Hi folks,

I've got some 300 gr Barnes banded solids I'd like to try in my .375 H&H. Since my Barnes manual #3 doesn't have load info for this bullet, and I haven't found #4 yet, I did a seach and found some loads here on AR. Then I had a brain wave and looked at the Barnes site (a little dense today I guess). I was surprised to see the Barnes data showing minimum powder loads a couple grains lower than what a few people around here are using. I was going to use the Barnes data unless some one had good reason to think Barnes made an oops.

Dean

I have loaded the Banded Solids in a grand total of 1 gun. So I can hardly claim to be an expert. In my gun (9.3x62, 250 grs bullets), I used the same load for the Banded Solids I used for other bullets (250 grs Nosler AB and Barnes TSX). I did not see any pressure signs, and the muzzle velocity of the Banded Solids was lower than that of the other bullets.

FWIW - mike

I shoot Barnes Banded Solids, TSXs and some Hornady and Nosler offerings of the same weight in a 30/06. I used the same amount of powder in all with no signs of increased pressure.

In my rifle, the Banded Solids and TSXs hit in about the same place at 100 yards and the solids are the most accurate.

I've only loaded them in my 404j. I used the same data as the original mono solids & the vel. & POI were almost identical.

If you are going to use Reloader 15 don't go past 72 grains with the banded solids in the 375 H&H. I found this out the hard way, separating 20+ case heads. I called RCBS about an unrelated issue and asked the tech guy who told me all his data sasy 72 grains is max and in the upper limit for most guns. The ironic part is that it shoots under .5" with the 72 grain load that separates case heads. Just a friendly heads up.

By the way it shoots to the same POI as the 300 TSX in the Steyr I made the loads for.

quote:

Originally posted by bulbwerks:
If you are going to use Reloader 15 don't go past 72 grains with the banded solids in the 375 H&H.

That is scary. I have the the load data from the Barnes site beside me, max load with the 300 gr banded solid and RL 15 (the powder I want to start with): 76.5 grains which is in line with what people here at AR have reported. There is a major bust here somewhere.

Dean

I even tried both A square and Remington new unfired brass as well as once fired brass from both companies with the same result. Crimped or uncrimped it still has the same problem. The funny thing is, is that in our 416 Rigby there are no pressure signs with the banded solids even several grains above maximum load. I'm still scratching my head over this one.

By the way I've had great success so far with 74 grains of RL15 and the 300 grain TSX.

I'm not trying to contradict what others are saying or what the manuals say. I'm just relaying my experience and what a tech guy at RCBS told me.