Hey Guys and Gals,

Just was wondering if anyone had any load info for this bullet/caliber combo for me to try. I did a search and only came up with one post but didnt have load info in it.

Thanks for the help!!!

Dom

UltraMag,

I have been using the Barnes 53gr TSX for two years on hogs at my brothers ranch in Texas.
Following is the load that I use: Barnes 53gr TSX bullet, pushed along by 35gr Hodgdons Varget, Federal Primers, Remington Cases. I have shot six hogs with this load, weights from 140# to 320#, none of the six went more than 20 yards, all were shoulder shot, and shots were from 85 to 150 yards. I get great performance from my rifle with grouping under an inch at 100 yards. I also get great penetration and the bullet turns their insides to mush.

I've been using 38 Grains of H380 and 36 grains of Accurate 2460 for my TSX loads, pretty accurate and very devastating. I also shoot the same exact loads with a 52 grain Sierra Matchking and both are very tight groupers.

For you gentlemen using Barnes 53 grain TSX bullet, how far off the landings are you getting you're best accuracy?

Thanks

Steve

Steve,

I have used the setting suggested by Barnes and it seems to work well. .050" off the lands.

Snellstrom,

I also use H380 and it works well, Varget just seems to be a little better in my rifle. Have never tried Accurate 2460. It's interesting than on a Burn Rate Comparison Chart that I have of the most common powders with #1 being the fastest burning and #173 being the slowest, Accurate 2460 is 107, Varget 117, and H380 is 130.

Bluegunner I re-read my post after reading your post and it did sound as if I were using the same charge for both powders which I'm not, so I went back and re-worded it, sorry about that cornfusion.
Thanks for keeping me straight Bluegunner!
Please read my post again for clearer information about what loads I shoot, keep in mind these are safe in MY rifle work up to them in yours.
Steve I too load them at .050 off the lands as Barnes recommends.
Good luck to you all with yours.

Gentlemen

I have found that the 53 grain TSX bullet is awesome on pelts (coyotes). However, my accuracy has not been as good as I hoped so I took you're suggestion and Barnes and seated bullets .050 off the landing and will try again.

53 TSX Bullet
Fed-210 Match Primer
H-380 38 grains
Win - Brass

Thanks

Steve

Steve,

It took me quite a number of loads to come up with the combination that I was happy with and the combination that gave me the accuracy that I consistently wanted. Changing powders, changing amount of powder, and changing the distance off the lands all effected the size of my groupings. I started with H-380 and Varget and my first loads were a gr & 1/2 less than the max in my loading manual (at that time Barnes was recommending that we start with the loading date on their X bullet, as data was not available on the TSX). Both H-380 and Varget gave good performance but Varget finally won out with the 53gr TSX. Onces I settled on Varget I then moved up and down from my first setting until I got my best load. I haven't adjusted the distance off the lands further after reading Barnes recommendations as I've been satisfied with the results that I'm now getting.

Thanks Guys!!!

Really appreciate the info. sorry I havent been on for awhile as I was away for work so I had no computer access.

Thanks Again,

Dom

Hello fellas,

well I finally had the time to test a couple of loads with this bullet. I used some info I had and the powders I had on hand. I also have a bunch of PMC once fired brass so I used that. Once I was done prepping the cases I made up some loads using IMR 4064 & some loads with VARGET.

The smallest group I got with the 4064 was just under 3/4 inch. The best group I got with the VARGET was just under 1/2 inch. All groups were 3-shot groups.

I will now play with the seating depth and see if I can squeeze anymore accuracy out of the VARGET load. I found an interesting thing while doing this load develpment. I found that the Tikka I have has has a long leade. When I used the comparator to find the OAL with the bullet touching the lands The bullet is pretty much falling out of the case. Because of this I have to seat the bullets quite a bit farther away than the .050 that Barnes recommends and still have good bullet engagement. But i'll be happy with .5" groups if thats all I can get out of her.

I'll post my findings when I test the loads with the new seating depths.

Thanks again for all your help and info.

Aloha,

Dom

Dom,

These are the loads my 22-250 likes. I use the RL-15 because it is not as temperature sensitive.

53 gr. Barnes TSX
COL=2.360
CCI BR-2 Primer
Rem. Brass

H-380-39.5 gr.=.60â€

RL-15-36.0gr.
3700 fps.-0.776â€

Bob,

Thanks alot I really appreciate the info.

I misplaced my load data book so im kinda in the dumps right now I cant remember alot of my load info stuff. I hope I find that book soon as I have alot of stuff I wanna load for.

Aloha,

Dom

I used some one season in my Ruger 22.250 sporter...

30 grains of RL 7 and the 53 grain XLC bullet...

one of the kids I was taking out for the first time was using it and got a nice black tail with it...bang flop...

but blacktail are about antelope sized, so not real huge animals...

I shoot 37.5gr of Varget out of a Ruger M77 MKII with a 22" Barrel for 3,737fps with the 53gr TSX's. It groups right at .75 average at 100.

What twist rate does you're 22-250 have for this Barnes 53 grain TSX. Barnes recommends twist faster than 1:12. My Model 700 has 1:14 and the best I have come up with is 3/4" group @ 100 yards. My load is not max, so can I improve my group by speeding up the velocity little at a time or do I need a faster twist or different bullet?

Thanks for the help.

Steve

Lame rookie question here. What is the lands?

Another word for lands or landing is rifling. Sorry for not making that more clear and Welcome to AR

Steve

Chumly if it might help a little bit more to understand about the lands please let me explain.\
What we talk about when we are mentioning the lands is not just the rifling, but they are the very beginning of the raised part of the rifling that grabs the bullet and causes it to spiral down the barrel.
The recessed spaces in between the rifling are called the grooves.
AND what we are really concerned with most of the time is the actual beginning of the lands, or rifling in the barrel that the bullet first contacts as it is coming out of the case.
So picture this if I can explain it clearly enough.
There is the 'chamber' where the cartridge actually sits in the barrel, then the 'bore' begins which is the part the bullet travels down, but immediately after the chamber there is a part of the bore that has no rifling.
This is called the 'throat' of the bore.
This is where the bullet actually fits when a cartridge is chambered, for if there were riflings all the way back to mouth of the chamber the bullet would jam into them and get stuck.
'Which is something that my bullets do more than I like anyway because I like mine to actually touch the lands, and with compressed powder charges sometimes over all length 'grows'
But that is another story to get you all confused about at a later time.
Right now to finally answer your question, the lands that we refer to are the exact point where the riflings begin after the throat portion of the bore.
It is usually condusive to accuracy, and it also affects pressure how far the bullet comes from actually touching the beginning of the rifling 'or the lands' in the bore.

Many folks like 5 thousands of an inch off the lands, myself personally I like my bullets to just 'kiss' the lands, which is to make the barest of contact without actually being pushed into them.

Clear as mud?

Bucko,
That is what I needed.
Thanks!