300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

[rusty815]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to develop a load with 200 gr. TTSX, but my manuals only list Ramshot Big Game, I've read online that Ramshot Hunter is the best load for it, but I have nothing else on it.

Can someone who loads 200gr. TTSX's in a 300 WSM give me some load data? Preferably Ramshot Hunter, since that is listed as the best load.

 

[ehryk]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

For the .300 WSM I would recommend the 168 TSX over the 200 TTSX. You can get better velocity to ensure reliable expansion at range. I had a load using RL 17 I thought was good with mine but after using Pressure Trace, I found it was too hot so I am working up a new one. I doubt an elk will notice the loss of 100 - 200 fps anyway. lol.

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

I already have some loads with 168gr. TSX, but I'm looking for something a little bigger for when I run into black bears (thought they migrated out of California until I ran into two of them last year), took me 5 shots to drop one and I'm not looking to take any chances. These were well placed shots as well. My uncle took a black bear two years ago with a single shot from his 300 Win mag using 200gr. TTSX, so I thought I'd do the same, I can live with a somewhat lower velocity (anyway, at longer ranges, It retains its velocity longer, theoretically anyway). The LRX (same as the TTSX, but with new branding) is supposedly able to expand well at speeds no lower than 1600FPS, so if I can sling the round at maybe 2800-2900FPS, would mean that I should be able to get reliable expansion up to about 1000 yards, again, theoretically of course.

Anyway, I would love some load data with 200gr. TTSX, if anyone has anything.

 

[X-fan]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

Believe it or not the 168-200 TSX all penetrate about the same.

You don't need much for black bears...I shoot a couple every year here in BC...No biggy at all. I see bears almost every time I'm out...they are not the threat you might think.

If it works on big mule deer it works on blackies just as well. The ribs are no bigger than a deer rib btw.

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

Leave it to SH to never give me an answer to my question

Oh well, I got some load data from Western Powders, I should be able to get a little over 2800FPS with 200gr. TTSX, which is fine with me.

 

[Burleyboy]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

I tried some Hunter with 208 amax's and didn't get the speed I hoped for. Hunter did perform for me with 180's though. I always work up with Hunter cause I've had some huge lot to lot variations. Even their load data for 180's has varied 5 + grains from on version of their catalog to the next.

I'm now running the 208's with rl-17 and getting 2880 fps. You might try Rl-17 with the barnes because it is such a long bullet it might be hard to get enough of a slower powder underneath it to get it moving.

Bb

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

thanks for the tip. Hunter does perform well with the 180's, unfortunately I cant find any load data with barnes 200gr. TTSX and Rl-17, though I know down the road I will give it a try. Barnes load data does have Ramshot hunter data, its a bit conservative to what I have been reading in different places, but its good to start with.


On a side note, I spoke with a Barnes representative and was told that the 200gr. TTSX is about .02 inches longer than the TSX, so the load data is almost interchangeable (he recommended seating out the TTSX a bit further to compensate for that extra length and to be able to reproduce the load data for the TSX). Hope this helps anyone that is looking to load this round.

What is the length of your barrel Burleyboy? and whats the OAL with the 208 AMAX? I've seen data all over the place with this round.

 

[Burleyboy]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

24" brux 10 twist and I'm loading them to 2.95 col just kissing the lands. They mag feed from the Wyatt's box on my predator action. I'm loading 62 g RL-17, cci 250's, Norma brass. You could probably start 5 grains under my load and work up 1/2 grain at a time. The 208 amax and 200 ttsx are a lot different bearing surface wise but I'd guess 5 g under would be a safe start. But, use at your own risk.

Bb

 

[jjseman]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

I agree, if you load a quality bonded/monolithic type of bullet, 200 grains is over kill for anything in the lower 48. Back in the day when bullet quality wasn't what it is today, you might have needed more lead to compensate for jacket separation resulting in poor penetration. I do not load anything larger than 180 grn. bullets in my 300 wsm. I find the 165-168grn. to be ideal because they will get the job done and not protrude into the powder column as much.

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Burleyboy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">24" brux 10 twist and I'm loading them to 2.95 col just kissing the lands. They mag feed from the Wyatt's box on my predator action. I'm loading 62 g RL-17, cci 250's, Norma brass. You could probably start 5 grains under my load and work up 1/2 grain at a time. The 208 amax and 200 ttsx are a lot different bearing surface wise but I'd guess 5 g under would be a safe start. But, use at your own risk.

Bb </div></div>

The strange thing I encountered when trying to find a starting load for the 200 gr. TTSX is that Barnes recommends starting at 59 grains with both Hunter and Rl-17, threw me off a little bit when it came to loading for this round, I found this especially strange due to the fact that the TTSX is a longer bullet than the AMAX, in fact its exactly as long as a 230 Berger VLD, I wasn't expecting such a high load from Barnes, since I know them to be a bit conservative.

The encouraging thing about the AMAX is that according to many sources, 2900 fps from a 24" barrel is entirely possible out of a 300 WSM, which means one day when I have the resources, I can attempt shooting it out to a mile, its always been a dream of mine.

 

[X-fan]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rusty815</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I already have some loads with 168gr. TSX, but I'm looking for something a little bigger for when I run into black bears (thought they migrated out of California until I ran into two of them last year), took me 5 shots to drop one and I'm not looking to take any chances. These were well placed shots as well. My uncle took a black bear two years ago with a single shot from his 300 Win mag using 200gr. TTSX, so I thought I'd do the same, ...... </div></div>

I skimmed this earlier an missed some of the details...
It took you 5 "good" shots with a 168TSXs to drop a black bear?
Something very wrong here...Though I do sense a familiar essence...

and you think the 200TTSX is going to somehow help?

California thing I guess.

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: X-fan</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rusty815</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I already have some loads with 168gr. TSX, but I'm looking for something a little bigger for when I run into black bears (thought they migrated out of California until I ran into two of them last year), took me 5 shots to drop one and I'm not looking to take any chances. These were well placed shots as well. My uncle took a black bear two years ago with a single shot from his 300 Win mag using 200gr. TTSX, so I thought I'd do the same, ...... </div></div>

I skimmed this earlier an missed some of the details...
It took you 5 "good" shots with a 168TSXs to drop a black bear?
Something very wrong here...Though I do sense a familiar essence...

and you think the 200TTSX is going to somehow help?

California thing I guess.







</div></div>

yup, pretty much, cant use anything except lead free rounds here in south cali, pretty much leaves me with barnes tsx and ttsx. It was actually four good shoots, one in the neck, three directly in its chest, with the fifth one a little high just below the spine. I had to top load the last two rounds since my savage only holds 3 300 wsm rounds, when I was loading my 6th shot, he stumbled a good 20 yards until he finally fell. That thing was damn tough, and it got me to thinking that I might need a little more stopping power, the rounds didn't penetrate well, I recovered 4 of the 5 shots, the only one that went all the way through was the one on the neck, 3 of them were lodged in the bone (the one in the area towards the spine broke one, got lodged in another).

Also, this was at quite a long distance, about 400 yards, I don't usually take shots this far, but Im thinking maybe the rounds had trouble expanding as well, it seemed like it from the rounds I recovered, some were only "half" expanded. Oh well, I'm going to give the 200gr. ttsx a shot, hopefully post some load data in the coming weeks when I get a chance.

 

[Burleyboy]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

You might consider going the other way. The 130 TTSX at 3500 fps MV puts the smack down. The heaviest TTSX I shoot in the 30 cals is the 150 but I'm not required to use them. When I do use them I like them running fast.

Bb

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

I might give that a shot afterward, although the new LRX line has a minimum expansion velocity of about 1600 fps, meaning I could probably sling it out to 1000 yards and it will still be effective in taking game, not that I need to sling it that far (I've only once taken a shot close to that, 943 yards, luckiest shot of my life, took a blacktail down at that distance with a 270 shooting 130 grain hornady GMX). I plan on giving the hornady 150gr. GMX a shot as well, they tend to have better BC's than the Barnes rounds and the ones I use on my 270 and 7mm-08 have been very effective. Part of the reason I'm going the 200gr. LRX route is that there is no real load data using this round, I thought I'd give it a shot since I love to experiment.

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

Just wanted to update, I went to the range yesterday and fired off some 200gr. LRX's with RE-17 and found a good node with 65.2gr, unfortunately the chrono I ordered came with missing parts and I have to wait a week for the parts to come in so I can get the velocity I'm pushing these things at, I'm hoping for at least 2800 fps.

 

[dwtaylorpdx]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

I have a black bear on the wall that died quite quickly with 1 shot of 22lr from a old Sears single shot pistol...

He showed up at the bait barrel while we were carrying it..
Not a huge bear, about 100 lbs..

Dave

 

[rusty815]

Re: 300 WSM and 200gr. TTSX

UPDATE: just got back from the range (it was 110f here, really hot) with some very interesting chrony results. first up is the r-19 load:

Win brass
CCI LRM primers
Barnes 200gr. LRX
2.910" oal (.065" from the lands)

Reloader 19
66gr. = 2833fps average, 21 ES, .78 MOA
67gr. = 2867fps average, 16 ES, .81 MOA
68gr. = 2900fps average, blown primer, did not continue.

These speeds were a bit better than what I was expecting, but the blown primer really caught me off guard and turned me off from this load. Now for reloader 17:

Reloader 17
64.2gr. = 2980fps average, 8 ES, .52 MOA
64.7gr. = 3005fps average, 6 ES, .46 MOA
65.2gr. = 3027fps average, 12 ES, .67 MOA

All I can say is wow. Reloader 17 completely shattered the low expectations I had for this round and has made this the best hunting round I have so far. I wasn't expecting more than 2800fps since this is a very large bullet (1.624") and the load data Barnes has for the 200gr. TSX were all in the 2700fps range. I think the huge difference in velocities between the TSX and LRX are due in large part to the boat tail on the LRX, greatly reducing the bearing surface, which allows for higher velocities. With this data at hand, I encourage everyone to try the LRX in their 300wsm's to verify my results, because I still can't believe it.