Bobby: Because of your experience on game with the Barnes 120 gr TAC-TX BT bullet, what do you think is the minimum impact velocity needed to expand this bullet? I am thinking you may have found a replacement for the Sierra and Hornady single shot pistol bullets which are no longer available. I am considering trying the Barnes bullet in a 30 Herret Contender 10" barrel with a muzzle velocity of 2250 fps. Did you seat the bullets in your 30/30 0.050" off the lands? Thanks for the help.

It will give positive expansion down to nearly 1500 fps. At just over 1800 fps, it still gives right at double-diameter expansion (average of 0.58", if memory serves). It will do VERY well in your Herrett.

I took the lazy way out with the current 30-30 barrel and did not measure the distance to the lands. I'll go next door later and see what my OAL length is, though.

COAL is 2.8395. I know that really doesn't help, though. Sorry about that. This bullet shot so good right off the bat that I did not have to experiment with seating depth.

Bobby: Thanks for the info. Seating depth was not about accuracy but about pressure. Do not want a pressure spike to stretch my Contender frame. Thanks again for the help. Nothing like the real world bullet information you have provided over the years.

No problem. The pressure spike with Barnes mono bullets in Contenders was indeed an issue years ago, but since the grooves have been added by Barnes, they no longer seem to be plagued by that and seem to develop pressures along the lines of cup-and-core projects. But it certainly can't hurt to err on the side of caution, either.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
No problem. The issue with pressure spike and these mono bullets in Contenders was indeed an issue years ago, but since the grooves have been added by Barnes, they no longer seem to be plagued by that and seem to develop pressures along the lines of cup-and-core projects. But it certainly can't hurt to err on the side of caution, either.

I agree with Bobby my experience with TSX or TTSX Bullets pressure up like AB or BT both of which I loaded along with the Barnes for equal velocity with the same powder charge in my 300 RUM.

Bobby and JWP: Thanks for the info on the grooves. I thought Barnes only put those on the large caliber solids for doubles. On the Barnes web page they still have the 0.050 off the lands blanket warning statement. With no published data for the 30 Herrett I am proceeding with caution.