Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 80 gr TTSX from an 18" .243

Question for the 'fire,

My son's .243 has a short barrel on it, was a youth sps. Initially used the 100 Hornady boat tail soft points, once. And only once, would only use them in the future on a coyote. So went to the 95 gr ballistic tips. Love them. Never caught one yet, accurate and very happy with them. I started loading the 95 gr partition because of the bears around here, and he used it once on a deer. It worked for sure, but didn't exit. Not what I was hoping for. Was going to load up more ballistic tips but got a hankering to try the ttsx. What I am wondering, is if I can get enough speed out of the short barrel to open it up. I have used and LOVE the ttsx out of my 22-250, so am familiar with them in passing at least.

Shots would be 200 and in most likely.

thanks

I load them to 3350 out of a 22" so think you'd still have plenty of fps with the 18".

If you don't have any yet, let me know. I just scored 3 boxes at Academy for $4.98 a box. I'll send you up some gratis.

Guess proof'll be in the pudding.




Thanks for the offer man, I picked up a box the other day. Paid a hell of a lot more than $4.98 though!

I couldn't pass them up for the closeout price.

I wouldn't have walked past them either!

The 80 TTSX will do a number on deer and pigs

I'm sure it does hanco, no doubt. Just wondering how fast a guy needs to run them for them to open up.

Hey BGG, I just remembered when my shoulder could handle a 45-70 I emailed Barnes about their expansion velocity on their 45-70 bullets. They were very prompt in their reply.

That's good advice Paul. But I'd rather hear from guys who've had it in the field. If nothing else I'll stand on them and shoot some pieces of wood and see what happens. Just gotta find data with the powders I have on hand. Found plenty of data on the 6mm rem but kinda short on the .243.

What powders do you have on hand? You should be able to get at least 3250 I’d guess with the 18” barrel depending on what powders you have. They will work just fine especially within your given ranges.

Hey Gruff long time no see.

I'm as far away from a Barnes fan as you can get. I recently jumped through all the hoops required to give a rifle to a good friend (PH)'s wife in RSA. When I took the rifle I took 50 rounds of 87 grain VMAX and 50 rounds of 80 grain TTSX to her.

She was kind enough to let me use the rifle while I was there. I loaded up the TTSX up to about 3200 FPS out of a 20" barrel.

Still not a Barnes fan but discovered they work pretty well if you can hook some bone on the entrance side.

If things got ugly with a bear in your country I kind of think hitting CNS with any deer capable bullet might pay dividends.

Best to you and yours.

Varget and H4350



Yeah, I'd rather just keep rocking the BT, but figured the TTSX would only be more of a good thing if she opens. Put that little barreled action in a wood BDL stock I got here off the classifieds. Makes for a neat gun.

If you can get it up to 3k, it should be fine to 200 yards. It would be doing 2400 fps+ at that distance, and I like to keep it over 2200 for decent expansion (although it would probably work down to about 2k fps).

I'd keep shooting the 95 BT myself, although they won't penetrate like a tsx, they will destroy more tissue.

I dont see either one immediately stopping an angry bear without a CNS shot and the NBT kills deer sized game a lot quicker

Just my . 02

I get 3221 fps with the 80 TTSX with 39.0 grains of Varget out of an 18" Ruger.

It's one hard hitting bullet. People that question tissue damage need to see it in action.

Impressive blood trails with broadside chest shots and have never had one stay in a deer even after smashing shoulders or neck

I have used the Barnes TSX 85gr. and the TTSX 80 gr. a lot in my Mauser 6 mm Remington. For S'nGs ([bleep] 'n Giggles) I downloaded some loads to emulate downrage performance at super longrange w/o shooting so far.
I later used 2300 fps as my lowest impact velocity - and that is well high, I am sure.

If you load for 2900 fps (also conservative, me thinks) you would still be up that 2300 fps threshold and well within the performance envelope of the 80 gr. TTSX in your sons .243.

I see, great minds think alike. :-)

One more thought - have the rifle threaded and a can added. A suppressed .243 is only surpassed by a suppressed .308 in general hunting usefulness and straight up panache :-)

Greetings, friend!

Just wanted to echo your feelings on the usefulness of hunting with suppressed rifles. I am thrilled with the results I got from My 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor with the appliance attached. Makes like so much nicer.

Thanks guys.

Suppressor would be a wet dream, but not happening any time soon.

Well. It’s nice, but ain’t no wet dream. It sure makes a 308 quiet with sub sonic loads. I’ve shot a half dozen pigs, hardly gets their attention when you shoot. They come right back when they leave if you cold cock them victims so they don’t squeal or run.

Both my youth model .243s have short barrels. 16.5” on a Ruger Compact and 18” on a Remington. My kids have been stacking big game with them for years exclusively with the 85 TSX. Hits hard, kills fast, doesn’t recoil much.

The ruger gets them going @ 2880 and the Remington at just over 3000.











Most game has been inside 200 but they have taken some at 275-300 and performance was good.

I am sure the 80 would perform similarly if not better as the tipped version probably opens a little easier.

Nice pics of some good looking youngsters enjoying the great MT outdoors! Hopefully you'll post some pics of them with birds from Freezeout after this coming weekend.

Unfortunately no waterfowl plans this weekend. Trying to clean up Fall projects before antelope... then the youth hunt... then the general... then lion... then bear lol.

Agreed. I'm running them at 3180 with a mild charge of RL15 in a 20in barrel. I feel sure you can get 3100, which is plenty fast. You will be pleased with the performance. My daughter has killed 11 deer with 11 shots using that combo.

I always wanted to try them out of my oldest sons model 7 with 18” Barrel, but seeing how many 95nbt I have has kept me from buying and trying them. If I’m ever lucky enough to snag them as cheap as Paul I would grab all I could and perforate some deer with them

Same with the .308 110 Barnes bullet for blackout. Have too many 125nbt to justify buying them but maybe I will try them soon

Sounds like the 95nbt working great for you. Has worked great for me as well. Why change I suppose

I have used a bunch of the 85's @ 3200 from multiple 243's including 1/2 dozen friends' rifles. I'm running 45gn of Ramshot Hunter which is about 1gn under max, but, it's very accurate in multiple rifles from Kimber, Winchester, Remington, Wby Vanguard/Howa 1500 and at least 1 Savage. Personally, I can run FL sized cases loaded on a Dillon 550 into a Kimber MT, Rem Mt Rifle, Rem 700 BDL, or either of 2 M70 SS Classic Fwt's and they're all sub-MOA w/that load.

They can get a bit quirky at 3,600 fps out of a .240 Wby. Should be great at .243 speeds.

DF

had a 500 lb bear show up while hunting when I lived in Minnesota...

it was pissed I was trespassing on its little territory evidently..

I was using a 243, with 95 grain Ballistic Tips for a load... factory Federal ammo..

one shot put the bear down at 100 yds or so...
a second shot up close killed it... but I don't think it was needed... the thing was busy dying..

but my mind was telling me and my bladder, I was hunting with a 243.. and that was a pretty good sized bear..
and they have been known to recover and get up and continue the chase...so I bought the insurance of a second shot...

Thanks Med River... Love the pics, and thanks for posting..

Love to see the smiles on young men when they are getting their first game in their young lives..

Don't think there is anything more rewarding than being with your kids out hunting and they have success...

Rewarding for the kids, but more so for we parents and grand parents...

I read this thread with much interest as I've gone through a similar thought process with a fairly recent purchase of a 20" Howa 243. I've had good success with TTSX's in other cartridges but finally decided to load 95 gr Partitions in my 243 (we have so many great bullets to choose from!). I haven't shot anything with the Howa yet so I don't have anything to contribute.

I do, however, have a question for Dirtfarmer. You mentioned that the TTSX's were "quirky" at 3600 fps in your 240. Are they quirky in terms of accuracy? Quirky in terms of expansion?

Thanks and VOTE TRUMP!

Anyone have a box of 243 80gr TTSX they would sell me? I thought I had a couple boxes for grandkids, but I was mistaken.

Hanco, Midway has 80gr .243 GMX blems for $12 a box of 50. 24 cents a piece.
I have plenty from last years blems so I didn't get more.. yet