Peregrine or TTSX - Lightweight 30-06

[Edge]

Heading back to Africa in July (Zim) and will be taking along my 375 H&H and 30-06 for a plains game hunt with a slight chance of running into a Buff. I want to load my lightweight 30-06 with a monolithic on the light side for my wife as she will probably take a few animals up to Kudu size. I'll use 300 gr Hydro's in the 375 for Eland and possibly Buff if we can find one.

Question: 130, 150 or 165 gr TTSX or Peregrine PlainsMaster? Do the Peregrines being monolithic also adhere to the general rule of light for caliber and keep the velocity up?

Looking for your thoughts on bullet weight and brand if there is a difference in how they perform as the Peregrines appear to mushroom more along the lines of a Swift A-frame vs the TTSX sharp petals.

Edge

 

[Ridgewalker]

My Remington 700 30-06 shoots extremely accurately with factory Barnes TTSX ammo. I wouldn’t hesitate to take a kudu with it, but that would be my limit. For zebra or heavier, I’d want something bigger.
The 130 TTSX is a great bullet for deer size game in my limited experience, but not quite adequate for much more.
That said, if she can feel confident in consistently at all ranges off of sticks hitting the “boiler room” of anything, it makes little difference what she uses. But bigger is always better IMO.

Have a grand hunt!

 

[ChrisG]

I have no experience with the Peregrine, but I have heard they are top notch. All monometals need velocity to open up because of the stiffness of the copper they are made of. I will say that the TTSX is an improvement over the original TSX simply because the polymer nose initiates expansion better than the hollow cavity in the TSX. They are still not as reliable as lead core bullets but they hold up better than most and they are devastating. I love the TTSX in my 6.5x55. I don't think you could go wrong with either

 

[gillettehunter]

Try both the 165 and 150's. I'd try the TTSX's as they are more of a known to me. See which shoots the best anD go have fun in Africa. They should work great for you.
Bruce

 

[BRICKBURN]

I know zero about Peregrine bullets. Wish I could help, but I found my comfort zone. Hope someone who's used both chimes in.

Certainly, bigger makes us feel more comfortable. She should be set for plains game with accuracy like that providing confidence, she will be able to put the shot where its required.

Accuracy and penetration!

With the 130 grain BARNES TTSXBT .270 Win:
Blue Wildebeest (520 yds.) and in close on Zebra (100 yds.), Kudu (80 yds.), Common Reedbuck (100yds), Bushbuck (40yds), Mtn Reedbuck (60 yds.), Impala (120 yds.), Nyala (200 yds.), Ostrich (200yds), Steenbok 90 yds.), Red Duiker (60 yds.), Warthog (80, 120 yds.), Vallies (200 to 420yds) and Giraffe (30yds) (injured).

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/making-my-way-to-barnes.36029/

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I've not hunted with the Peregrines, but the reports I've read have all been very positive. I have worked loads with them in my .300WM and .300H&H. I prefer the design of the Peregrine and from I can tell needs less velocity than the TTSX. The Peregrine is a bore rider design and you won't get the copper fouling that many, not all, see with the TTSX/TSX bullets.

But the design makes for a somewhat finicky bullet to work with. In order to get proper neck tension, you need to either have a smaller expander ball, or do a two step process in sizing the brass. The first step is just like normal. The second step is to once again run the brass through the sizing die, but with the expander ball removed. Yes the neck will be smaller that way than normal, but will result in appropriate neck tension on the bullet. The boattail design will prevent any bullet seating issues.

In a .30-06, I wouldn't hesitate to run 165gr Peregrines. They are a bit long, but will be about the same as a 180gr lead bullet.

If I was running the Barnes, I'd probably go to a 150gr just to get that velocity up. But if shots are 200 yards or less, I think the 165's would be fine too.

 

[Divernhunter]

WE have used the 150gr TTSX with great success loaded hot since the faster they go the better the terminal performance. They will do nicely on Zebra, Kudu, Red Hartebeest and all others that are smaller. I used my 338win mag for Eland but my daughter used a 257Roberts with 120gr Swift A-Frames for everything she took which included Kudu, Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Impala and Warthog.

The 150gr TTSX will do you fine and I had a Ruger Ultra-Lite in 30-06. If you hand load I found that a max load(Barnes Data) of Win748 gave best accuracy and speeds in several rifles(30-06) that I and friends/family have. Win760 and IMR4064 were the next best powders and all used a mag(win) primer. Bullets are seated like factory so that the top relief groove is showing and no crimp. Do not worry about bullet jump to the rifling as Barnes likes lots of jump

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Ed,
Are the Peregrines readily available in the US?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Ed,
Are the Peregrines readily available in the US?

There's a shop near me that carries them, but not exactly entire line. What experience do you have with them Marius?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

There's a shop near me that carries them, but not exactly entire line. What experience do you have with them Marius?

Phil, they produce excellent bullets. I currently only use their solids in my 500NE, but had a hunter use their VRG-3 bullet, which I think is the name of their soft bullet, on a Cape Buffalo hunt with me. Their " softs" is a full copper bullet with a brass plunger to assist with opening among impact. We recovered two of the bullets from the buff and their performance was flawless. The only reason I have not moved to any of their other calibers is because I'm a don't fix if it ain't broke kind of guy. This does not mean I wont start using them in the future.
@cmnhunt , any chance you could post a photo of that bullet we recovered from your buff?

Ed, if you can get a hold of them, the 165's in your 30-06 will take anything that might cross your path, even Eland.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Phil, they produce excellent bullets. I currently only use their solids in my 500NE, but had a hunter use their VRG-3 bullet, which I think is the name of their soft bullet, on a Cape Buffalo hunt with me. Their " softs" is a full copper bullet with a brass plunger to assist with opening among impact. We recovered two of the bullets from the buff and their performance was flawless. The only reason I have not moved to any of their other calibers is because I'm a don't fix if it ain't broke kind of guy. This does not mean I wont start using them in the future.
@cmnhunt , any chance you could post a photo of that bullet we recovered from your buff?

Ed, if you can get a hold of them, the 165's in your 30-06 will take anything that might cross your path, even Eland.

What little I've worked with them, I agree. I much prefer the brass plunger design to initiate expansion of the plastic tip of the TTSX. And they are a very consistenly made bullet from what I can tell. The weight variance from bullet to bullet is very small.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I’ve hunted with 180 plainsmasters out of a 300 H&H. Excellent bullet, took Roan down to Steenbok. Very little hide damage but massive internal damage. I was very impressed with the Peregrine as was my PH.
I have shot some NA game with the TTSX and it also performed well. One thing I really liked about the peregrine is the fact that you can work loads up with their match bullet which is ballistically the same as the expanding bullet at quite a cost savings. After developing my load with the match bullets I compared groups with the expanding and they were identical POI.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I’ve hunted with 180 plainsmasters out of a 300 H&H. Excellent bullet, took Roan down to Steenbok. Very little hide damage but massive internal damage. I was very impressed with the Peregrine as was my PH.
I have shot some NA game with the TTSX and it also performed well. One thing I really liked about the peregrine is the fact that you can work loads up with their match bullet which is ballistically the same as the expanding bullet at quite a cost savings. After developing my load with the match bullets I compared groups with the expanding and they were identical POI.
Cheers,
Cody

Please if you would share your load with the riveted audience, or at least me? My .300H&H M70 likes VV N560 with the same bullet. But open to any new powder combination.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Also @Bullthrower338, did you find you had to play some of the same tricks with the brass to get the neck tension that I mentioned?

 

[Bullthrower338]

Also @Bullthrower338, did you find you had to play some of the same tricks with the brass to get the neck tension that I mentioned?

A little but nothing to drastic but I haven’t got around to loading fires brass and have been wondering if that might be where the NT issues come to play a little more. I made sure I was centered on a driving band and worked beautifully.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

A little but nothing to drastic but I haven’t got around to loading fires brass and have been wondering if that might be where the NT issues come to play a little more. I made sure I was centered on a driving band and worked beautifully.

What powder are you using?

 

[Bullthrower338]

What powder are you using?

7828 SSC

 

[charleslabounty]

Heading back to Africa in July (Zim) and will be taking along my 375 H&H and 30-06 for a plains game hunt with a slight chance of running into a Buff. I want to load my lightweight 30-06 with a monolithic on the light side for my wife as she will probably take a few animals up to Kudu size. I'll use 300 gr Hydro's in the 375 for Eland and possibly Buff if we can find one.

Question: 130, 150 or 165 gr TTSX or Peregrine PlainsMaster? Do the Peregrines being monolithic also adhere to the general rule of light for caliber and keep the velocity up?

Looking for your thoughts on bullet weight and brand if there is a difference in how they perform as the Peregrines appear to mushroom more along the lines of a Swift A-frame vs the TTSX sharp petals.

Edge

I think Barnes recommends the 168 gn for 30-06 and the 165 gn for the 300 Win Mag. Has to do with the shape of the bullet, “ogive and stuff”.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

7828 SSC

Got lots of that, will have to give that a go.

 

[Edge]

Appreciate all the responses from everyone,

@BRICKBURN - impressive results from the 130 TTSX in a little ole 270!

@Divernhunter - I may try the 150 TTSX some day, I currently have the 130 TTSX smoking out of my 30-06 but haven't had the opportunity to take anything yet (hopefully this weekend)

@KMG Hunting Safaris - Yes, select Peregrines are available here in the US. Here is the link for the site for all that have read this far:

https://www.peregrinemonolithics.com/

@charleslabounty - Thank you for the input on the 165 vs 168 TTSX

@Bullthrower338 - Thank you for chiming in on the Peregrines.

The winner is...based upon Marius's input and my PH for the upcoming hunt in Zimbabwe, Wayne Van Den Bergh of @Nyamazana Safaris stating "the heavier the better" I'm going to try out the Peregrine 165gr Plainsmaster.

I just bought 3 boxes of the Match bullets and 2 boxes of the Plainsmaster, that should give me plenty of the Match to establish a load and convert over to the Plainsmaster for any final tweaking before the Safari.

I'll make sure and report back on the Peregrine results!

Edge