Barnes 115gr TSX FB

[300HH]

I have been trying to make an accurate load for my 25-06 for quite some time using the Barnes 115gr TSX FB with no luck at all, can anyone give me some tips or tricks for loading for accuracy, at present my most accurate load 3" @ 100yds.

[necchi]

Struggled myself with the 7-08 with near a full box till I got it,,tips;

* I needed ALOT of jump! .120 as a matter of fact (deep neck H&R), the story is to seat to the middle of the top ring on the bullet, with just a touch of crimp,,and I mean just a touch,, re set the die after seating the bullet too crimp. I went back after I got that advise (it worked) and tried to seat closer by .020,,.100 off the lands and the group opened.

* those things copper foul alot,,even if Barnes says they don't as bad as the originals, 15 rounds and the bore needs cleaning for copper fouling.

I ended getting near MOA at 200,, 2- 2 1/2"s if I do my part 

[Graybeard]

Using that same bullet my Rem 700 LSS in .257 Whby. Mag shoots half inch 100 yard groups. I can't give you much advice regard loads but what I did in mine was use Barnes' recommended C.O.L. and haven't seen a need to adjust the length from that.

I'd start with the length they suggest and find a load it likes. Now that might NOT be such an easy task I dunno as frankly this is the first rifle I've owned that I have been able to get accuracy I considered acceptable to use with their bullets. In fairness tho it's also the first TSX tried.

I'm now working with a .223 using the 53 TSX FB trying to fine tune a load with it. I'm not yet happy with any load I've tried but I do have one that's accurate enough for what I might use it for.

Seating Barnes bullets close to the rifling doesn't seem to be a good plan and at least 0.050" off is about the minimum.

[300HH]

Thanks guys you have given me something else to try, I forgot to mention that I'm loading for a H&R ultra hunter in 25-06. I have a load that shoots moa' using SSTs but find them a little fragile and would like a stronger bullet hence the Barnes. Thanks again for your help.

[gwindrider1]

My rifle gave me results like yours when I tried the 100 grn. TSX, but settled down nicely with the 115's.  I do seat at .070" off the lands, and use a healthy dose of Re22.

As for copper fouling, Knock Out or Wipe Out foaming cleaners have taken all the fuss out of cleaning.  I highly recommend them!

Best of luck with your .25!

[nomosendero]

Like GB said, .050" is a good place to start. I obtained excellant accuracy in my 25-06 with a stiff load of RL25, WW cases & CCI250Mag primers.

[Lloyd Smale]

Id love to jump in and help but ive had nothing but frustrations with barnes x bullets. Ive spent alot of money trying to get them to shoot in various guns and have yet to find a tack driving load in any of them. the heavy .257 bullet i really like is the 115 partition. It seems to shoot well in all my 25s

[shot1]

I don't use Barnes bullets but I remember reading in one of their manuals something about COAL needed to be either 30 or 50 thousands off the lands. From what the posters above have said that sounds like you really need to jump the Barnes bullets.

[Graybeard]

Lloyd like you my results with the original Barnes X bullet and the coated X bullet was dismal at best. They sent me a bunch of their newer TSX bullets for my .257 Whby and for .22 centerfires and I have been very pleasantly surprised by their accuracy.

The 115 TSX and the Nosler 120 PT are both shooting about the same and both are turning in half inch 100 yard groups. Never before have I had such success with Barnes bullets. In my heavy barrel varmint rifles they shoot tiny groups as well but not quite so tiny yet in my Model Seven Predator tho they are certainly shooting accurately enough for any use I'd expect to put it to.

For use in my own guns I'd not give you a dime a thousand for the original Barnes X but the TSX I'm quite satisfied with so far.

[nomosendero]

Myself & others have been saying that for awhile & yes I had problems with accuracy, fouling & at least once expansion with the original X. But they just aren't the same bullet. If anyone is still basing their opinion
of the TSX on the original X, you are mistaken. If a person does not want to try them, no biggie there are alot of bullets out there, but lumpimg them together is apples & oranges to say the very least.

[Lloyd Smale]

i guess my opions are based on the originals i not only had accuracy problems but expansion in most cases is marignal. I had a few deer run off after being hit with them well doing crop damage shooting. Found the deer but it made it alot more work. Have they improved that aspect of those bullets with the new design. the originals might have been fine on really big boned large animals but they sure werent the answer on small deer. For a premium bullet partitions and grand slams worked much better.

[nomosendero]

i guess my opions are based on the originals i not only had accuracy problems but expansion in most cases is marignal. I had a few deer run off after being hit with them well doing crop damage shooting. Found the deer but it made it alot more work. Have they improved that aspect of those bullets with the new design. the originals might have been fine on really big boned large animals but they sure werent the answer on small deer. For a premium bullet partitions and grand slams worked much better.

Yes, Lloyd they did improve the expansion properties with the TTX. I had great results with the 115TTX. I know alot of folks who use them with great results. I am looking at giving the 120TTTX the tipped one, a go in my .264, it should be the ticket.