Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 04:45:20 PM

Title: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 04:45:20 PM: Am experimenting with some new loads and wondering how some of you guys that shoot/reload Barnes deal with seating depth. If I seat them at max. length it winds up in the middle of one of the rings. There is obviously solid connection below that, but do you guys worry about where the rings are with respect to seating depth? I'm assuming it's not that critical, but it sure looks funny! Factory ammo depth burries all the rings, but sure seems short.

Any advice or suggestions, I don't want to pull a *censored* here.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: KillBilly on December 19, 2011, 04:56:32 PM: I use my gauges to determine the depth that touches lands/grooves. Then I back it off approx. .030" and that's where I seat it no matter where the grooves are. I only load a few barnes bullets because I find that Nosler Accubonds work best in my Tikkas.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on December 19, 2011, 05:04:19 PM: With magazine-fed rifles, cartridge length is pretty much dictated by what fits in the magazine. Otherwise, as long as the bullet doesn't contact the rifling when chambered, causing unacceptable pressure rise, you're good to go. Spome rifles have a deeper throat than others and bullets can be seated way out. Others need to be seated shorter. Non-lead bullets need to be longer per grain weight than lead core bullets. exposed rings should be no problem.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: high country on December 19, 2011, 05:36:30 PM: Try seating some deep....like .050-.10" deep. I bet you get a surprise.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: mallard79 on December 19, 2011, 06:57:04 PM: I have a barnes specific reloading manual. if you would like I can scan the pages you need and email them to you tomorrow. What caliber are you loading?
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: JohnVH on December 19, 2011, 07:40:12 PM: some guns like different depths, use it for fine tuning.

Here is my 7mag TTSX

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-snc7%2F317874_10150406784721103_521661102_9839226_1958272751_n.jpg&hash=e323a92df5d3702616b1482b03c6f56c1be7369a)
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: high country on December 19, 2011, 09:08:52 PM: Seriously, load a few seated deep.....thank me later.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 10:35:37 PM: Quote from: mallard79 on December 19, 2011, 06:57:04 PM
I have a barnes specific reloading manual. if you would like I can scan the pages you need and email them to you tomorrow. What caliber are you loading?

Trying them out in a .257 Weatherby Mag., both the 100 gr. TTSX and the 115 gr. TSX.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 10:36:53 PM: Quote from: JohnVH on December 19, 2011, 07:40:12 PM
some guns like different depths, use it for fine tuning.

Here is my 7mag TTSX

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-snc7%2F317874_10150406784721103_521661102_9839226_1958272751_n.jpg&hash=e323a92df5d3702616b1482b03c6f56c1be7369a)

So obviously you don't worry about where the rings hit the top of the neck? See any difference in how they shoot?
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: JohnVH on December 19, 2011, 10:50:13 PM: Quote from: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: JohnVH on December 19, 2011, 07:40:12 PM
some guns like different depths, use it for fine tuning.

Here is my 7mag TTSX

So obviously you don't worry about where the rings hit the top of the neck? See any difference in how they shoot?

nope and nope, I dont crimp them either. The rounds all go through the same hole at 100yds, 140gr TTSX going 3400
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: high country on December 20, 2011, 07:05:36 AM: Quote from: MuleDeerCrazy on December 19, 2011, 10:35:37 PM
Quote from: mallard79 on December 19, 2011, 06:57:04 PM
I have a barnes specific reloading manual. if you would like I can scan the pages you need and email them to you tomorrow. What caliber are you loading?

Trying them out in a .257 Weatherby Mag., both the 100 gr. TTSX and the 115 gr. TSX.

I have had 3 257's that liked somewhere close to 72 grs of rl22 with a 100tsx. I would not think twice on making a shot on any animal in Washington at 400yds with a 100tsx @ 3600mv.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 20, 2011, 08:20:44 AM: That's on my list of powders to try.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: bearpaw on December 20, 2011, 08:33:17 AM: Remember, Roy Weatherby developed his calibers using freebore to get more velocity. Be careful with your seating depths as it may effect your pressure more than in other calibers. I load some 75 hp's at 4000 fps and I have to watch the pressure carefully.

My son shot his Idaho moose with his 257 at over 300 yards. The 100gr TSX Bullet went through both front shoulders and exited the other side.

I have used rl22 in several calibers and like it.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: JohnVH on December 20, 2011, 08:35:41 AM: I use 70gr of RL22 for my 7mm
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: scudmaster on December 20, 2011, 08:46:39 AM: I believe Barnes has you set the all copper bullets a little farther from the lands, but this takes up much more of the case volume and bumps your pressures so make sure it is a specific load for the copper bullets and not a lead recipe.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: mallard79 on December 20, 2011, 02:23:14 PM: Barnes recommends 0.050 off the lands per their reloading manual.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on December 20, 2011, 04:47:24 PM: The Weatherby's seem to be so deep I can't get close to the lands anyway... guess I'll just go with the max. length in the Barnes book, although that will be different between the TTSX and the TSX given the difference of the tip. Their max. was without the tip...?
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: Biggerhammer on December 20, 2011, 06:47:03 PM: Quote from: high country on December 19, 2011, 09:08:52 PM
Seriously, load a few seated deep.....thank me later.

I know this works for a fact with one of my .300 Win Magnums. Loaded them to mag length. Then seated them deeper a little at a time untill the groups really started to tighten up to the point I couldnt ask anymore of a factory rifle and barrel but my .270 Winchester likes them way out there. I mean WAY OUT THERE!

From left to right:
3 .375 Ultra Magnums with 260gr Accubonds, .270 Win/140gr Accubond, .270 Win/140gr Barnes TTSX.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC05064.jpg&hash=149ed3561f28cc8e6c380496f4f8eb9822f8383f)
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: bobcat on December 20, 2011, 06:56:08 PM: I can't tell for sure from the picture, but from the looks of it, the bullet isn't in far enough for the neck of the case to have a secure grip on it. I wouldn't trust it.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: Biggerhammer on December 20, 2011, 07:14:26 PM: Quote from: bobcat on December 20, 2011, 06:56:08 PM
I can't tell for sure from the picture, but from the looks of it, the bullet isn't in far enough for the neck of the case to have a secure grip on it. I wouldn't trust it.

Shoots like a dream, feeds from the mag box slicker than a snakes ass. I dont use the dinky thing on anything but yotes and chucks. :tup:

My mistake, that's a 130gr Accubond, not a 140. I pulled my file for the rifle and took a pic of one of its last groups. I haven't shot the rifle since last year, not to shabby for a 299.00 factory Remington 700 ADL synthetic. ;) I've paid a truck load more for rifles to shoot as well.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2Fphoto-55.jpg&hash=f1b0607ea801a58a1d837de0033cf520d2b069be)
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: fremont on December 20, 2011, 08:17:10 PM: Quote from: mallard79 on December 20, 2011, 02:23:14 PM
Barnes recommends 0.050 off the lands per their reloading manual.

My recollection as well.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: high country on December 20, 2011, 10:23:35 PM: Bobcat, neck tension is enough to hold bullets firm in all but the most viscous recoil monsters. Cannurles are not necessary and seating to a groove on a tsx is equally unnecessary.
Title: Re: Barnes Bullet Reloaders - Seating Depth?
Post by: bobcat on December 20, 2011, 10:27:21 PM: Quote from: high country on December 20, 2011, 10:23:35 PM
Bobcat, neck tension is enough to hold bullets firm in all but the most viscous recoil monsters. Cannurles are not necessary and seating to a groove on a tsx is equally unnecessary.

I realize that's normally the case but in that photo the bullet looks to be just barely inside the neck of the case. Maybe the bullet is longer than I think.