338 Federal ~ 160 grainers

[BC Bigbore]

Gary, that seems to be a reasonable price for a premium bullet like the TTSX. I paid something along those lines for only 25 - 225gr TBBC's and the Barnes come 50 in a pack. With our GOS on elk featuring a six week antlerless & eight week 3pt + bull season around here, I'm hoping that .338-06 will be ready so I can put together a quickie 160 TTSX load to try

 

[Curt]

I was thinking that too.

I see this alot where a shooter will buy a med/big bore just to shoot light (for caliber) bullets in it. What's the advantage of this load over the same bullet in 165gr from a 30/06? ..... and pls don't schpeel about the huge advantage of a short action over a long action.


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Maybe, he is looking for lighter recoil with the light for calibre bullets.......

 

[SuperCub]

Yeah, if you don't count the plastic tips. But the TTSX would be even longer...

I guess they are longer! Prolly the main reason for the lighter (for caliber) bullets.

I have some 150 TSXs coming for my 270 as a back up moose load this fall.

Maybe, he is looking for lighter recoil with the light for calibre bullets.......

That would certainly help.


.

 

[todbartell]

recoil is fine with any load in the 338F, whether it's 210's @ 2625 fps, or 250's @ 2320, or 160s @ 2980. I just split a box with a guy to try them out, I was curious how fast they'd go. Now that I know they fly pretty quick, AND shoot excellent..it has me wondering how they'd do on a big critter like an elk or moose. I most likely will hunt with my 210 grain TSX load but we'll see.

The TTSX ain't no sierra boattail...I'm sure it'd handle bones and muscle pretty good

 

[oldfart]

Stop messin' around already! A 160? That thing was made for 210's - 250's. You can shoot 160's all day long with your 7mm's @ 3100+! BTW, my HVA got shipped today for the rebuild to the same cartridge!

I said i was interested to see how the lighter projectiles would work on game. I use 200 gr in my 308 norma 175gr in my 7MM 165in my 30/06 and i bought 5 boxes of 200gr for my new 338 fed.

Over the years ive been a believer in sd. and am interested in all the hyp about light barnes with low sd preforming as well as a projectile with high sd.

I have used barnes 165gr in my 06 and 160 barnes in my 7mm they had decent sd and worked .
Time will tell

 

[Noel]

I was thinking that too.

I see this alot where a shooter will buy a med/big bore just to shoot light (for caliber) bullets in it. What's the advantage of this load over the same bullet in 165gr from a 30/06? ..... and pls don't schpeel about the huge advantage of a short action over a long action.


.

I found it strange, that was the first thing Mr. Smith Recommended I do when I was figuring out a 338-06 barrel with him. Go 200gr and as fast as you can throw it. Being the stubborn kid I am I just handed him a dummy round holding the 275gr Speer and said use this instead. I think he has forgiven me.....

I am just secretly hoping Grace will load up those 250gr Hornady Round noses and try them one day. Oh, did I type that.

 

[todbartell]

I shot a tree down with them the other day...

 

[Noel]

What! And no pics? Nice that your rifle will shoot different weights well.

Any less than 250gr in mine and the groups opened very fast.

 

[todbartell]

did a bit of trajectory testing with this load today

160 gr TTSX @ 2970 fps
+1.8" @ 165y
-1" @ 240y
-8" @ 330y

I shot a 3 shot group @ 240 yards which did 1.5"! If I decide to shoot a black bear this spring I will most likely use this rifle

 

[MiG25]

so what does this do that the 8x57S didn't do in 1905? aside from fitting in a short action.

really though, it makes a lot of other rifles redundant.

 

[Gatehouse]

so what does this do that the 8x57S didn't do in 1905? aside from fitting in a short action.

really though, it makes a lot of other rifles redundant.

I don't think they had TSX bullets in 1905

 

[double gun]

I tired a box of the early "normal" Barnes X 160's in the 338 win mag I had at the time, shot a decent whitetail with it. It lost 2 petals after taking out a shoulder, a bit of spine, and a hip. Came to rest just inside the hide on the opposite side.

 

[DIESEL WEASEL]

I've been shooting the 160gr TTSX in my 338-06 with 60 gr H4895 and Fed 215's 3.292O.A.L (just covers up the top cannelure). MV averages 3109fps in the 23" tube. Accuracy has been less than 3/4 moa out to 400 yds. Recoil is very reasonable.

In my opinion the .338 cal Barnes 160 gr should perform with, and perhaps outperform the heavier .338 TTSX's with a shot to the vitals. The 160gr TTSX will create a larger wound channel due to its higher exit velocity. If a bullet stops on the hide on the far side of an animal, the last few inches of penetration have not been very violent, and thus will create less tissue destruction or wound channel. If a bullet penetrates both sides of an animal the last few inches would have had more speed and created more tissue destruction than the former.

I also believe this is why the .338 caliber 160 gr TTSX will outperform the equivalent velocity .308 caliber 165 gr TTSX. Wound channel size. (Although the .308 caliber will have a better LR trajectory).

I think this is why Gatehouse loves his 375 Ruger.... Wound channel size!

Speed kills(with Barnes), as does exit wounds, this is written throughout my Barnes Reloading Manual.

As far as experience, I have only taken a good size black bear with this load, and I never found the bullet. The bear dropped in its tracks

 

[Pathfinder]

About Light vs Heavy.

I like 225's in a 338 . This applies more to Big game and no so much for Deer but There is something about shooting a bullet that is 85 grains lighter that just doesnt' jive with me. Of course this is just personal preference and I shoot a 333 WM .

Sure the TSX sheds less weight while its hitting muscle, bone vitals but there is something to be said about the initial hit and energy transfer, the 225 TSX will lose less momentum inside the animal than a 160 even if it it slower.

I do agree that the lighter faster bullet will wreck more meat but is that really desirable as long as a clean kill is achieved ?

 

[MiG25]

I don't think they had TSX bullets in 1905

there were all bronze bullets around in the 1890's.

 

[Gatehouse]

there were all bronze bullets around in the 1890's.

I've got some all bronze bullets on my shelf, in .277, .308, .311 and .375 calibers.

They don't open up like a TSX does, although they do look nifty.

 

[Republic of Alberta]

there were all bronze bullets around in the 1890's.

The x idea has been around a while too.

The British were making X style bullets out of hard lead and thick copper jackets. The idea was to increase penetration by providing less frontal area. The X also allowed the use of harder than normal lead and copper because it caused the bullet to open up easier.

 

[todbartell]

so what does this do that the 8x57S didn't do in 1905? aside from fitting in a short action.

ballisticly not much difference although there is much better bullet selection & availability than 8mm, which is nice. I wish Barnes would make me a 185 gr TTSX, because right now I cant really decide if I should hunt with the 160 gr TTSX or the 210 gr TSX

 

[BigUglyMan]

The .200 SD isn't my cup of tea but that being said, it will be interesting to see how it performs on moose. I tend to be a heavy for caliber guy which explains my general disinterest in the 338 Fed.

Still, the proof is in the pudding.