Hunting Bullets for moose?
- Thread starter triplepete
- Start date
I'm not surprised, Barnes trades the ability to shoot through a moose lengthwise for a narrow wound channel. Sometimes that's a good trade, sometimes it isn't.
Some of us here are actually old enough (including Ted), to have taken game BEFORE the TTSX or TSX were ever invented, or even the X bullet for that matter.
I agree with Dogleg. The TSX was a favoured choice of mine until recently. More accurately, I will be very judicious where and when I use them. If I want great penetration on big (and I mean buffalo big) game, they will work out great.
Otherwise, I have recently found that in a 375 or 416 (my choices at the time) they do tend to penetrate through (even very large soft skin animals) with moderate wound channels. Several times additional shots were required to finish a "dead" soft skin critter where the initial strike was a slightly high center lung, top of heart type shot. The animal just wanted to keep going. It would die of course, just a question of when and how far.
The TSX are too much like a solid. I call them semi-solids now. They have a place, but there are many fine, in my view, better choices for deer, elk and moose.
Otherwise, I have recently found that in a 375 or 416 (my choices at the time) they do tend to penetrate through (even very large soft skin animals) with moderate wound channels. Several times additional shots were required to finish a "dead" soft skin critter where the initial strike was a slightly high center lung, top of heart type shot. The animal just wanted to keep going. It would die of course, just a question of when and how far.
The TSX are too much like a solid. I call them semi-solids now. They have a place, but there are many fine, in my view, better choices for deer, elk and moose.
Here's the bottom line for me: Moose hunting is an expensive proposition for most of us who must travel some distance to get to where the moose are. The bullet you use is likely the least expensive component of the trip, so why not spend a few extra dollars to get a premium bullet that will a) expand reliably and b) retain a significant portion of its weight. Most premium bullets will do that. I prefer trophy bonded from personal experience, but also like nosler partitions and swift a-frames. Taking that shot at a moose after you have traveled hundres of kilometers, sat freezing for days and all the rest of the guys in camp are counting on you making the shot, I like to have as much confidence as possible in my optic, rifle and bullet as possible when i touch off that trigger!
Ttsx et al work best in light for caliber at hyper speeds. Eg I have a load for my 7mm rem mag at 3500fps with the 120gr ttsx. I use that from 0-250 yards. When they slow down they don't work all that great but if u can push them fast they work fine. As has been mentioned a good heavy cup and core at moderate speed will do very well as will many other bullets. I ran into a fellow last year who was using 180gr tsx in his 308. Don't see much point in that but whatever floats your boat I guess.
I agree completely that the bullet is important and most everyone has not much chance to shoot anything - so you better do your best to make your chances count.
That is why there is more to this than simply "TSX" or "partition" or "swift".......
You have to look at your variables and decide on the bullet. They all work. Which one works best for your requirements. The OP postulated his requirements and the partition in his situation is likely a fine choice.
That is why there is more to this than simply "TSX" or "partition" or "swift".......
You have to look at your variables and decide on the bullet. They all work. Which one works best for your requirements. The OP postulated his requirements and the partition in his situation is likely a fine choice.
Biggunners
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- MOSTLY LOSTED
Good post -
......180 gr Partitions for moose if I ever got lucky to draw a tag, then in deer season I drop down to 165gr Ballistic tips. Same crappy A-Bolt gun with crappy trigger and sucky mag system but my back up is always a Sako (only for nice and clear days). Rain and storms , A-Bolt 300 WM - Biggs
quackquackbang
CGN Regular
- Location
- Newfoundland
There are 30,000 moose licenses given out in NFLD every year and I am willing to bet that 95% if not more of the hunters use either core lokt, power points or the federal blue box ammo. 
They work just fine on moose.
They work just fine on moose.is this your one/ first rifle?
Not planning on buying another centrefire ?
If so I'd look at getting a 338, shoots the large grain bullets and smaller .. moose & deer in one rifle
I have taken 100lb whitetail to 1200lb+ moose & elk
and i use accubonds / partions /grandslams and tried ttsx ( same effect as others,they shoot well and punch threw & threw but dont seem to transfer energy to the animal)
Not planning on buying another centrefire ?
If so I'd look at getting a 338, shoots the large grain bullets and smaller .. moose & deer in one rifle
I have taken 100lb whitetail to 1200lb+ moose & elk
and i use accubonds / partions /grandslams and tried ttsx ( same effect as others,they shoot well and punch threw & threw but dont seem to transfer energy to the animal)
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Hardcast lead, not exceeding over 1700 fps. in most any caliber 6.5mm or larger.
Put the pill where it does the quickest and cleanest job.
No shots beyond 100 yds. for me thanks.
Put the pill where it does the quickest and cleanest job.
No shots beyond 100 yds. for me thanks.
I'm with Gatehouse on this one. Ammo is the cheapest part of the hunt. I have killed moose and deer with Hornady 165 and 180 BTSP laoded to the max. They worked fine. Shot placement being the key and not bullet weight.
I currently load 168 TSX's, and after two deer and a moose, I have 17 rounds left out of 20. They work real well. My wife uses 150 TSX's in her '06, and her bull dropped at the shot at 60 yards, and stayed there. Premiums aren't that expensive, and BTW, load development for both was found on the first trial. Both shoot under an inch for 3 shots at 100.
Load what you like, but don't worry about the "expense" of the premiums.
I currently load 168 TSX's, and after two deer and a moose, I have 17 rounds left out of 20. They work real well. My wife uses 150 TSX's in her '06, and her bull dropped at the shot at 60 yards, and stayed there. Premiums aren't that expensive, and BTW, load development for both was found on the first trial. Both shoot under an inch for 3 shots at 100.
Load what you like, but don't worry about the "expense" of the premiums.
Partitions are good bullets. I'm a TSX fan myself but I will also use the premium bullet that shoots best. In my 300WSM, the only 180 grain bullet that shoots well out of my gun is a 180 grain Speer Grand Slam. A 165 grain TSX also shoots well, while the Partitions are really finicky in the same rilfe.
Varies rifle to rifle. The Sra MK might have a different POI than the Partitions. If they have the same POI, you can shoot MK cheaper and get the practice without the cost of Partitions.
If this would be your only gun than get a good one.
I am hard on my guns so I own mostly Sako's Stainless Synthetic.
I have 3 in 30-06 and they all shooting same reloads well. (I am hunting with two Sons.)
Sako 75 SS is the heaviest, Sako 85 Finnlight seems to be the lightest.
As bullets are concerned in all guns that I shoot I use Hornady SST for practice and Barnes TTSX for hunting and they are same weight 150 gr in
30-06 at 3000 ft/sec and have almost identical POI as BC of SST is .415 and TTSX have BC .42.
In 30-06 150 gr Barnes TTSX we use on everything we hunt.
Set 3" high at 100 y, zero of 275y, foot low on 400 and 30" low at 500.
Enough energy up to 500y for Moose or Elk and enough velocity to open them nicely 2093 FPS remaining.
Andrew
- Location
- Burnaby, BC
Great to know those 2 have same BC, I just happen to have the same 150gr SST that I will be reloading.
So I just got back from the range and spent 40 rounds of Federal 150 gr break in. Got it sighted in pretty close I think to 100 yds - Dang it's pretty hard to have a consistent trigger pull... especially with guys shooting ARs on either side of me. Hard to tell if my misses are because of scope, me, or ammo.
Here are my 100 yd sight in shots but it appears that my windage adjustments aren't doing much 1/4" MOA per click.
Here is my target at 200 yds shot with my scope's BDC after zero at 100.
I need to invest in a spotting scope because I am not sure which shots were mine. I had 40 rounds at my bench but I counted 42 .308 holes between my 3 targets.... didn't know I got within bullseye at 200 till i retrieved my target.
