Berger 200.20x Load Developement

[Tony1320]

I was having a new barrel made by Benchmark and had a discussion with Berger on Freebore for the 200.20X for my .308. Their response to me was that the 200.20X was not jump tolerant, that 0.015" OTL would be a good spot for it. Berger also suggested that I produce a dummy round for Benchmark to use to set the Freebore. The reamer they used was a SAAMI Match reamer with a 0.110" Freebore. When they chambered the dummy, it pushed the round in 0.004". I had loaded a little long to ensure I had plenty of room between the bullet tail and the powder so seating 0.019" deeper to get the 0.015" OTL was not an issue at all.

So I wonder how are you loading the 200.20X, what powder, how much and how far are you off the lands?

I'm using 43.8gr Varget with Lapua palma brass, cci 450 primers, .015 off the lands

 

[XTR]

There are a whole lot of people shooting them in rifles chambered with the PT&G F-TR reamers with .168 to .170 freebores. The ones I've seen made up that way look about right.

Personally I'm shooting them in a barrel that was throated for the 200H, probably equivalent to about a .200 to a .205 freebore in a chamber cut with a 2013 F-TR reamer with a .168 freebore. I set the barrel up two months before the 200.20x came on the market. Mine are hanging way too far out.... I was doubtful that it would work, but I've got it shooting like a laser. There are a lot of ways to make them work.

I'm running them .015 off of the lands at 2675.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I'm using 43.8gr Varget with Lapua palma brass, cci 450 primers, .015 off the lands

Do you know the velocity? I would expect your pattern to be much tighter. Have you double checked all your fasteners for torque? Or is it possible that your mechanics (body position, hold, head pressure, hand pressure, etc) is not consistent?

 

[Tony1320]

There are a whole lot of people shooting them in rifles chambered with the PT&G F-TR reamers with .168 to .170 freebores. The ones I've seen made up that way look about right.

Personally I'm shooting them in a barrel that was throated for the 200H, probably equivalent to about a .200 to a .205 freebore in a chamber cut with a 2013 F-TR reamer with a .168 freebore. I set the barrel up two months before the 200.20x came on the market. Mine are hanging way too far out.... I was doubtful that it would work, but I've got it shooting like a laser. There are a lot of ways to make them work.

I'm running them .015 off of the lands at 2675.

Are you using Varget? Do you have any targets for reference at mid to long range?

 

[Tony1320]

Do you know the velocity? I would expect your pattern to be much tighter. Have you double checked all your fasteners for torque? Or is it possible that your mechanics (body position, hold, head pressure, hand pressure, etc) is not consistent?

I'm not sure the velocity, I don't have a chronograph right now. Everything is tight. It could be my position shifting.

If the load shoots good vertical for 5 shots but opens after 10 is possible the load is not good?

 

[XTR]

Are you using Varget? Do you have any targets for reference at mid to long range?

No targets, I had the highest individual score at in the Rutland Cup and the second highest V count (highest on the first day) and finished 8th in the FCWC.

No, I'm not using Varget.

 

[memilanuk]

No targets, I had the highest individual score at in the Rutland Cup and the second highest V count (highest on the first day) and finished 8th in the FCWC.

Thought you were using 200 Jacks, not 20Xs?

 

[XTR]

Thought you were using 200 Jacks, not 20Xs?

I only got the Jacks after the Easterns so I didn't have much time to come up with a load. I had a load for the Jacks in my backup rifle, and I shot it in the Canadian Nationals team matches, but I didn't want to take an untested load into the worlds. I shot my 20x load in the individuals.

When Team KP Ballistics did practice the day before the Rutland Cup we shot my 200 Jack load and my 200.20x load at 900m and my 200.20x load was shooting better so we used it. We wanted to use the Jacks, but hey, it was the World Championships and all.

 

[Tony1320]

No targets, I had the highest individual score at in the Rutland Cup and the second highest V count (highest on the first day) and finished 8th in the FCWC.

No, I'm not using Varget.

What are you using?

 

[XTR]

What are you using?

N150

 

[Papa Charlie]

I'm not sure the velocity, I don't have a chronograph right now. Everything is tight. It could be my position shifting.

If the load shoots good vertical for 5 shots but opens after 10 is possible the load is not good?

Shifting your position can have a huge affect on your accuracy. I run through a mind check before each shot, kind of a check list of leg position, body position, grip location, grip tension, cheek location, cheek angle, cheek pressure, eye in scope (close eyes and open, should still be aligned in scope). Takes seconds to do, but it has helps me develop that muscle memory so that each shot is as close to identical as the last. Still working on it. I have noticed that if I change anything, it will quickly show in my score. One issue I have is finding that comfortable position where my neck or back doesn't start to hurt after 10 or 15 rounds. In a match of 22 rounds, I have noticed that if I cannot maintain a comfortable, consistent body position, my last shots suffer.

One thing I did to help me on this journey was to set up my phone so that I could video tape me shooting. After reviewing it, I saw subtle movements that I could align to shots that went off POA.

 

[XTR]

Are you using Varget? Do you have any targets for reference at mid to long range?

I do have a target. I forgot this one. 75-14V, only time i have ever regretted converting a 5.

That's 700 meters at Gagetown

 

[Tony1320]

I do have a target. I forgot this one. 75-14V, only time i have ever regretted converting a 5.

That's 700 meters at Gagetown

Thats the kind of vertical i would like to see. Awesome shooting!

Why do you use N150 vs N140? From what i read most are using N140. I will be trying Vihtavuori in the spring

 

[Papa Charlie]

I do have a target. I forgot this one. 75-14V, only time i have ever regretted converting a 5.

That's 700 meters at Gagetown

Is that produced with one of those Bullseye camera systems?

 

[Tony1320]

Is that produced with one of those Bullseye camera systems?

That looks like silver mountain targets

 

[Papa Charlie]

That looks like silver mountain targets

Website doesn't tell you much, including price. The sample doesn't run either.

 

[gsg5pk]

120 should be right at the shoulder junction.

what is the COAL to seat the bullet at those shoulder junction ?

thx

 

[T-shooter]

Using a stock Savage .308 chamber and a short 22" barrel, I got 2,570 fps with 43.5 grains of Varget, Hornady Match cases, and Federal Match primers. I haven't got to finish working up this load. It seemed to group better at 43.3g. Also seemed to group the best with a zero to .005" jump. The capacity of the case is going to determine how much powder you can use and the chamber pressure & velocity. I was using a different lot of the same cases which had a 7% less volume and got the same velocity with about 8/10 grain less powder.

 

[barefooter56]

I was having a new barrel made by Benchmark and had a discussion with Berger on Freebore for the 200.20X for my .308. Their response to me was that the 200.20X was not jump tolerant, that 0.015" OTL would be a good spot for it. Berger also suggested that I produce a dummy round for Benchmark to use to set the Freebore. The reamer they used was a SAAMI Match reamer with a 0.110" Freebore. When they chambered the dummy, it pushed the round in 0.004". I had loaded a little long to ensure I had plenty of room between the bullet tail and the powder so seating 0.019" deeper to get the 0.015" OTL was not an issue at all.

So I wonder how are you loading the 200.20X, what powder, how much and how far are you off the lands?

Need to make a correction here. The BERGER Target and ELITE HUNTER Hybrid bullet are jump tolerant. That is why the .015 OFF THE LANDS is the starting point in bullet seating depth testing. From there you work back INTO the cartridge case in .005 increments . When you find a bullet seating depth accuracy node and you want to try to 'tweak" some more accuracy out. Go .002-to .003 to either side of that CBTO measurement. We normally do not have any information on barrel throat lengths. That can usually be gotten from the reamer manufacturer. However, in this case since I am working on getting an FT-R rifle barrel made I have found that generally most shooters using the 200.20x bullet will throat the barrel out .165 to .169 . If there was any misunderstanding in regards to jump tolerance of this bullet we apologize.
Take care,

 

[Down South]

N150

That powder ain't half bad.......