90 Berger VLD vs 90 SMK HPBT .223

[Boisblancboy]

Alright guys I’m looking to find out if the Berger 90 VLD’s are more or less sensitive to seating depth as the 90 SMK coming out of a .223?

It would seem advantageous to shoot the SMK if indeed it was less sensitive to seating depth since you wouldn’t need to change things due to throat errosion as often.

The other thing I like is being able to buy boxes of 500 vs 100.

 

[BP1]

I would think the smks would be less sensitive..I have a ..223 setup for the 90smks and I have another setup for the 90vlds they both shoot good I run the smks at 2620 and the vlds at 2840 and at our monthly 500yd matches I can’t tell a bit of difference in either one...I have run the vlds at a 1000yds and they do ok.

 

[avidflyer]

I would think the smks would be less sensitive..I have a ..223 setup for the 90smks and I have another setup for the 90vlds they both shoot good I run the smks at 2620 and the vlds at 2840 and at our monthly 500yd matches I can’t tell a bit of difference in either one...I have run the vlds at a 1000yds and they do ok.

so you have a 220 fps difference between the two? what powder? Different FB?

 

[Boisblancboy]

I would think the smks would be less sensitive..I have a ..223 setup for the 90smks and I have another setup for the 90vlds they both shoot good I run the smks at 2620 and the vlds at 2840 and at our monthly 500yd matches I can’t tell a bit of difference in either one...I have run the vlds at a 1000yds and they do ok.

Any reason you didn’t push SMK’s faster?

 

[BP1]

so you have a 220 fps difference between the two? what powder? Different FB?

Yes different FB and barrel length one has a 26” McGowan barrel that I run pp2000 in and the other has a 30”Bartlein that I use varget in.

 

[BP1]

Any reason you didn’t push SMK’s faster?

26” barrel with 25gr pp2000 was enough for me and the little thing shoots great there and can be mag fed through AI .223 mags

 

[Ned Ludd]

Alright guys I’m looking to find out if the Berger 90 VLD’s are more or less sensitive to seating depth as the 90 SMK coming out of a .223?

It would seem advantageous to shoot the SMK if indeed it was less sensitive to seating depth since you wouldn’t need to change things due to throat errosion as often.

The other thing I like is being able to buy boxes of 500 vs 100.

The 90 VLD is a secant ogive bullet, the 90 SMK is a tangent ogive bullet. There will almost certainly be a difference in exactly where the seating depth optima for the two bullets lie, but how wide (i.e. "forgiving") the windows will be is anyone's guess. In fact, they could well even vary noticeably from rifle to rifle. I haven't found either one of these bullets difficult to tune in with seating depth. As long as you load to the long side of any seating depth optimal window you find, and the window itself is at least .003" or more wide, you will likely have at least 500-600 rounds (minimum) before you have to worry about it again. I just haven't found that to be a problem in a .223 Rem shooting heavies.

 

[Boisblancboy]

The 90 VLD is a secant ogive bullet, the 90 SMK is a tangent ogive bullet. There will almost certainly be a difference in exactly where the seating depth optima for the two bullets lie, but how wide (i.e. "forgiving") the windows will be is anyone's guess. In fact, they could well even vary noticeably from rifle to rifle. I haven't found either one of these bullets difficult to tune in with seating depth. As long as you load to the long side of any seating depth optimal window you find, and the window itself is at least .003" or more wide, you will likely have at least 500-600 rounds (minimum) before you have to worry about it again. I just haven't found that to be a problem in a .223 Rem shooting heavies.

@Ned Ludd good information as usual. Just loaded up some test rounds with 23.5gr of H4895 and the SMK’s, Same load as my 90VLDS. I started at my lands and moved back .005” till .040” jump.

 

[natdscott]

The 90 SMK is not as tolerant as many other SMK tangents.