I am searching for detailed loading data (with different powders) for a "short barrel" .308 Win (1 in 11 twist and 20 inch barrel) with the Barnes Triple Shock Bullet 150 gr or even with the 130 gr TSX bullet (please include used case, primer, COL).

Will less then MOA groups be possible with this bullet?

How is the hunting performance of this bullet - reports available?

Does it open quickly on first contact with the game. Does it also open on light weight/thin skinned game?

Anything else to know?


Many thanks in advance!
Mike

Mike,

I have a .308 Win load developed for my Striker(14"
barrel), using the Barnes 130 gr. TSX bullet. It just so
happens to shoot sub MOA, in my Browning BAR LW
Stalker, in .308 Win, too. It shoots about .7 MOA
out of the Striker, with a chronied MV of 2775 fps(ave).

The powder is W748, and the weight of the charge is out of the Barnes data book. I prefer to not give the weight,
since it has been worked up to max safe levels, for
the Striker, which may not be safe for your gun. Just
start a few grains off the max listed data for the
130 gr. XBT XLC bullet, if you can not find data
specifically for the new 130 gr. TSX bullet. This
is the recommendation from Barnes.

I use Winchester brass, and Winchester Large Rifle
primers. The bullet is seated .050" off the lands,
of the Striker, as measured with the Stoney Point OAL
gauge.

I have had excellent results with the Barnes XBT 130 gr.
bullet, but I have not had any on game experience with
the TSX, yet. I see no reason why the TSX will not
perform as well as the XBT, or better, if that is possible.
The XBT hits like Thor's hammer. In the words of my 80
something year old uncle, looking at a skinned
carcass of a northern whitetail, that I shot with the
130 gr. XBT, "That is too much gun for whitetails".
That was the first whitetail that I shot with this bullet,
and it was a classic behind the shoulder shot, that
vaporized about 4" of tissue under the hide, on the
entrance, turned the vitals into blood jello, and
exited with a 1" jelly bean shaped hole. This
deer stumbled 20 yards, and dropped. Since then
I have had taken several more with this round, and
all have been Bang, Flop. On straight rib cage
shots, I had excellent expansion, and obvious energy
transfer. If I can just catch the back edge of the
shoulder blade, there is evidence of even more
violent expansion, and energy transfer, and broken
bones, and a very ugly exit wound. This is my
premier whitetail round, in .308 Win. The TSX
loads even tightened up my groups by .1" to .2",
and also promise excellent performance on deer sized
game. I have 150 gr. TSX, and 165 TSX, .30 cal
bullets, that I load, in .30-06 Sprg, and .300 WSM,
but I seen no need to load those in .308 Win, given
my experience with the 130 gr. XBT.

Squeeze

http://stevespages.com/308_13_150.html

and

http://stevespages.com/308_13_125.html

will get you started.

quote:

Originally posted by squeeze:
Just
start a few grains off the max listed data for the
130 gr. XBT XLC bullet, if you can not find data
specifically for the new 130 gr. TSX bullet. This
is the recommendation from Barnes.

This may be a typo but in fact Barnes recommends data for the regular X, not the XLC, for use with the TSX bullets.

Could you please post precise reloading data for the .308 Win with Barnes TSX or X (130 or 150 gr) bullet and not just general data for this bullet weight?

By the way what is the bullet length of the 130 gr and the 150 gr Barnes TSX bullet.

How much space to the fields is necessary - I mean how deep should the bullet be seated / COL?


Thanks!
Mike

Old Cane,

I stand corrected. I could have sworn that right after
TSX bullets came out Barnes was saying use XLC
load data...I do find it curious that on their FAQ page
they suggest "the same reduced pressures" for the
XLC, and TSX, bullets, yet they state to use X load data,
and to expect "reduced pressures"...HMMMM

Anyway thanks for the correction. It was not a typo.
In the rifles I have loaded for, I have used XLC
data, and have gotten signs of pressure at or
just above, published XLC data max loads. I am
sure it is much safer, liability wise, for Barnes, to
recommend the X data, since it is a few grains
lower than the XLC data. Especially for those that
don't start a few grains below max.

Mike,

I was about as specific as I am willing to get. Steve
has given you an excellent link to powder ranges
for given bullet weights. As for the COL, my COL
is out of SAAMI specs, taylored for my Striker's
chamber, and that may be dangerous in your gun.

I don't have the measured bullet lengths at hand. If
you are trying to establish a COL, then I highly
recommend you measure the OAL for the different
bullets you plan to load. Barnes recommends starting
load development .050" off the lands, and go up and
down from there to find the sweet spot, for COL. In
all of the rifles, I load Barnes bullets for, my memory says they end up .040" to .050" off the lands. I struggled with
accuracy in the XBT, and XLC, bullets, until I finally read
that recommendation in their data book. I was stuck
in an old habit of setting COL just a few thousandths
off the lands.

Squeeze

I agree with your thinking right down the line. When introduced I heard a lot that they were saying use the XLC data so they may have and since changed their minds.

It is odd that they state to start with X data and then you can probably exceed it but a couple of grains which puts you right back at XLC powder levels. Oh, well. I guess we can just look at it as a broader range of velocities for the TSXs. I look forward to loading the ones I just got and seeing for myself with my new Pro Chrono.

Try to work up a load with Varget powder. I have not shot any Barnes, but with standard 150 grain bullets, I get over 2700 fps out of my Rem mod 600 with 18 1/2 barrel. With 165 gr. Hornadys it will get 2650. The .308 loves Varget.

Sorry, we CANNOT post exact loadijng data for ANY Barnes TSX bullet because at the time of this post Barnes has not yet published it.

They offer "general" guidelines based on their other bullets
but the current #3 Barnes loading manual doesn't cover them....

as a generality Barnes states that compared to conventional bullets:
1) their "plain" X-bullets increase pressure
2) the Triple shock aka "TSX" are about the same
3)The Coated XLC's reduce pressure and increase velocity

I am told that barnes includes something in the box with the TSX's, but I haven't bought any yet...

AllanD