184 berger in 28 nosler

[rpierce]

I just got done trying the new 184 berger in my personal 28 nosler. So I ran some numbers before the test to see what it would take for the 184 to match my 195 load. My 195 load is going 3125 fps in a 25" barrel with zero pressure. No ejector mark or anything. So running the numbers the 184 needed to get to 3300 fps with no pressure for it to match the energy/wind drift of the 195. I went up to 3330 fps with the 184. However as soon as I got around 3250 I started seeing some ejector marks. At 3280 the web started opening up a bit and the pockets got a little looser. 3330 was max as the pocket was loose. I decided to try the node that was obvious on the chrono and it ended up being a 1.1" 3 shot group at 400 yards OFF A BIPOD with an es of 10 avg velocity of 3238. There was also a decent amount of mirage when i shot the group. Total of 8 rounds with the new bullet prior to the .262 moa group at 400. Its a really accurate bullet just not able to match my 195 load. One thing to remember also is that I have an extremely long throat in my setup so the 184's boat tail junction was a ways ahead of the neck shoulder junction. This allows me to stuff a lot more powder in there compared to a sammi chamber for the 28 nosler. I figured since this was the case I would have the best chance of hitting the 3300 fps goal. However I wasn't able to meet the goal. Now if a guy was running a detachable magazine then I would definitely use the 184 as it wouldn't intrude on powder capacity like the 195 does when its shoved in a detachable magazine.

 

[Bruce Pooley]

rpierce,

I would love to know the powder you were using and what your freebore is. I use RL33 on a match chamber with 0.212 freebore and could reach you velocity with 175 gr Hornady ELD-X's but accuracy dropped off and I was on the edge of excessive pressure. So I dropped down a grain and found an accuracy node at 3158 fps.

 

[tonyb]

rpierce,

I would love to know the powder you were using and what your freebore is. I use RL33 on a match chamber with 0.212 freebore and could reach you velocity with 175 gr Hornady ELD-X's but accuracy dropped off and I was on the edge of excessive pressure. So I dropped down a grain and found an accuracy node at 3158 fps.

I’m betting he responds with .280 freebore.