I've been loading 6.5 x 55's with 130 TSX bullets and am having a miserable time getting consistent seating depths and a firm bullet hold. When seated to my target depth, the bullets are seated to the bands on the bullets and they don't hold well. I need to use a bit of crimp just to get them to hold well enough that I can't pull them by hand. I don't have the problem with any normal bullets so it's not the case mouth diameter. It's that there doesn't seem to be enough surface area on the bands to grip the bullet. I was wondering if anybody else out there is having similar issues and if they've come up with a cure. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Barnes TSX seating issues
- Thread starter cowboybob
- Start date
I've had the same trouble; although with different calibers. Does and brass combinations that locked onto conventional bullets would slip on the TSXs. I'll bet that it's a lot more common than people think; if they bothered to press check their loads.
For me the fix was easy. I just polished 001" off the expander ball to increase neck tension and that fixed it. The way I do that is take the expander assembly and chuck it up in a hand drill. Then I touch the spinning ball against a turning 2x72 " 400 grit belt. Touch and measure until the expander is .003" smaller than the bullet. Without the. belt grinder it'll take a lot longer but I was able to do one with good emery cloth, the drill and a lot of pressure, mostly just to see if it could be done.
If there was a downside on normal bullets I could never see it. Increasing neck tension like this is a common trick to get African style cartridges to survive recoil in the magazine.
For me the fix was easy. I just polished 001" off the expander ball to increase neck tension and that fixed it. The way I do that is take the expander assembly and chuck it up in a hand drill. Then I touch the spinning ball against a turning 2x72 " 400 grit belt. Touch and measure until the expander is .003" smaller than the bullet. Without the. belt grinder it'll take a lot longer but I was able to do one with good emery cloth, the drill and a lot of pressure, mostly just to see if it could be done.
If there was a downside on normal bullets I could never see it. Increasing neck tension like this is a common trick to get African style cartridges to survive recoil in the magazine.
Throttle_monkey1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Are those TSX a flat base? I ran into this issue with a flat base bullet of a different manufacturer in a different caliber. I just went to a boat tail bullet.
I use the 127 LRX in 6.5. Better BC and easy seating since it's a boat tail.
I use the 127 LRX in 6.5. Better BC and easy seating since it's a boat tail.
PitBull1973
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Right Behind You
I would suggest getting a type S bushing die. This way you will always have control over how much bullet grip you need
Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll try the "decrease expander ball" method for now since I have a couple more expander balls but I'm going to order some S bushing dies and give them a try also. I bought 300 of these bullets so I've got to get things ironed out. I'm quite amazed at how well the rifle, a full-stocked Sako 85, shoots these things even with the irregular seating depth. Haven't tried a lod yet that went over an inch. If I could get things consistently dialed in, it shout do even better.
