180 barnes tsx// New guy

[coquitlam]

I am a newbie trying to get my deer rifle to be a more distance obtainable gun. I would like to hit targets at 500 yards and game at 400. I have a Ruger Mark 2 in 30-06 I have limited time and money . I will be getting a timney trigger and a Vortex viperHS 4-16x44 scope.I am shooting federal Barnes triple shock 165 grains with great accuracy to 200 yards. I was thinking about going to 180 grain triple shock but I was told that my gun has too fast a twist for that length and will keyhole and would be best with a Barns mrx 180 Grn. The reason I want to go to 180 grain is the data shows better traj. and energy. As I read that barns has a 1800 velocity limit for expansion. Please comment on bullet info and the gun setup . (I know the M77 is not great but I have to make do)
Thanks in advance

 

[MontanaRifleman]

A big issue with some M77's is the angled front action screw. You want to make sure that it is properly torqued and not touching anything.

You were probably told or should have been told that your rifle's twist was too slow, not too fast. The Barnes web site lists a required twist of 1-11" for the 180 TTSX. Most factory .308 cal rifles have a 1-11 or 1-10" twist. Ruger is showing 1-10" for their .308 cals which is more twist than you need but NOT too fast. You should be good with the 180 TTSX. I prefer the 180 Tips.

Good shooting,

Mark

 

[coquitlam]

Thank you mark ,

It would be also great to hear from people on if they feel my setup will b doable for 400 yard max 500 yard kills

 

[cwinner]

Thank you mark ,

It would be also great to hear from people on if they feel my setup will b doable for 400 yard max 500 yard kills

This is the exact set up that I had my son shooting while he was still at home, Ruger M 77 shooting 168gr TTSX Barnes bullets at just under 3,000fps......this rifle shot them extremely well. I would stay with the 168gr for your application.....I have used the 168, 180, and now the 200 TTSX bullets quite extensively over the past couple years and all have preformed well, the heavier slugs in my 30-378 & 300 WM.

To your point, my son shoot a large mule deer buck at 503 yds with the exact same set up you describe....the deer was 1/4 away and then bullet caught it through the last rib and preformed perfectly....nothing more you could ask for but I would not stretch the effective range must past this with the 30-06'

He also used the 168TTSX effectively on antelope, elk and everything else for that matter......If the 168gr is shooting good for you keep with it.

You could certainly shoot the 180's in your rifle but in my opinion the 168 will give you a better balance between speed and energy......

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Thank you mark ,

It would be also great to hear from people on if they feel my setup will b doable for 400 yard max 500 yard kills

Agree with cwinner. I think the 168 would be a better choice for the 06. It will have a flatter trjectory which would be helpful in 400-500 yd shooting.

Also recommend you trying RL17. It does great in my 300 WSM and 25-06 and have some real good things about it in the 30-06. I am getting an additional 200 fps than my next fastest loads.

As far as whether or not your particular rifle will shoot well is something you will have to find out. Every now and then the factory rifles will be a lemon. I have a Sako m85 Finnlight Lemon that I would not shoot at game farther than 300 yds.
A bedding job wouldn't hurt.

Good shooting,

Mark

 

[toddc]

I would use whichever gives better accuracy. Thats how close it is. Either one will kill at 500 so its a tossup to the most accurate winning and in a tie go to the 180 IMHO. Dont sweat that being a 500 yard combo. 500 SEEMS like a long ways to you right now but if your gun will shoot at 1" @ 100 then it will shoot a "ballpark" of 5" at 500. Maybe even better in some cases. Yes wind will hurt you but figure this... a decent trigger guy could shoot a sub 10" group at 1k with a VLD of some kind which is exponentially harder than 5"@500 with your combo. This should be very easy to accomplish for you...like 1 trip to the range ez.

 

[lloydsmale]

Ive used that bullet on deer at long distances with my 300wby but would be about skeptical on using it in the 06 at that range. But then if 500 yard shots were on the table id probably leave my 06s at home anyway.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'm with the others that shoot what's more accurate, but I do think that 165's tend to do a bit beter in the '06 on moving game as the time of flight is usually a bit lower. It's been years since I fielded an '06 but a 165 grain handload was always the chambered round.

 

[coquitlam]

Yes, I too believe that I should shoot what`s more accurate. I take it very serious when I plan on shooting anything alive and want to make a clean kill. I cannot see me shooting animals past 400 but always like to have the ability .

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I would use whichever gives better accuracy. Thats how close it is. Either one will kill at 500 so its a tossup to the most accurate winning and in a tie go to the 180 IMHO. Dont sweat that being a 500 yard combo. 500 SEEMS like a long ways to you right now but if your gun will shoot at 1" @ 100 then it will shoot a "ballpark" of 5" at 500. Maybe even better in some cases. Yes wind will hurt you but figure this... a decent trigger guy could shoot a sub 10" group at 1k with a VLD of some kind which is exponentially harder than 5"@500 with your combo. This should be very easy to accomplish for you...like 1 trip to the range ez.

Agree on the accuracy issue, and like you say, it's very close between the 2. He did say he has limited time and money so working up 1 load would be cheaper and quicker, mostly cheaper. For his type of 500 yd shooting, I think I would give preference to the flatter shooting load, but either way not a big deal.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I too have an old Ruger M77 (tang safety)-it's a 300 WM though.

I have been working with the 180 TSX and now the 150 TSX over H4831. Can't get much better than an inch with either one (pillars,bedded, and a Basix sear).

Shoot them both and see which your gun likes, get CONFIDENT in your abilities to put it in the boiler room and the animal won't know whether it's a 168 or a 180.

Shane

 

[coquitlam]

I too have an old Ruger M77 (tang safety)-it's a 300 WM though.

I have been working with the 180 TSX and now the 150 TSX over H4831. Can't get much better than an inch with either one (pillars,bedded, and a Basix sear).

Shoot them both and see which your gun likes, get CONFIDENT in your abilities to put it in the boiler room and the animal won't know whether it's a 168 or a 180.

Shane

the pillars and bedding I need to find out more about as it seems to be said by many

 

[Shane Lindsey]

They are a challenge on Rugers,but they can be done. You create a more consistent platform for the receiver and bottom metal to mount on. Metal on metal intead of metal to wood. After doing it, I got about 1 inch groups at 100 yds. If you are getting that with your gun now, I don't know if I would bother. Unless you plan to hunt Alaska with the nasty weather.


Google it, there are quite a few youtube videos out there, I watched them for hours before doing anything on mine.

Here is one from Midway. It takes longer than he shows,but givess you the idea.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5HFz1Qe20w

 

[coquitlam]

So should I pillar bed or bed the lug as it has the front screw on an angle and some say that makes Pillar difficult to do. I see midway has pillar beds for my gun. By the way my stock is the synthetic stock (not paddle). For the lug should I do it this way as per video
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exFUzYLGWTk]Bedding the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Alaskan rifle Houge stock - YouTube[/ame]

As far as floating. my barrel contacts at the front. I have read that with synthetic you leave it alone.