Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 130gr. TTSX in 30-06

Probably only going to get to hunt antelope this year so thinking of using this combo.

Would appreciate loads and any on game experience with this bullet.

Thanks for your responses in advance!
Elk Country

They work well in a 300 Savage, should be hell in a 30-06!

They work very well in my 308 as I’ve been using them for years! The Varget load I shoot in the 308 gives me about 3175 fps and the terminal results are outstanding with mostly bang flops! I’ve probably killed 25+ deer with this load. Accuracy is excellent in my 12 twist 08 and my 10 twist 06. My 06 load is about a 100 fps faster than the 08 but I haven’t shot anything yet with it. I am certain the results will be the same….excellent. I would not hesitate to use these loads on elk either!

I load the 130 TTSX to just under 3,200 fps in a 308 with superb accuracy. Haven't take game with it yet but I'm not worried about it.


Okie John

They should be awesome! However, if you do any (really) long range shooting…..I question their ability to retain speed, energy, and their ability to resist wind drift!

With the velocities that are achievable with the 150’s in the 30-06….I’d seriously look at those! JMO memtb

Now, the 150 gr TTSX for reloading is designed with a 2000 fps minimum in case reloaders shoot it from a 300 magnum cartridge where the 150 TTSX shot from our factory loaded Vor-Tx ammo in 308 Win or 30-06 is rated to expand down to 1600 fps

The 130 TTSX shoot very well from my .308Win, although finding an accurate load too some effort. I'm currently using Benchmark for 3,130 fps and get sub 2" groups at 400yds. I shot a nice 8 point buck that was facing me at just over 200yds. He was literally slammed to the ground and never even twitched.

It's hard to beat that performance.

I shoot the 130gr TSX in my tikka 30/06 after a buddy recommended the combo to me. He said said keep ranges under 400 yards. It has put the smack down on several Virginia whitetail. Varget is only powder I tried (also on his recommendation)

Should work fine.

A 130 retaining near 100% of its weight is very close to a 180 lead bullet that may have the ability to retain 70-75% of its weight, which would be very high for even a bonded bullet.

B.C may not be there with the Barnes but under 400 who cares. With that kind of speed it will be a killing machine.

Personally I could use it on anything in NA.

I like the 80 grain TTSX in my 257 Roberts so much that I decided to load the 110 in my 30-06 last season. The 130 would have been fine, too. I had shoulder surgery in 2020 and have found that I am now more recoil-sensitive, and none of the deer where I hunt need 180 grains slung at them.

I used TAC and CCI magnum primers. Based upon JB's writings, I didn't bother with standard primers. The first two loads, 52 and 52.5 grains, both grouped under an inch for three shots, so I stopped. Velocity was around 3150. According to Western Powder's data, I could have gone all the way up to 58.2 grains, but I don't see the need. They list TAC for the 130, too.

Well ...

Well, if Trump is "LITERALLY HITLER!", then...

3400+ fps, moly coated using R15, 22" barrel. They work well.

My wife has been shooting the 130-grain TTSX in her "big" rifle, a custom .308, for several years now, as her recoil headaches kept getting worse. The "reduced" load I eventually worked up gets about 2850 fps, and it definitely works on bigger animals than deer.

Couple years ago she killed the biggest cow elk either of us have taken, as large as many branch-antlers bulls. It was quartering toward Eileen at around 250 yards, and she aimed for the near shoulder. At the shot the elk staggered 20-25 yards and keeled over, obviously done for when the bullet hit.

It had broken the should just above the big joint, ending up under the hide in the middle of the ribs on the far side. It had lost all its petals so "only" retained 62% of its weight, but I have seen plenty of other TSXs lose all their petals (and hence considerable weight) on other animals. All of them died promptly....

I pulled out a 30-06 that I hadn't shot much and loaded it with:

30-06 Remington, E6253xxx, 700 ADL, 130 grain Barnes TTSX, 9 ½, 60.7 grains Big Game, 0.72 MOA

That bullet proved to be in the most accurate load I could find for my 300 Savage.

300 Savage, Savage 99, 130 grain Barnes TTSX, 9 ½, 43 grains H4895, 1.18 MOA


I have not tried it in either of my 308's.

I was too short on these bullets by the time deer season came along and had to use different bullets. I got plenty for this fall though. Maybe a 130 grain TTSX will get a chance.

I have used the TXS (un-tipped) in my 308 for deer and antelope both. I zero 2.5" high at 100 and with that load you can hold on heir out to 300 yards. It has been excelled in all cases so far, and I would not feel under-armed taking it out for elk. I won't just because I have other loads and rifles I favor, but I'd trust a 308 with that bullet 100%. Using tough bullets in a 270 Winchester of 130 grain weight I know a lot of folks here in Wyoming as well as in Montana and a few in Idaho who have done fine hunting elk, so with 99% to 100% weight retention as the TSX will give you, I see no reason at all to believe it would not be fine for elk. Have no fears about using it for antelope.

As a side note; Personally I have seen better results with the TSX over the TTSX. Some of the TTSX bullets from several calibers seem to bend over when the tip come off to one side on impact. The bullets hold up fine, but can change course inside the animal more often then I like. Others may disagree, but that's what I have seen in 223, 25-06 7-08, 308, 30-06 and 300 Win Mag. It's true that any bullet type can turn inside an animal, but with many it's very rare. What I have seen with TTSX bullets is that it's a lot less rare. I saw it happen 2 time just last season. One Antelope kill with a 223 at about 175 yards and one elk kill with a 300 Win Mag at 263 yards.

I shot the 130 grain TSX in a Mossberg MVP 308. I use Lake City brass, CCI primer and 47.8 Gr or AA2230 In my rifle it gives me 3/4" groups for 5 shots at 100 yards. All kills so far have been at 300 yards and less and all have given me exits.
That's a max-load, so for anyone reading this that loads for the 308 Winchester please don't start with it. Drop to about 45 grains if you want to try AA2230, and work up checking for pressure and accuracy.

The BC is better with the 150, better yet with the 165, why the 130? Especially for pronghorns. Are 130's what you have in your bullet inventory?

Killed a elk with a 7-08 and 150TSX and two elk with a 308 and the 150TTSX. One bull quartering slightly towards me, a cow broadside,, and another cow slightly quartering away, all three exited and the exit hole was what I expected and what I like to see. Big enough to matter, but didn't blow an unnecessary hole in them.

In the last few years 130 grain TTSX is pretty much all we have been using in the 30-06 for deer. About 57 grains of 4895 gets them moving at pretty close to 3300FPS, and crazy accurate. I'm guessing we have shot close to 10 deer from 40 yards to 370 yards. The farthest tracking job was about 8 feet, all the others dropped in their tracks.

With pronghorn being kind of small, a 125 Accubond, Ballistic Tip or Sierra PH would seem like plenty. Compared to those, the 130 TTSX should be a giant killer.

I use them in a 308. Very accurate. In the last 2 years I have taken a black bear, 2 whitetails, a pronghorn buck, 3 hogs and a big bobcat and nothing has taken more than 1 shot. I am so impressed with them that I have loaded 200 rounds up. Great bullets in my opinion