.223 Palma Gun, Feedback on Berger 80.5 Fullbore and 82BT Please.

[FroggyOne2]

Ok.. I have a .223 that just loves the 75gr AMax and i get really good accuracy and volocity with this bullet. But still even at 1000 yards, it is over a 9 moa gun. This means that it shoots outside my 30 cal palma rifle with the 155's. According to the JBM calculator, given a V that equals 3000 fps on average, the wind on either the Berger 80.5 Fullbore bullet or the 82BT should match the wind dead even with the 155's at the same speed. The lil Amax bullet shoots great at 8 and 9 but when you get back to no man's land, it gets pretty beat up by the wind.. period. So what I am looking for is feed back from other shooters that have enough experience with the two bullets from Berger.. the 80.5BT Fullbore and the 82BT. My current set up is a bbl that is 30 inches long with a 7.2 twist.. When I replace this bbl, I will prob stick with this combo.

Your input will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Travelor]

I have a Savage 12 LRPV with a 24" 1:7 twist factory barrel that has been professionally re chambered, re-crowned, and diamond lapped. I built it to shoot F/TR at up to 1000 yards and it has been a dismal failure. I have tried multiple bullets and loads with no success at 1000 yards.

It shoots great at 100 and 200 yards, but I have finally given up on it as an alternative to a 7mm or 30 caliber gun for 1000 yards.

I have read numerous articles about success with this caliber, but I am convinced that the problem lies in the case design - too long and thin to get very low ES velocities.

So, I have found nothing that I can help you with.

George

 

[AusFclass]

when shooting fullbore 300-1000 in australia we are only allowed to use eigther a .308 with 155's or a .223 with up to 80gr bullets.

form what they knowledgable guys are sayiing the .223 is very picky to load for so your chamber and throat need to be set up correctly an you will proably need a 1-7 twist 30" barrel to get it to work reliably.

try a 80gr a max or sierra with around 25gr of varget and cci 450 primers jammed in the lands .010" (around 2.5 COAL) . start low and work up!!! some people have played around with the 90gr berger but i dont have any load data on that one.

there was a 1000yd f class record set in the UK recently with a .223 shooting the 90gr bergers from memory.

 

[Matt Pitchon]

I have a 223 Palma gun. Savage Target action, Shilen 30" 7 twist with a wylde chamber. Since I'm in the US, I shoot Berger 90VLDs. I use 24.5gr of RL-15 at about 2800fps. This is a hot load, but LC brass is tough. (All Palma loads are hot.) I use Russian magnum primers. The firing pin hole is not bushed. I see some primer flattening and flowing, but they have never blanked. No ejector marks, and no flattening of the lettering on the case head. No sticky bolt lift. I am experimenting with other powders and getting even better results. Its very accurate, and easily outshoots the 155s. Your 7.2 twist should shoot the 90VLD. It will easily shoot the Berger 90HPBT. (I am using the 90HPBT in a 7.7 twist space gun with great results. Varget won't get you the speeds you need for the 90s.

Not All 90s are created equal. The Sierra will not reliably go faster the 2650 according to Sierra. I haven't used the JLK, so I can't comment. The Berger 90VLD is VERY sensitive to seating depth. The Berger 90HPBT on the other hand will shoot at almost any shooting depth. If you want an easy to shoot 90, the Berger 90HPBT is it. The BC of this bullet is much better than any of the 80s.

To be competitive with the 80.5 or 82, you will have to go faster than 3000fps. This is possible with the right powder.

In talking to other Palma shooters, 223 or 308, that last 100yds to 1,000 is always tough and all the bullets move around more than you would suspect. It's not just a 223 problem.

 

[cmillard]

look up Laurie Holland on this site and send him a PM. he has done a lot of testing with the 90 vlds out of a .223 for f-class.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I have already tried the 90's.. not going back to them.. shot some what good.. but there was elevation issue with them. Mostly I shoot the .223 at 600 yards.. and with the 75's it does great, with several cleans to boot. But I like shooting it for practice as well. My thought would be that with the info from the JBM matching, that with the Berger 80.5 or 82 grain bullets, it would make good for practice. I am pushing the 75's at 3100 fps currently.. and at that speed.. it is still a 9 minute gun.

 

[cmillard]

what .223 chamber do you have (wylde, match, etc) laurie holland had his specifically made to shoot the 90s, and are loaded out REAL far.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I am sure.. It is what ever reamer that Randy Gregory has.. can't tell you right now what it is.. He is at the Midwest Palma matches.