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Barnes 308 Win TSX Data and AA2520
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Picture of Mike_Dettorre
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The old adage of every rifle is a rule to itself and start at minimum and work up sure held true for me a couple of weeks ago.

I was in a hurry to go on a deer hunt and wanted to get my 1 gun 1 load for all hunting which was going to be my new Kimber 308 Win with barnes TSXs. I figured if I could get say 2600+ fps out of my 22 inch bbl I was good for everything (excepty brown bear) in NA out to 250-275 yds yds.

So the Barnes website states the max load was 47.5 grns AA2520 and 2669 fps out of a 24 inch bbl.

So not having time to work up from the bottom, I figured, starting roughly a 1.5 grns under "book max" would be fine.

46.1 grns, One round, hmm a little sticky bolt lift. Maybe old tired brass.

46.3 grns, next round...OMG I could barely open the bolt open and the primer is blown out of the case completely.

So dropped to 44 grns and went hunting and evrything was fine.

This weekend I went back to the range with my chrongraph.

I started at 44.2 and went up to 45 grns.

I settled on 44.6 grns with an average velocity 2655 fps and of course no pressure signs

The 44.8 grn loads avg 2670 fps and the 45. grn load loads averaged 2680 fps. Both with no pressure signs.

I can't even fathom what those 46.1 & 46.3 grn loads would be pushing that bullet at let alone 47.5 grns.

This is not meant to be a commentary about Barnes just a reminder that rule about strating at the min and working up a 1/2 grn at a time really does need to be followed.


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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