Berger 208gr LRHT - FTR

[Down South]

How hard are the 208's to tune and recoil manage vs the 20x?

I didn't have much trouble tuning the 208s. My load is jumping .009 and is running 2640 ish with Varget in Palma brass. My barrel is throated long (250 ish freebore). Recoil is a little more than 20X but not terrible. I don't have any issues with recoil management.

 

[Down South]

Shot the 208s again yesterday at 1000 yard monthly match in Shreveport LA. They shot well in tricky conditions, vertical was good. Like I said in a previous post though, they are very similar to X bullet performance wise and not sure if worth switching over.

 

[Crow]

My new barrel arrived last week, and after shooting the last of my 200.20x's at a match, I retired my old barrel, which had served me right at three years, after 4290 rds.

Got everything put back together and headed for the range Tuesday for new barrel break in at 100 yds with three different loads: from left to right, that's 43.7, 43.9 and 44.1 grains of Varget.



No signs of pressure, and coppering subsided dramatically after round 2... so far so good. Hoping to get out this weekend at 500 yds, just to play around. Will begin load development in earnest after 100 rds or so, but I'm getting better velocity than I expected from a new barrel if the Shotmarker figures are to be believed. Extrapolating muzzle velocity from the 100 yd figures suggests 2725 fps for the group on the right.

New barrel is a 31.75"' 9.5 twist Bartlien with .250 freebore.

 

[LVLAaron]

New barrel is a 31.75"' 9.5 twist Bartlien with .250 freebore.

I'm much more intererested in who made your old barrel that lasted 4000+ rounds!

 

[Crow]

I'm much more intererested in who made your old barrel that lasted 4000+ rounds!

Another Bartlien 5R - a 31.50" 10 twist. Probably the best barrel I've ever had...

 

[flintcreek6412]

Extrapolating muzzle velocity from the 100 yd figures suggests 2725 fps for the group on the right.

New barrel is a 31.75"' 9.5 twist Bartlien with .250 freebore.

Is this with the 200.20x? I'm guessing not the 208s......

 

[Crow]

Is this with the 200.20x? I'm guessing not the 208s......

No, those were 208s on the the target... the ShotMarker numbers are highly suspicious.

Just returned from the range, where I fired several 3-round groups over an Oehler 35P. The two groups with 44.1 of Varget registered an average of 2635 fps. The groups between 44.2 and 44.4 caught my eye, so I'll be using 44.3 when I start playing with seating depth... 44.3 averaged 2652 fps.

 

[flintcreek6412]

That's some serious velocity for that weight. Interesting. I might play with a box of 100 sometime for fun.

 

[Crow]

No joy yet.

2650 fps didn't pan out for me. Even though 44.3 of Varget was in the middle of a flat spot on the target and chronograph results, it didn't deliver consistently small groups when tested between .003 jump and .025 jump, Sort of reminded me of the time I experimented with running 200.20Xs at 2700± fps....

I've backed off to 43.9 of Varget (~2625 fps) and repeated the seating deep tests (ended up with .025 jump, which also happened to look the best at 44.3/2650). It just about held 10-ring elevation at 500 yds... nothing to write home about.

My search continues. Really haven't explored velocities below 2625 fps yet.

 

[Pinkes]

No joy yet.

2650 fps didn't pan out for me. Even though 44.3 of Varget was in the middle of a flat spot on the target and chronograph results, it didn't deliver consistently small groups when tested between .003 jump and .025 jump, Sort of reminded me of the time I experimented with running 200.20Xs at 2700± fps....

I've backed off to 43.9 of Varget (~2625 fps) and repeated the seating deep tests (ended up with .025 jump, which also happened to look the best at 44.3/2650). It just about held 10-ring elevation at 500 yds... nothing to write home about.

My search continues. Really haven't explored velocities below 2625 fps yet.

Any update on this bullet below 2625fps?

 

[Crow]

Glad you asked - beginning to think I might be the only guy in FTR still trying to make the 208s shoot as well as the 200.20X.

I've shot about 1000 of the 208s to date. Slower loads are producing less vertical and fewer flyers. The last couple of matches I've shot have been with loads running at ~2575 fps. Attached are my targets from last weekend's match.

It's been interesting, but think I'll be switching back to the 200.20X once I've shot the last of my 208s.

 

[Ilya S.]

Any updates here ?

My 200.20 is ending, I've desided to try 208s...I will appreciate any data about seating depth tune.

Found this bullet is very sensitive to jump, in my case I have consistant results with .022 off, but whan it setted 0.020 or 0.025 - groups becomes 0.8 moa from 0.3...

 

[Crow]

Had to check my records... the targets in post #31 were shot with this load:

42.8 Varget
CCI 450
Berger 208
~.024 jump

 

[Ned Ludd]

Any updates here ?

My 200.20 is ending, I've desided to try 208s...I will appreciate any data about seating depth tune.

Found this bullet is very sensitive to jump, in my case I have consistant results with .022 off, but whan it setted 0.020 or 0.025 - groups becomes 0.8 moa from 0.3...

The 208s are not going to tune in easily like the 200.20Xs...they simply aren't. That's all I'm going to say about that. Frankly, the 200.20X bullet is the "easy button". If you're looking for 200.20Xs, they're in stock right now at several online vendors. Blue Collar Reloading is one; there are a few others. If you want to buy some, don't wait, they may not be around long.

 

[Pinkes]

200.20x is easy but in my hands the 208s was way easier (and better) ... but each to his own.

 

[Ilya S.]

200.20x is easy but in my hands the 208s was way easier (and better) ... but each to his own.

Could you please show
your 100 or 300y targets ?

 

[barefooter56]

Has anyone tried the Berger 208gr LRHT yet?

What powder and freebore are you using? What muzzle velocity are you seeing?

I have a few barrels on the shelf I was thinking of trying them in

Tony,
Contact us for load data AND load development info for this bullet at : support@capstonepg.com
Thank you!

 

[barefooter56]

They also require a much longer freebore than what most people may have. Sure, reaming a throat longer is possible but some people may be hesitant because then they will be locked in to the long throat and a few select longer bullets. If a user is pointing the 20x the gains of the 208 are even smaller.

With the BERGER HYBRID bullets being very tolerant of jump in most cases. This may not be an issue because you are using two HYBRID bullets. If you were using a long HYBRID bullet and wanting to change to a VLD. It may be an issue. But that always depends on the rifle. Like everything else.

 

[Hawkeye100]

Could you please show
your 100 or 300y targets ?

Pinkes 3rd place in the FCWC 2023 F Tr in SA should be enough said.