barnes 150 ttsx bt - 09/26/18
I wasn't a particular fan of the "tipped" Barnes bullets because the untipped versions always shot accurately and worked perfectly on game. While developing loads for a new Remington 700 5R heavy barreled .300 Win. Magnum, I tried many bullets, including the 150 TTSX BT.
The Remington has not been an Internet "all day long " rifle, but I've gotten enough groups in the 5/8" -1" range to know that it's accurate, especially so with 150 TTSX. This led to trying the bullet in another Remington 5R, this one in .308, and a coupe of pre-'64 M70s, a .300 H&H, and a .30-06 Fwt. In all these rifles, the 150 Barnes shot more accurately than whatever loads I had previously used. As expected, the recoil was noticeably reduced over that generated by the 180 Partitions that I had used in the .300 H&H and the .30-06.
I also tried H4895 in the .30-06, a powder I had used little in this cartridge, having long ago settled on H4350 as the best powder. H4350 does well with the 150 Barnes, but seldom could I get a group much below an inch (3-4 shots for load development) at 100 yards. The H4895 loads will generally group within 3/4".
I still have work to do, but the 150 TTSX BT at this point appears to be a good choice for all my .30 caliber rifles. I no longer hunt anything except elk, but this should be a good bullet for that.
The Remington has not been an Internet "all day long " rifle, but I've gotten enough groups in the 5/8" -1" range to know that it's accurate, especially so with 150 TTSX. This led to trying the bullet in another Remington 5R, this one in .308, and a coupe of pre-'64 M70s, a .300 H&H, and a .30-06 Fwt. In all these rifles, the 150 Barnes shot more accurately than whatever loads I had previously used. As expected, the recoil was noticeably reduced over that generated by the 180 Partitions that I had used in the .300 H&H and the .30-06.
I also tried H4895 in the .30-06, a powder I had used little in this cartridge, having long ago settled on H4350 as the best powder. H4350 does well with the 150 Barnes, but seldom could I get a group much below an inch (3-4 shots for load development) at 100 yards. The H4895 loads will generally group within 3/4".
I still have work to do, but the 150 TTSX BT at this point appears to be a good choice for all my .30 caliber rifles. I no longer hunt anything except elk, but this should be a good bullet for that.