Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 300 Win Mag 200gr TTSX for mountain grizzly in BC ?

Out of a 300wm the 168 TTSX shoot fast which helps then expand a little more reliably!

Not speaking for Dober but this is why I choose this particular weight!

Good question:

The answer is because traditional cup and core bullet were designed in ever increasing weights to counter the loss of weht during expansion and penetration. This is why 150gn bullet may be a traditional choice for use on deer in a .30/06 and the user could step up to a 180 or 200 grainers for heavier game using the same rifle.

The concept of the "X" bullet and their clones, is to retain 100% or near to it weight retention thereby permiting flatter trajectory with commensurate reductions in recoil.

The concept works, which is why the other bullet manufactuers jumped on the principle.

If you shoot game with a 150gn X bullet, it will penetrate deeper than most cup and Core bullets up to 200 grains weight and still hold together in bones are hit. Manay of the experienced handloads here, have opted for the middle ground which is why the 168gn version is popular and being designed and produced as a match grade bullet, gived people confidence in their choice.

John

As has been previously implied, our mt. grizzlies aren't all that big. You don't need that stout of a bullet. Any well-constructed bullet - the same you'd use for elk or moose -from 165 to 180 grains will do fine in your 300.

They like speed period. There is NO reason to use heavy for caliber X's, unless you are using big bores. The heaviest I would go is a 165 in .30 caliber for bear. It will penetrate from stem to stern and stir up the innards well.

I have shot critters with 3 different calibers using various X bullets. I have been present with many others, so this is not based on speculation. When shot slow with heavy for caliber, they are iffy and often pencil through. When shot fast, they kill like lightening and exit most of the time, unless a LOT of bone is hit. Above 3,200 fps., they have few rivals for wrecking bone and still getting exit holes.

I shot this 70 grain X's in a .22-250 for wild boar one year. These are leaving the muzzle at 3,100. This bullet was recovered from the off shoulder of a 90 lb. sow at 300 yards. Yes, she died, but the bullet wasn't too impressive. This weight of bullet didn't do much for me. I dropped down to the 53 grain X's and things went MUCH better.


Far right one was recovered from a small mule deer buck at 410 yards. I was shooting down on this buck as it was feeding away from me. The bullet took out 4 inches of back bone and ended up in the front shoulder.

Middle one was 350 yard trophy white tail, shot just right of the tail in the pelvic as he was walking away (yes, this is where I was aiming) Bullet was found in front shoulder after raking through a lot of bone.

Left bullet was recovered from a Texas Long horn off side shoulder (bullet smashed a lot of big bones). Bull was shot at 100 yards. These are all 100 grain XLC's leaving the muzzle at 3,500 fps. out of a .25-284.

Hey Flinch some of those appear to be partitions that lost the front half, is that what those wadd cutters are...grin

Dober

Most dangerous mushroom in the woods I love crunching bone, so this is the light fast bullet I like in the .25-284. Even with the lost petals, they still weigh more than the best partition Flinch

This is all starting to make sense, I think I will go with the 175 LRX @ 3100fps..

Good choice

The short answer to the question is - YES

Oooh. Scary blue bullets!

Have used the 200 TSX on a Alaskan mountain grizzly and was not happy with the results Dead bear but it took a long time and yes it did pencil through...more than once. Will be hunting them again this fall, same caliber, loaded with 200 partitions.

Lefty C

I have had no problems with an "X" bullets I have ever used or been on hunts where others used them. My personal experience is limited to 7mm, 308 and 338 calibers. The foregoing said, I have talked to several friends, including a game warden who saw it twice in one year, where small caliber X type bullets failed to expand and penciled through. The game warden said that he recovered a 270 cal TSX from a elk that was the 3rd one that it killed. He said that the bullet looked like you could reload it and shoot it again! They eventually recovered all three elk and the hunter got a ticket of course.

I have heard of several 22 cal and 6mm cal failures to expand but never a larger caliber. I wouldn't use the 200 grain as my bullet unless there was another compelling reason. These bullets really like speed to do their thing.


I have hunted wild feral cattle before. The most recent was a very large bull that weighed about 1800 lbs. After my experiences with 165 grain X type bullets, I decided that my 300 WBY was plenty and I loaded it up with 180 X bullets. The first round took him square through the shoulder at 250 yds. He reacted like he was bit by a fly- swating with his tail. I watched him for about 10 seconds and no more reaction. I shot again and this time he ran down a draw towards me. I had two more bullets in the mag, both were 220 grain A-square Mono solids.

I got in front of him and he was hell-bent on steam-rolling me. I casually shot him in the shoulder, twice with the 220s and all he did was change his lead. He was bearing down on me when my buddy ended it with a 180 grain soft point to the ear from his 30-06.

NONE of the bullets exited him. None other than the head shot had much impression on him. Bottom line, 308s are not for dangerous very heavy game!

The bullet on the left is what killed this bull...quickly! .25-284 penetrated to the offside shoulder, just under the skin. Flinch

Most BC MTN Griz will not top 450 lbs. More like 350 lb.
A 200 gr mono will do it but I would lean to 160 or 180 ish monos.
I think you'll find the 175 LRX plenty good enuf to geterdun.
Best of luck on your hunt.

I whacked this guy with a 200gr TTSX @ 2850 fps this spring. He went about 15' after taking one behind the shoulder at about yards

There are a few exceptions like the hungry hill grizz that topped 1000 lbs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobkh/387625744/

Hah! The exception to the rule no doubt.
When you look at his diet Beef, beef and beef no wonder. LOL
BTW..thanx for posting that link cool story.

I have used the 175 gr 7mm X on a number of animals and it always performed well even on very light game. This was before the going two steps lighter in weight with mono bullets theory was promoted.

I have had that combo in hand with a Bear snapping its teeth and looking agitated but never had to use it on one.

I would think the 200 would do the same with the TTSX supposedly much improved over the original. It is one of the best for finisher shots on a going away bear or a security shot on one down in the Alders. But all of the controlled expansion bullets over about 165 grains would work.

For every Barnes that pencilled through I would think that there would be twice as many Noslers that tumbled and finished the course going backwards. I have complete confidence in both bullets even though *hit happens.

I'd probably use a 180gr TSX. I've also got some 175gr LRX that I need to load up and test out.