Moose/Grizz combo hunt- TTSX or Partition

Which bullet for a moose/grizzly combo hunt?

  • 180 Grain Barnes TTSX

  • 180 Grain Nosler Partition

  • Either one will kill em efficiently


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roymunson

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If both are equally accurate out of a 300 WSM, which one would you take with you to hunt at 180 grains?

TTSX or Nosler Partition

First shots are planned to be under 200 yards.

Or is this much to do about nothing? Take either one and put it where it counts.
 

AKDoc

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The NP and Barnes are both great bullets that have proven themselves very effective for many years.

That said, if TSX's or TTSX's shoot well from your rifle, then that would be my choice. Those are pretty much all that I handload for hunting up here anymore. I've recovered very few TSX's/TTSX's from the moose and bears that I have had the good fortune to have taken over the years. I've only recovered two...both were bull moose head shots For me they consistently penetrate, expand, and exit the far side pretty much always.
(Edit: BTW, I mentioned those two moose head-shots only because I'm talking about examples of bullet recovery...lung/heart shots are a much larger and generally wiser target area!!).

I would bet that the Barnes would hold together very well with the velocities you're getting with your 300WM...especially if you end up taking a moose or grizzly much closer than 200 yards, which happens OFTEN!!!.
 
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roymunson

roymunson

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I have both shooting well enough to hunt with. Was actually more concerned with a ttsx not expanding and blowing thru. But it’s hard to argue with your success. A ttsx on the shoulder will do damage going in and will continue once it’s in there

Probably better off focusing on being in physical shape and having the right gear than splitting hairs over which bullet
 

jhm2023

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Both will work well. Obviously it would be best to use the one that shoots better. If they both shoot well, I'd prefer the Barnes due to the larger flat frontal area created after expansion versus the smaller rounded front and shed core of the partition. I've taken my fair share of animals in Alaska, including moose and grizz with TSX, TTSX, and LRX in various calibers and weights. They have worked very well every time. Swift A-frames are also outstanding big critter bullets and I favor them over the partition as well.

Using a 180gr TSX in a 300 win mag with a muzzle velocity around 3,000', I made a hasty shot on a bull moose at 11 yards when he dropped his head and lunged at me. The bullet went through his antler, entered his neck and was recovered under the hide on his opposite side shoulder. Even with passing through the antler, it still expanded in the neck then shed its petals thankfully dropping the moose on the spot.

Stay above 1,800 fps impact velocity on the Barnes and most bullets for expansion. More ideally, stay above 2,200 fps impact velocity on any bullet for better terminal performance due to the elasticity of flesh and vitals.
 
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roymunson

roymunson

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Stay above 1,800 fps impact velocity on the Barnes and most bullets for expansion. More ideally, stay above 2,200 fps impact velocity on any bullet for better terminal performance due to the elasticity of flesh and vitals.
Chrony says i'm getting 3050-3080 out of the barrel with H4350.

I'm thinking leave well enough alone
 
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Probably much to do about nothing. That said, I've seen two issues of 0 expansion/pencilling in 2 animals in the last 3 years with the Barnes. Both were a 280ia fwiw. One on a 40 yard broadside behind the shoulder shot on a moose last year, the other a 300 yard shoulder shot on a large black bear 3 years ago. I know there are a ton of animals successfully harvested with those bullets, but the shine is off them for me - and in particular my buddy with the 280ai! My go to always once you get to big game over deer size is a partition, that said I'm never shooting past 400 yards so uber bc is pretty meaningless. Good luck!
 

thinhorn_AK

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Just because I have these around. That’s a 250g ttsx and a 260g accubond both pulled out of bull moose I shot w few years apart. I think the Barnes was from 2020 and the accubond is from one of the bills taken this year. Both are from the same rifle.

The year I used the Barnes I fired 3 shots from a hair over 300yds and recovered one bullet. The accubond seems to expand and stop. I fired a second accubond from around 10 feet away to finish the moose off and keep him from struggling and it just blasted up a bunch of neck meet and exited.
 

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roymunson

roymunson

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If you can sign me up for that TTSX, I'll take that today. Particularly if I can put that thru a shoulderblade.
 

PA Hunter

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My vote would be #1 Accubond's, #2 Partitions, I have not had stellar results with TTSX bullets out multiple calibers and stopped reloading them about 10 years ago. Actually all I load for moose are Accubonds.
 
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roymunson

roymunson

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My vote would be #1 Accubond's, #2 Partitions, I have not had stellar results with TTSX bullets out multiple calibers and stopped reloading them about 10 years ago. Actually all I load for moose are Accubonds.
Good to know. It must be an anecdotal because my Wyoming mule deer guide this year told me he'd never use accubonds again on elk. Had expansion and blood trail problems. I think that accubonds are good bullets, just interesting to hear the Ford vs Chevy side on bullets
 

PA Hunter

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Good to know. It must be an anecdotal because my Wyoming mule deer guide this year told me he'd never use accubonds again on elk. Had expansion and blood trail problems. I think that accubonds are good bullets, just interesting to hear the Ford vs Chevy side on bullets
An old Elk outfitter in Wyoming turned me onto them Accubonds about 12 years ago and i never looked back. Expand perfect, and outstanding weight retention even up close over 3200 FPS on moose. I handload for five different .300 RUM rifles for moose and I only load the 200 gr Accubonds out of about 15 moose harvested I think I had one bullet recovered that bounced around but still retained weight. The most perfect bullet that works for me and all my friends on moose.
 
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I used a 168 berger on my moose hunt last year. It was awesome. Wouldnt hesitate to use on big brown bears.
 

hooker

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300wsm 168gr TTSX run it fast! 180gr in either AB or NP.

You could always go 200gr AB or NP. Huge fan of all three. Been on a roll with bucks and bulls and TTSX last 7 yrs.
 

AkRyan

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With the ttsx your concern is if it will pencil or expand with the partition your concern is if you can hit your target.
Imo if your a guy that shoots shoulder over vitals than the ttsx is your best choice because the bone will make the bullet expand but if you shoot vitals (on bear there are more center mass) then imo your better choice is a lead bullet because they will perform as expected just going through hide.
 
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