.308 Win 168gr tsx seating depth...

[BENNYBOOBOO]

Last weekend ran a ladder test on a .308 win 168gr TSX seated at 2.775" (max in a savage 10fp is 2.825" +/- and Barnes suggests loading between .030 and .070 off the rifling) using Lapua brass and FGM210M primers with IMR 4064 powder. Found the sweet spot between 40.5-40.9 grs of powder.

Ready to confirm my findings this weekend but was wondering- what are people finding when seating their TSXs either closer or farther from the rifling, specifically in .308 Win.?

EH

 

[rocky_lange]

I am curious myself. I use 168 TSXs in my AR10 and keep them loaded at 2.8" (SAAMI length) for proper magazine feeding. But, I am going to start loading TSXs in my 30-06 for this fall's hunt.

Rocky

 

[BENNYBOOBOO]

This last weekend I loaded up the three most promising loads of IMR 4064 being 40.5, 40.7, and 40.9 grs all seated at 2.807", 2.787", and 2.778". At 200 yards the best group of the day was moa.

Couldn't recognize any consistancy among the like charge loads or like seating depths, nor did I recognize any paterns of fire (ex: first shot low, second higher, third shot close to 2nd, etc...)

So for now I will have to conclude that a Savage 10fp in .308 with at 10 twist does not like the 168tsx/imr4064 combo.

As shooting budgets are tight and tsx's are extremely pricey, I'll try my other box of the same tsx's with H4895 and see what happens.

For almost $1 per bullet, if I can't get the tsx's to group between 3/4 and 1 moa I'll have to stick with Hornaday 165 gr interlock sp's.

EH

 

[trueblue]

I have reloaded the Barnes TSX in both my 25-06 & 30-06 and found the best accuracy @ .050 off the lands, as Barnes recommends on their website. Had good accuracy @ .010 off the lands as well.

 

[Forester]

This last weekend I loaded up the three most promising loads of IMR 4064 being 40.5, 40.7, and 40.9 grs all seated at 2.807", 2.787", and 2.778". At 200 yards the best group of the day was moa.

Couldn't recognize any consistancy among the like charge loads or like seating depths, nor did I recognize any paterns of fire (ex: first shot low, second higher, third shot close to 2nd, etc...)

So for now I will have to conclude that a Savage 10fp in .308 with at 10 twist does not like the 168tsx/imr4064 combo.

As shooting budgets are tight and tsx's are extremely pricey, I'll try my other box of the same tsx's with H4895 and see what happens.

For almost $1 per bullet, if I can't get the tsx's to group between 3/4 and 1 moa I'll have to stick with Hornaday 165 gr interlock sp's.

EH

Thanks for testing these in your Savage...I may still give them a try in mine at some point but no rush given your results. ( and the $$ of these bullets) I have had very good results with the SMK (.3-.5MOA @200) for non-hunting bullets and the SGK (.75MOA @200) for a true hunting bullet in my gun.

I will be trying the Berger VLDs in my Savage .308 as soon as the wind drops below 20MPH here According the the aviation forecast maybe Wednesday or Thursday.

How was the copper fouling in your Savage? does it still wear the factory barrel?

 

[BENNYBOOBOO]

Yes, it still has a factory barrel. They are surprisingly high-quality for the $.

Copper fouling was minimal, just like advertised. After I obtained my results I cleaned the heck out of my barrel and the powder residue was the worst part, but the copper was nearly non-existant.

When you get to your testing, please post your data, results, and findings for others to compare to. Thanks guys.

EH

 

[BENNYBOOBOO]

After my previous disappointments with the tsx/imr4064 combination I did an OCW test yesterday using 168gr tsx's with H4895 seated to an oal of 2.815. The three charges of 41.9, 42.2, and 42.5 all had group centers that were about a quarter inch of each other and group avarages for the three were .75 moa at 100 yards.

Next weekend I'll work up more of these loads to confirm what I found and also possibly play with the oal to tighten the groups.

If you guys have similar experiences or comments please feel free to post.

EH

 

[BENNYBOOBOO]

Played with seating depths yesterday and found little fruit for my efforts. Seated bullets at .010" incraments from 2.810 down to 2.770 and found that all produced groups between 3/4-1". Another nice comforter is that all groups centered 2" @ 10:30 (+/- .1" no kidding)

Of course there was the exception: 2.780" shot a .4" group.

All loads tested used Lapua brass, 42.3grs of H4895, and F210M primers.

What a pricey venture for a hunting bullet. Please use this data for your consideration in working up a TSX load, it cost me almost $80 to find this one, and there aren't any left-overs for me to practice with.

EH

 

[Shortmagman]

I have worked up loads using Barnes TSX bullets for a number of rifles. A couple of years ago a number of my friends and I drew an elk tag for Wyoming. I loaded (2) 30-06 rifles, a 7mm Rem Mag, a 7mm SAUM, a 300 WSM and a 270 Winchester all with Barnes TSX bullets. It was quite a job but I was able to get all of them to shoot 3 shots into an inch or less at 100 yards. I usually used the same powder that had worked in the rifle with other bullets of the same weight. I would adjust the seating depth with the TSX bullets. As has been stated 50 thousands off the lands seemed to work for most of the rifles.

I never loaded my 308 with TSX bullets, but I did load the 168 grainers in the 30-06 rifles and in my 300 WSM. I thought that it was expensive two years ago to do this. I am glad that I did it then and not now.

If I were to draw another elk tag.. I hope to in the next few years I will be carrying my Ruger Mark II in 300 WSM loaded with 168 TSX bullets and N550 powder in Norma brass. With this load I am prepared to shoot out to 400 yards.

 

[rooster740]

I love the terminal balistics of the Barnes TSX. I finally found a great load using BLC-2. I will post the load info in the near future. I was going nuts trying to find a load that worked well. It now shoots .5 MOA.