Barnes ttsx 168s in 3006?

[brewer12345]

I have been working up cast bullet loads for my Tikka t3 and will soon be working on something that replicates or improves on the Barnes factory ttsx 168 grain 3006 offering. Anyone done something like this and have any advice? I have varget and h4895 on hand, but would be willing to buy a pound of powder if something else is particularly great.

 

[wombat13]

I have not loaded the 168 gr TTSX in .30-06. Just looking online at both Barnes reloading data and Hodgdon's reloading data center, it looks like H4895 is unlikely to do it for you. The Barnes VOR-Tx ammo published velocity is 2,850. Barnes doesn't publish data for either Varget or H4895 in in that chambering/bullet weight. Hodgdon show max velocity of 2,789 with H4895 and 2,859 with Varget. Hodgdon's highest published velocities are around 2,900 with IMR 4350 and H4350. Varget, H380 and IMR 4895 are next at 2,859.

I'd give Varget a try since you've got it.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Varget usually works well in the 30-06 but I've always gotten better results with 4350.

 

[brewer12345]

Anyone got a Barnes manual handy? I know there is data for varget for this bullet in 3006 and have to decide if I want to pursue that or buy another powder. Min and max charges and top velocity would be helpful.

 

[eo1bart]

Anyone got a Barnes manual handy? I know there is data for varget for this bullet in 3006 and have to decide if I want to pursue that or buy another powder. Min and max charges and top velocity would be helpful.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2017/10/30-06Springfield.pdf

 

[horsey300]

I have been working up cast bullet loads for my Tikka t3 and will soon be working on something that replicates or improves on the Barnes factory ttsx 168 grain 3006 offering. Anyone done something like this and have any advice? I have varget and h4895 on hand, but would be willing to buy a pound of powder if something else is particularly great.

The monolithic pills like more velocity to operate properly, so if you're looking at using them on game animals, I might suggest rl17 this time around.

 

[brewer12345]

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2017/10/30-06Springfield.pdf

Seen it, but no varget data. I know the Barnes manual has varget data.

 

[jmr40]

Varget and H4985 are a good 308 powders. I wouldn't use either in 30-06. Also, Copper bullets behave much differently than lead. I'd be dropping down to 150's with a copper bullet. Some load data here.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2017/10/30-06Springfield.pdf

Copper bullets in the same weight are longer which cuts down on powder capacity. They also need faster impact speeds to expand. And unlike lead bullets, they retain 100% of their original weight, or very near it after impact so the lighter bullets penetrate very well. A 130 gr copper bullet is about the same overall length as a standard 180 gr bullet. A 180 gr lead bullet will weigh about 100-130 gr after impact. A 130 gr copper bullet will still weigh 130 gr after impact and penetrate the same or more.

By shooting 150 gr copper bullets you get better penetration than you'd get with a 168 or 180 gr lead bullet. And the slower impact speeds of the heavier bullets at 30-06 speeds may reduce expansion. I'd save anything heavier than 150 gr in a copper bullet for one of the magnums.

 

[wombat13]

You can also checkout Hodgdon's reloading data center: http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

They don't have data for the 168 TTSX, but they have Varget data for 165 gr Hornady GMX (max charge 48.3 gr; 2,724 fps), 165 gr Sierra SPBT (max charge 50.5 gr; 2,873 fps) and 168 gr Hornady HPBT (max charge 50.5 gr; 2,859 fps).

Hodgdon shows the following powders offering the highest velocities in the 165/168 gr weight for .30-06: Superperformance, Hybrid 100v, H4350, IMR 4350, IMR 4451, H414.

Barnes lists IMR 4064 as the most accurate powder and it gives up about 50 fps on the higher velocity powders above.