Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles An interesting 'trick' to get Barnes TSX and TTSX's to shoot well early on.

really close to the lands works well for extremely consistent bullets like say a berger match bullet, they have very consistent ogive lengths, however with the TSX its very common to have that vary by .004 or more, in which case a bullet will normally shoot better further from the lands. I like the idea of using the top ring, especially for loading for different people, the case should always fit every gun and there is no time spent playing around with length gauges etc

Thanks for the good input Mark, this is what the Fire is all about, great info

I like the idea of starting at the top band. One thing to watch out for with the TSX and TTSX bullets is the inconsistency of the location of the bands from lot to lot. I have seen on more than one occasion where this occured with the TSX. When I sent some examples back to Barnes to see if it was a quality control issue or something that could lead to an unsafe load. They replied with a general canned letter response of the bands are there to relieve pressure by reducing bearing surface and that their location on the bullet shank will have no effect on accuracy.

I tend to disagree with their statement and feel that their quality control is poor, and that they really dismissed me as a serious handloader and customer. Just be advised to check those groove locations for consistency.

Love checkin out them grooves.....

I've had the same experience with TSX's.

Every bullet manufacturer updates their bullets, and Barnes is no exception...

The groove location is not an update. It is an inconsistency at the manufacturing level. Either that, or Barnes can't make up it's mind on where to keep the grooves exactly. Their video shows the machine cutting the grooves into the shank of a bullet. Some how that machine is getting set up differently from time to time, or it becomes out of adjustment from use. Anybody ever have a TSX that has more or fewer grooves than before?

New to this forum, but I posted this on a few others I enjoy. I was very interested in this thread. Here are the details.

22-250 1-14 twist 24" barrel. Rem Case, 210M, 34gr Benchmark, 53 TSX @ COL 2.360.



I will have to measure to see exactly how far off the lands I am, but I believe I am over the 30-70 thousandths suggested range by Barnes.

The FPS was from 3644 LOW - 3672 HIGH.

I believe I touch the lands at 2.483 in this rifle. I am currently seated just about flush with only the first groove showing right now.

Suggestions?

Interesting information. Maybe for TSX we should start short (in the top groove) and work longer--just about the opposite mentality of kissing the lands and working back.

Personally, I would do one or the other, rather than starting in the "middle" and fanning out in both directions. Too many variables to keep track of.

My empiracal and not too scientifically based experience suggests that starting out short and going long from there would get you to a good load faster then the other way around. You might find that the first load out of the gate is a dandy.

My 375 Ruger is shooting 270 grain TSX's into amazing little groups, my current seating depth is .10 off the lands, whole top groove exposed. Its weird to me how soo many guys like the TSX's kissing, IME they have shot best seated shorter.

I just picked up a box of Federal 110 TTSX's in 25-06, and I can't even see the top groove. Haven't measured OAL, but they have it seated even deeper than y'all are describing, so it appears the factory fodder may be taking the same approach.

Interesting...and thanks for the info - will be helpful when I start load development on 3 or 4 rifles in which I want to run TSX's or TTSX's.

DJ

Yup.

Doesn't Barnes recommend that they be given some "jump"?

I think I remember two time ex campfire member touting that as he holy grail for Barnes bullets. would be interested to hear from others who have tried it both ways..........the bullet seating depth thing that is..not.....nevermind.

My 25-06 will not shoot them worth a damn until I get to .06 off, then it goes from 2.0 moa to 0.2 moa.

I started my 3006 at SAAMI OAL max for a starter and it shoots .75-1.0" any given day...so I quit there. For me that is strange, but it is a hunting rifle, and I am not that good of a shot anymore. The bullets are seated so about 1/3 of the first groove is beyond the case mouth, with the bullet just kissing the lands, there is a full groove plus exposed. I could do the math but there is no need.

I loaded my 338 winnie to OAL length according to the Barnes #4 manual, for starters, and it shot .5" right off the start with starting loads at 2900 ft/sec with 185 gr bullets. The front groove is crimped right at the top and just visible. That rifle has always been a tack driver and when checking the scope on arrival in Africa this spring, I shot a three shot group under .5" which impressed the PH until my wife shot one, adjusted the scope 1/4 " and then shot three that were significantly smaller.
Randy

Thanks for the post safari, I tried TTSXs in a 25-06 and a 270win for a couple of range sessions and had terrible accuracy from two accurate rigs, but I was indeed loading them a few thou off the lands. I haven't tinkered with them in several weeks, but I'm going to stuff a few deep as suggested and see if things come together.

Have a Good One,

loder

I have got to try it! I have some 100TSX bullets seated to 2.815 the length of the magazine in my kimber, they shoot into about an inch on average sometimes better, so I will push them down until you cannot see the last ring and shoot three of them?

Guys, go back 10/1000th" at a time, just like test testing powder loads, you'll be amazed at the accuracy that TSX's will provide. Guessing is better than loadin' em touching, but Barnes bullets normally do not want to be close to the lands!