Tikka .308 Factory Elk ammo needed

[the blur]

My Elk wasn't impressed with 168gr TTSX, and I'm not impressed either. My Tikka however loves the TTSX, that's why I used them, but I won't use them again.
200-400 yards max, I need a bullet that works. I've seen too many complaints about Barnes TTSX not preforming, and now I am on the list.

Does anyone have a Tikka .308, and knows what factory ammo the gun likes ?

 

[Stk]

What was the problem with the bullet? Did you get a complete pass through and are disappointed with how long the elk stayed on his feet after? What range was he when you shot? Penetration tends to be great with those bullets but kills are not always emphatic without substantial velocity.

 

[GSP814]

Sorry, can't help on the Tikka, my 308's like Nosler Accubonds and BT's. My buddy shot a New Foundland moose last week at 580 yards with a 180 Barnes TTSX out of a 300 WSM. Bullet was recovered just under offside skin, shot right behind the shoulder. The bullet just barely opened up and lost 2 petals. Load was fairly warm at 3150 fps. The moose did die.

 

[med358-boise]

I too am curious about what the "problem" was? I have taken moose, bull elk, cow elk, and several large wild boars with excellent results.

 

[med358-boise]

Sorry, can't help on the Tikka, my 308's like Nosler Accubonds and BT's. My buddy shot a New Foundland moose last week at 580 yards with a 180 Barnes TTSX out of a 300 WSM. Bullet was recovered just under offside skin, shot right behind the shoulder. The bullet just barely opened up and lost 2 petals. Load was fairly warm at 3150 fps. The moose did die.

GSP814,

Can you get a picture of the bullet? "just barely opened up and lost two petals" is an odd combination of events.

 

[the blur]

My TTSX lost a few pedals, and the other pedals were bent so far backwards, it was like a FMJ.

 

[Wyo37]

Eldm or eldx, if your gun shoots them accurately.

 

[med358-boise]

Blur,

Can you post a a picture of the bullet?

When you say the elk wasn't impressed how did it react? The reason I ask is many hunters have observed animals with destroyed hearts run 50 yards.

I would aslo add the bull in my profile pic took two 168 grn TSXs to the boilerroom within about 6 six seconds and only shuddered maybe moved a stepped. No reaction at all and then about 5 seconds later as I wasy ready to fire again, collapsed. Animals sometimes just react in weird ways.

Also, I have seen complaints about the TSX but very few about the TTSX.

An interesting note to consider - when a nosler partition looses it's front half I hear many people say that's "okay" becuase the rest of the bullet continues to penetrate deeply like a solid but somehow when TTSX/TSX loses a petal it's a failure.

 

[DemoRN]

All my Tikkas will eat just about anything I put in them with very little load development. My 308/6.5 creed switch barrel that I have with just factory barrels will shoot sub .75 with 150 165 partitions 125 accubonds. 135 ttsx, custom comps, 178 eldx, 165 Sierra spbt (very accurate), 150 nosler accubonds.
Theonly thing it does not like is 190 ABLR.

 

[orifdoc]

I'd be a lot less impressed if you didn't recover the animal. I've killed around 30 or 40 animals with the TTSX and a few with the TSX. Most were deer to elk sized - some here, some in Africa. I can only think of one that disappointed me, but that might have been poor shooting on my part. Maybe give it another try before declaring it toast? Big critters hit with monos act differently than whitetails hit with relatively soft bullets. If they die and you can recover them, that's all that really matters.

That said, monolithics do best when driven fast. The .308 isn't exactly a speed demon. I have killed mulies with 165 TTSX out of a .308 a handful of times. It worked. As for the Tikka in .308, you have more options than perhaps any other caliber out there. My experience is that they aren't all that picky. I'm still loading the very first load I ever tried. Never touched the charge, bullet, or COAL and it did 1/2 MOA out of the box, Good enough for me!

 

[Andrew Massi]

Have you heard about these Remington core lokts? Pretty effective bullet from 200-400 yards.
For your range I'd take any cup and core bullet that shot less than 1.5 moa. If you can consistently hit a 6" target at 400 yards no elk is safe.
Partitions, accubond, eldx/m/amax, ballistic tips, sst, federal terminal ascent, sierra gameking, tipped gameking, tipped matchking, bergers, lapua scenars Et el.

With the 308, the world is your oyster.

 

[adk hunter]

I have seen lots of Federal terminal ascent on the shelves lately. 175 grain.
Excellent accuracy in several rifles I've tried.
If you found some factory accubonds loaded I'd try them too.

 

[Dean2]

My Elk wasn't impressed with 168gr TTSX, and I'm not impressed either. My Tikka however loves the TTSX, that's why I used them, but I won't use them again.
200-400 yards max, I need a bullet that works. I've seen too many complaints about Barnes TTSX not preforming, and now I am on the list.

Does anyone have a Tikka .308, and knows what factory ammo the gun likes ?

Have shot the 130 grain TSX at 3150 fps out of my 308 for 18 years. Moose, Elk, deer, Bear, wolf, coyote and grouse, all recovered, furthest tracking was about 70 yards. Longest kill with that rig, 580 on an very large Elk. Dropped where it stood. My other load is a Hornady Cup and Core 150 grain SP flat base at 3050 FPs. Using same POA, both hit within 1/2" POI out to 600 yards. Exactly the same results. Bullet is not nearly as important as the shooter hitting the animal in the right place.

Factory ammo is now FAR better than it used to be. I was shooting some Winchester in a 30-06 the other day to break in the barrel and make brass. Easily under MOA, with relatively inexpensive ammo. Sellier and Bellot in my 7x65R shoots as good as the best reloads I can make for it. Weatherby Select 100 grain in 257 Bee will do 3 shot, .3 clover leafs. Find one that shoots good with a reasonable bullet choice, use that.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

My ph in Africa uses 165 ballistic tips in his 308 out to 500 yards. Animals up to and over 1000 pounds. Himself and clients using his gun have killed over 200 animals with it just this year.