Preacher shaner
Active member
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- Jan 17, 2019
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I am running partition in 243 buying accubonds for my 6.5 creedmoor. I would like to stay with nosler for 30-06. I am thinking E-tip. I dont see much on here about them. E-tip or ttsx
E-tip or ttsx
- Thread starter Preacher shaner
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VikingsGuy
Well-known member
I am sure they will both kill things. My experience with lead-free has been limited to TTSX. I found them easy to develop loads for and effective down range on animals. I would recommend TTSX to anyone.
6mm Remington
Well-known member
I don't have experience with the TTSX like VikingsGuy has, but I do have experience with the Nosler E-tip. My son shoots that in his one 6mm Remington, the 90 gr. E-tip. He has taken antelope, deer, and a nice big cow elk with it. The cow by the way was one shot at 350 yards. The E-tips are great bullets.
I really like the 165 gr. Weight for the 30-06 for all my hunting from coyotes to elk. If I was going to work with the E-tip in it I might first try the 150 gr. E-tip. They are long and lean and should have excellent ballistics and with the high weight retention, they should penetrate like crazy and perform very good for just about anything.
I really like the 165 gr. Weight for the 30-06 for all my hunting from coyotes to elk. If I was going to work with the E-tip in it I might first try the 150 gr. E-tip. They are long and lean and should have excellent ballistics and with the high weight retention, they should penetrate like crazy and perform very good for just about anything.
shootbrownelk
Well-known member
I go light for caliber when shooting Barnes TTSX or E-Tips. Performance is about equal in my experience. I have used both in my .243. I use Barnes TTSX 150 grain bullets in my 30.06. I went to a lighter 150 grain bullet from the 165's I was using. I can drive them faster and they expand well and retain almost 100% of their weight.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I've never used either, but I understand there is a difference in metal composition. I think the E-Tip is a harder gilding metal and the TTSX is copper, a little softer and requires a bit less velocity to mushroom and perform properly.
But like I said, I've not tried either. So my knowledge is entirely theoretical.
But like I said, I've not tried either. So my knowledge is entirely theoretical.
ltdann
Member
I run 150 gr e-tips in my Tikka 30-06 and they perform well. I've taken hogs, deer and elk with them. The only one I recovered was mushroomed perfectly and weighed 147 grains.
Nothing but trouble with Barnes stuff. My experience has been that with Barnes, folks either love them because they work well in their firearm or they can't get 'em to shoot at all. Your mileage may vary.
Nothing but trouble with Barnes stuff. My experience has been that with Barnes, folks either love them because they work well in their firearm or they can't get 'em to shoot at all. Your mileage may vary.
TheDudeAbides
Well-known member
I prefer the Barnes VOR-TX LR or Hornady GMX, because there is less copper fouling than the Barnes TTSX.
No experience with the copper fouling properties of the E-Tip
No experience with the copper fouling properties of the E-Tip
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
My (limited) experience has been that the e tips are easier to get to shoot well. They also have higher BC's, in general. But, obviously, the Barnes work for a lot of people. I'm playing with them again in my son's .308 now. We'll see...
MThuntr
Well-known member
I've not used the TTSX but have been told that they are softer which can equal better expansion at slower velocity but that can also equal copper fouling in the barrel.
I use the E-tip in 3 rifles...7mm-08, 7mmRemMag, and 300WSM. They all shoot <.5" groups at acceptable velocities but they express higher pressure earlier in load development. The 7mm-08 killed 2 mule deer and an antelope with 140grain E-tips all around 200 yards. The 300WSM using 182grain Etips (factory fubars) killed a whitetails (close range) and a couple cow elk. Most recently shot one at 570 yards...one bullet hit back and got ribs and diaphragm (i'm not proud of that shot) and the second just missed the front shoulder blade and went through and got both lungs. I really hoped to recover the bullets but couldn't find them. No animal went more than a few yards. Meat damage has been minimal which helps keep the freezer full.
It's important to note that there are alternatives to the E-tip and TTSX that are designed to expand better at lower velocities...Hammer Bullets and Cutting Edge. Both cost a bit more but if you're not shooting a ton, I bet they'd work well. I'm stocked up pretty well with E-tip factory seconds but Hammer Bullets get the nod for future rifle projects.
I use the E-tip in 3 rifles...7mm-08, 7mmRemMag, and 300WSM. They all shoot <.5" groups at acceptable velocities but they express higher pressure earlier in load development. The 7mm-08 killed 2 mule deer and an antelope with 140grain E-tips all around 200 yards. The 300WSM using 182grain Etips (factory fubars) killed a whitetails (close range) and a couple cow elk. Most recently shot one at 570 yards...one bullet hit back and got ribs and diaphragm (i'm not proud of that shot) and the second just missed the front shoulder blade and went through and got both lungs. I really hoped to recover the bullets but couldn't find them. No animal went more than a few yards. Meat damage has been minimal which helps keep the freezer full.
It's important to note that there are alternatives to the E-tip and TTSX that are designed to expand better at lower velocities...Hammer Bullets and Cutting Edge. Both cost a bit more but if you're not shooting a ton, I bet they'd work well. I'm stocked up pretty well with E-tip factory seconds but Hammer Bullets get the nod for future rifle projects.
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El Jason
Well-known member
It's interesting the wide array of opinions you'll see. I've shot Barnes TSX for about 20 years now, in a variety of rifles with not a single complaint. On the contrary, I tried getting E tips to shoot in my .280, and couldn't do so to save my life. Moral of the story, take everything with a grain of salt until you confirm it in your rifle.
I have since become a Hammer Bullet groupie. Eventually, every gun I own will be loaded with them, but I have a lot of Barnes to shoot up before then.
I have since become a Hammer Bullet groupie. Eventually, every gun I own will be loaded with them, but I have a lot of Barnes to shoot up before then.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
The original Barnes copper monolith was pure copper (softer than gilding copper alloy) - it caused significantly more copper build up. They have been redesigned several times since then to address that issue while still keeping the softer copper, and the current view of many who shoot a lot more than me is that there is now no significant difference in copper fowling between TSX or TTSX and any other bullet. My experience with two guns last summer/fall and hundreds of rounds fired in development, practice and in the field there was no difference in barrel fowling between those rounds and any other bullet I have used over the years (confirmed with my bore scope). YMMV
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Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,952
I'd buy a box of both and see which one your rifle likes best. As stated above, I like light for caliber bullets when shooting monolithic style bullets. Been shooting 150 grain TSX in my 30-06 and 130 gr. GMX in my .270. My .243 loves the 80 grain TSX as well.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
What is your load data in your 7-08? Powder, primer, bullet weight? I'm intending to try solids in mine at some point.
El Jason
Well-known member
I will often go 75-100 rounds between cleanings without any noticeable loss in accuracy. This has held true both with Barnes and Hammers.
MThuntr
Well-known member
Previously I was using H4350 and managed to lose my loadbook in a mover so then tried CFE223 and hated it. I'm currently using RL16 and my load is above max for similar bullets.
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?286097-7mm-08-140-E-tips-RL16
Big Game might still be one of the top performers that I haven't tried yet.
I must have had the "soft" TTSX that I loaded in a .338 RUM in 2009. Fouled like crazy. Haven't loaded one in any cartridge since. Loaded my first E-Tip in a .300 RUM in 2008. Killed a bull, two deer and three antelope. Worked as advertised. Went back to Accubonds until recently. Slowly moving into Hammers. The Accubond habit is hard to kick. mtmuley
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
Gracias. I might try that.
std7mag
Well-known member
Preacher,
Have you thought about Cutting Edge ER Raptor?
Brian,
I tried RL in my 7mm-08 AI. Charges way compressed for 140gr boat tail bullets.
Also didn't like the recoil impulse.
While Big Game is still hard to consistantly find, hence i haven't tried it, i hear good things about it.
RL17 gave me great velocities (almost 100 fps over anything else i tried) ES/SD was a little higher than i wanted.
H414 worked really well, but top performance came from Alliant Power Pro 2000.
ES of 7fps over 10 shots. SD of 2 fps.
Have you thought about Cutting Edge ER Raptor?
Brian,
I tried RL in my 7mm-08 AI. Charges way compressed for 140gr boat tail bullets.
Also didn't like the recoil impulse.
While Big Game is still hard to consistantly find, hence i haven't tried it, i hear good things about it.
RL17 gave me great velocities (almost 100 fps over anything else i tried) ES/SD was a little higher than i wanted.
H414 worked really well, but top performance came from Alliant Power Pro 2000.
ES of 7fps over 10 shots. SD of 2 fps.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
120 grain TTSX, Varget, CCI 200 primers, Nosler brass - shoots sweet.
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
Brian,
My current load is with the 140 E tip in 7mm-08.
Fed brass, CCI 200 primer
39 grains H 4895 @ 2.775"
It gives me right around 2700fps from a 22" barrel and accuracy just under an inch (by far the best I've done with any monometal bullet).
