nomosendero
Handloader
- Apr 13, 2006
- 536
- 1
I will be loading ammo in the next 2 weeks for an upcoming Antelope hunt.
We will be using a couple 25-06's & a couple of 25-06AI's, 4 rifles. The WY shots can be well over 400 yds. where we hunt. We have used alot of different bullets & know pretty much what to expect in terminal performance at all ranges for those bullets, except for the 115BT, which we have plenty experience for 100+ yards, but only 1 AR Whitetail Doe up close. When we Deer hunt here in AR, shots can be at 25 yds. or 300 yds, so any comments on how the 115BT will hold up on a good sized Buck up close will be appreciated. Because of up close hunting,
we are not considering the 100BT.
Anyway, I have been waiting for awhile for the BC info of the 100TTSX & they finally posted it. The BC is .357, pretty dang low, in fact a good deal lower than the 100TSX. I e-mailed Barnes to see if this was a typo, they assured me it was & that's just the wayit came out with those 2 bullets, usually the tip adds to the BC, not with this one & I think one of the 270 bullets.
The tip aids expansion & we have used the TSX, but at 25-06 vel(not 257Wea) we found the expansion & smack factor to not be the best after 300 yds.
So, I decided to check the ballistic difference of the 100TTSX @ .357BC & 115BT @ .453 at www.biggameinfo.com I used a vel. of 3400 for the 100gr & 3200 for the 115BT, warm 25-06 loads with our 26" tubes, the AI will usually be about 125fps faster. The numbers can vary up or down with different rifles, but I think a 200 FPS difference between these 2 bullets is about what you get at the same pressure.
With a 250 yd. zero for both, the max rise diff @ 150 yd. is only .2" . Looking at 25 yd. increments, the max. drop advantage for the TTSX occurs is at 450 yds. & the diff. is only .9", no real difference. At 625yds the drop is identical & after that 115BT drops less, which matters for Coyotes & targets. Again, for Varmits the expansion is possible for the BT way out there & the BT has a good deal less wind deflection @ 500 plus yards.
So, in view of this, after getting the BC #'s from Barnes, I will not be buying these. If the 115BT is a little soft for river bottom Bucks up close, I can load some Partitions & the POI at 100yd diff. shouldn't amount to anything, again input on the BT up close would be appreciated.
I just wanted to bring this Bal. comarison to light. I think Barnes missed an opportunity here, why not a 105gr or a small tweak to increase BC?
We will be using a couple 25-06's & a couple of 25-06AI's, 4 rifles. The WY shots can be well over 400 yds. where we hunt. We have used alot of different bullets & know pretty much what to expect in terminal performance at all ranges for those bullets, except for the 115BT, which we have plenty experience for 100+ yards, but only 1 AR Whitetail Doe up close. When we Deer hunt here in AR, shots can be at 25 yds. or 300 yds, so any comments on how the 115BT will hold up on a good sized Buck up close will be appreciated. Because of up close hunting,
we are not considering the 100BT.
Anyway, I have been waiting for awhile for the BC info of the 100TTSX & they finally posted it. The BC is .357, pretty dang low, in fact a good deal lower than the 100TSX. I e-mailed Barnes to see if this was a typo, they assured me it was & that's just the wayit came out with those 2 bullets, usually the tip adds to the BC, not with this one & I think one of the 270 bullets.
The tip aids expansion & we have used the TSX, but at 25-06 vel(not 257Wea) we found the expansion & smack factor to not be the best after 300 yds.
So, I decided to check the ballistic difference of the 100TTSX @ .357BC & 115BT @ .453 at www.biggameinfo.com I used a vel. of 3400 for the 100gr & 3200 for the 115BT, warm 25-06 loads with our 26" tubes, the AI will usually be about 125fps faster. The numbers can vary up or down with different rifles, but I think a 200 FPS difference between these 2 bullets is about what you get at the same pressure.
With a 250 yd. zero for both, the max rise diff @ 150 yd. is only .2" . Looking at 25 yd. increments, the max. drop advantage for the TTSX occurs is at 450 yds. & the diff. is only .9", no real difference. At 625yds the drop is identical & after that 115BT drops less, which matters for Coyotes & targets. Again, for Varmits the expansion is possible for the BT way out there & the BT has a good deal less wind deflection @ 500 plus yards.
So, in view of this, after getting the BC #'s from Barnes, I will not be buying these. If the 115BT is a little soft for river bottom Bucks up close, I can load some Partitions & the POI at 100yd diff. shouldn't amount to anything, again input on the BT up close would be appreciated.
I just wanted to bring this Bal. comarison to light. I think Barnes missed an opportunity here, why not a 105gr or a small tweak to increase BC?