150 Gr TTSX-308 Win(or other non lead loads)

[Wiscat]

Does anyone have any experience with this combination? Load suggestions? I generally start with Varget for my 308.

I am looking for a lead free option after blowing up an Accubond on a deer last year. (Not the accubonds fault: it was an 180gr hitting a hip at 3100fps) But the amount of lead that moved some distance from the wound made me think of switching to lead free for killing stuff my kids eat.

My concern is that out of an 18" barrel I will be running around 2650-2700 out of the muzzle and will be below 2000fps at 350-400.

 

[Tod osier]

I've shot a lot of deer with the 150s out of a .308 and had solid performance, most of the shots were under 200 yards. In not every case were there good blood trails, but the deer all died quickly. I have no complaints at all given the shot angles and operator error that was occasionally a factor.

Think about the 130s, they open up at lower velocities and can be pushed faster. I worked up a reduced load using 4895 for my son in his .308 and he put one through a very large cow elk this year with good results. That is only one data point, tho.

 

[RMajors]

I agree with Tod, try the 130's, copper bullets are a whole other animal than lead. They work best when pushed at extreme velocities. I'll link a video below of a 130 fired out of a 30-378 weatherby at 4100 fps plus that i think will be very illuminating about the performance of these bullets.

 

[wildwilderness]

For deer the 130s will work great. Also look at Hammer bullets, they are super accurate and fast copper. I asked them to make a 124 gr 308 bullet that I loaded with good results

 

[BjornF16]

I've used 308 Win 165gr GMX on whitetail. While lethal, I've always felt they ran too far for my liking. I've considered switching to .308 150gr solids for this reason.

I've shot whitetail with 280 Rem 110gr solids with great effect. Three data points...all DRT.

I've shot one 250 lb Axis deer with 7mmRM 139 GMX...DRT.

Best to go light for caliber with solids.

 

[TheGDog]

168gr TTSX .308 Win Barnes VOR-TX load knocked my first buck's body sideways something like 8-10 inches at a range of about 35-40yds. There was about a 6" circle of bloodshot meat on the entry would side. Definite overkill. I'd estimate that deer as weighing maybe 140Lbs I'd guess? The shot was a little back and high, and seems like the shockwave took out his rear legs since the path of wound was just under the spine. He went right down, but the front legs kicked with nerves for a significant amount of time afterward. Like you sometimes see on Hog videos.

 

[w squared]

I've had exceptional success with the 168 grain TTSX out of my .308 and the 150 grain TSX (flat nose/flat base) out of my .30-30. I think that part of that was due to the fact that all of the shots were inside 100 yards, meaning that there was still plenty of velocity.

For a short-barreled .308, I think that the first few posters in this thread are spot-on. The 130's will likely do everything you need on deer or similar game under 400 pounds as long as you make sure that they are still moving fast (2500 FPS or so?) when they impact. I would be VERY hesitant to rely on copper monolithic to expand below 2300 FPS unless it was one of the flat nose/open tip models. I've heard that they are designed to expand more readily at moderate velocities.

I know that you were concerned about the accubond blowing up on you - but if it hit at 3100 FPS, it probably wasn't out of a .308. If it was, I'd like your load data please

 

[Wiscat]

I know that you were concerned about the accubond blowing up on you - but if it hit at 3100 FPS, it probably wasn't out of a .308. If it was, I'd like your load data please

Sure thing! 75+gr RL 22..... And make sure your 308 is a 300win mag with a 24” barrel.

 

[grifmXC]

I’m currently working up a load with 150gr TTSX and CFE223. The node for me was at 2900fps out of a m70 featherweight with a 22 inch barrel. When I started to see pressure I was pushing just over 3000fps. Out of an 18 in barrel you should be able to hit 2800-2850 with no problems


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[TheGDog]

I’m currently working up a load with 150gr TTSX and CFE223. The node for me was at 2900fps out of a m70 featherweight with a 22 inch barrel. When I started to see pressure I was pushing just over 3000fps. Out of an 18 in barrel you should be able to hit 2800-2850 with no problems


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OH hey! Cool to know! I picked up some CFE223 to try using for the 70gr TTSX .223's! Cool to know of use for .308 as well, awesome!

 

[grifmXC]

OH hey! Cool to know! I picked up some CFE223 to try using for the 70gr TTSX .223's! Cool to know of use for .308 as well, awesome!

One word of caution is that CFE223 is supposed to be temperature sensitive, makes sense since it’s a ball powder, so I would be careful with using max loads on days significantly warmer than when you did your load development. What I have read on the web suggests roughly 1fps per degree...

That being said last time I was at the range I did a 10 load OCW work up and started with one shot from each charge weight (low to high) and then shot the remaining 3 of each charge starting at the max and working my way back down. Over the session the temp probably increased roughly 15-20 degrees. Yet several of the lower charge weights still had an SD in the single digits and ES less than 15. I would have expected larger SD/ES values due to temp swing.


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[Wiscat]

One word of caution is that CFE223 is supposed to be temperature sensitive, makes sense since it’s a ball powder, so I would be careful with using max loads on days significantly warmer than when you did your load development. What I have read on the web suggests roughly 1fps per degree...

That being said last time I was at the range I did a 10 load OCW work up and started with one shot from each charge weight (low to high) and then shot the remaining 3 of each charge starting at the max and working my way back down. Over the session the temp probably increased roughly 15-20 degrees. Yet several of the lower charge weights still had an SD in the single digits and ES less than 15. I would have expected larger SD/ES values due to temp swing.


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I burned a couple # of it through an AR last year. That shit is greasy! I am curious about it in a 308. I will see if I have any laying around yet.

 

[Wiscat]

I've had exceptional success with the 168 grain TTSX out of my .308 and the 150 grain TSX (flat nose/flat base) out of my .30-30. I think that part of that was due to the fact that all of the shots were inside 100 yards, meaning that there was still plenty of velocity.

For a short-barreled .308, I think that the first few posters in this thread are spot-on. The 130's will likely do everything you need on deer or similar game under 400 pounds as long as you make sure that they are still moving fast (2500 FPS or so?) when they impact. I would be VERY hesitant to rely on copper monolithic to expand below 2300 FPS unless it was one of the flat nose/open tip models. I've heard that they are designed to expand more readily at moderate velocities.

I know that you were concerned about the accubond blowing up on you - but if it hit at 3100 FPS, it probably wasn't out of a .308. If it was, I'd like your load data please

This post has me thinking. I've killed a ton of critters with an Accubond out of my 300 and 270. Maybe I will give the 165gr another go this season out of the 308. It should be pretty tame out of that gun at 2650; even up close in the north woods. Maybe I should look at something different in my 300?

Those Accubonds do shoot....

 

[brsnow]

The 168 ttsx is actually a LRX and opens to lower velocity, added benefit in comparison to the 165.

 

[grifmXC]

I haven’t tried the 165 accubonds yet, I plan on ordering some next time seconds are in stock on SPS. I have taken the 168 TTSXS to 2825 with no pressure signs out of my model 70 but stopped there because my gun has the factory 1in12 twist and that’s right on the stability edge length of the 168. But if you’re targeting deer, I would suggest the 130 TTSX. You should easily be able to push them at the 3000-3050 range out of your 18 in barrel. Only other suggestion when using Barnes bullets I have it to limit your range to whatever range the bullet goes below 2200fps for the TSX/TTSX and 2000fps for the LRX.


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[grifmXC]

The 168 ttsx is actually a LRX and opens to lower velocity, added benefit in comparison to the 165.

This is true, I’ve talked with multiple people at Barnes, their minimum expansion velocities are 1800 for the 165 and 1500 for the 168s. I would still recommend limiting range to wherever you hit 2200 FPS with the 165s and 2000fps with the 168s.

I think what Barnes quotes as minimal expansion is where the petals have opened Just enough so that it is 150% of bullet diameter... you can search the web but it looks like a little “+” on the tip. Nothing like their advertisements and far from what I would consider minimum. I think they recommended 200fps over minimum for full but I would at least double that as a safety factor.


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