Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 130 Barnes in 308

I’m sure there are threads on this, but here goes. Granddaughter has a chance to go Axis hunting on a big ranch in Marfa Texas for free. They want the hunters to use a 270 or bigger diameter bullet. She has a 243 and a Creed, so I was gonna loan her my 308 Savage. I was thinking about loading the 130 Barnes over 44 grains of H-4895 for her to try. She probably weighs 110 soaking wet. She has fired 30-30’s before and didn’t think it was bad.

I have the 130’s for a 300 Savage 99, did well on a couple of pigs. Do you all feel like this would be good for her to try. Her 243 is a Savage, so she will be familiar with my 308. Thank in advance!!

My daughter shot a 120TTSX/ 2,800fps load from her 7mm-08 M700 for a few seasons when she was about that size. We were at 42gr of H4895 (20"barrel), which was around 1.5gr below Barnes book max. I think 43-44gr in your case would be a good load worth trying in that .308. Those lighter Barnes in 7mm and .30cal have worked well for us at speeds in the 2,700 to 2,900fps neighborhood. Haven't caught on in a deer or hog yet, and recoil is not too punchy for a teenage shooter if the range sessions aren't terribly long.

Madalynn is 17 now. I don’t think she will ever get any bigger, bout the same size as her Momma. Killed this buck when 11 with the Savage 243.

The bullet will work hanco.

I am currently running the 130 gr. TTSX thru my Model 70 Classic. My load uses Lapua brass, Fed 210M primers and 50-51 gr. of TAC. I'm getting groups of less than 1". Velocity is 3,153 fps for the 50 gr and 3,260 fps for the 51 gr. I settled on 50.2 for the sweet spot at 3,170 fps.

I've killed 2 cow elk with my 308 and 130 ttsx 49.5g RL 15 and cci200's. Gets about 3050 fps and I've haven't been able to catch a TTSX yet. A 130 g bullet at ~3000 fps sure sounds like a 270 Win to me.

Good luck.

I say go for it.

You won't know what she thinks about them till she gives them a try.

The hunt should be a hoot for her.

She should be fine IME

lynntelk, have a Model 70 Classic also, and the 130 TTSX with Winchester brass, Win primers ,and 50.4 gr. of TAC will group 1" and sometimes 7/8". My velocity is 3180 and have tried it at 51 gr but groups opened up a little. Mine is a 1992 model bought when they first came out I believe. Have taken deer out to 320 yds and never recovered a bullet yet...am working on a 150 gr. load in TTSX for elk hunting TAC was made specifically for the 308 and I haven't found any powder that can match it in my gun.

Blueboy
Sounds like they were cut from the same mold. The one I was referencing for the loads listed earlier has a DOM in early 93 and is a stainless model. I have another like NIB 308 blue that has a DOM of 2002. I have taken a liking to the Winchester 308. Just like that one morning I woke up (could not resist using the word woke) and there were two Extreme Weather 308's in the safe also. But it seems only right because I have twin daughters.

Hanco

the .308 with a 130 TTSX over Varget at 3080 - 3100 is my main deer and pig round now. Have shot lots of deer and pigs and 100% exited. It is a wonderful combination and essentially the same as a .270 with a 130.

The 270 is what my oldest son shoots and it is a man don't get me wrong. Jack O'Connor's favorite and he made it famous. But Barnes has re-invented the 308 with the copper bullets. Less recoil, no holdover pass 300 yds, complete pass thurs, short throw bolt, and for reloaders less powder means cheaper to shoot. The 308 has been in my safe going on 45 years now and had been my go to for deer. The 308 is right there with the 270 in a 130 bullet, hard to believe but true.

I'm kind of jealous been wanting to go on a south Texas Axis hunt for a long while now. Marfa should be a great place for free range Axis.

The 308 130 TTSX has been my Nova Scotia deer hunting load for 5 years now can't go this year (closed up for the Covid). I agree with Winnie70 it turned my 308 into a 270 the 130 in the 308 really flattens the trajectory. It's an excellent choice for inside 300 yards deer hunting and H4895 and Varget are both great choices. I have harvested more than a few Nova Scotia whitetails which are about the same size as South Texas Axis bucks can weigh 160 to 250. I've said it before just hit em in the chest and watch what happens.

I am sure you're aware Axis do not bleed like whitetails so shot placement is a bit more important. Congratulations sir I wish your Granddaughter every success.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

I load the Barnes 130gr TSX for my buddy in his 30-06. Bullet does quite the job on big Midwestern whitetails. I would expect the same results on Axis.

I think what Hanco was asking was if anyone had experience with the reduced velocity with the aforementioned bullet, somewhere in the neighborhood of 2750 fps.

No, I’m gonna try to get right at 3000 FPS. She is pretty tough. She is a heck of a shot, hit pigs at 250 with her 243. The 80 TTSX went through both shoulders of a 200lb pig. The pig was walking when she hit him.