Bullet Performance on the bear

[Guy Miner]

Both rifles were used; my 30-06 with the 200 gr Nosler Partition and Joey's 338 Win mag with the 225 grain Barnes TTSX.

My first hit was a killing shot, through the shoulder, into the lungs and dropped the bear, but additional shots were fired to stop the bear from fleeing into the thick willows. These were all rather short-range shots, under 40 yards.

We recovered one of my Noslers from the rear quarter of the bear, stopped just under the off-side skin. It weighs 144 grains:


And the TTSX, which I fired into the bear's chest after he was down, but not dead, to finish him. That was from perhaps 15 yards, and the bullet was recovered just under the off-side skin:


The TTSX seems to have gained weight at 227 grains! That's from some bear meat it picked up...

I'm impressed with each of these bullets and believe this is a good representation of two very different premium bullets, the Partition with it's very soft lead nose, and the TTSX which is of course a pure-copper bullet with no lead core.

I'll put the info in our bullet test section as well.

Regards, Guy

 

[SACdan]

Nice, thanks for the post... I've been testing the TTSX with pretty good results, and it's good to see the finished product!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[6mm Remington]

Thanks for sharing Guy! Love those partitions.

 

[c. schutte]

I think that fact that your guide uses the TTSX is a pretty good testament for that bullet and the .338 WM. On he other hand a very wise move going with the 200 gr. PT for the 06. Retaining 72% of it's weight at 40 yards is about as advertised, especially considering how close range shots are tough on bullets. I think you did very well Guy.

 

[DrMike]

I always had excellent performance from both of these bullets. I used the 180 grain TSX exclusively in my 300WSM for a number of years, though I'm using PTs in that rifle now. Both bullets work very well, as you demonstrated with these recovered projectiles. Excellent and instructive.

 

[truck driver]

Guy was the guide using Factory loaded ammo or reloads? Been thinking about trying some in my 338.

 

[Guy Miner]

Guy was the guide using Factory loaded ammo or reloads? Been thinking about trying some in my 338.

He was using Barnes factory ammo, although he does handload.

Joey guides a lot of hunters on Kodiak Island as well, and has great confidence in the .338 and also in his .375 Ruger.

Guy

 

[truck driver]

Thanks I should have known he would carry factory ammo due to liability and a failure to fire with a reload would be catastrophic.

 

[Guy Miner]

Re my "heavy 30-06" handloads - I'd never hunted with a 200 gr bullet in the 30-06 before and I have to say that I'm impressed.

My load is 53 gr H4350, R-P brass, CCI 200 primers. Muzzle velocity a tad over 2600 fps, and excellent accuracy. In the reasonably light 700 CDL, recoil is quite mild.

Trajectory is flatter than I thought it would be and this is actually a very useful load. I have about a half a box of 200 gr Partitions left, and I believe I'll just load them up and set them aside. That will give me about 45 rounds of "heavy" 30-06 loads which could be very good on elk, black bear, or pretty much anything else. I was impressed that the bullet opened so well on a 75 pound wolf at 250 yards, and also performed well on a large grizzly at short range.

Guy

 

[gerry]

Re my "heavy 30-06" handloads - I'd never hunted with a 200 gr bullet in the 30-06 before and I have to say that I'm impressed.

My load is 53 gr H4350, R-P brass, CCI 200 primers. Muzzle velocity a tad over 2600 fps, and excellent accuracy. In the reasonably light 700 CDL, recoil is quite mild.

Trajectory is flatter than I thought it would be and this is actually a very useful load. I have about a half a box of 200 gr Partitions left, and I believe I'll just load them up and set them aside. That will give me about 45 rounds of "heavy" 30-06 loads which could be very good on elk, black bear, or pretty much anything else. I was impressed that the bullet opened so well on a 75 pound wolf at 250 yards, and also performed well on a large grizzly at short range.

Guy

It's a do it all kind of load, I believe I ran the same load as you but with the 200 gr AccuBond instead. Your 200 gr PT load might become a new favourite, you might find yourself reaching for them a lot more now.

With the Barnes TTSX the 225 gr 338 is probably as heavy as you would need to go in a 338 Win Mag, I can't see anything heavier having any advantage over them.

 

[TackDriver284]

Excellent expansion and weight retention Guy.

 

[SJB358]

That's pretty cool Guy. Amazing the punishment a griz will take. Different league than a mule deer or whitetail.

Both Bullets look excellent.

 

[.300winmag]

Way to go Guy! Those are two bullets you don't often recover from game! A testament to the Bullets and the sheer mass of the bears!