I'm looking for loads, powder suggestions or expereince loading Barnes .308" 130 gr. TTSX #30873 (not the TSX #30838) in .30/06 Sprg.?

I haven't tried the 130s, but I've had excellent results with RL19 (max load) and the 168s.

LWD

Gerry, don't have experience with the .06, but do have a lot with the 308, so if any of it translates, near max charges with several powders gave great results, powders included 4831 sc, Varget, Win 748 that produced good results.

I guess at a minimum, in my experience (with other calibers as well) near max charges gave best results.

Good Luck!

Gerry, sorry I can't be of assistance with hands-on experience of this combination.

Hodgdon lists data for 130 grs bullets, and suggests best velocity from powders such as IMR 4064 or 4895, though.

- mike

You should be able to get 3,200 FPS with IMR-4895 but it'll be compressed a bit.

I've been looking at this for a light recoiling .308 load for deer.....not that one needs this to kill deer but it's quite a round.....and no...I haven't actually tried it yet. There's no doubt in my mind that this would be a fabulous deer round in the .308 Winchester

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your responses.

Sort of an issue with this bullet.....although it weighs 130 grs. it's about the size of a vanilla-flavored Cup & Core 150 grain .308" bullet - stands to reason.

My Quick Load software hasn't been updated to Barne's TTSX series yet and the QL results with standard '06 powders (where we'd alll look first) with Barne's TSX bullets have left me scratching my head. The vast majortiy of what has been reco'd above indicates results in +2900 fps and peters out pretty quick with only a coupla combinations indicating potential +3000 fps. Most are right around +2950-3100 fps. O.K.; granted this is conceptual not chronographed shooting.

An amazement; like Vapo says above I figured +3200 fps with this bullet in an '06 load would be a piece of cake (still remains to be seen).

Commonly used '06 powders; H, AA & IMR4350, H4831SC, VVN160 I've on hand all indicate +110% load density which from my expereince with '06 cases is pretty iffy except for one '06 Sprg. screamer load I've already got developed for 150 gr. Remington Bronze Points with H4350.

Again Vapo (always good suggestions) inidacted H4895, IMR4064 & VVN140 powder range which is into the "Medium" burners; and is probably where I'll be making the initial efforts.

Again, Thx Gents; thought perhaps I'd be lucky enough to receive a magic formula right off the bat - but appears I'll have to go the Long-Way/Short-Way on this load - wish me luck initially 'cause those 50 bullet boxes disappear quick when I start my normal +200 bullet load development.



As this scheme was being hatched the Guys with the .300 Winchester Magnums & 1 300 RUM were gleefully cheering us on from the sidelines, with looks of joyful anticipation so this load could perhpas be a precident setter - ya never know.....

I would be very much interested in that bullet, too. The powder I have on hand is V140.

The son is approaching an age where he might try the big guy's rifles, that bullets seems to be a good way to go, even though not necessarily at top speed.

DUKie,

I'm down to a coupla spoonfuls of H4895 but in every case where this powder indicated solid results VVN-140 has performed excellently in it's stead so far.

Correct-o-mundo - that's where I'm headed for the initial attempt - 53.5 grs of VVN-140 (VhitaVuohi manual offers 56.0 grs for a 125 Nosler BT).

I can't offer any advice as to a "Youth" or reduced load with Barne bullets; as my expereince with them so far is that they like the upper edges of the envelope to start pluncking them into "One Ragged Hole" - just my $0.02.

Thanks, Gerry,

keep us informed about your results.

Best regards,

Gerry,

Talked with the Barnes folks and they recommend using the TSX data for the TTSX. Quoted below.

"Keep in mind we are recommending the TSX load data for use with the TTSX bullets. Due to the additional length of the TTSX over the TSX bullets I'd also suggest you use the powders that are not compressed - ie. those listed that do not exceed 100% load density."

Have fun developing a load. Let us know what results from your testing.

Additional data sent via PM.

Waidmannsheil,

Don

Don,

Thx a bunch: received the Barnes data.

I have a supply of the bullets on hand please let us know your results.
thanks
MS

I got good performance (five one shot kills) out of 30-06 with 130 grain TTSXs pushed with 53 grains Varget at ~3150 of a chrony.

Perfect performance and great accuracy. My 760 puts them all into the same place <1 inch when loaded from 51.5 to 53 grains.

Recovered no bullets. I am happy with them.

The neat thing about quick load is you can track how your particular lot of powder is performing in relation to forecasts. I found my lot of w748 was performing slower and that the 130 tsx seems to make less pressure also than ql predicts. All that said I got 3210fps out of 59.0 of 748 in my 22.5" tikka. Accuracy was average at best. No signs of pressure as far as bolt lift or extractor marks. Probably as far as you can push it with that powder. I'm thinking there are alot of powders you may be able to get that bullet up to near that 3200 mark.

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your input.....off to the range this afternoon. Would ya know it - on the day I want to go to the range we're in the middle of a !?"=§)$% snowstorm!

quote:

Have fun developing a load. Let us know what results from your testing.

Don, Thx again!

quote:

I have a supply of the bullets on hand please let us know your results.

M-S, Will do.

quote:

I got good performance (five one shot kills) out of 30-06 with 130 grain TTSXs pushed with 53 grains Varget

miles, Got one load with VVN-140 similar in the powder burning range to Varget.

quote:

Probably as far as you can push it with that powder. I'm thinking there are alot of powders you may be able to get that bullet up to near that 3200 mark.

kraky, Agree but they are pretty much where I figured they'd end up Medium range - the Slow Burners take up way too much space in an '06 case.

I'll let you Guys know how things turn out. I'll be pluncking them in my Blaser R93 although the fellow who wants the load will be spitting them outa his Steyr-Mannlicher.

While not in 30-06 loads I have done quite a bit of shooting with this particular bullet. My loads are for my grandson who has used them for the past two years in a Ruger Compact .308 which only weighs 6.5 pounds fully loaded. He turned 6 this past Thanksgiving, and has taken a couple of feral hogs with these loads running right at 2600fps. They are shooting as tight as any other load I have developed out to 200yds, and have expanded nicely out to 150 which is as far as I have tested them in water jugs. Here is a pic of two shots he made on a small gong at 185yds using them from an improvised bench,


He is pointing to his two shot group with this particular load.


Not that the data applies to what your looking for exactly but I would suggest if you have access to more of it you might give H4895 a try with these bullets, but as you mention the VVN-140 might work as well. I have no experience with it.

The Hodgdon Youth data might serve others as well as it can be used from those start loads up through the standard load range all with the same powder, and rifle. This was one of the deciding factors for me working with it in the .308 for the grandson. Being able to stick to one powder in the same load and simply increasing it as he can tolerate the changes.

Thanks everyone for their input & comments.

Just color me Lucky; 'cause outa my Blaser R93 (Attaché bbl.) .30/06 Sprg. the first five 130 gr. TTSX's with 53.5 grs. of VVN-140, O.A.L. 3.185" (crimped into the front groove w/Lee FCD), Federal nickeled cases and a Federal 210 primer all plopped into a tad <1". Musta had some velocity; too, they were spot-on for windage and the group was 5" lower than my regularly sighted-in 165 gr. Nosler Partition load.

At the price of these bullets I'm stopping right there; we're going into mass production and by tomorrow afternoon the remaining 45 bullets will be loaded using the receipe above.

Thx again to everyone for their assistance.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerry:
Thanks everyone for their input & comments.

Just color me Lucky; 'cause outa my Blaser R93 (Attaché bbl.) .30/06 Sprg. the first five 130 gr. TTSX's with 53.5 grs. of VVN-140, O.A.L. 3.185" (crimped into the front groove w/Lee FCD), Federal nickeled cases and a Federal 210 primer all plopped into a tad <1". Musta had some velocity; too, they were spot-on for windage and the group was 5" lower than my regularly sighted-in 165 gr. Nosler Partition load.

At the price of these bullets I'm stopping right there; we're going into mass production and by tomorrow afternoon the remaining 45 bullets will be loaded using the receipe above.

Thx again to everyone for their assistance.

Gerry -- great intel, how long is the 'attache' barrel? Also, did or will you get a chance to chrono for a speed confirmation?

Thanks for the share.

Gerry/Duk

FWIW I ran a thorough series out of a Remington 760 TSX 130 and Varget in 2007. I pushed them up to almost 3300 where I started seeing pressure signs. I did not get the accuracy I wanted at above 3000 so I used a different bullet in that gun for that year. If I remember correctly, the max listed load was 57 grains for Varget. I think I only got to 56.

fishie & miles.....

The Attaché bbls. are 22.638" (57.5cm) long, fluted & Cryo-d; it's accuracy is uncanny; the single most accurate hunting rifle barrel I've ever owned; although the Blaser K95 octagon stubby barrel wants to be in the same league; just hasn't been shot all that much. I've encountered a few bullets it didn't prefer - but I don't dick around with them long 'cause life's too short. With either the Zeiss 3-12x56 or Docter 2.5-10x48 mounted it's normally just a matter of whether they'll be in a normal sub 1 MOA cluster or one ragged hole; so guess where I spend my efforts?

No, sadly my chronograph is getting a Face-Lift at the moment after I put a 286 gr. 9.3 Hornady Spitzer through it's kisser (note Mke/Tx's sagging front Caldwell bag in the photo above; then subtract the Drilling's rifle barrel and the raised scope mount height of Drilling & - Voilá! Shit Happens). Last night we were shooting at a military range where we're only allowed to shoot from 1700-2000 and the light conditions are currently unfavorable at that time of the day here for obtaining reliable readings, so even if my Chrono wasn't getting serviced wouldn't have been able to employ it. I will though, chrony them eventually.

There were no idications of pressure and at 53.5 grs. of VVN140 with VV's load data of max 56.0 grs. for a 125 gr. Nosler BT - I didn't expect any.

Somehow I just can't bring myself to load the Barnes bullets with their grooves exposed although we had to do this for a friend's 300 Weatherby Magnum w/180 gr. TSX's. I was suprised that the load shot so well with the bullet crimped with the Lee FCD at the front groove. Makes for a neat package IMO but usually we have to fiddle around with a longish AOL and the upper edge of a cartridge's velocity spectrum to get the Barne's right.

I did similar with the 7x57R & 120 Barnes TSX's - crimped them into the front groove with a Lee FCD and they also shot well from the get-go. Just goes to showya every barrel's a Law unto itself.

A friend has some Varget and he offered but of the load data I see on AR where IMR-4064, H4895 & Varget are used I've grabbed the VVN140 bottle. It seems to fit in this medium burner range well. Sadly, I'd be more than pleased to use many more powders but there's two factors involved here that most don't have to deal with. One, I'm limited to the amount of powder I can legally store at my residence and secondly I tend to powders I know will be immediately available; while the good news is that US powders (Hosdgon's, RL series & IMR) are generally becoming increasingly available; there can be dry spells.

Gerry, sounds great. Thanks for the update. I think you should be near your speed goals. I have had the same experience with needing near max charges with Barnes, but usually with SHORTER OAL's, so that is a contradition, as pushing the longish Barnes into the case consumes powder space. I never crimp on the cals I load TSX's for--including 338 cals, but seem to get great accuracy, unless a copper fouling barrel is in the mix!

Good on ya Gerry!

quote:

but usually with SHORTER OAL's

fishie,

Wow! Thx - I'll keep that in mind. Guess I've been going the wrong way with the Barnes. I've been starting at .030" and edging them closer to the lands as we go but the 7X57R w/120's & this load have shown otherwise. Both loads shot <MOA at the start with really-y-y short OAL's.

I'm in love with the Lee FCD's (read Saeed's results on this site) and have them in EVERY cartridge I load for (now) I just found a German gunsmith who had a stash of Lee FCD's for the 9.3x74R that woulda cost me mega-bucks as a special order from Lee stateside; so they're obviously making them for the foreign market, too.

Since I can't bring myself to crimp an un-cannelured bullet have also just purchased C-H's Cannelure Tool to complement my already overflowing reloading bench.



Wonder if I can get a canleure engraved on one of the Barne's TSX or TTSX's bands.....Hmmmh?

Great info, Gerry!

My son just shot his first red deer last weekend with a loaned 7 mm 08 and a 120 grain bullet. It seems that your load might work well for him with a 30/06.