The ballistics are pretty amazing for a .257 Bob. I think I can can get to 3,300 fps...

With a 250 yard zero, the bullet is pretty much +/- 3" the entire flight (max +: 2.4" @ 150 yards, max -: 3.17" @ 300 yards). 1,019 fpe @ 300 yards.

That pretty much turns the Bob into a Deer Laser in terms of trajectory.

Just food for thought - I might order a box of the TTSX's and see what happens...I'm thinking Dead Deer myself...

My first reaction is that I would much rather go with the 100gr. for a bit more punch, but that may just be conventional wisdom talking. The TSX is a tough bullet and hopefully should not come apart to quickly if you should happen to want to take a 50yd shot.

What kind of load are you putting together and what kind of components are you planning on? Have you tried any of the TTSX bullets in your Bob yet?

I'm wondering the same thing - has somebody done the TTSX's yet - one of my old Hornady reloading manuals (Vol II - 1973) has 75 grainers at 3500 fps and 87 grainers at 3300 fps - so is 3450 fps attainable?

One of my buddies has a 22-.243 - he says he's getting 3800 fps with 80 grain bullets - that's lazer flat out to the edge of the world.....it is a deer killin' machine.

Sounds like fun .........

You want to talk about a laser, we recently went on an antelope hunt in New Mexico. My dad was using the 80 TTSX in his .257 Wby Mag at 3900 fps!

Man, that thing shoots flat. Dad wound up shooting his buck at a measured 580 yards and the performance was great. That buck went down and never even kicked. Complete penetration and blew the top of the heart off.

I was using the 110 grain Tipped TSX in my 270 WSM at 3600 fps and the performance was about the same, except I did not have to make such a long shot.

My buddy and his grandson both shot the 80 grain Tipped TSX in their .243 caliber guns and at around 300 yards the performance was again very good.

That 80 Tipped TSX should work great in the .257 Roberts. I am shooting them at 3600 fps in my 25-06 but just have not shot anything but paper with them as of yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Mort Canard:

What kind of load are you putting together and what kind of components are you planning on? Have you tried any of the TTSX bullets in your Bob yet?

Mort,

I'm not sure yet. Normal TSX's group in the 3/4" range for my Bob. So the odds are good that I should get decent accuracy out of the 80gr. TTSX.

Figure 47.0 - 50.0gr. of H4350. CCI LR Primers, Win. +P brass. Three rounds each, 1 gr. apart. (47.0 H4350 is my goto load for a 100gr TSX and is perfectly safe in my rifle.). Pressure test w/ normal parameters (ie: stiff bolt, flattened primers, etc.) and measure velocity.

I have no idea what the results will be, but darned if it won't be worth seeing.

I have no worries about the 80 gr. TSX holding together - even if the petals sheer off the base will hold together.

Hmmmmmm...gotta order me some boolitz...

Let us know how this works out! I am shooting the 100TSX over 46.5 grains of H4350, went to 47 with no problems but figured 46.5 was in the middle between 46 and 47 and the gun shoots into the same group from 46 to 47 as far as I can tell. I am playing with the seating depth on the 100 now, the Barnes website says 2.780, I am loading to 2.82 and getting a 3/4 inch group but many believe shorter is better with the barnes so I am going to reseat 4 shells to 2.780 and try it.

The 80 grain with all the coyotes on our lease would be perfect regards the deer/coyote mix I will shoot this year!

quote:

Originally posted by R Flowers:
You want to talk about a laser, we recently went on an antelope hunt in New Mexico. My dad was using the 80 TTSX in his .257 Wby Mag at 3900 fps!

Man, that thing shoots flat. Dad wound up shooting his buck at a measured 580 yards and the performance was great. That buck went down and never even kicked. Complete penetration and blew the top of the heart off.

AWESOME!!!
Tell your Dad Kudos from Michigan. That is some great shooting. WOW

I bought the 100grn ttsx's to mess with in my 257R, and in retrospect I think I missed out by not going with the 80grn instead. 3400+should be attainable with that bullet weight in that cartridge.

I used the 80 grain TTSX at 3350 fps from a 257 Roberts to take 4 antelope last week (one buck, 3 doe). Buck was shot at 225 yds, slightly turned towards me. Buck ran 50 yds and dropped. Bullet destroyed the heart but did not exit. Doe 1 taken broadside at 180 yds. Bullet centered the neck. Doe immediately dropped. Bullet exited with a large exit wound on the off side of the neck. Doe 2 shot at 130 yds directly facing me. Doe dropped immediately. Bullet did not exit. Lungs had severe damage. Doe 3 shot at 200 yds broadside. Bullet hit a little far back and did severe damage to liver. Doe ran about 50 yds and stopped quartering away. After waiting a short time to see if she would fall I shot again and doe collapsed. Second bullet entered near front of stomach and angled into the lungs. Neither bullet exited.

So, I can say that the bullet kills okay as long if you put the bullet where it should go but I was surprised that the only bullet I could get to exit was a neck shot.

quote:

Originally posted by R Flowers:
My dad was using the 80 TTSX in his .257 Wby Mag at 3900 fps!

Dad wound up shooting his buck at a measured 580 yards and the performance was great. That buck went down and never even kicked. Complete penetration and blew the top of the heart off.

That is some fine shooting. What sort of groups does his Weatherby serve up at that distance?

not owning a Roberts, its strictly academic for me...

however, if I had one, you know I'd have a box of those on the way to my doorstep as we speak...

if ya use'm, let us know how they worked..

I can tell you a 100 grain ballistic tip out of a 260 Rem at 3350 fps, is instant death on a blacktail...at 100 or 300 yds plus...
and anything in between...

So that TTSX, out of a Roberts ought to be far superior..

wow .. i may need to do another 257xwsm ..

i just ordered some from grafs .. last box

The "super light" bullets offer interesting ballistics in all calibers - 130 grs in .308 cal, 110 in .277 cal (I believe it is?) and now 80 grs in .257...

I have also been fascinated when I look at the ballistics data - hey, look at all that speed one can generate... In particular with mono-metal bullets like the (T)TSX, you don't have to worry about bullet integrity at high speed, so the "super lights" look even more attractive.

I have not done the calculations for the 80 grs .257 TTSX specifically, but for all the other "super light" bullets I looked at, the problem was, that you bought the flatter trajectory with greater susceptibility to wind drift - quite a bit greater in fact... . I don't know about you, but in these days of laser range finders and ballistic compensation scopes, holdover is actually the easier part of long range shooting. Doping the wind is pretty much as difficult as it was in days past, though. So I'm not convinced the equation works to the advantage of the "super lights" in the end....

- mike

Mike, agreed! Also I am still not convinced that the 257R is a 400 yard cartridge! If, as I suspect, it is a 250 yard cartridge then existing velocities are fine for me. Having said that, the TSX's seem to be more accurate in my 257R than most other bullets.
Peter.

mho: I agree with your statement that, given rangefinders, wind drift is of more concern than drop.

FWIW, I plugged an 80gr TTSX @ 3300, and a 100gr Partitions @ 3000 into Oehler's Ballistic software.

At 400 yds (sighted 2.5" hi @ 100) the TTSX drops 4" less. (13 vs 17")

In a 10mph wind, the TTSX drifts 1.1" more. (11.8 vs 12.9)

Doesn't seem to significant to me, but each will reach their own conclusion.

FWIW, I haven't ever used a TTSX and don't plan to.

400 yards aint hunting ranges to me .. 200 is MAX MAX for me ..

But, with the shoulder injury i have, lighter recoil is better for this year ...

and if i can get 3000 FPS with it, bet it will drill a pig from ear to ear!

I don't think I would switch from the 100 grainers for Mule deer, but I might for antilope.
I know that 80 grainer would shoot a little flatter, But how much really.
I get 3140 with a 100 grain tsx.
and that shoots prety darn flat.
...tj3006

I just finished load testing the 80 gr TTSX for my .25 WSSM. I am very happy with the accuracy 0.670" for seven. three shot groups average.
Velocity averaged 3523fps for 10 shots with an e.s. of 17fps.
The load was 43.1 gr. H4895,CCI BR-2. Bullet was seated 0.045" off.
The rifle is a Winchester M-70
FWT, which has been one of the most difficult rifles I've ever worked with.
I'm now happy with it, and hope to take one of those little Washington State Whitetails.
I think it will work well.

80 @ 3300 Hmmm

my 250AI load 120gr @ 2900 to 3000 has been sooo effective for sooo many years---
still speed is always intriguing.

JC454's comments on penetration (or lack thereof) are telling. I'm a big fan of at least getting an exit wound - it really sounds like the 80gr. TTSX is a marginal penetrator at best. It's also telling that even a super-premium bullet can't overcome the mass-issue required to maximize penetration.

It really sounds like the 80TTSX might be a bit light for larger game.

Robert,
a tsx is going to blow off the petals and turn into a 60gr FMJ WORST case .. no one has ever complained that a barnes mono bullet doesnt penetrate.

remember, its about the length of a 1.3X weighted jacketed bullet, or like a 100... and it's failure mode is to turn into a solid,

NOT detonate like a BT ... i can't stand BTs for game, i think self destructing lead bullets at MEAT animals is less than optimal

Jeffe,

I had to go back and read your post a few lines back. I missed the binged up shoulder and 200 yard max comments.

Given those parameters I'd say you are absolutely correct. Low, low recoil and the TTSX has a "failsafe" mode.

My original consideration for the bullet was to use it for a 400 yard deer-laser. Negligable bullet drop between 0-400 yards with a 250 yard zero would be big. It was JC454's comments about lack of penetration at pretty common ranges - 180-225yards. Yes, the deer died, but the interesting part is that the TTSX did not shed petals and did not turn into a 60gr. solid. Effectively, it expanded and expelled all it's energy within perhaps 12" of penetration?

Yes, the deer died, but it really does come down to picking and making the right shot.

So, it really sounds like it's more of a 200 yard deer bullet due to penetration.

R,
Yep -- 2 suguries in a month .. and shooting lefy for the rest of this year .. so its 223 or 257 for me, right now, rather than 416 or 500AR .. but i'll be back on them in 6-8 months .. NO (chuckle) it wasn't a big bore induced injury

Since I don't shoot anything other than nonliving targets past 200, then 400yards is academic for me .. not a "better than you" statement, just that's the way hunting is here. 200 is a long shot, in east texas.

jeffe

I have to disagree with jeff on balistic tips. They work great on game provided they are not driven to fast.
A 100 grain balistic tip for a .250 savage would be great.
I would not want to push that bullet much over 2800 fps.
One of my hunting buddies loads 180 grain balistic tips for a 300 win mag. He says he will never use another bullet for elk.
I told him that is a prety soft bullet for a big animal. He says I klled 6 elk with it and its better than anything he has used.
This guy has probably killed 20 or 30 elk over the years.
...tj3006

just received my bullets.. they are at least as long as 100gr conventional bullets

thomas, we can agree to disagee.. i HATE bt's in edible game. bullet detonations of lead into meat ..

BTs are NOT a good choice for edible game. I have done my duty to explain, do as you will