Author Topic: Reloading: Barnes 115g Triple Shock / .257 Roberts (Read 1319 times)

Coyote Hunter · « **on:** February 17, 2004, 06:18:19 PM »

Just finished buiilding my first work-up loads using the Barnes 115g TSX and H4831SC for the .257 Roberts. And have to admit I'm somewhat disappointed.

Barnes recommends using standard "X" bullet load data and working up to 1-2 grains heavier for the TSX due to reduced friction. Great - the max load for H4831 is 50.0g, so I thought I would build loads up to 52.0g, take them to the range and chrono them, and stop shooting when I hit the "X" velocity of 2956fps or pressure signs, whichever came first. But it was not to be.

I had to stop at 51.5g because the powder charge was becoming too compressed with the long TSX bullet and the COL was starting to grow. I'll have to be careful when I shoot these to make sure that they haven't grown even further while sitting in the safe waiting to be shot.

It looks like H4350 would have been a better choice - good load density but with room for another grain or two, and a loss of only about 50fps.

Oh, well, now I have a pound of H4831SC to play with in my 7mm Mag, been planning to switch from the IMR4831 I've been using for 20 years anyway.

Here's a question: How come I can find good data for Varget for the .22-250, .260 Remington, 7mm-08, 7x57 and .308, but not for the .257 Roberts? About the only data I can find is from Hodgdon, but its not +P data. Bummer. Well, I have 10 of the Barnes TSX bullets left, think I'll see what Varget does with them.

Triple4 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2004, 02:10:48 AM »

CH,
All I can offer you is some info in Speer #13 and Hornady manuals
with the 257 roberts.

Speer#13
With 100gr bullet it looks like Win 760 is tops.
24"barrel +P loading
100gr bullet W760 starts at 41gr (2804fps)Maxs at 45gr(3113fps)
They use a CCI mag primer with this load.

120gr bullet IMR4831 tops then W760.
Imr4831 starts at 41gr (2552fps)Maxs at 45gr(2793fps)
W760 starts at 39gr(2494fps) Maxs at 43gr(2770fps)

Speer gives no pressure measurements but says loads were worked to the 50,000+P.

Hornady 4th edition
+p in +P cases. 22" barrel
W760
100gr bullet Starts at 37.7gr (2600fps)Max at 43.7gr(3000fps)
RL# 19
117gr bullet Starts at 37.2gr(2400fps) Maxs at 45.9(2900fps)
120gr bullet Starts at 39.9gr(2500fps) Maxs at 44.7(2800fps)

About 20+ years ago I went through the same thing with my 25-06
I loaded and shot 75gr bullets to 120gr bullets with a lot of different powders, what I ended up with was the 100gr bullet for all my needs I shot up to 500yards and the 100gr bullets seened to be the best and didn't give up that much to the 75gr for long range vermin hunting.
So what I ended up with was two loads in 100gr. one was for prairie rat to prairie goat and the 100gr Partition load from Muledeer to Elk.

I never could get a Barnes to shoot worth a darn , but that was with the older "X" bullets.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2004, 02:51:58 AM »

Triple4 -

Thanks for the info -- the WW760 data from Hornady's 4th is something I didn't have.

I stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday and picked up another box of Barnes 115g Triple Shock bullets, along with a pound of H4350. Will work up some loads using that combination and see how it compares.

Barnes bullets can be tricky from what I can gather -- its imperative to have a clean bore. My only experience with Barnes to date is with the 7mm 160g XLC. That bullet ***almost*** turned my Ruger 7mm Mag into a one-holer at 100 yards -- I would consistently have 2 of 3 touching with the 3rd opening the group up to around .9". My standard Speer 160g Grand Slam loads would print at .5" for all three, but rarely with two touching.

How did the 100g Partitions work for mulies and elk?

Zachary · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2004, 06:06:17 AM »

Coyote,

I'm a little curious why you would use such a super premium bullet in the "slow" .257 Roberts.

I use X bullets all the time (although not the new Triple Shock), but I use them in relatively fast cartridges. In my experience, the X-Bullets need a lot of speed to open up, and since they retain 100% of their weight, you can use lighter bullets - especially given that these bullets are long for their given weight.

Based on the foregoing, I would do one of two things: One, I would use much lighter bullets in the TSX, or, I would use conventional bullets in the standard weight class.

BTW, how did the TSX group in your rifle?

Zachary

Triple4 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2004, 02:50:54 PM »

CH,
The partitions work very well on muledeer The ones I shot with the 25-06 were all above timberline and the load/rifle did the job very easy.

I use a sierra 100gr Gameking for antelope and smaller stuff, I think you will like the 257 Roberts I hunted with a person that used it for elk and was very successful, I could never leave the 444 or the 350Mag behind to use the 25-06, the 25-06 just didn't get it in the dark timber.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2004, 05:55:01 PM »

Zachary -

I may well find that the 100g bullets are better suited to the .257 Roberts, time will tell. But I have a couple of reasons for deciding to go with the Barnes TSX.

One reason is they are new and looked fun! (Not a good reason for a hunting bullet, but I'll see how they shoot.) Another is that I wanted more weight. Finally, although I had access to Swift A-Frames, I couldn't get what I really wanted -- a box of Nosler Accubond, Hornady Interbond, or Speer Trophy Bonded bullets.

Haven't shot the TSX yet, waiting for warmer weather, but will have H4831SC, H4350 and Varget loads to try when I do.

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2004, 12:30:21 PM »

Coyote Hunter,

I use Barnes 100 gr. XLC's in my .257 Roberts. After playing around with the seating depth I got it shooting under an inch. Plus the Roberts will drive the 100 XLC at a velocity that allows the bullet to expand the way it should. You might give them a try. Lawdog

Zachary · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2004, 03:55:39 AM »

Yea, that's what I thought - I really think that a 100 grain X-bullet would be better suited for the .257Bob. Plus, given that the X-bullet retains 100% of its weight, shooting a 100 grain X-bullet is like shooting a 115 grain Nosler Partition.

Coyote,

I too would like to shoot the new Accubonds and Interbonds. I wish that Hornady would load 180 grain Interbonds for the 300 WSM.

Zachary

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2004, 04:49:23 PM »

Today was a bit chilly, but I got to shoot my first handloads for the .257 Roberts. Beause of the chill, I didn't spend much time shooting paper while chronographing the loads - instead I put a few shots on paper but most went on the 200-yard gong.

The first set was with Hornady 75g V-MAX and Varget. The fastest load averaged 2393fps, but the most consistent was as follows:

WW brass
CCI 250 primer
75g Hornady V-MAX
COL 2.8025"
42.0g Varget
3187fps Average (4 shots)
7.0fps Standard Deviation
16fps Extreme Spread
7.9 foot-pounds recoil (My #2 Daughter will love these!)

Then I tried the Barnes 115g Triple Shock bullets over H4831SC. In spite of my disappointment while building the work-up loads, I was very pleased with the results. The most consistent load was as follows:

WW brass
CCI 250 primer
115g Barnes TSX (Triple Shock)
COL 2.8025"
48.0g H4831-SC
2936fps Average (4 shots)
6.0fps Standard Deviation
13fps Extreme Spread
13.2 foot-pounds recoil

The few 4-shot groups I put on paper ran about 3.5" at 200 yards - hardly anything to write home about, but I am confident some trigger work will reduce these considerably.

Overall I was very pleased - about 30 shots at the gong with only one miss (the first shot went high). I'll need to adjust the scope down, as the handloads are shooting considerably higher than the Federal/Nosler Partition loads I used for the original sight-in.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:17:32 AM »

Fired some more handloads today, this time using H4895 and basing the loads on data from Barnes and Hodgdon.

WW brass
CCI 250 primer
75g Hornady V-MAX
COL 2.8025"
46.0g H4895
3609fps Average (4 shots)
24.9fps Standard Deviation
54fps Extreme Spread
1.85" 200-yard group with 3 of 4 in 0.95"

Normally I wouldn't accept a load with more than 10fps Standard Deviation, but this one shot well enough that I may make an exception. Still have a couple loads I want to try, using H4530 and heavier loads of Varget.