Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Barnes 30 cal 150 TTSX

Any of you guys use Barnes 30 cal 150 TTSX in either 308 Win or 30-06 on elk or deer, per Barnes 150 TTSX needs higher velocity to expand than 168 TTSX don't know if this is your experience. Thanks

Yes. They do fine on elk deer and antelope. No issues. All from 308 win and bigger

I've used the 150 TTSX at about 2900 fps in a .308 in Africa and it worked great on a variety of game including a large Sable. Performance on game was very good.

In the .30-06 I use the 168 grain TTSX which has worked very well on elk and African plains game..

we've had great results on deer and antelope in the '06

That is my go to in my -06. Deer, pigs and elk. Also used it with the 308.

Thanks, will try in both 308 and 30-06

Yes. 308, 30-06, 309 Win mag. Great in all of them

Use them for my main bullet in a 30-06 with 24” barrel using 52gr. IMR-4064 for just over 3kfps. I also like to play with the 130gr and 168gr. TTSX but the 150gr. Goes hunting!

Elk Country

Have used the 150 at 30-06 velocity with excellent results.

The 130 grain version is a deer thumper too.

AS mentioned, the 130's on deer hit like lightening. Last year I had 200+ lb. 8 pt that ran about 20 yards then dropped. It was the 1st time in about 10 kills that a deer took a step. As a matter of fact I posted on a thread about how well they worked, only to come back to the post and edit it because I shot him later that day and didn't drop instantly. That 130 at 3000+ fps is a hammer.

Good to go with the 150 but I like the 130 better in the 308. You can easily get 3000-3100 with multiple powders in the 308.

The 30 cal 150 gr TTSX bullet for reloading needs an impact velocity of 2000 fps which will get you about 1.7x expansion of the bullet’s original diameter. If 2x expansion is desired then add approximately 100-200 fps. The 150 gr TTSX which is "loaded" in the 308 Win and 30-06 Vor-Tx ammo has a low of 1600 fps.

As I replied in another thread a while back, I’ve killed 4 elk the last three years with a 308/150 TTSXs, MV of ~2830fps. One at~250 yds the others under 100 yds. All 4 were broadside armpit shots, one cow I shot a second time in the neck because she didn’t fall down right away. All were exits, the exit holes were a moderate size. None fell down on the spot, none went more than 40 yds, which is normal for armpit shot elk.

I would like to have seen a bit larger exit, but it seems to be consistent with other reports I’ve listened to.

I suspect the 150TTSX might be intended for higher velocity cartridges.

I’ll continue to use them because any ungulate with an exit somewhere in the front half doesn’t go very far. When I run out of TTSXs I have a big supply of ETips in 150 and 168 which based on some friends reports who have killed elk with both the TTSX and ETips, the ETips have a bit better terminal performance.

I prefer the 130 TTSX in my 308s and 300 Sav's. I believe in driving monos fast, for the most part.

In my 1954 model 70 30-06 the Barnes Vortex factory 150gr TTSX is going 3100-3125 according to my chronograph. The 165 TSX in the factory Federal load is doing 2875. The 168 TSX in my 308 is an absolutely deadly killer of a round but I haven’t run it over the chronograph yet. I only caught 1 (308 168 TSX ) that went stem to stern through a Blacktail and was lodged under the hide on the right rear hip. It was the picture of perfection. I’m a lover of the TSX and TTSX and I haven’t ever had to track any animal I’ve shot with them.

I've never used the 150's so i can't comment on those but I've killed a truck load of deer with the 130gr TSX from the 30.06 and .308. Accuracy was superb with RL15 and they performed excellent on deer. I would assume that the 150's would be just as effective or better on the game mentioned.