225 gr Barnes TTSX

[Guy Miner]

Fired into the chest of a fallen grizzly, at about 15 yards, to finish the bear. Bullet was recovered just under the off-side hide.

Barnes factory ammo, 225 gr TTSX with a muzzle velocity of 2800 fps.

The recovered bullet weighed 227 grains and is nicely expanded.

Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Very nice performance. Any of those big 200 gr. Partitions recovered?

 

[DrMike]

Classic performance of a great bullet.

 

[gerry]

That looks really good, nice bonus recovery.

 

[SJB358]

Nice, that looks pretty darned excellent. That's a lot of frontal area right there.

 

[Guy Miner]

Tell ya Scotty, I've only fired a .338 Win mag twice. Both times into my grizzly a few yards away. I'm impressed with the cartridge and the bullets.

Guy

 

[JD338]

Picture perfect Guy!

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Tell ya Scotty, I've only fired a .338 Win mag twice. Both times into my grizzly a few yards away. I'm impressed with the cartridge and the bullets.

Guy

Yeah, it is a great cartridge. It has been one of my favorites for a long time. My pops took his grizzly with my 338 a few years back with the Federal loaded Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. It really comes into its own with animals of that size and tenacity for life.

 

[Guy Miner]

Very nice performance. Any of those big 200 gr. Partitions recovered?

I just took a photo of the two, side by side, three years after the hunt:

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

Fired at 1000 lbs MOOSE at 150yds. Muzzle velocity 3150 fps.

Went length wise

 

[DrMike]

I'd say that TSX worked just fine. A lot of mass pushing its way through a lot of muscle.

 

[Guy Miner]

Fired at 1000 lbs MOOSE at 150yds. Muzzle velocity 3150 fps.

Went length wise

Excellent! You know that those petals which broke off did a lot of damage early on. Then that doggone shank pressed on... :grin:

Impressive.

And doggone it, when am I going to draw a moose tag?

Guy

 

[CT.HNTR]

Fired into the chest of a fallen grizzly, at about 15 yards, to finish the bear. Bullet was recovered just under the off-side hide.

Barnes factory ammo, 225 gr TTSX with a muzzle velocity of 2800 fps.

The recovered bullet weighed 227 grains and is nicely expanded.

Guy

Would you consider this load with the 225 gr TTSX adequate for a dedicated grizzly bear hunt?

 

[Guy Miner]

Would you consider this load with the 225 gr TTSX adequate for a dedicated grizzly bear hunt?

Oh gosh yes!

My guide had that 338 Win Mag with him because he'd just come off a month of guiding hunters after the big bears on Kodiak Island. Wow... He just kept the same rifle & ammo with him when he met me for our interior grizzly hunt. Heck, I consider the 200 grain Nosler Partition and the 30-06 enough. If I'd placed that first shot better it would have all been over without the exciting shoot-out with the bear at close range.

The other hunter in camp dropped his smaller, 6.5' interior grizzly with a single 140 grain Barnes TSX from his 7mm Rem Mag at about 80 yards. The bear spun and ran about 20 or 30 yards as I recall and dropped dead as can be. Beautiful bear too.

They're tough animals, but a good bullet, well placed really ought to work just fine. I think highly of the Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets. Nosler's E-Tips offer similar performance. Best of luck on your grizzly hunt!

Regards, Guy

 

[Blkram]

The more one uses a 338 Win Mag, the more one appreciates it for what it is; a mid-bore with a lot of punch, suitable for all game in North America.
While it might be a bit more of a good thing for those that hunt mainly smaller big game species such as whitetail deer and antelope, it is that extra margin of performance for the largest of our big game, such as Alaska/Yukon moose, elk, bison, polar, grizzly and brown bear.
It is comforting to know that you have the power to tangle with the nasty one if needed, but for me the real work is on the larger moose and tougher elk, where if the shot doesn't go as planned, that it has the power to penetrate tough angles, break large heavy bone, and still reach the vitals for quick, clean kills. The extra frontal area lends its advantage by providing additional smacking power upon impact, that I just don't see when using the 300 or 7MM.

Don't get me wrong, the 300's are great cartridges, and I love the 7MM's. The 338 just has an advantage the others cannot quite match.
My introduction to the 338 Win Mag came years ago in the field with a friend.
We were out hunting, me with my 7mm Rem Mag and he with his 338 Win Mag. As with all hunters, shooters and friends, we were discussing the merits of our chosen cartridges. It was a friendly conversation...not one of those "mine is better than yours" debates. I knew he had been using his 338 for a while, and while he is used to heavy recoil, he did not load his 338 to its full potential. He used a mild load with a 200 gr Hot Cor at a modest velocity. It was accurate and comfortable to shoot, and it would still pack a whallop and penetrate great with this bullet.
I had owned and used a 300 Win Mag with 180 gr bullets before, and had seen its effectiveness on moose and bison (today, I still own a 300 WSM). At this point, I had a 7mm Rem Mag and had used it on moose, elk, deer and mountain goat. I was familiar with the ballistics of both of these cartridges, and their effectiveness on game. I was unfamiliar with the 338 Win Mag, its ballistics, and it effectiveness on game, other than that which I had been reading about.
During our lunch break, next a mountain stream gully, he suggested that we try a little field test and that I could try his rifle and see first hand what he has experienced with his 338. We selected a large flat faced boulder in the stream bank about 150 yards away as out test target. He had me shoot that boulder with my 7mm Rem Mag and the Federal Premium 165 gr SGK ammo I was carrying. The shot struck true, with a good smack, leaving a nice new shiny scar on the surface of the boulder. I then fired his 338 Win Mag. The shot struck the boulder with a resounding whallop, a large splinter of rock went flying, and the boulder shifted in the bank. The difference in the two strikes was impressive to experience first hand. Something that needs to be experienced first hand to truly appreciate, as numbers on paper do not fully illustrate its capacity.
I can fully understand why so many Alaskan guides carry 338 Win Mags! It works!
Needless to say, I bought my first 338 Win Mag shortly thereafter, and took moose, elk, bison and grizzly bear with it.
I did find the recoil off the bench could be uncomfortable with the older Remington 700 BDL's butt pad (bruised and sore after 20 rounds with factory 210 gr Partitions), but was more comfortable after replacing it with the LimbSaver pad (neither bruised or sore after 60 rounds off the bench with the same ammo).

This started my journey with the 338 caliber, where I have now owned two 338 WM's, have the 338-06 and two 338 Federals, and finally found a 338 Marlin Express.
The 338-06 has taken black bear and the first 338 Federal has taken caribou.
I am hunting with the newer Sako in 338 Federal and the Marlin this fall.

For a dedicated grizzly bear hunt, you would be hard pressed to find a better cartridge than the 338 Win Mag for the task.
Be sure to practice with it, and get comfortable with the recoil. One in the boiler room should highlight your grizzly adventure! Best of luck!
Tip: a LimbSaver pad on your rifle will be your new best friend!

 

[PJGunner]

"Tip: a LimbSaver pad on your rifle will be your new best friend!"

I have two Winchester M70s in .338 Win. Mag. One a post 64, pre68 24" barrel and the other a Stainless Classic with 26" barrel. Both rifles bought second hand and both have Limbsavers on them. Both pads have literally turned to some kind of goo. I believe I'll replace them with Decelerators. Also, the Stainless Classic need some weight added. It's too darn light the way is is now.
Paul B.

 

[RL338]

Got a couple of boxes of them on the shelf waiting for my 340 WBY to be finished.

 

[Blkram]

"Tip: a LimbSaver pad on your rifle will be your new best friend!"

I have two Winchester M70s in .338 Win. Mag. One a post 64, pre68 24" barrel and the other a Stainless Classic with 26" barrel. Both rifles bought second hand and both have Limbsavers on them. Both pads have literally turned to some kind of goo. I believe I'll replace them with Decelerators. Also, the Stainless Classic need some weight added. It's too darn light the way is is now.
Paul B.

Hey Paul,
There was a run of LimbSavers in the early 2000's, that had issues with the rubber compound breaking down. The same pads that came on some of the Remington rifles had the same issues. LimbSaver was doing a good job of replacing those that had the issue, both on the individual pads bought and installed, and those on the Remington rifles. I would contact them directly for replacements.
The replacement pads had the issue resolved and did not break down. Mine have been going strong since replaced.
LimbSaver stood behind their customer service and provided positive resolution; I still buy and use their products today, and continue to recommend them to others.

 

[DrMike]

Hey Paul,
There was a run of LimbSavers in the early 2000's, that had issues with the rubber compound breaking down. The same pads that came on some of the Remington rifles had the same issues. LimbSaver was doing a good job of replacing those that had the issue, both on the individual pads bought and installed, and those on the Remington rifles. I would contact them directly for replacements.
The replacement pads had the issue resolved and did not break down. Mine have been going strong since replaced.
LimbSaver stood behind their customer service and provided positive resolution; I still buy and use their products today, and continue to recommend them to others.

I had a couple of those pads. They were replaced with no problems.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I had the Limb Saver pad replaced on the Remington I rescued from Scotty. New one does well. Dan.