I've got a few of these on the bench and would like to take a deer with them this fall. Will standard 85 gr. bullet data work? I haven't got the Barnes manual. The Hodgdon website seems very, very conservative on their loads for the 85 gr. TSX compared to published data for other 85 gr. bullets, such as the Sierra 85 gr. BTHP. Experiences? Thoughts? Recommendations? I've got 4895, 4831, 4350, 4064, H380, Varget, RL15, and others on the bench.
The mono-metal bullets have a different pressure curve than the cup-n-core bullets, tending to run higher, so I would not consider the data interchangeable.
Of what you have listed, The 4831 and 4350 powders would likely be the better choices in regards to speed, but the others may give good accuracy. Anyway, I'd start with the 4350.
You might consider RL17, also. I've had excellent accuracy and speed with this powder. Second to that was IMR4350, being as accurate but somewhat slower in speed.
I have shot RE15 for years in Win brass and CCI BR2 primers topped with 85TSXs. One of my fav combos for stacking critters up. PM me if you want exact load data.
Varget, 4064, 4350 and RE17 have been tried as well. Nothing matched the '15 for speed and accuracy. 4350 was close.
Work up to 38/38.5 grains of Varget then solve for seating depth. Should produce ~3200 and sub inch groups. It did for five different rifles for me. Two wanted the bullets close to the lands. Two wanted them a little back and one wanted them way back.
They kill deer like there's no tomorrow.
I have had great results with these three powders;
Hunter 46 gr. 1st choice
IMR4831 45 gr. 3rd choice
H4350 44 gr. 2nd choice
I have had great luck with: 43gr. of RL-19, Winchester Case, and Federal 210 primers using Barnes 85gr TSX's in my .243 Winchester. That load killed deer very effectively. Not sure what I was getting for speed, I never chronograph the load.
It has been awhile since I experimented with the 85 TSX's in my Steyr, but I recall using the data from the hodgdon website for H4895. Seems like I wasn't having any issue running them at 3100 fps+, which was fast enough for me. groups were in the 3/4" to 1" range at 100 yds for 3 shots.
I am running them with imr 4350 at about 3200 fps. Punched throught about 2ft of deer last year and kept going. Shoots about .75" groups at 100 with my xs7.
IMR4350 and IMR4831 have been great for me and my buds.
I love 4064 myself...of course I use old IMR data off of their "brown sheet".. worked off of the charge for the 80 grain load...
but I am talking 85 grain Sierra HP...
more than enough for antelope sized blacktails...
44.5g of R#19, win primer, 0.050 off the lands in my SS Rem 700 barrel.
39.0g of IMR 4094 with a fed 210 shoots well also, but the R#19 load kicks more, so I like it better...Hee Hee!
44.5g of R#19, win primer, 0.050 off the lands in my SS Rem 700 barrel.
39.0g of IMR 4064 with a fed 210 shoots well also, but the R#19 load kicks more, so I like it better...Hee Hee!
My last .243 did real well with 38.7 grains of RL15 and 85gr TSX
Running 45.0 grs of RL-17 w/the 85 gr TSX for 3375 fps out of a 22" barreled stainless feather-weight, runs an inch to a bit over on av.
Gunner