass, which is pretty thick brass. Can't get listed Max, but not to worry. Since the range filled up early, I couldn't set up my chronograph. However, the H4831sc went 3 shots into a nice .5" avg and the R17 went into the 3's, actually cut each other! Nice to have a "bonafide varmint rifle" to shoot a big target with! ha.

It will work. Dropped a cow Fri, 7 WSM 140 TTSX. Quartering away, feeding, 300 yards, I put it right behind the onside shoulder, came out the front of the offside shoulder. DRT. Shoot your elk with confidence.

Why is this thread still rolling along? Are there actually Campfire members who doubt a .30-caliber, 150 TTSX won't kill any elk, regardless of whether the cartridge is a .300 magnum or some other .30?

My thoughts exactly!!!

I'm just tickled my rifle likes them! ha

I use the 150 TTSX BT in my .300 H&H because it's very accurate, but I have not shot an elk with it. I did use this bullet several days ago in my New Ultra Light Arms .308 on an elk hunt in New Mexico. Worked very well on a bull at 175 yards. I load to a muzzle velocity of about 2850 with H4895 powder.

How far off the lands? I like the Barnes bullets, but I can not find the accuracy.

Any tips?

I've tried H4350, Imr4350 and now playing with R17, decent accuracy but room for improvement.

I seat them a full .10 off the lands, and I FCD them. I am convinced that the monos need a good "bullet pull" for best results. The case mouth crimps just into the second groove from the tip. Like it was made for it, ha. R17 really stood out for me.

I'm sure they'd work, however I'd be inclined to drop to a slightly lighter bullets. In penetration tests, one gunwriter has found that Barnes penetrate the same distance as Partitions weighing 1.2 times as much. Therefore a 150gr Barnes should penetrate about like 180gr Partition. Unless you and your rifle are set up for shots over 400yds I'd probably drop down to the 165/168gr bullet and enjoy the extra speed. In my limited experience with Barnes, more speed is more better. I'd also go with the tipped ones.

I got to chronograph my two loads last week. The H4831 load went 3307 and the R17 load went 3367, average for five shots. Pretty fast. I loaded the 168 TSX for a friend to use in his 300 WSM and he has used it on a a lot of big animals with great success. I just want to see how flat this 150 TTSX will shoot for me. I don't shoot past 375 if I can help it, so I am a "point and shoot" guy.

For deer the 130gr TSX is deadly & this side of 400yds it excels. Plus reduced recoil & super quick time of flight. When larger game like elk are encountered the 150 TSX/TTSX will give complete penetration even thru bone. . Will penetrate two elk side by side. There is still the perception by some about what a certain cal bullet should should weight for specific game. The copper mono's have changed this dramatically. The Barnes 150gr TSX/TTSX has a BC similar to a 165gr C&C bullets.. My 6.5's put elk down decisively with Barnes 120gr TSX/TTSX. So a 30 cal with the 150gr TSX/TTSX Barnes should be Godzilla capable. Nosler partition is an excellent bullet, but the copper mono's far exceed it's capability to penetrate when heavy game with heavy bone is the target. To me the copper mono's inspire total confidence.

Yep, 50 years ago when I didn't have the benefits of internet knowledge, I just loaded Hornady 150 grain Spire Point and Sierra 180 grain GameKing bullets in my .30-06 and didn't have any problems putting an elk in my freezer every year.

Another year while I was on a solo DIY sheep hunt in one of Montana's Unlimited sheep tag areas, I didn't hesitate in putting a 117 grain Sierra GameKing bullet from my .257 Ackley behind the shoulder of what turned out to be one of my best 6x6 bull elk for an almost instant DRT kill.

I used Norma brass, cci 250, and I think 73g of superformance with a 150 ttsx from my 300 wsm to shoot diagonally through a moose at 547 yds.

The load clocked just under 3400 fps and shot my best group ever with it. Group looked very much like 1 bullet hole you had to look very close to tell it was 3.

I usually shy away from ball powders in hunting rifles but superformance is awesome with 150s in a 300 wsm. It will break 3400 fps with great accuracy.

Bb

Barnes 180 gr ttsx in 3006. 347 yards , 1 shot. Dropped where he stood.
I'm sold on ttsx.

Its been 20yrs since I used a 300WM extensively, so this was my experience...The Ballistic Tip ( mid 90s) was still soft then, and I started out with the 180. It really "tore up" a dainty antelope doe ( 347 steps) and a mule deer 3x3 ( 75yds) I went straight to the 180 XBT ( pre TSX for you Millennials :)) and it solved the problem! I later tried a 300 RUM ( had to make brass from Lazzeroni cases, no RUM s were available then, too early.) I also tried some "boutique", hand made 150 "bonded" ballistic tipped looking, moly coated bullets. I had those puppies screaming! ha It shot flat, yes sir, but I ended up shooting another muley about 60yds away. Wow! What a mess. I went back to the 300WM and when I had an opportunity to shoot Hill Country deer, I bought some Federal Blue Box (said on the box they were Sierra 150 Pro Hunters) figured they would open up quick in those small deer. They acted like Partitions! So, I learned that, in my limited experience, in a magnum anything, if I didn't want a mess on game, I shot Barnes or Partitions. Some Sierra Pro Hunters on smaller game, I'm OK with. Since I love to handload/experiment with loads, I always try to find a reduced velocity "deer load" in any magnum. Sometimes I get lucky, most of the time I don't! This 300 Mesa likes the Hornady 150 SST about 2750fps, solid 1" for 3 shots but "in my same zero". I'm not one of those that change loads on a hunt. I set out with what I want to use on that animal or location. I won't change my "main load zero", so any reduced load/or heavy bullet load has to shoot to same zero. Lots of fun for me anyhow, ha.

After seeing what has happened to 3 different deer shot with a .223 Rem and 55gr TTSX, I would have no problem what so ever shooting nearly anything with a 150gr TTSX.

Hey Tzone...I killed an 80 pound shoat around 70yds with a 50gr XLC from a CZ 527/221 fireball rifle! Made a 50 caliber hole all the way through, one and done, ha! They work in .22 caliber coyote killers!

My kids have been hammering deer with the .223/55gr combo now for a few years. no way you could get more damage from a bigger caliber.

There was a fellow posting around here on some forum, may have been here, that used the heavy 75-80 Match bullets in his 223 for his kids. They had shot some mule deer and he took pictures of the damage. Wow! I was amazed and I am not easily "amazed". lol. My Marine SIL said even as far back as 2002, his first tour of the sandbox, their SgtMajor had procured them BlackHills 9mm HP and the 77gr OTM of some kind. Pure death and destruction he said...but Force Recon guys can shoot...very accurate and very fast, ha. I know this isn't 150TTSX, but hey, as the OP, I can "visit"....most Texans use or have used very small caliber rifles....the deer are close, for one thing and small. Plus, its fun to play with different ammo!