Loading the Barnes TSX

MHUNT

MHUNT

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I picked up someTSX 225 grain bullets to try in my son's 338. The shop had some last year's stock and said the price was about to go from $54 to $75 when the new stuff comes in, so I picked up 2 boxes. Now, about those rings cut into the shank of the TSX? They are about where I'd have the mouth of the case. Do you guys recomend crimping into one of the grooves, with the factory crimp die? Or I could crimp onto one of the high spots.
What are your thoughts and experiences?:confused:
 
Don't crimp at all, and don't fret the position of the case mouth w/respect to grooves.

Ignore the grooves and load'em just like you would any other bullet (I've even found the TSX to mimic pressures of standard cup + core bullets (obviously work up a few grains below max).

They are user friendly, and damn deadly...you'll love'em!

Good Luck
 
I buy Barnes TSX bullets for less than $40 a box in Edmonton.
Further to 280Ackely's comments make sure you work up and don't use the old Barnes manuals max loads. The new ones for several calibres are available to Copper Club members and they have all been reduced by anything from 2-5 grains of powder. The 168 in the 300 win mag with reloder 22 went from 79 grs to 74, I load 75.5 which I had worked up with a chonograph prior to getting the new max load. Velocity often shows up with a few grains less powder than other bullets.
 
I don't crimp much of anything, except cast bullets in leverguns and my revolvers. I've never had a bullet budge yet, nor have I seen one shoot better crimped.This is up to .416.
 
I love the 338 225 grn TSX's in my 338-06's, and I don't crimp. Like everyone says, load 'em like everything else.
I've also heard there is a bit of safety at top end loads due to reduced bullet/mouth friction. Some even go 1 or 1.5 grns above max. (No crimp of course). I don't, and like my loads a tad lower than max anyway.
 
I don't crimp either. I'm loading 200 grain TSX in my 325 wsm. As for the price I'm paying around $50 a box which is bad enough, $75 a box is ridiculous.
 
Dogleg said:
I think we are all going to be in for a rude awakening on all component prices in the next while. It's starting already.
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I think your right. The people who will notice it the most are the people who reload to save money.
 
As for the "to crimp or not to crimp" thing. I have found that everything seems to shoot better with a bit of a squeeze from the factory crimp die.

I was told the reason that the price of bullets has, or is about to go way up, is because China is buying up so much of the world's supply of raw materials for their manufacturing. So things like copper and lead have gone up. It will be effecting just about everything.
 
As for the "to crimp or not to crimp" thing. I have found that everything seems to shoot better with a bit of a squeeze from the factory crimp die.
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I haven't found that to be true at all.Since benchrest shooters don't normally crimp,I guess that they have also not found crimping to improve accuracy.
 
MHUNT said:
As for the "to crimp or not to crimp" thing. I have found that everything seems to shoot better with a bit of a squeeze from the factory crimp die.
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I agree, I found that in my bigger caliber rifles crimping gives me more consistent speeds and better accuracy. I noticed the biggest difference in my 45-70's.

Factory ammunition is often more accurate and better able to withstand rough handling because the bullet is firmly crimped in place. A firm crimp improves accuracy because pressure must build to a higher level before the bullet begins to move. This higher start pressure insures a more uniform pressure curve and less velocity variation. Even powder selection is less critical.
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Crimp away, you will be happy you did :D
 
stubblejumper said:
I haven't found that to be true at all.Since benchrest shooters don't normally crimp,I guess that they have also not found crimping to improve accuracy.
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I agree..

I crimp if I think I need to hold a bullet in place, under recoil...There isn't any other real reason, IMHO.

As much as LEE likes to tell us that thier "factory crimp" dies will improve accuracy due to "more consistent" bullet release, I haven't found any measurable increase in accuracy. I have used the dies and I have no, and seen no results which would indicate the "factory crimp" an accuracy asset.

If there was, I guarrantee the benchresters would be crimping like hell.....
 
As much as LEE likes to tell us that thier "factory crimp" dies will improve accuracy due to "more consistent" bullet release, I haven't found any measurable increase in accuracy.
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I have, like I stated above. The more consistent speeds I have been getting after crimping was definitely noticeable. I know it doesn't make a big difference when shooting an animal, but the benefits of crimping are worth it to me.

It doesn't hurt anything to crimp, so crimp away. If anyone says it does, they are a fool.
 
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