Barnes TSX problems

**reivertom** · 11-12-2018, 12:07 AM

I have a question for you handloaders on here. I loaded some 85gr, Barnes TSX bullets for my 99Fin .243 to use during deer season. I started in the middle of the load chart, where the pressures and speed was acceptable for my rifle...I thought. Yesterday I decided to try them out and dial in my scope, and got a surprise. The first shot seemed OK, but was a bit on the loud side and ejected stiff. My second shot sounded really loud and had an unusual crack to it. When I tried to cycle the lever it was stuck and finally broke loose leaving the casing in the chamber. After a bit of thinking I just pressed my thumb on the ejector on the side of the bolt, and slowly worked the lever and it grabbed enough to pull out the casing. The casing showed all the signs of high pressure with flattened and pierced primers and it was discolored from gas escaping. I shot 20 rounds after that with Hornady SST 95gr. bullets with a slightly larger charge of the same powder with zero problems. Is this a normal thing in these 99s, or is my gun an unusual case? Thanks.

**Robinhood** · 11-12-2018, 12:29 AM

Tom, You need to look up load data for that bullet. I don't shoot solids but It seems I remember the recipe being slightly different. To low of a powder charge can cause the pressure to spike extremely high.

Find your bullet here.
http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2...chesterWeb.pdf

**J.Baker** · 11-12-2018, 01:23 PM

Solids don't conform as easily to the rifling as a conventional jacketed bullet and thus creates a lot higher pressure than a similar weight jacketed bullet. This is why there is SPECIFIC load data for loading solids. Barnes website is the best source for data for solids.

http://barnesbullets.com/files/2017/...chesterWeb.pdf

**mudpig** · 11-12-2018, 05:15 PM

with the solids (TSX) you want more jump to the rifling as well. Barnes recommends .050 jump, which is where I've found great accuracy.

**deerhunter99** · 11-12-2018, 05:37 PM

I load my Barnes bullets with my Barnes Manual only !!!

**DesertDug** · 11-12-2018, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by mudpig

with the solids (TSX) you want more jump to the rifling as well. Barnes recommends .050 jump, which is where I've found great accuracy.

This.

I stoped loading tsx and TTSX due to bad blood trails. They seem to be very picky regarding velocity to get good expansion. Nothing but Nosler for me now.