Barnes TTSX 150 or 168 gr in .308 Win?

[Dean2]

What ranges do you feel is the max distance you would feel comfortable taking elk and moose with it?

I have been using the 130 Barnes since 2008. I average 2-3 large game animals, with a rifle, a year. More than 95% of what I shoot is under 300 yards. The longest shot on elk with the 308 and the 130 grain Barnes was 565 yards. One shot, died 30 feet from where it was hit. One VERY large cow, bigger than most bulls I ever shot, was 325 yards, dropped in her tracks. Farthest I have shot a moose with this rig is about 200 yards, none of the moose or Elk shot under 300 yards went more than 20 feet, most died where they were hit, but they were all well placed shots. Same for bear and Deer, all one shot kills. Farthest whitetail, weighed about 270 on the hoof, 630 yards, farthest antelope 600 yards.

I honestly don't worry much about bullet versus distance and I have no faith in the terminal energy theory. Killed far too many with stick and string or traditional MLs to believe Impact Energy is any kind of a factor. If I can get a real good solid rest and be sure of exactly where I will hit, then I am comfortable anywhere inside 800 yards with the 130 at 3150 fps, but like I said earlier, I don't have to stretch it very often and if the shot is iffy, I won't take it no matter which gun I have in my hands. We see lots of game and most places have enough cover to get closer, so no need to take low percentage shots.

 

[copper still]

I have been using the 130 Barnes since 2008. I average 2-3 large game animals, with a rifle, a year. More than 95% of what I shoot is under 300 yards. The longest shot on elk with the 308 and the 130 grain Barnes was 565 yards. One shot, died 30 feet from where it was hit. One VERY large cow, bigger than most bulls I ever shot, was 325 yards, dropped in her tracks. Farthest I have shot a moose with this rig is about 200 yards, none of the moose or Elk shot under 300 yards went more than 20 feet, most died where they were hit, but they were all well placed shots. Same for bear and Deer, all one shot kills. Farthest whitetail, weighed about 270 on the hoof, 630 yards, farthest antelope 600 yards.

I honestly don't worry much about bullet versus distance and I have no faith in the terminal energy theory. Killed far too many with stick and string or traditional MLs to believe Impact Energy is any kind of a factor. If I can get a real good solid rest and be sure of exactly where I will hit, then I am comfortable anywhere inside 800 yards with the 130 at 3150 fps, but like I said earlier, I don't have to stretch it very often and if the shot is iffy, I won't take it no matter which gun I have in my hands. We see lots of game and most places have enough cover to get closer, so no need to take low percentage shots.

Thanks for your in depth response. It great to hear how effective these smaller bullets are. I myself used to run a 129 LRX in my 270 WSM and was very happy with the efficacy and any distance I felt I could shoot too. I'm of the same belief Monolithic bullets seem to play by a different set of rules. I only concern myself with minimum opening speeds of the bullets. I have a very short barreled rifle so velocity is a challenge if I don't intend to go over book powder numbers. I was curious so I ran the 130 TTSX at 3150 fps through my ballistics software and it opens(min 1800 fps) to right around 560-570 yards(right where you shot that elk, very cool).

 

[wvbearhunter]

I like.the 130 and 150s for 308. The 168s stsrt losing expansion width pretty quickly at medium range (200-400 yards). Any of them will work on black bear, they are not particularly hard to kill.