Barnes TTSX weight

Which Barnes TTSX for elk

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S

Smith and Wesson

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I'm looking for a 30-06 load for elk and other such ungulates. I've decided on the Barnes TTSX bullet but can't decide on the weight. I'm either going to use either the 168 grain load at 2800 fps, or the 180 grain load at 2700 fps, but I am looking for insight on which one to use. I've heard that the 168 grain TTSX's penetrate as good as 180s of another design because the Barnes retain 100-99% of their weight. So is a 168 grain TTSX as good as an 180 grain TTSX?
 
If I were going for Elk with a 06 I would keep it under 250 Yds. With at least 180gr. Barns for a clean kill. I believe the preferred Energy is 2000 ft.lb.
 
The whole idea of monolithic bullets is light and fast.

You generally want to step down at least one full weight class compared to traditional bullets.

The faster they go, the better they work. If you don't expect long shots (like 400+ yards long), I'd go with the lightest one they make for the caliber.
 
A buddy if mine who used to guide for elk in MT (and is taking me next year!) told me to use 180gr Nosler partitions in my '06.
 
Barnes rec .030" to .070" off the lands for their bullets be good idea to work up hunting load see how they shoot first before deciding.

On bull elk tag I use 180gr Partition in my 30-06.
 
S&W,all that info is on the Barnes website, and also you can "talk to a tech".
If you push that 168 fast enough it should be a decent bullet out to 250.
Nosler makes the E-tip, which is a copper bullet, I currently use the 150 and it shoots well in my new 700, but I havent taken game with that bullet.

I'd test several types and weights if it were me, no one wants to goof a killer hunt up by poor bullet selection and poor shot placement.

Like Brian said, with Barnes bullets, speed is everything.
 
From my experience with triple shocks I would have no hesitation shooting a 150 at an elk. I have shot a ton of mule deer with an 06' with 150's and have seen just as many taken with a 25-06 shooting 115's. All results have been the same. Chest cavity looks like raspberry jam. No organ definition. cant get much "deader?" than that!

Im looking for Moose this year and only jumping up to the 165.
 
You have to go with what your rifle likes. It may prefer a 168 gr. over a 180, or vice versa. Both would be good choices on elk, but I prefer the lighter loading. Like Brian said: light and fast. The reasoning behind light in a solid copper bullet is that it does indeed retain 100 percent of it's weight. That 180 gr. Partition, at 70% ends up at 125 gr. or so. The Barnes remains at 168 gr. when it's done it's job.

I prefer the Barnes over the E-tip simply because it expands more readily, being ductile copper instead of gilding metal and because the Barnes can be run WAY fast. You simply can't achieve similar velocities with the E-tip.

I've shot elk out of my .300 win mag using the 168 gr. Barnes and I'll never use anything else.
 
One problem with Barnes is getting Min/Max velocity their site doesn't post that anymore.

Nosler posting E-Tip same a Hornady with their GMX.

I shot both Barnes and E-Tips and never recovered bullet. One of my cow elk rifles I use 150gr E-Tip.

I build 300WSM with Kreiger 5r barrel 1/11.25 twist.

165gr AB------ 65gr/R17 @ 3128fps
168gr E-Tip----65gr/R17 @ 3170fps
168g TTSX-----65gr/R17 @ 3177fps
 
It's not to hard to figure out velocity for Barnes bullet since 30cal 168gr TTSX
bullet used 308 is same bullet used 30-378Wby in their manual.

Nosler Min is 1800fps and no max for E-Tip and Hornady GMX min is 2000fps and max is 3400fps.
 
I'd go even lighter down to a 150 grain bullet for elk out of the 06, be it a Barnes TTSX or Nosler Partitions. Accubond and other bonded core bullets I'd use at least 165 grain bullets. I'd use any standard cup and core bullet in 180 grains on any elk without hesitation out of an 06. If you hit them right elk aren't terribly difficult to kill, hit them in the wrong place and they can go for miles very quickly.
 
At 30-06 speeds you need no heavier than 150's. The 180's are far too heavy in a copper bullets and the 165/168's should be reserved for 300 magnums.

With conventional jacketed lead bullets 180's would be my choice, but you cannot shoot copper bullets fast enough in a 30-06 to get reliable expansion except at very close range. Bullet speed at impact should be 2000-2200 fps for reliable expansion of the TTSX's. The 150 gr copper bullets will easily out penetrate 180 gr lead bullet and still be moving fast enough out to 300-400 yards to give good expansion. The heavier bullets just aren't needed in copper.
 
I would agree that when using the solid copper bullets you can get better results with more speed. The sectional density becomes much less of an issue when the bullet doesn't lose weight. You do have to be sure to use the loading data specifically for those bullets. They create pressure differently partially due to the greater resistance to engraving by the rifling. I have watched a guy drop a Barnes bullet over his normal Sierra boat tail load & have to open the bolt with a rubber hammer. The most important thing is to spend a lot of practice ammo from field positions. Good bullets in a bad location are still bad.
 
Velocity is nice but you got to get it. The Barnes 168gr TTSX is 1.418" long so your going to have that bullet base in the case body. How much depends on how your rifle is throated and how far off the lands you get best accuracy. That Nolser 168gr E-Tip I shot in 300WSM was 1.400" long.

The Barnes 150gr is 1.300" long and 150gr E-Tip is 1.293" long. A 150gr Partition is 1.100",165gr Partition 1.173" and 180gr Partition 1.180".
 
168 would be the absolute heaviest I would use.
The X will expand pretty well at low velocities. Even if it does not, it still gives an exit hole and a blood trail.
 
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