I undertake an annual moose hunting trip with some Swedish friends. About 4 years ago I switched from my 9.3x62 to a moderated 308
with 18" barrel. It doesn't like max loads but after some development I had a 168gr TTSX at 2,525fps using N150.
Year 1 was a blank
Year 2 I shot a bull at 80m with a perfect shoulder shot. The bull died in 60m quite normally. The expansion in the rib cage looked pretty small though.
Year 3 I used a 180gr partition to shoot a bull
Year 4 I went back to the 168gr TTSX as I had left a box with my mates to avoid extra airline charges. I had a great trip shooting 4 moose but bullet expansion was poor.
Cow - one lung and liver at 100yards - alive and walking after 15minutes - shot in the neck on follow up
Calf - both shoulders broken at 80yards - dead in 15yards
Bull - lung at 150yards, stood looking sick then walked off. Then hit once in the liver, once in the liver and lung and once in the shoulder. The liver shots showed only as much damage you would get poking a finger through it.
Calf - neck shot
Now I'll be the first to agree that 2 animals taking a bit of time to die isn't conclusive and that some of the shots were not the best even though they hit vitals. However I have come to the conclusion that this bullet is not exactly the hammer of thor. Then I add that to a couple of reds shot with lighter faster TSX and my friends experience of 150gr TSX on moose and I come to the conclusion that though they may be fine at much faster velocities they are not going to be used in my 308 again.
with 18" barrel. It doesn't like max loads but after some development I had a 168gr TTSX at 2,525fps using N150.
Year 1 was a blank
Year 2 I shot a bull at 80m with a perfect shoulder shot. The bull died in 60m quite normally. The expansion in the rib cage looked pretty small though.
Year 3 I used a 180gr partition to shoot a bull
Year 4 I went back to the 168gr TTSX as I had left a box with my mates to avoid extra airline charges. I had a great trip shooting 4 moose but bullet expansion was poor.
Cow - one lung and liver at 100yards - alive and walking after 15minutes - shot in the neck on follow up
Calf - both shoulders broken at 80yards - dead in 15yards
Bull - lung at 150yards, stood looking sick then walked off. Then hit once in the liver, once in the liver and lung and once in the shoulder. The liver shots showed only as much damage you would get poking a finger through it.
Calf - neck shot
Now I'll be the first to agree that 2 animals taking a bit of time to die isn't conclusive and that some of the shots were not the best even though they hit vitals. However I have come to the conclusion that this bullet is not exactly the hammer of thor. Then I add that to a couple of reds shot with lighter faster TSX and my friends experience of 150gr TSX on moose and I come to the conclusion that though they may be fine at much faster velocities they are not going to be used in my 308 again.