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Posted: 11/10/2012 1:19:19 PM EDT
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I'm on a time crunch so I have to work out a load quickly and I only have 1 range session to test loads and zero. I just ordered some Barnes Triple Shock X .224 55gr spitzer bullets (ballistic tipped). I'm shooting them out of a 16", 1:9 barrel. The powders I have at hand are Varget and H335 and CCI primers. I only have enough ammo to test 4 possible loads and still have enough to zero and hunt with.
Does anyone have any loads they've used that work well with my setup and available powders? Thanks in advance. |
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That's because you should be working up a load not going by someone else's load which might not be safe for you rifle. Normally I would but I dont have the range time where I live and I don't have a whole lot of ammo to test with. If someone suggests a really hot load I wouldnt go for that right away so I wouldnt really be endangering my rifle. |
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Some insight on my load work up. Yes, I get caught last minute too. I will load mid-range to three quarters off max. Every barrel is different, this in mind given your stated time frame it's too late to fine tune. You should have a model in your head for distance. Distance gives me, at least an idea of velocity needed for the job. If the task is deer hunting at a distance of 200 yards or less a mid-range load should work. There's not a snowballs chance of surviving in summer heat I'd take a suggested load, this late in your deal that wasn't backed up with Barnes data. Why ? All copper projectiles are longer than same grain jacketed, lead core projectiles so you are working a narrow window. Of the two powders you have I believe Barnes has data for Varget.
What I would've done differently ? When choosing a bullet like Barnes I look at Barnes data. Barnes shows the most accurate powder tested. I would've bought a pound of powder with the bullets. Advice is hind sight. You're focus at this late hour isn't so much figuring an accurate load but more geared towards a safe an effective load. Last time I did load work up this way, it just happened to be both safe and accurate. Cartridge was .223, bullet 75 grain Hornady hpbt and Varget. Pretty generic combination. You're deal isn't quite as generic. I've seen lots of guys not take advice like mine seriously and almost all did so successfully. Then there's the few who weren't so lucky and the lesson was expensive. Happy Hunting, dc. |
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Some insight on my load work up. Yes, I get caught last minute too. I will load mid-range to three quarters off max. Every barrel is different, this in mind given your stated time frame it's too late to fine tune. You should have a model in your head for distance. Distance gives me, at least an idea of velocity needed for the job. If the task is deer hunting at a distance of 200 yards or less a mid-range load should work. There's not a snowballs chance of surviving in summer heat I'd take a suggested load, this late in your deal that wasn't backed up with Barnes data. Why ? All copper projectiles are longer than same grain jacketed, lead core projectiles so you are working a narrow window. Of the two powders you have I believe Barnes has data for Varget. What I would've done differently ? When choosing a bullet like Barnes I look at Barnes data. Barnes shows the most accurate powder tested. I would've bought a pound of powder with the bullets. Advice is hind sight. You're focus at this late hour isn't so much figuring an accurate load but more geared towards a safe an effective load. Last time I did load work up this way, it just happened to be both safe and accurate. Cartridge was .223, bullet 75 grain Hornady hpbt and Varget. Pretty generic combination. You're deal isn't quite as generic. I've seen lots of guys not take advice like mine seriously and almost all did so successfully. Then there's the few who weren't so lucky and the lesson was expensive. Happy Hunting, dc. Thanks for all the advice. Barnes lists H335 22.2-24.2 there’s no listing for Varget. But it says that H335 is the most accurate load so I lucked out there. I have however heard of Varget being used to good effect with this round. Me not getting powder with the bullets wasn’t a time crunch thing it was a money and availability thing. I'm broke and even if I wasn't I haven't found anything other than Varget and H335 around here lol. Everything’s out of stock, in fact while I was picking between 62gr and 55gr the 62gr in my cart at midway went out of stock. So pickings are getting slim quick. Given the charge range (22.2-24.2) would testing 23gr, 23.5gr and 24gr of H335 be advisable? Like I said I have enough bullets to test 4 different loads so if I leave out Varget I can focus on 3 or 4 H335 loads. I would still be interested in hearing people’s loads and experiences with this bullet. I've never used Barnes before so I'm curious as to how this will go. |
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If you need a hunting load and you need it fast, just go buy a few boxes. No sense in rushing things or using someones "perfect load" because chances are it won't be your perfect load. Edit - I run Varget on Barnes and use their data only. Varget wasnt listed in their data for the 55gr only the 62gr. I couldnt afford enough factory ammo to be useful. I'd have to spend 3 times as much in order to have just enough to zero and shoot with. Barnes are expensive bullets. |
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I'd start at 23.5 and go 23.8 and 24.1. My Barnes manual shows Varget for 53 grain and nothing for H-335. Didn't check online data but, yes you've lucked out. Must mean a lucky hunt is in the works. Hopefully, I did actually buy the H335 on a whim to try something different for my match loads, so assuming I'm right it is really lucky. Heres the load data from Barnes. I'm useing the 55gr not the 53gr. But the load data only has the 55gr flat base listed and I'm using the banded spitzer boat tail bullet here which I don't see listed in their load data pdf. Should this be an issue? Now that I noticed that I'm a bit concerned. Bullet Weight: 55 gr Bullet Style: TSX FB Primer: Rem 7 1/2 Case Trim Length: 1.750" S.D. 0.157 COAL: 2.180" B.C. 0.209 Powder (grains) (fps) (grains) (fps) Density (%) *H335 22.2 2869 24.2 3145 83 2460 21.6 2941 23.6 3188 84 |
| When my gut says proceed with caution then I start low. Another practice is calling the bullet company. I'm on a first name basis at Hornady and pretty much the same at Sierra. Sierra'a chief ballistician I've personally met at competition. I call Barnes for input too. What you want to know if you can find is bullet height and what seating depth would compare loaded at mag length. Here's where my fingers engage a Google search which is another phase of my load development. I turn over a lot of stones in search looking for posts, posting like data. If I can confirm at search what I believe published and sourced data has given me I feel pretty good with proceeding to press. This is exactly how our 75 grain Hornady load was worked late night and shot next morning out to 750 meters. |
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I'd start at 23.5 and go 23.8 and 24.1. My Barnes manual shows Varget for 53 grain and nothing for H-335. Didn't check online data but, yes you've lucked out. Must mean a lucky hunt is in the works. Hopefully, I did actually buy the H335 on a whim to try something different for my match loads, so assuming I'm right it is really lucky. Heres the load data from Barnes. I'm useing the 55gr not the 53gr. But the load data only has the 55gr flat base listed and I'm using the banded spitzer boat tail bullet here which I don't see listed in their load data pdf. Should this be an issue? Now that I noticed that I'm a bit concerned. Bullet Weight: 55 gr Bullet Style: TSX FB Primer: Rem 7 1/2 Case Trim Length: 1.750" S.D. 0.157 COAL: 2.180" B.C. 0.209 Powder (grains) (fps) (grains) (fps) Density (%) *H335 22.2 2869 24.2 3145 83 2460 21.6 2941 23.6 3188 84 The Tipped TSX bullet is about .1" longer than the TSX flat base which would put you over mag length if you seat to the same depth inside the case. Seating deeper would increase pressure so I would lean toward starting at the low end of the load data. Probably 22.5, 23, 23.5, and 24 and be real careful checking for pressure at each step. When I contacted Barnes about the .30 cal 168 T-TSX compared to the data for the regular TSX I was told to use the same data. In my admittedly limited experience, T-TSX bullets are not exceptionally accurate so don't expect any load to run like a match load. Pick one that gives acceptable accuracy and run with it. You can work out a "best" load later for future trips. |
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