Barnes TTSX 130gr 308 Feedback

[Magsrgod]

I feel like this is committing a cardinal sin here...

I've been listening to a few of the Barnes podcast episodes and they peaked my interest in their light weight .308 130gr TTSX bullet. Ive mostly reloaded to recommended COAL lengths through the years, but I know the Barnes bullets like to be close to the lands and they recommend .050" as a starting jump.

I pulled the Hornady OAL kit out so I could get some chamber measurements. I wanted to just run this by folks as the cartridge length is about .185" longer than recommended COAL.

Rifle - Bergara HMR Pro 308

Chamber COAL with 130gr TTSX - 2.9200"

OGive Length with 130gr TTSX - 2.2875"

Minus the .050" jump we get

COAL - 2.870"

OGive - 2.2375"

Barnes Reloading Manual COAL for 130gr TTSX - 2.735"

Bullet seating depth in the case with .050" jump isn't overly deep, there is still 2 of the 3 grooves visible. I don't think this will be an issue but did want to get some folks feedback that have been reloading the TTSX line for a bit.

 

[FOTIS]

I have taken a few texts Hogs with the 130 ttsx and the 300 Savage. Excellent bullet should be getting about 3,000 ft per second from your 308

 

[Magsrgod]

Really looking forward to trying it out. I also have a old Winchester Model 100 that was my grandfathers. I've never got a load to shoot better than 1.8ish but I know it likes lighter bullets. I might try one last ladder with that rifle and these bullets.

 

[grifmXC]

the 130TTSX and the 308win go together “like peas and carrots!!” At normal hunting distances (inside 400) it really helps the 308 perform out of it’s weight class.

With CFE223 I’m averaging right around 3200 from a 22” barreled Winchester model 70 featherweight. Accuracy is just under 1”. I’m in the process of moving so my reloading data book is in a box (should have it unpacked in the next couple weeks and can update with exact figures if you’d like). Also don’t be afraid of jump I know mine is jumping far, I’m 99% sure it’s more than .150 but I need my book.

In the picture is a bullet I recovered from a doe shot at about 30yds strong quartering to entered just inside the shoulder on the on side and found the bullet just under the skin in the offside back hip. Impact speed was right at 3100fps according to JBMs calculator and Bullet travel was around 36”. I cleaned it up and it weighed 129gr.

You may also want to try Ramshot TAC, I recall getting good velocity with it as well but don’t recall specifics.

Lat is know how it works out!

Grif

 

[RL338]

I load them at Barnes 2.735” and called it good. I use a milder load of BL-C2 for my daughter’s and Dad’s 308s. Both put down deer with ease.

 

[Wolfshead]

I had trouble finding a load with the 130 grain ttsx’s for my Tikka compact 308.
I first tried loading with Varget, because that is what I use for the 150 accubonds, and works very well there.
Muzzle velocity was around 2730 for the accubonds, and they were very accurate.
But NewYorkistan is talking about going lead free so I started looking into the Barnes ttsx’s.
Varget, and the 130s were about 2925 ave MV, but I could not get a consistent grouping with it. It was very frustrating so I bought a pound of Ramshot TAC, and I’m so glad I did.
Finally started getting consistent groups, and faster muzzle velocities.
By the time I had this thing figured out it was hunting season so I settled on 50.4 grains of TAC, and a CBTO of 2.166.
Muzzle velocity for this load was around 3170 fps from a 20” barrel.
Shoots pretty flat, and fast!
The result for me was a nice seven point taken at 270 yards DRT with a high shoulder shot.
What else was impressive to me was the lack of blood shot meat around the wound. Much cleaner than what I was used to with the Accubonds.
I’m planning on playing with it a little bit this year to hopefully tighten it up a bit more, but I’m pretty happy with what I have right now.

 

[salmonchaser]

Have you checked that over all length (2.870) in your magazine? I havne’t loaded for the 308 since Catherine stole my 275 Rigby several years ago. I ran into the magazine length restriction with her 308 but I don’t have that data immediately available.
My experience is you’ll get a little more velocity out of the Barnes. Yesterday I was playing with the 275/140s/Rl 17. Sub moa at 100 yards loaded .050 off the lands and about 50 fps faster than the AccuBond. When I loaded those up a couple days ago I found no reference to starting at .010 off, so I loaded up 10. Using the same powder charge of RL 17 the first shot went down range at 3000 even. #2 at 3010 extraction was slightly sticky so I quit right there.
They are certainly a good bullet and I have loads worked up in six different rifles-just in case.
Just looked at my target from yesterday. I actually fired three rounds of the higher pressure loads. I will update my notes.

 

[ReloadKy]

I tried this bullet with BLC2, TAC and CFE 223 and got great results with all 3. The accuracy was superb and the on game performance was devasting. My brother got my nephew a savage trail hunter in 308 and I convinced him to try this bullet. Between the two of us we have taken 5 deer with the 308 and Barnes TTSX with most being DRT.

 

[Magsrgod]

Thank you guys for the replies! I think I will start at the Barnes COAL length and start making jumps towards my lands rather than jumping back from the lands.

Good thing is I’m drowning in 308 powder. I think on hand I have TAC, Benchmark, BL-C(2), Varget, TAC, Win 748 and some Win Staballs.

I’m really looking forward to working with this bullet to see what I can come up with for some of my 308’s!

 

[Magsrgod]

Have you checked that over all length (2.870) in your magazine? I havne’t loaded for the 308 since Catherine stole my 275 Rigby several years ago. I ran into the magazine length restriction with her 308 but I don’t have that data immediately available.
My experience is you’ll get a little more velocity out of the Barnes. Yesterday I was playing with the 275/140s/Rl 17. Sub moa at 100 yards loaded .050 off the lands and about 50 fps faster than the AccuBond. When I loaded those up a couple days ago I found no reference to starting at .010 off, so I loaded up 10. Using the same powder charge of RL 17 the first shot went down range at 3000 even. #2 at 3010 extraction was slightly sticky so I quit right there.
They are certainly a good bullet and I have loads worked up in six different rifles-just in case.

I’m going to build some dummy rounds at the full .050” off the lands and see how they cycle. With the chamber being longer than I expected I suspect I may have some magazine feeding issues.

My main concern with the numbers was the bullet seated enough in the cartridge, 2 of the 3 grooves were still showing. I don’t think that specially should be an issue but it would be the first time I’ve loaded a 308 with that little seating depth.

 

[Wolfshead]

Measure what your magazine will allow and see how that matches up.
I’ve also understood that the Barnes like a bit of a jump, and not being close to the lands?
Starting at Barnes recommendations of 2.735 is a good starting point in my opinion.
My COAL is around 2.813.
I also just measured some that were in my mag when I shot my Buck this season and they were measured at 2.809 so I may have to consider a crimp for the future….

 

[salmonchaser]

Picture isn’t great but this loaded cartridge is .01 off the lands and the couple I fired showed pressure. This load was not particularly accurate compared to the load that was .05 off the lands. At .05 off the case mouth pics up one more band and I would guess significantly increases tension on the bullet. I shoot #1s so I also don’t need to worry about magazine length or there being enough neck tension to hold the bullets in place while under recoil as in a bolt gun. short of adding a crimp if your bearing surface on the bullet matches the diameter of the bullet that maximizes the holding strength. I pick up two bands with 150s in an 06 and three bands 180s in my 300. The 06 is actually a bolt gun and the bullets don’t move under recoil while in the magazine.
I generally trim my cases to minimum case length. Next time I load Barnes I trim to max case length to make sure I completely pick up the second band.
Good luck

 

[JD338]

The Barnes 130 gr TTSX shoots well in my Nosler M21 308 Win. Velocity is 3198 fps from a 22" barrel.

JD338

 

[Magsrgod]

Yeah I’ll keep the cases longer with these ones as well. I did I that with a 270 160gr Partition I loaded up this fall. The bullets seem to a have touch more nuances than some of the typical bullets I’ve reloaded. But, I think these are going to be excellent.

 

[salmonchaser]

I load them for one of my brothers and one of my brother in laws. Every year I witness the effectiveness on deer and elk. They are a good bullet.

 

[RL338]

Benchmark, BL-C(2), Varget, TAC, Win 748

I’ve toyed around 4of5 powders you have and they are gave respectable results with the 130s.

 

[Magsrgod]

Loading them tonight and range tomorrow! I’ll let everyone know how it goes.

 

[Magsrgod]

Loaded some middle of the road charges and ran them through my buddies Savage 308. My HMR was not happy today, I think something is wrong with the optic. Gun was shooting all over the place with known good ammo.

First time loading 130gr 308 bullets. Every load I did was a compressed charge, and none of them were towards the top.

Varget - 47gr
Win 748 - 50.1gr
BL-C(2) - 51gr

Varget and 748 got a ~1” group and BL-C2 was a bit tighter, going to run with BL-C2 and work up some more refined loads for his rifle. I think BL-C2 tops out around 54gr, thats going to be almost overflowing out of the case…

Also ran some factory Vortex 130gr TTSX in my 270, .608” group, my new favorite factory ammo.