155gr Berger 308 Bullets

[JayCutright]

which one's shoot the best?
The 155 VLD, 155 Boat tail match or the 155.5 fullbore?

 

[280man]

I would go with the Fullbore. If you want to you can buy them from the U25 Palma team as a fundraiser and help out a great group of young peoplehttp://www.usrifleteams.com/lrforum/index.php?showtopic=13311

 

[Mark S in NM]

I suggest you try and find out in your rifle. I have tried all 3 my TRG 22 and the # 30409 155 BT match was the winner shot 1/2" moa to 600 consistantly and on occasion to 1000 which I'm sure will make some chuckle but good for me. Problem the 30409 is due to be discontinued in April so I worked with the 155.5 Fullbore and it will match the 155 BT match.

 

[JayCutright]

Mark, did you try the VLD?

 

[Mark S in NM]

Mark, did you try the VLD?

Yes I did Jay, it was right there with the 155.5 but I settled on the FB because I was getting 26 more FPS out of it with same powder charge and FB had 2 SD vs VLD 7 over Oehler 35P. I tested 50 rounds of each on target 10 over chrono.

 

[JayCutright]

Thanks Mark

 

[palo]

Mark.
I got some berger 155.5 and some 155 vld to try in my trg 22.
What primer, powder and charge did you find best ?

 

[Mark S in NM]

Mark.
I got some berger 155.5 and some 155 vld to try in my trg 22.
What primer, powder and charge did you find best ?

Palo, here is what is "best" in my TRG, I was also using AAC Cyclone suppressor. Lapua once fired neck sized only 2/3 down .002 NT. 46.8 Varget, Fed GM210M primer. 3.210" measured with Hornady comparator with 8-30 insert. 10 shot ave. over Oehler 35 2905 FPS, SD of 2, den alt 4003', 65.5 F. This load required 11.25 MOA @ 600 with a 100 zero, vertical was 1/2" @ 600. VLD's were loaded same data with exception of length. I will get you length if you want but I just seated as long as I could in TRG mag. I have it noted just not in front of me at the moment.. The 155.5 did not mind jumping. Since TRG known long throat I'm guessing 155.5 is going to work best for you also. The above will shoot 1/2" MOA @ 600 out of my TRG and do it repeatedly if I do my part. I did all testing off bench with bipod and rear bag.

 

[palo]

Thanks Mark.
I did try a few groups last week with the 155.5 with the exact same components as yourself. I tried 45.5 and 46 grains and was getting .35 moa at 100 yards and .5 moa at 300 but a few of the 300 yard groups were stringing vertically. I will try your load of 46.8 this weekend.
Did you do a lot of testing before you setteled on that load ?

 

[Mark S in NM]

Thanks Mark.
I did try a few groups last week with the 155.5 with the exact same components as yourself. I tried 45.5 and 46 grains and was getting .35 moa at 100 yards and .5 moa at 300 but a few of the 300 yard groups were stringing vertically. I will try your load of 46.8 this weekend.
Did you do a lot of testing before you setteled on that load ?

Very welcome Palo, If you were getting some .5" MOA's @ 300 great keep going, I'm assuming groups were 5 shot. I only tested @ few @ 3 the majority @ 600. Did try 2 5 shot @ 1000 conditions and me not ideal so I just discounted the 1000 results. Yes I have been testing all winter culled out 155 Scenars, 2156's a few others and a couple powders. I would bump up Varget and see what it does with your vertical. Since I chronoed I KNOW they shoot at 2905 FPS average my gun, my location and weather listed. Not knowing what lot Varget you have if you chrono get over 2900 it's good node in my rifle and great SD #'s with the recipe I posted but your .05's @ 3 is also a node in my book although my book is small!. Also it seems TRG's at least the ones I have fired shoot the same which is to say great for off the shelf rifle. A freind of mine got me testing concept of no less that 5 5 shot groups to glean good info. He knows of where he speaks. Good shooting

 

[palo]

Thanks Mark.
I did try a few groups last week with the 155.5 with the exact same components as yourself. I tried 45.5 and 46 grains and was getting .35 moa at 100 yards and .5 moa at 300 but a few of the 300 yard groups were stringing vertically. I will try your load of 46.8 this weekend.
Did you do a lot of testing before you setteled on that load ?

Very welcome Palo, If you were getting some .5" MOA's @ 300 great keep going, I'm assuming groups were 5 shot. I only tested @ few @ 3 the majority @ 600. Did try 2 5 shot @ 1000 conditions and me not ideal so I just discounted the 1000 results. Yes I have been testing all winter culled out 155 Scenars, 2156's a few others and a couple powders. I would bump up Varget and see what it does with your vertical. Since I chronoed I KNOW they shoot at 2905 FPS average my gun, my location and weather listed. Not knowing what lot Varget you have if you chrono get over 2900 it's good node in my rifle and great SD #'s with the recipe I posted but your .05's @ 3 is also a node in my book although my book is small!. Also it seems TRG's at least the ones I have fired shoot the same which is to say great for off the shelf rifle. A freind of mine got me testing concept of no less that 5 5 shot groups to glean good info. He knows of where he speaks. Good shooting

Mark.
I Think the lot of varget I have at the moment is quite hot as I was getting 2890 with 46 grains with a few 155 vlds that I chronographed a while back.
All my groups were 5 shot.
Where I shoot it is only about 500ft above sea level.
The first day I tried the 155.5 berger I shot three 5 shot groups at 100yards
one group. each of 45, 45.5, and 46 grains.
All groups measured around .35moa and when I put the 3 targets together all 15 shots were inside .5 moa.
I AM getting good results with the 155 scenars with 46.2 grains of r15 with a ccibr2. I also tried the sierra 2156 but kept getting one flyer in each 5 shot group. I will do some more testing this weekend at 300.
Thanks again for all the info

 

[Mark S in NM]

Let's see what you get velocity wise with Fullbore's, sounds as if you only chronoed the VLD. There are many others here a LOT more knowledgeable than I am that's why I started hitting the forums here. Maybe others will chime in with their observations.

 

[ChrisNZ]

Just a warning for those guys starting out on handloading- anything over 46grs of Varget behind a 155 could well be excessively hot, especially if you're using heavy brass.

The usual rule of thumb applies- start say a grain and a half lower and carefully build up in say 0.3gr increments

Chris-NZ

 

[allen529]

Jay,

I suggest you call Jim Dietlein @ dietleinje@aol.com/ 989-835-9463 and ask him to send you some of his 155.5 rebated boattails. I worked up to 47 grains Varget when I started getting slight pressure signs. In my rifle if I were to shoot the light bullets this is what I would try first.

Allen