Just purchased a used Remington model seven stainless in 260. I am thinking of reloading Barnes TTSX bullets for South Carolina deer. Would you go with the 100gr or 120gr? Shots opportunities can be up to 300 yards.

Which one would you choose and why ?

Whichever I could find and whichever I had the best powders for. I doubt a deer will be able to tell the difference.

If your alternate uses are varminty in any way (coyotes and such), I'd probably lean toward the 100gr for speed and trajectory. If other uses are hogs, I'd go 120's. Speeds are only going to be about 250fps different, part of which will get eaten up by the BC superiority of the 120gr at longer ranges. Out to 300yds, that doesn't matter so much.

mine mainly gets fed 100 grain bullets....

with an MV of 3350s... they are flat shooting and 300 yds is not an issue...

Not from a 20" barrel, right?

I'd think that a guy might hit 3,200 or so with a 20" pipe. Probably 2,850 to 2,900 with 120's. My last 260's were 22" guns.

127 LRX's have been doing good things in my Creedmoor, haven't tried them on game yet - I hope to remedy that soon.

David

Use which ever shoots better.

I've only used the 120gr. They were new on the market when I started, and they shoot very well out of my Ruger. Why quit it?

Kaiser Norton

I have a buddy that has a 20" barrel on his and he is getting 3150 out of his. I have a 22" barrel on mine and I am getting 3275. Both are shooting Nosler BT's and using H414

I've been running 120 TTSX w/R15 at 2,950 and stuff dies.

Glad to hear 16!! Midway had a sale on the 120 gr. ttsx and went ahead and bought them I also hav some reloader 15 along with some imr 4350

Good deal. I would prefer the 120s myself, but either will kill deer........

As a general rule I have found most rifles of any caliber do best in the mid-range of possible bullet weights.

That said, use what gives best accuracy for your needs, or if more or less the same, whatever bullet wt YOU prefer.

I would love to shoot 120's in my .260, but 5 shots generally go about 5 inches at 100 with factory Corelokts. Factory TTSXs went about 7"!!!

Factory Corelokt 140's go MOA or less, so that's what I use on caribou out to 400 yards or so. Better wind-buckers too I suppose.

Why do you need a Premium for white-tails?

Never argue with the gun......

Strike that, reverse it...

Just flipped through my notes. That load is 40.5 RL-15 2.800 with moly. Average is 2,901 FPS, 8.8 SD. Don't try this at home, work up, yada, yada.....

2,950 is 108 Scenars and lawn fertilizer, I mean Varget.

LAS....the reason I use premium bullets is because I am partly color blind. Picking up slight blood trails is difficult for me. I have shot a truck load of deer with Coreloks, Winchester, and Federal Fusions (Fusions worked the best for me). If deer are going to run after the shot and I am by myself I need really good blood trails.

Also, if you are hunting Caribou we are hunting in two TOTALLY different environments. I hunt cut overs and thick stuff. If you hit one and it runs in the cut over you might be on your hands and knees trying to get through briars and everything else trying to get to the deer. I have had DRT shots with "non" premium bullets, but I have had some run a ways too with good shots.

To each their own

I'd use the 100 grain on deer. They like to keel over with speed. Either bullet is going to shoot right through them.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with your decision I don't have any experience with the 100s but can tell you that the 120s will dispatch a WT with authority and probably another couple if they were behind it. They've shot well in both my 260s with H 4350 I get about 2900 with a 22" barrel and 2825 with a 20" tube. Accuracy very good with both at 50 thou off the lands. About a perfect deer load I'd say I wouldn't shy away from shooting a moose with it either.

Have the same rifle and a box of 100gr TTSX sitting on the shelf. Hoping to pop a deer or two with them this year

Barnes and broken shoulders and there's nothing to track...

Do those have a decent bc. I love triple shocks we there they have a plastic tip or not. I might lean towards the lighter bullet so expansion peels the pedals back farthere.

I'd maybe look into acubonds and berger vlds as triple shocks are to expensive to shoot.

I've been killing mice to deer with 115 vlds for the last 3 years or so

Ah! I understand now. Whatever works, works.

I hunt moose in thick stuff on the Kenai. Average shot over 20 bulls is about 70 yards - only two over 100, so I have a feeling for your deer situation. I've long since gone to bang/flop CNS shots which I can mostly get. Saves worry! And I'm not partially color blind - I just can't track worth a damn even if there is a blood trail... Not to mention once blood-trailing a moose after dark by flashlight in brown bear habitat...(found him). After about 20 years, I'm still puckered...

Bang/flops are GOOD!

Of course, a moose's spinal column is about as big as your deer's whole neck, and 8 feet long... an easier target.

I'd run 100's in the Barnes and drive them fast. I like the the lighter faster ones with solid copper expanders. I ran a 30 cal 150 ttsx almost lengthy wise through a moose last year. A 100 6.5 should go through a deer at almost any angle.

Bb