.308 Win. Barnes 130 TTSX

[jazz3ring]

Thoughts on .308 Barnes 130 TTSX for a bear hunt over bait?

Any one have experience with the 130’s on bear?

My daughter will be using a .308 for bear this fall which is currently set up with 130’s for deer.

I have access to 150 TTSX and 165 AB if heavier would perform better.

 

[roosiebull]

For mono, I would think that 130 will work better than a heavier slower bullet… bear are soft, shooting them well is important regardless of bullet or cartridge, I personally like a bullet that disrupts a lot for bear

 

[1uglydude]

For mono, I would think that 130 will work better than a heavier slower bullet… bear are soft, shooting them well is important regardless of bullet or cartridge, I personally like a bullet that disrupts a lot for bear

Agreed, and it wouldn't hurt to have the extra velocity to punch the mono through bone if she ends up shooting farther forward.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I personally like a bullet that disrupts a lot for bear

Agree, and I would consider the 168gr TMK or 168gr ELD since shots will be short over bait.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I have loaded Barnes for several different calibers from 22-250 to a monster 30. My guess is that you’ll go with the 130s out of a 308.

But… I’d load up both the 130s and 150s. Shoot them and see if there is a significant difference in accuracy and see what the actual velocity difference is. If the 130s have a tighter group and 200fps faster… I’d say you’re done. If the 150s have better accuracy and the velocity difference is less than what you were thinking it would be… then you may want to go the other way.

You said you had access to 150s. If you’re figuring a load out for your daughter, I would give you an unopened box for cheap if you can’t get ahold of any.

 

[jazz3ring]

ElkSlayer,
Thank you for the generous offer but I don’t reload, only use factory ammo.

My 308 shoots the 130’s extremely accurate. My dad has factory ammo in the Barnes 150 TTSX and Federal 165 Accubond that I have access to.

Shots will be close over bait, 30 yards max.

 

[MTtrout]

If the 130s shoot well then I’d go with them. Like others said shoot the other bullets too and see how they do if you want a heavier one. I’ve killed a bear, bull, handful of deer and several pronghorn with 150 ttsx out of my .308 and they all drop on the spot. No bullets have been recovered. I’m working on loading up some 127 lrx for a PRC and if they shoot I don’t see why I would t use them on the above animals. All animals have been under 200 yards with the ttsx if that matters.

 

[Wigeon kryptonite]

Biggest problem with shooting a bear with a “light” (I know 308 isn’t light, but it also ain’t heavy) caliber is not getting a pass through. Hair and fat clog up an entry wound real easy, but the exit wound is typically big enough to get get sealed up. Doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t kill the bear, but you may have trouble tracking it.

In my humble opinion, I’d put a premium on a pass through over a heavier bullet.


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[thinhorn_AK]

It will work perfectly, send it.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Biggest problem with shooting a bear with a “light” (I know 308 isn’t light, but it also ain’t heavy) caliber is not getting a pass through. Hair and fat clog up an entry wound real easy, but the exit wound is typically big enough to get get sealed up. Doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t kill the bear, but you may have trouble tracking it.

In my humble opinion, I’d put a premium on a pass through over a heavier bullet.


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Shots over bait are likely going to be 50 yards or less, likely 30 or less according to the OP. I agree with you on principle about favoring a pass through. However, there can be a HUGE difference in what happens in between entry/exit holes depending on the bullet construction. A tough mono in a .308 at 30 yards "may" not expand as reliably as a traditional cup/core bullet and certainly not as dramatically as a round designed to aggressively expand/disrupt. Check out the .223 TMK or .243 vs. .25-06 threads on here for more information on the importance of bullet construction.

At this range with the shock and awe of a high power, it may be a moot point, but its worth a comparison. A well-placed arrow and broadhead at 30 yards can easily kill a black bear, so a rifle shouldn't even be a debate.

 

[Rambler]

The 130’s will be absolutely fine! Don’t listen to any nonsense about those bullets not opening at close range or lack of pass thru. That bullet from a .308 will do both on the biggest black bear to walk this earth..

One consideration though, is that high speed impacts with Barnes at close ranges typically cause the bullet to shed all its petals. Just the shank exits with a very small exit wound. This is why you often here folks bloviate on the forums about Barnes bullets penciling through…

I said all that to say this, have the kid shoot for shoulders. One is good but taking out both on a perfect broadside shot is better. Either way that bullet will wreck a bear, just might not be much blood on the ground for tracking. Shoulders are insurance!

 

[Wigeon kryptonite]

The 130’s will be absolutely fine! Don’t listen to any nonsense about those bullets not opening at close range or lack of pass thru. That bullet from a .308 will do both on the biggest black bear to walk this earth..

One consideration though, is that high speed impacts with Barnes at close ranges typically cause the bullet to shed all its petals. Just the shank exits with a very small exit wound. This is why you often here folks bloviate on the forums about Barnes bullets penciling through…

I said all that to say this, have the kid shoot for shoulders. One is good but taking out both on a perfect broadside shot is better. Either way that bullet will wreck a bear, just might not be much blood on the ground for tracking. Shoulders are insurance!

I haven’t seen or heard of the TSX shedding the petals like that. Didn’t have an issue with a 300gr TSX shedding petals on a brown bear at 8 steps this spring.

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[eaglemountainman]

I'd stick with the 130 TTSX over the 150 TTSX. I like to go a bit light for caliber with monos, and those 130s are hammers.

 

[tater]

I pulled a perfectly mushroomed .277 diameter 130gr ttsx from the offside hide of a decent black bear as i was skinning it out this spring.
My buddy shot it at seventy yards, bear went ten yards.

 

[Rambler]

I haven’t seen or heard of the TSX shedding the petals like that. Didn’t have an issue with a 300gr TSX shedding petals on a brown bear at 8 steps this spring.

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[roosiebull]

Biggest problem with shooting a bear with a “light” (I know 308 isn’t light, but it also ain’t heavy) caliber is not getting a pass through. Hair and fat clog up an entry wound real easy, but the exit wound is typically big enough to get get sealed up. Doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t kill the bear, but you may have trouble tracking it.

In my humble opinion, I’d put a premium on a pass through over a heavier bullet.


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i agree in theory, but bear are very easy to shoot through, even a very large black bear is like shooting through a deer, i think they are even softer than deer. by design, you don't need to play near any heavy bone with bear, if you are hugging heavy bone on a bear, you are either shooting at a funky angle or aiming in the wrong spot imo... i don't shoot middle of middle like many suggest, but i'm not hugging the pocket either like i do with deer or elk.... a 130gr mono at sub 50yds is way enough to shoot through the largest of black bear.

the most impressive passthrough i have had with my bow was on a really big bear (just shy of a 20" boar) and at the time back in the day i shot a light arrow (380gr) didn't know what tuning was, and that arrow blew through him and went about 30yds beyond the bear (due to the angle) and literally buried half of the arrow in the mud.... bear are not good at stopping projectiles.

the only bear i can recall not having 2 holes was one i shot at 12 steps with my 270 and a 130gr sst, that bullet completely grenaded on the on side of that bear, the off side lung was all blood shot, but i couldn't find any holes in it, and couldn't find a little scrape of any kind on the off side of the rib cage, that soft bullet with very high impact velocity disintegrated on impact... he was also a giant, and went running by me within an arm's reach full tilt as i was trying to work the bolt, haha... glad he wasn't actually coming at me, because it wouldn't have worked in my favor.... he only went another 20yds down the hill and moaned out.

the bigger issue with bear is they don't always create enough resistance to really disrupt a bullet, i have seen quite a few small exits on bear.... if shot through the lungs, it never matters, they die very easy when shot well.

a 130gr barnes from a .308 at 50yds is like shooting one with a 270 at 150yds with a larger diameter bullet, it's not even close to marginal

 

[Bc7mm]

i shot my 15th black bear a year ago, and have been witness to 30 plus. TSX work well, likely half of all these bears were taken with a variety of TSX bullets in a few different calibers. Double lung they dont go very far. We’ve taken bears up to 6 foot 7 inches nose to tail, it plays out the same each time, get both lungs and tracking is a very, very short trail.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

I haven’t seen or heard of the TSX shedding the petals like that. Didn’t have an issue with a 300gr TSX shedding petals on a brown bear at 8 steps this spring.

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I shot a Kudu at about 50 yards and hit the spine at a hard quartering to, all we found was the shank, the petals came off promptly. Its the only Barnes I've had stay in an animal.

All that said, I doubt a .308 will push it fast enough to shed anything.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Thoughts on .308 Barnes 130 TTSX for a bear hunt over bait?

Any one have experience with the 130’s on bear?

My daughter will be using a .308 for bear this fall which is currently set up with 130’s for deer.

I have access to 150 TTSX and 165 AB if heavier would perform better.

Don’t over think it, just do it.


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[Mtnmilsurp]

I sure would appreciate anyone sharing any load experience. I tried 51 grains of BL-C2 which is right about Barnes minimum charge (50.7) and I got a flattened primer and faint wipe marks. I used federal brass and they used Winchester. Barnes shows a max charge of 56 grains but 54 grains overflowed the top of my federal cases.


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