Is this going to be okay?

[Rome]

I’m doing a spring bear hunt in Idaho in 2025. This’ll be my first western hunt. I usually chase whitetail on the east coast. I’m currently planning to run my sig cross in 308 shooting a 168 grn Barnes TTSX round.

Is this going to be acceptable? The barrel on the cross is shorter than typical (16 inches), so that will drop some of the velocity of the round. Anticipated range would be 400yds and in with 150-300 being more likely.

 

[KenLee]

I'd rather be using 150 gr in a short barreled 308 in your scenario if I wanted to use TTSX.

 

[Rome]

I'd rather be using 150 gr in a short barreled 308 in your scenario

I’m assuming this is to achieve higher velocity, yeah?

I thought about that route, as well as just getting a longer barrel.

My intention is to build a more suitable western hunting rifle in the future. I just happened to have this 308 so I was hoping to make it work.

 

[KenLee]

I’m assuming this is to achieve higher velocity, yeah?

I thought about that route, as well as just getting a longer barrel.

My intention is to build a more suitable western hunting rifle in the future. I just happened to have this 308 so I was hoping to make it work.

Higher velocity to achieve expansion

 

[Rome]

Higher velocity to achieve expansion

I think that’s probably going to be the easiest answer.

I think I’m going to order some 150’s and chrome them.

 

[180ls1]

Nothing wrong with the rifle at all.

I'd try the Hornady Superformance 168 eld Match. It should give you the best velocity/expansion for the longest distance.

 

[Rome]

Nothing wrong with the rifle at all.

I'd try the Hornady Superformance 168 eld Match. It should give you the best velocity/expansion for the longest distance.

Can you elaborate on this? Why would this be better suited than a cartridge with a ttsx projectile?

 

[MHWASH]

IMHO, the Barnes is a bad choice simply because in my experience they rarely drop animals on the spot. Bears have a tendency to run into the thick stuff when they're hit, and it usually takes 75-100 yards before they start leaving a blood trail. We've shot several bears with soft quick expanding bullets and they've done an excellent job. If you were going to go hunting with me, I would firmly insist you shoot a different bullet.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Shoot something that will actually open. Even a core loct would be a better choice from a 16" 308.

 

[Rome]

IMHO, the Barnes is a bad choice simply because in my experience they rarely drop animals on the spot. Bears have a tendency to run into the thick stuff when they're hit, and it usually takes 75-100 yards before they start leaving a blood trail. We've shot several bears with soft quick expanding bullets and they've done an excellent job. If you were going to go hunting with me, I would firmly insist you shoot a different bullet.

What would you recommend specifically?

 

[180ls1]

Can you elaborate on this? Why would this be better suited than a cartridge with a ttsx projectile?

It will start out faster, maintain speed better (less wind drift too) and expand at lower velocities. All the above probably adds 300 yards to the distance it will kill at, that's just a guess. Run the numbers.

 

[MHWASH]

What would you recommend specifically?

I'd start here

Nothing wrong with the rifle at all.

I'd try the Hornady Superformance 168 eld Match. It should give you the best velocity/expansion for the longest distance.

 

[will_brap]

I have called a number of black bears in for friends and shot a couple myself. I’m comfortable using anything that kills deer well for bear. This is in the dry inland west. I think the 308 is fine.

I think you’re less likely to get a good blood trail with all the hair on a bear and they’re hard to find in the brush. I’d focus on a round that kills well, not on super deep penetration or exits. Id shoot aomething like the heavier ELD M or ELD X or SST.

I was not impressed with the few animals I’ve shot (or seen shot) with monos.

 

[will_brap]

I’m doing a spring bear hunt in Idaho in 2025. This’ll be my first western hunt. I usually chase whitetail on the east coast. I’m currently planning to run my sig cross in 308 shooting a 168 grn Barnes TTSX round.

Is this going to be acceptable? The barrel on the cross is shorter than typical (16 inches), so that will drop some of the velocity of the round. Anticipated range would be 400yds and in with 150-300 being more likely.

For context my son shot a cow elk at 255 yards with a 16” 308 AR10 shooting 165 SSTs at 2514 FPS at the muzzle. Bullet hit a rib, shredded the lungs, hit the offside rib and the base exited. I’d be VERY happy with that bullet performance in a bear.

The only bear I took with that AR10 and a SST was a shot in the head that would have been fine with any soft point.

 

[Pescetism]

I believe Barnes states min impact velocity of 1,800 fps with most TTSX but general consensus seems to be that 2,000 fps would be a better limit. Plenty of ELDM/TMK examples expanding well at 1,800 fps and possibly a bit lower than that. It would be better for you to input your own numbers but these charts give you a ballpark comparison between the two bullets. https://jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

 

[MT-nuffgun]

If I was in your shoes with that rifle and barrel length, I would shoot a 168 eldm or a 165 sst. Whichever one shot the best. The .308 with a 16” barrel does not lend itself very well to mono bullets at the ranges you describe due to lack of velocity. I’m not a fan of mono bullets myself, but most guys who have success with them are shooting high velocity and moderate ranges.

 

[Laramie]

Forget the monos. Great advice above by many.

 

[rickyw]

A mono like the ttsx may expand down to 1800 fps, but it won’t create a very wide wound at those kinds of velocities. The soft lead bullets listed above will still expand and fragment, creating a wider wound

 

[DawnPatrol]

FWIW, the Barnes rep I asked said:

“The 30 cal 168 gr TTSX, designed for 308 Win and 30-06 velocities … has a minimum impact velocity of 1500 fps which will get you about 1.7x expansion of the bullet’s original diameter. If 2x expansion is desired then add approximately 100-200 fps. The 30 cal 150 gr TTSX, on the other hand, has a higher, 2000 fps, minimum.”

not sure what velocities you are getting out of your 16” barrel at 400 yards

 

[Rome]

Thanks for the input everyone. I’m going to order some eldm rounds. I’ve got some TMK projectiles and varget I can load up and get some comparison data shooting them over the chrono