200 grainers in the 300
- Thread starter todbartell
- Start date
Todd: I thought you are a WSM person and I am surprised that you are shooting WM.
I am a SAUM man actually
not a huge WSM fan myselfyes sir!
as mentioned in the original post I do have a 8mm Rem Mag as well.
I'm curious as to what some of you guys think I will gain by dropping down to a 168 or 180gr TTSX?
I'm curious as to what some of you guys think I will gain by dropping down to a 168 or 180gr TTSX?
Femininity
shortaction
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoulin Island, Ontario
I'm curious as to what some of you guys think I will gain by dropping down to a 168 or 180gr TTSX?
Just a personal thing. I like the extended MPBR it gives. I would likely use the 168gr TTSX at 3100fps and add about 30-40yds on a 6" MPBR and shoot 7" flatter at 500 yds and still have 1700+ ftlbs energy. Probably a little less recoil also. I have not found penetration to be a problem with the TSX or TTSX bullets so I don't feel I am giving anything up in that department with the 168gr in a 300 Mag.
I know a 168 tsx @ 3150 fps will work, I seen one hit an elk last September and it dropped like a sack of dead hookers. I'm not too worried about MPBR, since I will dial for bullet drop past 300 yards anyways. Dialed 3.5MOA tonight and cracked a 6" gong @ 340 yards. Beautiful sound that 200gr ttsx makes when it hits I hope to get it out to 400/500 yards later this week or next week
I hope to get it out to 400/500 yards later this week or next week
quackquackbang
CGN Regular
- Location
- Newfoundland
Nice rifle! Congrats again man.
First off, congrats all around, Tod. It seems that you and I are moving in opposite directions in our lives. You just got married and I just became single again (The nasty process of this divorce explains my absence from this forum, and from the hunting fields, for the last eighteen months -- something I pray you NEVER have to experience!)
But we both have a deep love for the .300 Winchester Magnum. I agree that H4831SC is a classic powder choice, as is IMR 4831. One of these two always works.
In the last few years, I've become a convert to Vihtavuori N560 for hunting loads in the .300 Winchester Magnum and .30-06. It seems to have a burning rate nearly identical to Reloder 22, and it gives amazing velocities and accuracy. The downside is that it is hard to find and the most expensive powder you can buy.
I look forward to hearing your results at long range with the 200-grain TSX. My only concern with that bullet would be stabilization at long range. Those are long bullets. A few years ago I tried the Nosler 200 Accubonds out of my Sako, and they seemed to work OK at 100 metres, but accuracy fell off at 200. I chalked it up to the 1-10 twist and 2,850 velocity not giving enough spin to adequately stabilize those long bullets. I went down to the 180 Accubond (chronographed at 3,050 out of my 22-inch barrel), and it remains my standard hunting load to this day. I've shot one animal with it, and I can confirm that it hits HARD.
It's also interesting that you, of all people, are going to a heavy bullet in the TSX. I've lost count of the number of times that you've counseled people to go a little lighter with the Barnes bullets because they hold together so well so you don't need that extra weight for penetration. The recoil is also heavier with the 200-grain bullets than it would be with a 168, for example, and its questionable how much real-world advantage the 200 would give you in wind-bucking ability inside 600 yards (which is further than I'd shoot one of these bullets, anyway). At the longer ranges where impact velocities have dropped, the extra velocities of the 168 or 150 might be of assistance in ensuring that the bullet opens on impact.
All of this is just theoretical, though. Bravo for choosing something that you've thought through and played with. Keep us informed of your progress!
(The nasty process of this divorce explains my absence from this forum, and from the hunting fields, for the last eighteen months -- something I pray you NEVER have to experience!)But we both have a deep love for the .300 Winchester Magnum. I agree that H4831SC is a classic powder choice, as is IMR 4831. One of these two always works.
In the last few years, I've become a convert to Vihtavuori N560 for hunting loads in the .300 Winchester Magnum and .30-06. It seems to have a burning rate nearly identical to Reloder 22, and it gives amazing velocities and accuracy. The downside is that it is hard to find and the most expensive powder you can buy.
I look forward to hearing your results at long range with the 200-grain TSX. My only concern with that bullet would be stabilization at long range. Those are long bullets. A few years ago I tried the Nosler 200 Accubonds out of my Sako, and they seemed to work OK at 100 metres, but accuracy fell off at 200. I chalked it up to the 1-10 twist and 2,850 velocity not giving enough spin to adequately stabilize those long bullets. I went down to the 180 Accubond (chronographed at 3,050 out of my 22-inch barrel), and it remains my standard hunting load to this day. I've shot one animal with it, and I can confirm that it hits HARD.
It's also interesting that you, of all people, are going to a heavy bullet in the TSX. I've lost count of the number of times that you've counseled people to go a little lighter with the Barnes bullets because they hold together so well so you don't need that extra weight for penetration. The recoil is also heavier with the 200-grain bullets than it would be with a 168, for example, and its questionable how much real-world advantage the 200 would give you in wind-bucking ability inside 600 yards (which is further than I'd shoot one of these bullets, anyway). At the longer ranges where impact velocities have dropped, the extra velocities of the 168 or 150 might be of assistance in ensuring that the bullet opens on impact.
All of this is just theoretical, though. Bravo for choosing something that you've thought through and played with. Keep us informed of your progress!
biggest reason why I went with the 200gr TTSX is they look really cool
the ogive is longer and more sloped than the 168s & 180s and they look plain ###y. I just bought another box the other day and loaded them up, should be set for some practice and this falls hunts welcome back, I always enjoyed your posts
tb
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
This is how it starts, you move from 180s to 200s, then you need to try 220s and finally 240s. Welcome to my world! It won't be long before you dismiss the Xs altogether and begin shooting very heavy solid shank bonded core bullets! Its only fair after all, the fact that I have a bunch of Xs, TSXs and TTSXs on my bench, despite knowing they are made backwards . . . is mostly your fault
- Location
- Miramichi, NB
