Berger 308 175gr Hunting Bullets

[DennisH]

Anybody try Berger's Hunting bullet in their 308 (26" 8 twist) hunting rifle? Just curious, I loaded some up, COAL 2.800, and all I could get was a 10" pattern. SMK's work GREAT!!!!!!!!!

I thought I would get a little better group than 10"s! SMK's with 43.5 Varget, COAL 2.800 shoot sub MOA!

The only thing I can think of is on all Berger's I use, they work best on the lands or jamed .010 to .015 in the lands, is this going to be the same on my hunting rifle. Just for the record, Nossler 180gr NBT's work great.

 

[CJ6]

Try more jump. I have a few loads that are jumping 90

 

[DennisH]

WOW, I will be willing to try anything, but I am about .050 off now!

 

[vpexp]

I use them on a Remington LTR seated to mag length. Not sure how far the jump is, but it is a bunch. 5 shots groups are consistently under 1/2" at 100 yds.

 

[DennisH]

I'm setting them to 2.800, length published in all reloading manuals! I am shooting out of a Savage 110 with a 10 twist barrel, 8" pattern is the result, I can load the same with 180 Nossler BT's and get 1 1/2" groups!

 

[30378]

175gr Bergers are absolutely deer/hog killing machines. They work really well. Using them in my Remmy PSS with Varget but I seat them really long at 2.882". Sub 1/2 MOA.

 

[allain]

Berger says that they can/have been seated as deep as .120. That's One Hundred Twenty Thousands deep.

Start in .025 increments. Then .010 increments when the groups start getting smaller.

Roy

 

[people]

I have never used them but I have used some other match bullets that my rifles would not shoot no matter what I tried. I tried everything I could think of from primers to powders and varying the over all length. It was so bad I tried some ultra-cheap soft points and they shot very well. Granted they had the BC of a Nerf ball but they shot about .5" so I was kind of happy.
When your rifle will not shoot the bullet you want it kind of grates on a guy. I want to use these pointy guys but I have to use these "regular" bullets.

 

[tiny68]

We have them just touching the lands in my buddy's Savage BTH11. He got a Shilen 308 barrel and he is loading with IMR4895. Never had a load that shot over an inch at 100 yds (subMOA). Best groups are 0.3-0.4 range with a strong load. My experience is that the 175 Hunting VLD is a great bullet. tim

 

[DennisH]

Tim, how much powder are you using?

 

[deadlyswift]

I have been shooting the 175 berger's target BT long range bullets. As well as the 175gr berger hunting bullet. I can't tell any difference in my groups between the 2. I have shot them as far as 700yrds at this point. So far my Savage 10fcp seems it may be a .5 moa rifle. It has been pillar and glass bedded into the HS stock that it comes from the factory. I have been pleased with it so far getting .5 moa as far out as 400yrds at this point. My groups are terrible at 700yrds. I do believe it's the nut behind the butt! Not the gun.

I am loading them with 44.2 gr of Varget with a .010 jam. CCI BR2 primers COAL is 2.923 It seems with all the bergers I shoot they want to be jamed. I tried to jump them but stoped at .020 jump. Started at the lands and when back in .005 incremints to .020 groups just got worst and worst so I gave up at .020 jump. Reading what others have said Maybe I should have kept going backwards. I had no pressure signs so who knows. After testing them with a jump, I then found the 175 bergers shooting awesome out to 400yrds with a .010 jam. This load will probably shoot good at 700yrds. I just can't read the wind well enough yet, or my shooting rest and techniuge is just not up to par yet.

 

[tiny68]

Tim, how much powder are you using?

We worked up a latter from 43.0 to 47.0 gr if remember right. Warning: Anything over 46 gr of IMR4895 is a hot load. Use at your own risk in your gun. At around 46.5 he was starting to flatten primers a little. But is was grouping like crazy. I would try in the 45.0 gr range and work up slowly with caution.

Luck, Tim

 

[smoking-brass]

Dennis,
You need to jam the Bergers into the lands from .001 to .010... SMK's love to jump but 175 vld bergers don't ...I use 175 vlds in my savage model 12 with a 1 in 10 twist and get .175 size groups @ 100 yards with 40.3 grs of rl-15....good luck

 

[FroggyOne2]

In my .284 I am jumping 180VLD's 50 thou.