Any of you guys using Barnes bullets in a 338 Win Mag for elk? Results and thoughts on this please. Thanks

They will work. I shot 225 grain Partitions into elk with mine for a few years until I tired of the muzzle blast and lost too much hearing, beyond what the USMC did for me back in the 70s. I use mainly TSX/TTSX now for all big game hunting. Last bull I killed with a 165 grain TSX from a 30-06. Partitions do just as well. I'm just caught up in the TSX/TTSX fad right now.

Maybe it will pass...

I just shot a grizz with a 338WM and 210TSX. Loaded to about 338-06 speeds, it performed amazingly well and anchored the bear at about 140 yards. Great performance!

I load 225 gr TTSX's to around 2850 fps with H-4350 in my 338 WM, haven't hit anything to speak of with this combo yet, but have loaded that bullet as well as the 225 gr TSX's for a few friends that have killed Bison, Elk, Moose and big Canadian Black Bears.

All reports have been, very nice accuracy, clean quick kills, and IIRC no bullets recovered to date, if they have recovered any I haven't seen 'em.

Gunner

I've shot several elk with the old Barnes X bullet, 225 grains. All very quick kills. I just have to get rid of them before buying any TSX bullets.

I loaded 210 gr Barnes TSX in my 338 WM for my African plains game hunt. Went 10 for 10 on everything from Impala to warthog to wildebeast and Kudu.

Should definitely kill an elk.

donsm70

I used the 185 gr TSX in 2005 on a pretty nice 5x6 bull at a lazer'd 280 yards from my 338-06. The bull just dropped at the shot, a pretty well placed slightly quartering facing shot. The recovered bullet, launched at 2900 fps, weighed 122 grs with all petals gone.

I've killed 2 or 3 Alaskan moose with the 225 in a 340 as well as a couple more with 225s in 358. They work fine. I would not have any doubts about dropping down to 210, especially if elk were on the ticket.

Put two 185 TTSXs into a smallish 6x6 with an impact ~2500-2550 FPS. Both went through. Bull staggered 20-30 yds. Very pleased.

Used the 210 gr TTSX to take 2 Alaska Yukon moose in the last 3 years. Pushed these a little over 3000 fps and they are pure death. Use them with complete confidence on anything you hunt.

have shot a number of whitetails with my 338, lots with the old original X bullet in 175 gr and now with the TSX in 185 gr. All worked very well. Only recovered 1 bullet. That deer was hit in rear and went forward and found under the skin in front shoulder, 28" penetration and still intact. Plan on shooting a elk this fall with 185 gr bullets. Do not feel the need to go any heavier. Lots of elk killed with much lighter bullets. Plus I know where these shoot and groups are excellent.

LOL, I saw 3 boxes of the older blue coated 225 gr .338 cal Barnes bullets at a favorite gun shop in Ft. Smith, Ar. the last time I was there.

Gunner

Have shot two elk with the 225 grain TTSX's using the Vor-Tx ammo.

Off a concrete bench with no wind and a lead sled getting just under 5 inch groups at 600 yards. Which means exactly nothing to me in the real world.

Both elk were shot on the long side of 370-390 yards. That's about my limit in the field.

Landkiller,

My wife has taken 5 or 6 elk,1 moose, and a black bear with Barnes 225X's (the old style,we had lots of them) all being one shot kills. She's pretty particular about bullet placement!! The closest was 30 to 35 yrds. on a cow elk and her longest was a small bull elk at a measured 400 yrds. She's convinced that they work. Will be working on a 225 TTSX load before fall!!
memtb

Last 2 elk shot with 180gr Barnes (30/06). No bullets recovered due to pass throug. Work for me.

Shot a 6x6 in AZ last December with a 225 gr TSX at 150 yards or so. Hard quartering away shot, took out last rib on nearside, exited offside shoulder, bull dropped at the shot.

Now, that's a first! Barnes bullets weighing more when recovered than when fired!

Last time I checked, 122grs was less than 185grs. Maybe the poster edited his post when he coaught an error?

However, if his bullet HAD weighed more, that would most assuredly not be the first time such had happened. Quite common for a Barnes bullet to not lose any of its weight or mass when passing through, but pick up some meat etc in the proccess of blasting through the now decesed critter and then weigh in at more than the original spec unless cleaned thouroughly.

To the original question, I use exclusively 225gr TTSX bullets in my 340 and to great effect. I see the 224TTSX as the best overall or all around bullet to use in a fast 33 (338WM or larger/faster) of any flavor. In my wildcat 340 Tyrannosaur aka 338-8mmRemMag I am getting 3100fps at the muzzle and they flat out kill stuff DRT.

Having never killed an elk, I don't want to talk out of my posterior end, but I have been around elk before. Looking at the 210gr TTSX, I can't imagine it not being enough for any elk-sized animal. This is one pictured to the right of a 223AI loaded round.




I load them for my father's old M77 338WM and it is not difficult to hit 2,900fps with 65gr of RL-15. It hits hard and doesn't beat the shooter to death either. You are basically looking at uppper-end 30/06 165gr ballistics, just packing 45gr more copper. I'd shoot an elk up the butt with it if need be.......

Shot everything from 210 to 250 in the 338 win mag in alaska.

Have never ever recovered a bullet that I"m aware of. One hit a 4 inch alder, a B/C blackie, and through a similar alder after the exit never to be found.

Have worked from very close up to just a bit over 800 yards on a caribou so far.

My buddy uses it as his backup gun when guiding for Brownies and still hasn't caught a bullet that I"m aware of.

Though the tests are probably over since he now has a 416 Ruger...

Re bullets weighint more when recovered... they can if the tissue and dirt isn't totally off them....

We actually like the 225 ttsx the best so far. Have not found any of these 224 ttsx you mention? Do you have a source?

Grins

A 180g works from my .300WM, cant think a .338" won't work just as well or better.

I used a 210 TTSX to take a NM bull last year and it worked very well. I just got back from a grizzly hunt and used 225 TTSX on that trip and the did a super job on the bear. Only good things to say about both. The shot very well, penetrated great, breaking shoulders bones exiting on both animals and did major internal damage. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Found this thread in a VAST search of the www LOL

Just getting ready to reload for the new to me Mod 70 Winchester I am setting up as my "All Around" hunter

I had a Mod 77 Ruger years back that I ended up selling, and this year I decided I wanted another 338

I used the 185 gr Barnes TSX as my all-around load out of a 24" bbl I was clocking just at 3000fps using Reloader 19

I think I am going try and mimic that load again adjusted for accuracy in the Winchester..

The thought keeps rattling around that if I go 210 TSX I will have a Load for ANYTHING I might hunt in North America and never have to adjust anything again

Glen, That’s the way we feel with the 225 TTSX. Darn near perfect, as a “do it all “ bullet in the .338 WM! But, I bet that the 210 would be a pretty good choice a# well! memtb

I've used the older Barnes 200X in 338WM on Plains Game, the 210 XBT in a 340Wby for Plains Game. I also killed a cow elk with the 185 XLC from a 338 WM. We also slew dozens of Plains Game with the 180XBT/300WM. I liked the 200x in a 35 Whelen AI I shot at 2970fps ( thats 338 WM territory) Really, for elk, whichever one you want to use in your 338 Pard! I shot the 160 TTSX to 3000+ fps from a little 338 Federal, thats 7mm Rem Mag territory! Have a ball man!

Really leaning toward the 210 TTSX now, picking up some Reloader 17 with the plan to work some loads this weekend see how the rifle likes the combination..

Just finished putting in a new 100-yard range that I can actually shoot from undercover, I guess it is now time to build a new bench since it can sit inside..

I had a 200 yard range, but trying to keep it clear had become a constant battle against Mother Nature this one crosses lawn and a corner of the 1/2 acre Garden should be much easier to keep open

Glen, What’s all that green stuff in the photos? Beautiful area that you call home! memtb

Yeah it really is pretty up here As a Colorado transplant the springtime up here was almost Shockingly GREEN hehehe

Idaho has a lot of water especially up here in the Northern Panhandle

A few years ago, the wife and I fantasized about relocating to the “upper panhandle”.....but, we’re just too old to start over! Good for you....color me “green” with envy! memtb

May not be the long range champ, but the 160 TTSX is very accurate in my 338-06 and does easily break the 3K fps ceiling. Reports claim it has great terminal performance. I’ve yet to kill something with it.

DF

My .338 gets 2900 with the 225TSX and H4350.

Carried it a bit, not bloodied yet unfortunately.

Sorry, not elk, but last 2 moose using 250gr TSX in my 338WM dropped in their tracks, dead before they hit the ground. I use Barnes TSX for everything, from coyote to moose.

yup use the 225spbt powered by 64 grains of n550 they drop in tracks

I use 225 grain North Forks out of my 338 on elk. If your Barnes work half as good as my NF's, they'll be a screaming success!

Haven’t used the TTSX in 338, have in 7mm 150 grain and 300 Weatherby 180 grain with very good results on elk.

A large Cow did a backflip over a small cliff after 2nd round hit her at 550 yards with the 180’s. This year’s cow had a trail of blood following the exit for 10’ in the snow with a chunk of heart tissue at the end- 10 yard slide downhill shot from 240 yards.

Tough to beat Barnes accuracy & performance on elk.

A number of friends I hunt with use nothing but the 210 TTSX and I have personally seen it used on many bull moose and at least three interior brown bears and two Kodiaks. Have only seen a few caught, two in one bull moose and one in another. All hit big bone at an angle and stuck in it. The two bulls that caught a bullet each went about six feet... straight down.

If the stars align, i.e., renewed passport in hand and open borders, I will be taking the long ago mentioned 338-06 with the 185 gr TSX to northern BC (Toad River area) for 15 days of goat, moose and elk chasing this fall. Maybe a lucky mountain caribou...

Good luck!
I look forward to seeing the report when you get back. I'm hoping to go back to Newfoundland next year with my .338-06.

My elk hunting partners use 210TTSX's. One loads over IMR 4350, the other over R-15. Both of them have taken 1 moose each w/the 338Win/210TTSX combo.

I have seen at least 3, maybe 4 elk killed with the 210TTSX by one of them as well. The results are Indistinguishable from the dozen elk and 1 moose I've taken w/300Win 200TSX.

I have killed two bulls with the .338WM and the 210gr Barnes TTSX. One was at 405yds and one was at ~100yds. Recovered bullets were text book Barnes. I also shot a Whitetail deer at 100yds with the same 210gr TTSX load......wanted to see how the bullet expanded (didn't want to hit any bone), so I purposely shot it low behind the front leg taking out the bottom half of the heart. The deer ran about 35yds and there was a blood trail that a blind man could follow. I really like the 338WM on elk and I don't think you could go wrong with the following bullets (use the one your rifle likes best): 210gr TTSX, 225gr TTSX or the standard 250gr Nosler Partition.