OAL for Barnes TSX question

[drdougrx]

Hi All,

I bit the bullet and bought a few boxes of TSX bullets in .358/225gr for my whelen.  I've read about the OAL recommendation from the manufacturer but my Rem700 CDL has a long throat and I can seat the bullets almost out to the end of the case...the mag is also pretty long.  I seated the first test batch to the bottom of the middle belt without a crimp.

Did I read here somewhere that someone had good luck seating to the top of the 1st belt from the tip?  Anyway....since this is my 1st go with the TSX, I'd be interested in what you've found.

Thanks in advance!

Doug

[roper]

Doug, I tried the Barnes 225gr TSX in my 35 whelen AI and if your at the last band and haven't touch the lands the TSX may not work for you based on .030" to .070" seating depth.

Here something from Barmes
http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/bullet-talk/faq/

[drdougrx]

Thanks Roper.....I glass bedded the action and after I sighted it back in I shot a 1" group at 100 with 60gr of RL15 with my final 3 loaded cartridges.  But one group does not determine accuracy IMO....so I'll try to repeat it next weekend.  If I do, I keep things as is.  If not....I'll play with the OAL a bit more...

[necchi]

I've only loaded for the 7-08, 120grn TTSX
FWIW,
 A tip from Ty at Barnes when he was a Customer rep, (he's promoted) was too seat to the middle of the top ring,,
 It worked quite well, 1 1/2" groups at 200 (and this from a Handi rifle  ). I tried the same with just a touch of a crimp and the groups opened, so it a no crimper for me.
 I offered this same story to a gent at the gun range trying to work up TTSX for his young sons 243 last fall and ran into him again this spring and his report was that it worked for him too,

[drdougrx]

I think this is what I was looking for! 

thanks necchi!

[Varmint Hunter]

I don't believe which ring you load to makes any difference at all. Barnes TSX bullets seem to prefer a specific distance from the rifling and that varies with each gun. Starting at .050" off, as Barnes suggests, isn't a bad idea but you should be willing to really experiment with much more bullet jump IMO.

You may want to start with max magazine length, assuming that is at least .050" off, it almost always is at least that much. In one of my rifles I got tight groups at .100" off. However, loading to max mag length (.150" off) opened groups by 25%. Still shot good and bullets should fit and feed from the magazine in a hunting rifle so I use this length. My buddy seats his TSX bullets .250" off because that is what it takes to fit in his Weatherby Mark V magazine. Oddly enough, he also found his best accuracy at this point.

Seating very deep can cause powder capacity issues, especially with Barnes bullets which are longer than conventional lead/jacketed bullets. A lot of experimentation is often in order when working with Barnes bullets.

I've learned that some factory rifles can shoot Barnes X  bullets surprisingly well once you've got the stars and the moon all line up correctly.

[necchi]

Your right, it's not about the ring at all, but it is about the jump. That middle of the top ring thing is just a guide to help folks that usually crowd the lands understand that sometimes these Barnes like a long jump too fly well.
In the 7-08 I mentioned that jump is .120 off !!
  

p.s.  I kinda think haveing the case neck around the ring has helped me control any possible run-out issues though

[drdougrx]

Interesting...I loaded 6 rounds each of 3 loads of RL15 and the 225gr TSX in the 35Whelen.  Each bullet was seated to the center of the top ring as necchi suggested.  The best group I got was about 2" at 100 with the 61gr load.  I went home and had a re-look at the OAL and found that I touch the lands/grooves at 3.63".  Too long for the mag in the M700, so I loaded 6 rounds at 3.5" and 6 at 3.45".

Tomorrow I'll go to the range and try them out.

[XD40SC]

I load 180 gr. TSX for my 300 Wby. I have them so that they just fit into the magazine chamber. It's shoots extremely accurate using the magazine as a guide. The Wby is free board so I don't know how it will work in other rifles.