Berger 215 hybrid in 308 thoughts

[broncman]

Anybody shooting the 215 hybrids in a 308? I just ordered my barrel and gonna have it chambered for 215's. Been shooting the 185 juggernauts and looking at Bergers specs, the 215 hyrid and 185's should be good chamber mates.

Are the 215's easy to tune? What powder and velocity are you seeing R

Read some of the older threads on here and was curious as to if you guys are still liking them.

 

[Steve Blair]

The Michigan F-T/R Team won at Berger SW LR Nationals shooting 215 Hybrids. Bryan Litz's coaching may also have had something to do with it.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I've shot them in my F/TR rifle. They shoot fine, and yes, you can shoot both them and the 185 out of the same chamber.

I stuck with Varget only because I didn't want to start experimenting. I got ~2550 fps and the performance at 1k was equal to or better than my normal 200 grain load. The downside was recoil. Although the recoil only increases 6% in energy over the 200's, the difference is noticeable at the end of a long day of shooting.

Good luck,
Keith

 

[broncman]

What was your starting load with varget? I also have RL17 but worried about its temp stability this summer..

 

[ryanjay11]

Keith, was this with a 1/10, or 1/11 twist?

 

[Keith Glasscock]

My starting load was pretty low. Can't remember what it was. Probably around 37 grains at an OAL ~3.1"

I ended up running 41.5 and the pressure wasn't bad in Win brass. I wouldn't want to try that in any of the heavier stuff.

I do still have an 11 twist barrel here, but I never tried them in it. All of the 215's went through a 10 twist Krieger 30" long.

I made a decision a long time ago against using RL-17 in my F/TR rifles. I made that decision because I watched as my friend tried in vain to get consistency in F/TR. It shot great groups at 100, but at 1K, well, let's just say that the load didn't live up to the shooter's skill level. Since he changed powders, he's been kicking my butt.

 

[broncman]

Thanks Busdriver.

Does the extra volume of the winchester cases really help? I ordered the barrel with a .340 neck for lapua brass. Know wondering uf I need to call and change that before they chamber it....

I have been able to reach a good accuracy node with my current brass and not having to use winchester for the extra volume. I believe VaJim uses lapua with his heavies and we all know how that is working for him!

Way to many variables to ponder.

 

[Steve Blair]

I have since stopped using Reloder 17 because of temp issues but found it very accurate within a narrow range. My Savage 12F shot 150-10X at 900 with Berger 210 LRBT in the 2010 AZ Palma. The crossfire at 1000 kind of spoiled it.

 

[Trevor60]

Quick question was this with the old or new lot of 215's

The old lot was 1.62" in length and with product code 30243
The new version is 1.562" with the product code 30429

I have heard some good things with the old lot but much better reports with the new lot. most of the good results were with 300wm and less accounts of it working well in the 308. the new lot seems to be working better in the 308.

Thanks
Trevor

 

[TonyR]

Quick question was this with the old or new lot of 215's

The old lot was 1.62" in length and with product code 30243
The new version is 1.562" with the product code 30429

I have heard some good things with the old lot but much better reports with the new lot. most of the good results were with 300wm and less accounts of it working well in the 308. the new lot seems to be working better in the 308.

Thanks
Trevor

Do you mean 30423 or 30243?

 

[Trevor60]

apologies 30423

 

[TonyR]

The old lot was 1.62" in length and with product code 30243
The new version is 1.562" with the product code 30429

I have heard some good things with the old lot but much better reports with the new lot. most of the good results were with 300wm and less accounts of it working well in the 308. the new lot seems to be working better in the 308.

Interesting difference in stability with the longer older bullet run through the Miller Twist calculator on the Berger website under standard conditions. Stability is marginal at 308 velocities but in the comfortable range at 300WinMag velocities. The newer shorter bullet is in the comfortable stability range at either velocity range. I used a 10 twist for the comparison. I wonder if this might explain what you heard and why Berger changed the design of the bullet.

 

[Trevor60]

Not sure. the availability of the new product number is REALLY limited.

If i had to postulate on why the shorter bullet my money is on the 300wm defense contract and feeding 215gn bullets through a magazine.

back to our scheduled program.

With the notiably shorter bullet i am more then curious on whether or not the BC stayed the same.

 

[TonyR]

Not sure. the availability of the new product number is REALLY limited.

If i had to postulate on why the shorter bullet my money is on the 300wm defense contract and feeding 215gn bullets through a magazine.

back to our scheduled program.

With the notiably shorter bullet i am more then curious on whether or not the BC stayed the same.

I hope it isn't the stability issue because I have 1500 of the 30423 and a 308 barrel throated for them and the 230 Target Hybrids.

 

[Steve Blair]

215's should be fine at .308 velocities in a 10" twist barrel. 230's do not fully stabilize in my 10" twist barrels, both Bartlein and Krieger, at velocities around 2470. The two lots of 230's I have are 1.660" and 1.690" long, respectively. Berger's spec is 1.640". Eric Stecker told me this is normal variation.

 

[broncman]

When I called Berger looking for juggernaut samples, I told him what I was doing and he said to be sure and give myself some extra room if I wanted to keep them all out if the neck junction. He said this was due to lot to lot variations! I was very surprised and he dis not say how much either.


Anyone got some of the shorter newer ones they can measure for me?

 

[Trevor60]

With the notiably shorter bullet i am more then curious on whether or not the BC stayed the same.

I hope it isn't the stability issue because I have 1500 of the 30423 and a 308 barrel throated for them and the 230 Target Hybrids.

I am not sure.. what i can tell you from the guys that have tried (30243) this winter is that they are having challenges keeping them under .5moa. So I am now curious as to whether or not the guys running them in their 308 successfully are using the new lot 30249.

 

[DennisH]

I may have to try some 215's in my 308!

I currently shoot and love the 185's, either Jag's or Hybrids, both shoot just as accurate in my rifle.

If the 215's cut the wind a little better, I may have to switch!

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Thanks Busdriver.

Does the extra volume of the winchester cases really help? I ordered the barrel with a .340 neck for lapua brass. Know wondering uf I need to call and change that before they chamber it....

I have been able to reach a good accuracy node with my current brass and not having to use winchester for the extra volume. I believe VaJim uses lapua with his heavies and we all know how that is working for him!

Way to many variables to ponder.

Nope, the case capacity of Lapua will work just fine with 215's assuming you get them out far enough in the case.

 

[gsg5pk]

Seem like they need longer throat for those bullets.

185 Hybrid or 215 Hybrid would required .200" fb with faster twist like 1:10" tw