VLD - Page 2

Bart B. · October 18, 2019, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stagpanther

It's funny how rarely in the forums anyone mentions Berger bullets as their choice--any particular reason?

Probably because their stuff shoots Sierra's bullets more accurate.

Given the best bore and chamber dimensions for either one for a given cartridge, they're probably equal accuracy wise.

reynolds357 · October 20, 2019, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart B.

Probably because their stuff shoots Sierra's bullets more accurate.

Given the best bore and chamber dimensions for either one for a given cartridge, they're probably equal accuracy wise.

My 1k stuff definitely does not.

hounddawg · October 20, 2019, 08:13 PM

I have only tried a couple of Berger bullets. Back when I first shot FT/R I used the 155.5' Bergers, they shot much better than I could take advantage of. The Berger 80's which shoot for me about the same as 80 SMK's but not as well as 77 SMKs.

I am going to give my new project rifle a go with 6mm 105 Hybrids this week. We will see how it works out. I found some for about the same price as 107 SMK's

Longshot4 · October 21, 2019, 04:10 PM

I believe it was found not long ago that the use of Doppler radar to read ballistics advanced bullet design to a point ware. In the last five years or so we have learned more than we have in the last 70 years. The Hornady's are up there and they are a hole lot cheaper. Since I like to shoot. The more the better. My rifles with me behind them work well together.

std7mag · October 22, 2019, 02:51 AM

I know i didn't use Bergers for a long time, thinking they were priced too high.
When i compared them to 2 boxes of Ballistic Tips (50 per box) i reallized they were actually no more expensive.
Pay almost the same for the ABLR also.

My 7mm-08AI, 257 Roberts and 250 Savage like the Bergers.
While my 7mm Rem Mag shoots them rather acceptably, it prefers the ABLR, as does both of my 280 Rems.
The 284 Win i cannot get the Berger VLD to shoot well. Really long throat.
Ballistic Tips for it.

hounddawg · October 22, 2019, 02:51 PM

well my initial testing of the 105 hybrids showed they like the seating between .010 off to just touching the lands. 3 groups between .6 to .5 using a light load of 29.0 Varget in a 6BR. The .010 group was .51, the .005 and .000 were low .6's. I liked the look and shape of the .010 group the best so I will use that for a powder charge test. It was windy as heck and threatening to rain at any second but the results were encouraging enough to get me to order 500 of them

hooligan1 · October 22, 2019, 03:09 PM

My 6.5-06 likes those 130's Vld Hunting, my .270 likes the 130's, and my 6.5 Creedmoor likes those 130's.
7 mm rem mag however likes the 168's.
The 7 has to have a long jump for tighter groups, the others do not. I don't believe I need to shoot these Northern Missouri deer with them, as I really like the meat, not to waste any.

reynolds357 · October 23, 2019, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooligan1

My 6.5-06 likes those 130's Vld Hunting, my .270 likes the 130's, and my 6.5 Creedmoor likes those 130's.
7 mm rem mag however likes the 168's.
The 7 has to have a long jump for tighter groups, the others do not. I don't believe I need to shoot these Northern Missouri deer with them, as I really like the meat, not to waste any.

Yep. I guess my biggest gripe about Berger hunting is how hard they are to develop loads in in some rifles. They are superr picky. I loaded up some 130gr vld hunting last night for my 6.5x55. it's usually a 3/4 minute or better rifle. My first group of 5 was 9" at 200 yards. I am sure with minor tweaking, I will dial that bullet in, but it is astounding how great and how terrible the bullet can shoot in the same rifle. I honestly do not think I could make any other bullet shoot that bad in that rifle if I tried to.

hounddawg · October 23, 2019, 10:36 PM

I have to disagree about pickiness, at least on the hybrids. I did a break in yesterday first 25 down the tube were 100 gn soft points for the initial break in. These are rounds 25 - 50 where I decided to do a preliminary seating test. I started with 29.0 of Varget and the 105 Hybrids and did a lands test using a case with loose neck tension. Looks like I have a .015 window on seating depth

Nothing spectacular on this target but some of those horizontals were probably my fault. We had a front coming in and I was using a buddy's wind flags a couple of lanes down to shoot by. 5 - 10 mph wind and no mirage. I am going to take it back tomorrow to do play with some range development and get some chrono numbers at least

**Unclenick** · October 24, 2019, 02:54 PM

Try going the other way, too. It can be surprising. The late Dan Hacket described a 40X in 220 Swift for which he seated bullets his usual 0.020" off the lands, but he could never get to average five shots into better than 1/2" at 100 yards. Then one day, in switching over to a Nosler bullet at his loading bench, he had a brain fart and turned his seating die micrometer the wrong way and wound up seating the bullets 0.050" off the lands. He didn't notice the error until after he had loaded 20 rounds. He considered pulling them but decided just to shoot them in practice instead. To his astonishment, that big jump gave him two 1/4" groups and two bugholes in the ones (under 0.2").

You just never know until you try.

hounddawg · October 24, 2019, 03:00 PM

My .223 load for 80 Berger VLD's like it .075 off whereas the 80 SMK's like to kiss the lands Nick. Had a hell of a time trying to do range development today finally gave up and packed it in, lots of little issues made it not worth the effort. Will regroup next week and make up the loads at home

reynolds357 · October 24, 2019, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hounddawg

My .223 load for 80 Berger VLD's like it .075 off whereas the 80 SMK's like to kiss the lands Nick. Had a hell of a time trying to do range development today finally gave up and packed it in, lots of little issues made it not worth the effort. Will regroup next week and make up the loads at home

In one of Sierra's real old manuals I have, they actually recommend pushing the Match King into the lands.

**Unclenick** · October 24, 2019, 03:17 PM

Hounddawg,

There are days like that. I find the likelihood of leaving something critical behind goes up exponentially with how urgently I am trying to get to the range. The likelihood the weather won't cooperate is directly proportional to how many days I plan ahead.

Reynolds357,

Berger did the same with their VLD's until they learned that only worked out in about half the rifles they loaded for. Read this, if you haven't already.

October 20, 2019, 08:13 PM	#28
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	I have only tried a couple of Berger bullets. Back when I first shot FT/R I used the 155.5' Bergers, they shot much better than I could take advantage of. The Berger 80's which shoot for me about the same as 80 SMK's but not as well as 77 SMKs. I am going to give my new project rifle a go with 6mm 105 Hybrids this week. We will see how it works out. I found some for about the same price as 107 SMK's __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

October 22, 2019, 02:51 AM	#30
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	I know i didn't use Bergers for a long time, thinking they were priced too high. When i compared them to 2 boxes of Ballistic Tips (50 per box) i reallized they were actually no more expensive. Pay almost the same for the ABLR also. My 7mm-08AI, 257 Roberts and 250 Savage like the Bergers. While my 7mm Rem Mag shoots them rather acceptably, it prefers the ABLR, as does both of my 280 Rems. The 284 Win i cannot get the Berger VLD to shoot well. Really long throat. Ballistic Tips for it. __________________ When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!! "Januarary 6th insurrection". Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...

October 22, 2019, 02:51 PM	#31
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	well my initial testing of the 105 hybrids showed they like the seating between .010 off to just touching the lands. 3 groups between .6 to .5 using a light load of 29.0 Varget in a 6BR. The .010 group was .51, the .005 and .000 were low .6's. I liked the look and shape of the .010 group the best so I will use that for a powder charge test. It was windy as heck and threatening to rain at any second but the results were encouraging enough to get me to order 500 of them __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

October 22, 2019, 03:09 PM	#32
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,587	My 6.5-06 likes those 130's Vld Hunting, my .270 likes the 130's, and my 6.5 Creedmoor likes those 130's. 7 mm rem mag however likes the 168's. The 7 has to have a long jump for tighter groups, the others do not. I don't believe I need to shoot these Northern Missouri deer with them, as I really like the meat, not to waste any. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 24, 2019, 02:54 PM	#35
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Try going the other way, too. It can be surprising. The late Dan Hacket described a 40X in 220 Swift for which he seated bullets his usual 0.020" off the lands, but he could never get to average five shots into better than 1/2" at 100 yards. Then one day, in switching over to a Nosler bullet at his loading bench, he had a brain fart and turned his seating die micrometer the wrong way and wound up seating the bullets 0.050" off the lands. He didn't notice the error until after he had loaded 20 rounds. He considered pulling them but decided just to shoot them in practice instead. To his astonishment, that big jump gave him two 1/4" groups and two bugholes in the ones (under 0.2"). You just never know until you try. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

October 21, 2019, 04:10 PM	#29
Longshot4 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2014 Posts: 868	I believe it was found not long ago that the use of Doppler radar to read ballistics advanced bullet design to a point ware. In the last five years or so we have learned more than we have in the last 70 years. The Hornady's are up there and they are a hole lot cheaper. Since I like to shoot. The more the better. My rifles with me behind them work well together.

October 24, 2019, 03:00 PM	#36
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	My .223 load for 80 Berger VLD's like it .075 off whereas the 80 SMK's like to kiss the lands Nick. Had a hell of a time trying to do range development today finally gave up and packed it in, lots of little issues made it not worth the effort. Will regroup next week and make up the loads at home __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

October 24, 2019, 03:17 PM	#38
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Hounddawg, There are days like that. I find the likelihood of leaving something critical behind goes up exponentially with how urgently I am trying to get to the range. The likelihood the weather won't cooperate is directly proportional to how many days I plan ahead. Reynolds357, Berger did the same with their VLD's until they learned that only worked out in about half the rifles they loaded for. Read this, if you haven't already. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle