Barnes 6.5 x 55 120 gr TSX

[rodkayak]

What a fantastic bullet. This 120 gr copper bullet humanely stopped this 200 lbs pre rut buck at 240 m. It went through both shoulders and was retrieved below the skin on the contralateral shoulder. Meat damage was minimal and the bullet retained 100 % of its mass. I calculate the bullet was spinning at 330,000 rpm. You can see from the bullet that it was travelling clockwise like a blender blade. It has the same trajectory as a 95 gr V max. It goups within 4 mm at 100m (3 shots) and exits at 3200 fps with 52 grains of N560 behind it.

 

[Yorkie]

Lovely Animal, well done mate.
You have the Throttle open on that Swede of yours. My 6.5x284 would struggle to match that.
I tried some of the Barnes but could not match the Accuracy of the 120 Ballistic Tip and they were Hellish expensive.

Yorkie.

 

[Paul 600]

I can get 3000 fps with N160. Great bullet!

 

[DAThornley]

i use the 130 grain barnes both ttsx and tsx in my .270 fantastic round great stopping power with 55 grains of H4350,

 

[liongeorge]

I shoot a .243 with 95 grain nosler BT. The last two fallow bucks I have shot I have not had an exit wound with the bullet found just bellow the skin. (the last one was a very big boy).
I have been disappointed with this and was luck that neither ran into cover as it would have been difficult to track them.I am now considering a larger calibre as I am shooting more and more fallow these days.
I am surprised you are pleased with a bullet that did not exit particularly out of a larger calibre with what sounds like a hot load into a youngish animal.
Perhaps I am missing something. It does sound incredibly accurate though.
ATB George

 

[rodkayak]

I have shot a Sika with a 308 and it did not exit. There is no guarantee that any bullet short of a 50 cal BMG will exit. The only other certainty is to use a solid slug and then at least you can guarantee a large entry hole if not necessarily an exit(joking). I think the important point is to have a bullet that hits the part of the animal that you want it to(high accuracy) and transmits all its energy and to have recourse to a dog if the animal runs. I feel reassured that the bullet has been safely retained by the animal as it is not whanging its way off on a deflected course towards some unsuspecting member of the public. If you are worried about running , would shooting them through the shoulder help ? (This is not a facetious suggestion as my experience is limited compared to most of the members of this forum

 

[The deer man]

What a fantastic bullet. This 120 gr copper bullet humanely stopped this 200 lbs pre rut buck at 240 m. It went through both shoulders and was retrieved below the skin on the contralateral shoulder. Meat damage was minimal and the bullet retained 100 % of its mass. I calculate the bullet was spinning at 330,000 rpm. You can see from the bullet that it was travelling clockwise like a blender blade. It has the same trajectory as a 95 gr V max. It goups within 4 mm at 100m (3 shots) and exits at 3200 fps with 52 grains of N560 behind it.

Nice buck and obviously the bullet/calibre did the job.
But how on earth do you get it to go 3,200 fps without it being a compressed load and way into the red with N560?! To get near 3,200 fps my Quickload (albeit it's not the only Bible) gives a pressure of 69,587 psi with a COL of 3.000, I believe that's 4,500 psi above the proofing pressure!
I'm just interested as I have a 6.5x55 and if what your doing is 'safely possible' (?) I might give it a go. What COL are you loading to?
​ATB

 

[david1976]

I'm just about to test some new loads with this bullet.
Initially tried with N160 but could not group worth a hoot so I have IMR 4831 to try instead.
It seemed to group slightly better with the N160 at low loads so have opted for a slightly slower powder

 

[rodkayak]

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/product-charts/
They list a 130 grain TSX with 50.3 grains of N560 doing 2959 fps. I used more as the bullet is 10 grains lighter. There are no pressure symptoms and ejection is fine and no cratering and 'bump back' using the bump die is easy. My chrono has not been calibrated but I do not think that it is that far off as the bullet is 1/2" high at 100 m. 1/4" high at 150m and about 2" low at 240.

I load slightly below the lands and so that the the top of the annular rings on the bullet coincide with the top of the case and thus do not trap any dirt between the case and the bullet. I will measure the length when I get home and send it to you.

 

[jimmy milnes]

I known its a slightly different cal but im shooting 6.5 x 47 and just wanted to say about my load development with 100 grain barnes ttsx pushed by N150, @ 48 tho back from the lands in my 18in barrel it's grouping great and gives 3059fps average of 4 shot over chronograph.
Away this weekend so hopefully ill use them in anger and be just as happy with the results
Regards
Jimmy

 

[6pointer]

Christ my loads sound quite pedestrian compaired 129 grn bullet 48.5 grn of N560 and it dose 2750 ish

 

[Tom_m308]

Hi Dean, i am looking at loading my 270 with barnes, do you acheive good groups?

regards

Tom

 

[Muir]

Christ my loads sound quite pedestrian compaired 129 grn bullet 48.5 grn of N560 and it dose 2750 ish

I am still wrapping my head around the 52 grain charge weight of that powder. Vhit lists maximum with a 123 grain at 43.5 grains@ 55K. Fifty two grains is an eight-ish grain increase for three grains less bullet. It's ten grains over the Lee book. Fifty-two grains fills the case to the base of the neck, I'm guessing. I'd love to know how the OP came to cruise past Vhits's generous pressure levels to this load and get such excellent results.~Muir

 

[deeangeo]

Nice buck and obviously the bullet/calibre did the job.
But how on earth do you get it to go 3,200 fps without it being a compressed load and way into the red with N560?! To get near 3,200 fps my Quickload (albeit it's not the only Bible) gives a pressure of 69,587 psi with a COL of 3.000, I believe that's 4,500 psi above the proofing pressure!
I'm just interested as I have a 6.5x55 and if what your doing is 'safely possible' (?) I might give it a go. What COL are you loading to?
​ATB

The Lee manual lists 52.7gns N560 being a max load, but with a lower MV. The Viht data of course shows 52gns N560 being max. Perhaps OAL & barrel length differences contribute to greater MV but then again, the probability is the approx. MV was obtained outside of calibrated lab conditions.

​I'm still trying to get a load for this cartridge with a Nosler 120gn BT & N160...haven't found satisfaction yet. The rifle is a Sauer 202 with 1-9 1/2 twist. Works well with 120 A-Max, but very different up to now with the Nosler bullet. ATB

 

[Selous]

I known its a slightly different cal but im shooting 6.5 x 47 and just wanted to say about my load development with 100 grain barnes ttsx pushed by N150, @ 48 tho back from the lands in my 18in barrel it's grouping great and gives 3059fps average of 4 shot over chronograph.
Away this weekend so hopefully ill use them in anger and be just as happy with the results
Regards
Jimmy

Hi Jimmy
will be interested to hear how you get on . I have some loaded up for the 47 but using Varget and N140

 

[User00014]

Hi Dean, i am looking at loading my 270 with barnes, do you acheive good groups?

regards

Tom

5 shot clover leaf groups from standard factory ruger in 270 with 140gn tsx

 

[Muir]

The Lee manual lists 52.7gns N560 being a max load, but with a lower MV. The Viht data of course shows 52gns N560 being max. Perhaps OAL & barrel length differences contribute to greater MV but then again, the probability is the approx. MV was obtained outside of calibrated lab conditions.

​I'm still trying to get a load for this cartridge with a Nosler 120gn BT & N160...haven't found satisfaction yet. The rifle is a Sauer 202 with 1-9 1/2 twist. Works well with 120 A-Max, but very different up to now with the Nosler bullet. ATB

Ooo! I read the OP as N540. My bad.~Muir

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

I am still wrapping my head around the 52 grain charge weight of that powder. Vhit lists maximum with a 123 grain at 43.5 grains@ 55K. Fifty two grains is an eight-ish grain increase for three grains less bullet. It's ten grains over the Lee book. Fifty-two grains fills the case to the base of the neck, I'm guessing. I'd love to know how the OP came to cruise past Vhits's generous pressure levels to this load and get such excellent results.~Muir

Muir, VV list load data for modern 6.5x55's. Max load with a 120gr bullet is 51.2 grains of N560 for 2950 FPS with a 26" barrel. Now I am prepared to believe that is sensible and possibly even conservative data. I don't doubt that it is possible that our friend could safely load up to 52 grains of this powder, and maybe get around 3,000 FPS.

But I'll be buggered if he's getting 3200fps.

3200FPS is perfectly possible with a 100gr bullet in a 6.5 or 260, with a 120gr bullet, 3200 is never going to happed. Faster than a 270 can throw a 130gr bullet with 60grs of powder?

Edit, sorry, just saw your correction....

 

[Yorkie]

I can't get my 6.5x284 to give me 3200fps with a 120 Nosler BT without ejector marks on case head and stiff Bolt. i use N165 in a 24 inch Barrel.
With the very very greatest of respect i would suggest the OP checks his Chrono.

Yorkie.

 

[jimmy milnes]

Hi Jimmy
will be interested to hear how you get on . I have some loaded up for the 47 but using Varget and N140

Not a problem pal ill let you know how things go, im away next two weekends so should get some results, basically what I personally need to know now is knock down effect and meat damage.
Regards
Jimmy