80.5 Berger Fullbore Seating Depth

[Jud96]

Hello all. I’m messing around with some 80.5gr Fullbores in a 1-7T 22BR with .049 Freebore. I’ve tested everything from .010 off to .070 off in .005 increments and have not found anything great. At .040-.045 off I’m hovering around 0.5” or so. I’m very limited on components (like most) so I don’t have the chance to try any other powders, primers, or bullets. I’m running IMR 4895, Lapua brass, and Winchester #41 primers. Is there any seating depths you guys have found where this bullet shines? Thanks

 

[PopCharlie]

I've had excellent results with this bullet in an 8 twist bolt rifle. Using reloder 15, and 205m. I seat them at .002 off the lands. I tried seating them deeper, without good results. I this rifle has .050 freebore. My rifle is a .223.
PopCharlie

 

[Jud96]

Thank you. Maybe I need to explore closer to the lands.

 

[JimSC]

23.5 - 23.6 Varget .075 off lands gave me 2550 FPS and mid .3s @ 100, .5- .6's @ 300. At touch they gave me low .5's @100. Edit 8 twist Criterion barrel, Savage 10 in a MDT chassis from a bipod

 

[Clancy]

I have shot a few thousand of them and done load development on a couple of rifles for other people as well. I could only ever get them to shoot from .003-.005 off the lands. I don’t know what order these photos will upload in but there’s some 22 Dasher rounds; a seating depth test where jammed was filthy, -5 shot a little cluster and -10 and deeper were poor; and a very lovely 5 shot group from a sporter 22 dasher Beanland built as a coyote rifle. .005 off will probably work well for you, and if it doesn’t I’d just move on. No sense chasing it forever.

 

[Jud96]

I have shot a few thousand of them and done load development on a couple of rifles for other people as well. I could only ever get them to shoot from .003-.005 off the lands. I don’t know what order these photos will upload in but there’s some 22 Dasher rounds; a seating depth test where jammed was filthy, -5 shot a little cluster and -10 and deeper were poor; and a very lovely 5 shot group from a sporter 22 dasher Beanland built as a coyote rifle. .005 off will probably work well for you, and if it doesn’t I’d just move on. No sense chasing it forever.

Thank you. My groups look just like yours. When I ordered these bullets everyone was saying how forgiving they were and how well they shot. And I haven’t seen that so far. Maybe it’s my barrel, maybe it’s me, maybe it’s the component combination. I don’t know, but I haven’t struggled this hard before with a custom barrel and a Berger bullet. I’ll try .003-.009 off the lands next and see how that looks. Thank you

 

[Clancy]

Thank you. My groups look just like yours. When I ordered these bullets everyone was saying how forgiving they were and how well they shot. And I haven’t seen that so far. Maybe it’s my barrel, maybe it’s me, maybe it’s the component combination. I don’t know, but I haven’t struggled this hard before with a custom barrel and a Berger bullet. I’ll try .003-.009 off the lands next and see how that looks. Thank you

As you can see, nothing forgiving about them all all. A dasher, a 22x47 and 2 22 creeds and if I wasn’t 5 off they shot like a savage. But.... 5 off always makes little dots. Strange strange bullet, but a coyote and deer hammer.

 

[Jud96]

I went to the range today and shot 3x 3 shot groups seated .005 off the lands and this the result. I also tested them with IMR 4895 .005 off for 3x 3 shot groups and the results were a little worse. Not sure if this barrel is a dud or if it’s something I’m doing in my shooting or reloading. I haven’t had these types of issues with a quality barrel in the past with any other rifle. I continuously have been getting flyers with this bullet. I don’t have any other bullets to try but I ordered some 85.5 Hybrids to test next. I have tried two different powders, different neck tension, and seating depths from .005 to .070 off the lands. Nothing has been consistently good.

 

[Evan]

I went to the range today and shot 3x 3 shot groups seated .005 off the lands and this the result. I also tested them with IMR 4895 .005 off for 3x 3 shot groups and the results were a little worse. Not sure if this barrel is a dud or if it’s something I’m doing in my shooting or reloading. I haven’t had these types of issues with a quality barrel in the past with any other rifle. I continuously have been getting flyers with this bullet. I don’t have any other bullets to try but I ordered some 85.5 Hybrids to test next. I have tried two different powders, different neck tension, and seating depths from .005 to .070 off the lands. Nothing has been consistently good.View attachment 1259099

For me, that problem has always required a powder change. For example my 22 BR would throw them just like you're seeing with IMR 4895 or with 4320, but 4064 cured it.

 

[Jud96]

For me, that problem has always required a powder change. For example my 22 BR would throw them just like you're seeing with IMR 4895 or with 4320, but 4064 cured it.

Yes I have tried IMR 4895 and IMR 4451. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get any other powder to test. I had some H4895 but not enough to really test and settle on. I’ll try the 85.5s and see how they shoot. I’m starting to think I may potentially have an issue with my bags and my bench techniques.

 

[barefooter56]

Hello all. I’m messing around with some 80.5gr Fullbores in a 1-7T 22BR with .049 Freebore. I’ve tested everything from .010 off to .070 off in .005 increments and have not found anything great. At .040-.045 off I’m hovering around 0.5” or so. I’m very limited on components (like most) so I don’t have the chance to try any other powders, primers, or bullets. I’m running IMR 4895, Lapua brass, and Winchester #41 primers. Is there any seating depths you guys have found where this bullet shines? Thanks

Since our 80.5 FULLBORE bullet is a TANGENT OGIVE design. Try it on the lands. Then work back into the cartridge case in .005 increments. Be sure to us the starting powder charge for this. And do it first before working the powder charge up. And be sure the bullet tip are not bottoming out in the bullet seating stem cavity because of the overlength nose dimension of the bullet.

 

[INTJ]

I have tuned several 22 Creeds with the Berger 80.5. I often just set the bullets at a COL of 2.580, which is a large jump, and they routinely shoot 1/3 MOA.

 

[Longtrain]

Since our 80.5 FULLBORE bullet is a TANGENT OGIVE design. Try it on the lands. Then work back into the cartridge case in .005 increments. Be sure to us the starting powder charge for this. And do it first before working the powder charge up…

FF’ed a new batch of Lapua for my 223AI, 30” 1:8 Hart, ready for load workup. I’ve had some good success with the 80.5’s, but as my throat lengthens, accuracy has fallen off a bit. On one FClass 300 yd match, I hammered the X ring, then after another 400 or so rounds, without changing my load, in good conditions, had trouble finding the X ring with two hands.

So, back to the drawing board. Loaded a starting load, touching, then -5, -10, -15, -20, -25 off. Touching through -15 shot better then 1/2 moa, -10 was 1/4 moa. When I hit -20 and -25 the groups opened and -25 went beyond 1 moa.

Next, we’ll go for powder charge weight and see what happens, gonna be traveling for a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.

 

[rebs]

I've had excellent results with this bullet in an 8 twist bolt rifle. Using reloder 15, and 205m. I seat them at .002 off the lands. I tried seating them deeper, without good results. I this rifle has .050 freebore. My rifle is a .223.
PopCharlie

May I ask what powder charge you are using?

 

[PopCharlie]

May I ask what powder charge you are using?

I used 22.5 gr of Re-15. According to the Berger manual, that is a max load. You'll need work up to that.

PopCharlie

 

[rebs]

I used 22.5 gr of Re-15. According to the Berger manual, that is a max load. You'll need work up to that.

PopCharlie

I have been trying 24.5 of Varget and reloader 15 at .005 off the lands with out much success. They chrono grafted at 2700. Do you think I am using too much powder?

 

[Jeff Porter]

I run the 80.5 in a 20” AR service rifle with 24.5 gr H4895 2730 fps. Depending on the barrel , I have had different jump values from 0.020” to …. 0.130”. Yes 130 thou. Jump.

 

[PopCharlie]

I have been trying 24.5 of Varget and reloader 15 at .005 off the lands with out much success. They chrono grafted at 2700. Do you think I am using too much powder?

I'm shooting a .223 bolt gun with that charge. I don't think your using too much powder. Stick with your powder charge and vary your seating depth to tighten up groups.

PopCharlie

 

[CharlieNC]

Several of us have good accuracy jumping them 0.015in, and not sensitive either.

 

[mbp708]

In my 223 best accuracy with the 80.5 was .020” off jam, not off the lands, off jam. 1-7 twist bbl