Just picked up some of these bullets and measured seating depth to lands with a dummy cartridge.

Barnes advises seating .050 to .070 inch off the lands but this would still leave the bullet so long that the case neck ends on the first raised part of the bullet behind the first groove cut into the bullet from the point. This fits my magazine without any problems but can and should the bullet be loaded this way? It looks like a large exposed cannelure groove above the case neck.

If I seat the bullet to that of the solid part of the bullet just in front of the first groove cut from the point it would be way off the lands by about .120" or more. Is that going to be accurate?

Anyone else loading these bullets in .243 experience this? What did you do and how were your results? Thanks, Wayne.

I played with some 130 grain TSXs in a 760 30-06 and that particular gun had more preference for velocity than seating depth with them. I never saw any real difference in group size related to seating depth, but it has a very marked preference for ~2950 FPS. Seating out with one or more of the bands exposed on Barnes bullets hasn't seemed to be a problem when I have done it.

Thanks Miles. If I use a COL of 2.675" that gives me about .065" off the lands and only one groove is exposed right about the case neck. I used the FCD by Lee to keep it reasonably tight. Will see how these shoot.

Anyone else with any input? Thanks, Wayne

I have used the TSX in several calibers, and the neck of the case may end up on a groove or on a flat between grooves, depending on seating depth and the cartridge I am loading for. It makes no difference, in my opinion and experience, and you do not need toi crimp into the groove for a single shot or bolt action.