A 130 grain hunting bullet in .30 caliber? Sure, these bullets are screamers and correct as effectively! One other well-regarded searching bullet from our buddies at Barnes Bullets.
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In regards to the Barnes 130 grain 30 caliber TTSX
The TTSX advanced from the TSX, which was preceded by the XLC and the Barnes X bullets. Barnes has been round since 1932 and initially made bullets from mushy copper tubing with a lead core. In 1974, Randy and Coni Brooks bought the corporate and moved it to American Fork, Utah. Whereas searching Alaskan brown bears in 1985, Randy began desirous about an all-copper searching bullet. Manufacturing began on the X bullet by 1989 and hunters all over the world shortly discovered it to be an impressive huge sport bullet.
There’s all the time room for enchancment, and the X bullet has advanced through the years. The TSX featured aid grooves on the shank of the bullet, permitting the copper to movement higher, lowering bore fouling and bettering accuracy in some rifles. The TTSX options an improved hole level design for improved bullet enlargement which is capped with a polymer tip to reinforce the ballistic coefficient.
The TTSX is on the market in all kinds of bullet diameters and weights from .224” to .458” diameter and is appropriate for taking all kinds of sport.
From Barnes:
With all the advantages of the TSX, these bullets have a polymer tip that reinforces B.C. and initiates enlargement. The re-engineered nostril cavity offers sooner enlargement and devastating terminal efficiency.
It’s usually said that the Barnes all-copper bullet works finest when pushed to substantial velocity. It’s additionally been beneficial {that a} hunter think about using a lighter bullet than the usual cup and core jacketed bullet selection. As an illustration, if a hunter usually chooses a 180 grain jacketed mushy level for his .308 searching rifle, he may contemplate dropping all the way down to a 165 grain or perhaps a 150 grain TTSX Barnes bullet.
With this in thoughts, I selected to check the 130 grain Barnes TTSX bullet within the .30-06 cartridge. I needed excessive muzzle velocity, flat trajectory at regular searching ranges, good enlargement on sport and excessive retained bullet weight.
Cartridges & Functions
The 130 grain Barnes .308” TTSX bullet is appropriate for a variety of .30 caliber cartridges from the traditional 300 Savage to the favored .308 Winchester and .30-06. It’s even good for the varied 300 magnums. Barnes masses this bullet of their .308 Winchester Vor-Tx factory ammunition with a powerful muzzle velocity of 3125 fps.
The Barnes reloading guide signifies that this bullet is appropriate for taking deer-sized sport similar to pronghorn antelope, whitetail deer and mule deer. I wouldn’t hesitate to make use of it for black bear and even cow elk.
About Our Handload and the MEC Marksman Press
I’ve grown fairly keen on the MEC Marksman single stage press. An open entrance design offers nice entry to the work space. The floating shell holder helps produce good high quality ammunition and the leverage supplied by this press makes resizing duties simple. It’s a sturdy, heavy-duty forged iron press able to dealing with all regular resizing and bullet seating.
Gavin added the KMS Squared UFO lights to the MEC Marksman which helps tremendously by lighting the work area. It’s simple to make sure the cartridge case has been correctly charged with powder earlier than seating a bullet.
We’ve used this press for a number of tasks together with this loading precision .308 ammunition.
For loading the .30-06, I selected a set of RCBS dies I’ve had for a lot of years. They’re simply normal dies, not match grade dies, however they’ve all the time produced good ammunition for my searching and follow.
Perusing the Barnes reloading guide, I seen Varget was proven to supply good muzzle velocities with my supposed bullets. I had it obtainable and have lengthy used Varget within the 308 Winchester in addition to different cartridges, so I elected to make use of it for this challenge as effectively. The beneficial most cost was 56.5 grains.
It was good that the 56.5 grains of Varget match simply into the case, filling it to in regards to the base of the neck on the R-P circumstances. Barnes indicated {that a} bit over 3200 fps could possibly be anticipated. I used CCI 200 giant rifle primers.
In regards to the Springfield 03-A3
For velocity testing, I chosen my treasured Springfield 03-A3 rifle, produced by Remington for WWII.
The 03-A3 is a modification of the unique 1903 rifle with an adjustable aperture sight added to the receiver. Different adjustments allowed for extra fast manufacturing. Though the semi-automatic M-1 Garand was to grow to be probably the most well-known WWII American rifle, preliminary portions have been inadequate for demand and the 03-A3 bolt motion rifles have been wanted. Apparently, this 80-year-old rifle was constructed with a 24” 1:10 twist barrel, as is my a lot newer Remington 700 searching rifle! Some issues don’t change a lot (as a result of they work!). A 1:10 twist, .30 caliber barrel is able to dealing with bullets from 110 – 220 grains.
Our digicam guys have been very within the previous rifle and had a good time capturing it at metal targets on the UR ranch. I appreciated how respectfully they dealt with the WWII difficulty rifle.
For accuracy testing, Gavin volunteered his Savage 110 which he lately re-stocked utilizing an aesthetic laminated inventory from Boyds.
Efficiency Outcomes
I used to be extraordinarily happy with the outcomes of our testing! We recorded a median of 3273 fps from the previous Springfield! That is considerably sooner than any .30-06 load I’ve ever constructed or fired.
Realizing that I may in all probability shoot Gavin’s scoped Savage 30-06 higher than my 03-A3, I used it for the 100 yard accuracy testing. I haven’t shot many Savage bolt motion rifles, however I do admire their attention-grabbing set off, and status for out of the field accuracy. The Boyds inventory not solely appears to be like good, however has an awesome really feel to it. I discovered it very snug to shoot, but the rifle stays mild and useful sufficient for basic goal searching. That is the perfect group I shot with the gun and the perfect 100 yard 30-06 group I’ve ever shot. Thoughts you, that is with the manufacturing facility Savage barrel.
Between the scorching velocity and the tiny three-shot .397 MOA group at 100 yards, I knew we had a superb load.
As a hunter, I worth a flat trajectory over “regular” searching ranges. I perceive that “regular searching ranges” can imply quite a lot of various things to completely different hunters in several areas after completely different sport. My regular searching vary is between 50 and 400 yards. Many of the sport I’ve taken has been inside 300 yards and a few of it as shut as 20 yards. This little 130 grain TTSX bullet with a mere .350 G1 ballistic coefficient shoots with a pleasant flat trajectory. For my functions, I’d sight it in at 200 yards and be very assured at 300 yards because it’s solely a 6.3” drop from my 200 yard zero. Even a 400 yard shot can be affordable (at that time we’re getting all the way down to 2144 fps velocity). I might personally not push the 130 grain TTSX previous 400 yards and use it totally on deer-sized sport.
As a hunter, the one Barnes bullet I’ve recovered was a effectively expanded .338 225 grain TSX from a grizzly shot at shut vary. I’ve by no means recovered a Barnes bullet from a deer. The photographs have handed via and a lot of the hunters I’ve talked with relay the identical outcomes; glorious penetration and good enlargement from their TTSX bullets.
Right here at Final Reloader we like to check our searching bullets in Clear Ballistics Gel. This was supposed to be a little bit of a torture take a look at for the 130 grain TTSX, slamming into the gel blocks from solely 10 yards away, giving it an affect velocity of over 3200 fps!
The utmost cavitation of 10” was spectacular. Clearly the bullet expanded shortly, then continued to penetrate. Penetration of twenty-two.5” revealed this bullet ought to do properly for deer-sized sport, perhaps even a bit bigger. Barnes makes heavier bullets if extra penetration is desired for bigger, harder sport.
The recovered bullet weighed 129.165 grains and measured .8” on the widest level. Each of these are spectacular figures. We have been significantly happy with the retained weight, shedding solely about one grain. That’s possible the lack of the polymer tip on affect.
We weighed and measured ten bullets from the field. Maintaining in thoughts that it is a searching bullet, not marketed as a match bullet, the outcomes have been exemplary. I consider the standard of this bullet is a key issue contributing to its glorious accuracy.
Conclusion
We discovered this to be probably the most correct mono-metal bullet we’ve examined. It expands effectively, which is a priority with all copper bullets since they lack the mushy lead core which expands so properly on conventional jacketed bullets.
The quantity of enlargement proven signifies it ought to carry out very effectively on deer-sized sport, maybe even bigger sport as effectively. The penetration is ample for many sport taken in North America, although I’d desire one thing heavier for the good bears or huge bull elk. This bullet wasn’t supposed for these animals — it was supposed as a bullet for sport weighing between 100 and 500 kilos. I’m together with cow elk in my ideas on this bullet.
Versatility is one other attribute of the 130 grain TTSX. It may be utilized in quite a lot of 30 caliber cartridges from delicate to very highly effective.
Barnes has load information on their website indicating that 3600 fps is feasible with this bullet from the 300 Win Magazine, a highly regarded searching cartridge within the western states. That velocity would create a really flat trajectory! Gavin and I’ll attempt to work up a load for his 300 PRC only for enjoyable since he doesn’t have a 300 Win Magazine. (Should you assume he ought to get one, tell us!)
Get the Gear
Hodgdon Varget Powder 1 lb | Midsouth Shooters (midsouthshooterssupply.com)
#200 Large Rifle Primer (1000 Count) by CCI (midsouthshooterssupply.com)
MEC Marksman Single Stage Press |Midsouth Shooters (midsouthshooterssupply.com)
UFO M² Reloading Press Light for MEC Marksman – KMS² (kmssquared.com)
Buy Full-Length Die Set – Group A – Popular Rifle Cartridges and More | RCBS
30-06 Springfield Full Length 2 Die Set by RCBS (midsouthshooterssupply.com)
Build & Price Gunstock Configurator | Boyds Hardwood Gunstocks (boydsgunstocks.com)
Ares ETR 3-18×50 APRS6 FFP IR MIL | Long Range | Athlon Optics
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Man Miner
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