Well, that's annoying. 257 Roberts and Barnes TSX.

[TSnave]

Let me just start by saying I've had good luck with Barnes TSX. So when I got my 257 I ordered up a couple of boxes of 100 grain bullets but with one thing and another I haven't gotten around to loading up some test ammo. Finally had the time and inclination the other day. Figured out that the controlling factor is magazine length but when they are loaded to fit in the mag the case mouth is placed over a groove - and there's not enough engagement to keep the bullet from sliding back. So I can seat DEEP, or I can load long and have a single shot. Razzafrazzin' fingermuckin' bogsnipes. Guess I'll stick with traditional construction, or maybe get some Nosler E-tips.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

Mouth being over the groove it should still hold it.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

if you have a bushing die, get the next size smaller bushing.

i had to do this for my 7 PRC and the 168GR LRX. Same issue.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I had great luck with the 100-117 gr btsp out to 300 in my Roberts.

 

[Sinistram]

I don't think it's as bad as you make it out. Traditionally, the Barnes have loved a healthy bit of jump prior to engaging the rifling. I've loaded them in 4 different calibers over the years and every one is seated so the case mouth is right at the bottom of the top groove on the bullet. No problems getting teeny groups with them out of regular hunting rifles.

Maybe give that a try and report back?

 

[MountainDew]

Are you chamfering your case mouths? I've had similar issues loading TTSX in .308. The bullets seemed to be chaved by poorly chamfered case mouths, completely ruining the neck tension. This also made bullet seating depth inconsistent.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

I would go with the above suggestions and add a Lee FCD to the equation.

 

[KenLee]

I had great luck with the 100-117 gr btsp out to 300 in my Roberts.

Yes the 117 gr plus p btsp works great in my micro medallion 257 bob

 

[Fotis]

Barnes love a jump to the lands.

 

[SDHNTR]

You are blaming the bullet for a die issue. You need a smaller bushing. Or hone your expander ball.

 

[35WhelenAI]

When you say over a groove, you mean the case mouth is in the middle of a groove, or do you mean the case mouth is above a groove? Just to clarify.

With that said if there's not enough neck tension something needs to be done on that front and the problem will go away more than likely without any type of a crimp.

 

[MountainDew]

Put a factory crimp on it with a Lee die wherever you need it and it'll be just fine. It's not going to hurt a TSX or a TTSX.

With that said if there's not enough neck tension something needs to be done on that front and the problem will go away more than likely without any type of a crimp.

I tried that when I had issues. It didn't work. What did work was neck chamfering. Not saying crimping won't work in some other situation, but I spent a lot of bullets and range trips to figure out what was going on. Chamfering is not optional, at least not with the brass/bullet combinations I was running.

 

[35WhelenAI]

I edited my post to get the Lee Crimp die out of there cause I didn't wanna muddy the waters too much but since you responded quickly your quote of me is different than what is showing my post. Chamfering is important as the case neck really chews up a Barnes bullet if it's not smooth on entry.

Curious how chamering (making the case mouth smooth) fixed the issue but a factory crimp didn't?

What I asked on my edit: Does seating the bullet over a groove mean the case mouth is in the dead space of one of the grooves, or it is sitting above the groove on the bullet?

 

[TSnave]

Lots of good suggestions here. To clarify some stuff - since 257 brass is evidently made of unobtanium, I sized down some 7x57 brass. It might have "bounced back" and be giving me a little less neck tension than I want. The case mouth is in the middle of the groove at mag length and the bullet pushes back under finger pressure to where the case mouth comes in contact with the top of the groove. That'd be a pretty heavy crimp to get it into the groove so for the moment I'm not willing to go there. I have a test run loaded and when I have time to get to the range I'll shoot them and report back.

 

[Caseknife]

Definitely have a neck tension issue if you can push the bullet in with finger pressure.

 

[MountainDew]

I edited my post to get the Lee Crimp die out of there cause I didn't wanna muddy the waters too much but since you responded quickly your quote of me is different than what is showing my post. Chamfering is important as the case neck really chews up a Barnes bullet if it's not smooth on entry.

Curious how chamering (making the case mouth smooth) fixed the issue but a factory crimp didn't?

What I asked on my edit: Does seating the bullet over a groove mean the case mouth is in the dead space of one of the grooves, or it is sitting above the groove on the bullet?

It's very possible that some refined crimping technique could have fixed my neck tension issue, but I never managed to get it right that way.

The fog cleared for me on this when I saw small shards of the bullet that had been shaved off when seating it in the case. I had very uneven neck tension and very inconsistent seating depth (the bullet would sit losely in the case and actually be pulled out with the seating stem a short bit). Just like TSnave I could move the bullet in the case by hand.

Even if you could make the bullet stick to its place in the case by crimping, it's probably a good idea to try chamfering first. Perhaps even a very slight lubing. Would you want to be chasing accuracy with bullets that have had pieces shaved off when seating?

 

[Caseknife]

A VLD chamfer tool works well

 

[dukeball33]

Are you crimping upon seating or with Lee crimp die in a separate step? If so, I would not under these circumstances. Even with the bullet seated so the mouth is in a pressure band, the remaining bullet in the case neck should have sufficient interference fit to prevent movement of the bullet (with appropriate neck tension).

My father was loading 62 grain tsx for my 22-250 prior to my journey into reloading, he experienced the same problem as you describe and was crimping. I used the same bullet, brass, length, etc. with no crimp and never had an issue.

 

[35WhelenAI]

VLD chamfer tool is what I use, but a standard chamfer tool has been fine as well when I used it. Main thing is the angle of the VLD tool is more shallow so it's as easy of a transition as possible for the bullet to ease into the case. Personally, I wouldn't lube anything with respect make seating easier.

From experience, I haven't seen any difference in field accuracy (or on paper with a hunting gun) when there was a "shaving" from seating the Barnes bullets early on (mid -late 1990's) before I started paying more attention to it. The bullet is engraved by the rifling and that causes far more change in the bullet than the small shavings that become (IMO) immaterial as the bullet is under tremendous pressure and smoothes any of those imperfections out by the time it leaves the bbl.

 

[SDHNTR]

Ive loaded tons of ammo with the case mouth over a cannelure ring. No crimp. No big deal, no ill effect. I seriously don’t even give it a second thought. Again, you have a neck tension issue, nothing more.