Need suggestions for the .224 Barnes 62-grain TSX BT

[White Smoke]

I tried to work up a load for the 62-grain Barnes TSX BT in my AR using H335 but it wouldn't pattern. It seems that H335 works better for the lighter bullets. Barnes suggests Varget or Reloder 15 for the 62. Anyone had any luck with something else? Suggestions? Thanks

 

[NBK]

What is your barrel twist WS?

 

[Lungpopper]

I haven't been able to get them to print in my gun either. I have a 1-9 twist. I have tried BLC-2, H335, H380 and IMR 4895. All with the same results, around a 1" group at 100 yards but they are tumbling. I'm giving up on the TSX 62 gr and just bought a couple of boxes of TTSX 55gr. They should stabilize a little better.

 

[White Smoke]

1:9"

 

[White Smoke]

The reason I went with the TSX is because of the boat-tail design...better B.C. I'll go with a FB design if I have to, but prefer a BT.

 

[Lungpopper]

They are both BT. The 62 gr TSX has a BC of .287. The 55gr TTSX has a BC of .272. Not a whole lot of difference between them.

 

[White Smoke]

LP, you just solved my dilemma! For some reason. I was looking at the MPG's, not the TTSX's. John, can you get me two boxes of the 55-grain TTSX's? Again, THANKS LP!

 

[White Smoke]

In the meantime, here's the latest 100-yard target using 23.4 grains of H335 and the Barnes 50-grain Varmint Grenade.

 

[Lungpopper]

The coyotes are getting scared.

 

[White Smoke]

OK, here's the target for the 62-grain TSX using 25.0 grains of Varget...just over 3/4" group at 100 yards. Not quite as good as the 50-grain VG group, but acceptable.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Looks like its time to take it out and use it !

 

[White Smoke]

I'm still "tweaking" the loads. John convinced me to switch to the standard primer instead of the magnum. I'm headed for the range on Sunday to let my grandson try out the AR with some R-P bulk FMJ's. I just want the brass so I can work up some loads with CCI 400 primers using H335, Varget and Reloder 10x powders and the 55-grain Barnes TTSX BT bullets. I sure hope one of those powders will print. These damn "green" bullets are a bit spendy. Hope the lead ban gets overturned soon.

 

[White Smoke]

Update...still tweaking the loads. John has ordered a gauge for me to measure the OAL to the rifling so I can play with the OAL to get the best grouping. He's also getting some Barnes 53-grain TSX BT's to try out. The Hornady 53-grain V-max bullets printed 0.55" for me, so I'm hoping the Barnes bullets with the same weight and shape will do the same. Don't know for sure since the Barnes bullets are slightly longer than the V-max's due to copper being lighter than lead. We shall see!

 

[El Matavenados]

Watch those 400s closely. I've had some piercing issues when loaded to recommended max loads. For this reason, I switched to the #41's for my standard loads, and 400's (or equivalent) for light loads.

 

[White Smoke]

I was using 450's because they are harder and there is less danger of a "slam fire", but John convinced me to try 400"s. So far, the 450's produce a more accurate load. I will be testing loads with both primers. Thanks

 

[White Smoke]

Latest update...the length to the lands is 2.30". Barnes (and John) recommends 0.05" off the lands, so I am seating the bullets to 2.25" and heading to the range tomorrow to re-shoot the 62-grain TSX's using CCI 400 primers and Varget, H335 and RL10x. I also made up a few rounds of the load that patterned 0.77" with the 450 primers. I'm going to shoot five at a seating depth of 2.25" ( the 0.77" load) and five at 2.23". The tech at Barnes said to seat them at 0.05" off the lands and, if that didn't work, try 0.07". My son just got his scope back from Leupold, so we're going to re-sight that back in on his 7mm Rem Mag. Gotta get that one right. He's letting me take it to Idaho next year in place of my muzzleloader. (I don't own a "real" rifle!)

 

[White Smoke]

The short answer is that the 2.25" COAL shot better than the 2.23, so the rounds I have made up to test are good to go. On another note...Heard the old joke as to why you hire a teenager? Answer...because they know it all! Anyway, I took my kid out (he's 40) to sight in the 7mm after Leupold went through it. I told him to set the target at 50. Oh no! He wanted to shoot it at 100 because the gunsmith bore sighted it and used a laser. I told him that bore sights were not really that accurate and I really thought we should start at 50. He gave me so much grief that I said "Fine. Take it to 100." Two shots, no holes! He brought it into 50. One shot, no hole! He then brought it into 25 and was way high and right. Four shots walked it right in and we then confirmed it at 100. He learned that dad is pretty smart now and then and really does know a thing or two!

 

[White Smoke]

Now I have two loads for the 62's. 25.0 grains of Varget produced a 0.77" group and 22.5 grains of H335 produced a 0.80" group. I'm still shooting the 53 V-max rounds (0.55" group) until the lead ban goes into effect. I'm done! It's time to kill something!

 

[NBK]

Nice job Jerry!

 

[White Smoke]

After playing with the COAL and a few other things, i just shot a five-shot, one ragged hole group that measured 0.56". I'm done!