Anyone using these? I'd like to know what loads and seating depths worked for you.

Strawboss,
No not yet but thinking about it!! Just got a Tikka T3 and am starting to fire form cases. When i get the junk bullets out and back to the earth pile they belong in I will start on some good bullets. I wanted to try some Accubond 110's to see how they work then get into some Barnes and possibly some Swift's to see where I get the accuracy.
Let me know what you come up with and I will keep posting my findings. I ahve been reading as with most of the '06 cases IMR4350 may be a good starting powder.

Smedley

I haven't messed around with any of the SSX's but i have gotten 115gr Bergers VLD's to shoot phenomenally out of my 10 twist Hart barrel on a 700 action. I stumbled onto some RL-19 as the powder of choice and i'm lighting them up with CCI magnum primers. I can't remember specifics but i can look them up if your interested. I messed around with the 4350 from both IMR and Hogdon but i just couldn't get anything going with them to compete with the RL-19. I primarily use my rifle for varmint hunting and normally push 85gr Nosler BT's with H4350. The Hogdon has shot superior to anything else i've tried except with this bullet. Hope this helps.
Ruck

Interestings fellas. Thanks for the information. My experience is totally different regarding powders. I'm getting best results with RL25, N165, 7828, & H1000 in my stock Sendero with 26" barrel. Accuracy with H1000 is outstanding, but this gun groups just about everything if I do my part. RL25, 7828, & N165 give a little more velocity and still give good accuracy. I'm using Federal .03-06 cases necked down and factory Remington .25-06 brass which has a little more capacity and is very concentric in the necks. Smedley, I haven't tried the accubond yet, but intend to try them. Ruck, I've used the 87 gr. TNTs with excellent results, but I'm trying to get a good whitetail load for the fall season. I killed 5 deer last year with one shot each with this rifle at ranges varying from 235 to 350 yards using a 100 grain bullet. On one of the days, it was very windy which caused me some problems placing the bullet accurately, so I'm going to try a heavier bullet this year with higher BC. Hopefully, it will cut my wind drift and give me more consistent terminal performance.

BTT, any other shooters have expereince with the Barnes 115 TSX in .257"?

Strawboss,

I do not have experience with the 115 gr. Barnes,
in the .25-06 Rem. But, I have experience with
the 100 gr. TSX, in the .25-06, and a bunch of
experience with Barnes bullets in .308 Win,
and 300 WSM. According to the Barnes Manual,
their recommendation is to start .050" off the
lands, and move up and down from there
to find a seating depth for the most consistent
groups. This works well for me. A number
of times, I have found the best COL is where
the bullet is right at .050" off the lands. If
not there, then usually somewhere around
.040" usually works. I don't think I have ever
had a decent group with a Barnes bullet, in
any load, where the bullet was .005" to .020"
off the lands. The bullets like to jump a
bit more that typical copper jacketed lead
core bullets. One other tip, where
some bullet/powder combinations want
to be backed off max. pressure, for better
consistency, the Barnes often want to be
driven at maximum safe pressures, for
the tightest groups. I know in my .25-06,
the chrony says I am at max, where the
100 gr.s start getting into one ragged hole.

I am not sure what you want to hunt with
this load, but a 115 gr. Barnes TSX would
be my choice for a elk bullet... That is how
tough these things are. If I were looking
for a southern whitetail load, or a hog load,
I would be working with the 100 gr. TSX.
For our northern whitetails, that regularly
dress over 200 lbs, the 100 gr TSX drops them
like they were hit by Thor's Hammer. And
the wound site is a mess. In all of the whitetails,
that I have processed, that were hit by Barnes
XBT, XLC, or TSX bullets, I have never seen
one pencil through. I had one hit that
went between 2 ribs, so it was soft tissue
all the way through, and it looked like a
Claymore had gone off inside the deer.
That was the only deer that has not been
a, "Bang Flop". It was more like a, "Bang
Stagger 50', and then Flop". Next time
I will aim for a rib

Squeeze

Squeeze, thanks for the report. I'll need to try the 100 gr. TSX. I ran the 115s today at 3205 fps seated 0.038" off the lands and I'm not overwhelmed by my group and the load was right at MAX. I also found that the .25-06 groups best when pushed at maximum safe pressures. It's amazing how you go from shooting groups to one ragged hole. I'm also going to try them at -0.050" and -0.060" and see if they group any better. So far, my barrel shows a preference for the Speer 87 gr. TNT, Berger 110 gr., Hornady 100 gr. SP, and the Sierra 117 gr. SBT. I have not figured out a way to get great groups from the Nosler 115 gr. BT although it's groups are not bad, it's just not delivering the smallest groups from this rifle.