Berger 80.5 fullbore: Mag Length?

[johnfred1965]

I am shooting the sierra 77 gr at mag length and was wondering if the Berger 80.5 can be loaded to that length without much of a penalty. the threads I have looked up mostly mentioned single loading and bolt action loads at up to 2.5 inch. I like the BC of the berger and would like all the weight I can for seeing hits on steel. If they won't fit, the 77's are not bad.

 

[dstoenner]

No it has to be loaded long and dhot single load

David

 

[Ahhnother8]

They work quite well at mag length. Have fired thousands of them that way.

 

[Stumpy1]

IF you decide to try the 80.5's PLEASE REDUCE YOUR LOAD AND WORK UP!!

(but you already knew that, right)

Respectfully submitted,

Frank

 

[SealT5]

I don’t see why not. I can mail you a few 80.5 bullets if you’d like

Joe

 

[dstoenner]

They work quite well at mag length. Have fired thousands of them that way.

I agree that you can physically load the 80.5 to mag length. According to my measurements you will have .032 of the bearing surface past the mouth for a COAL of 2.255. The bullet is .633 from base to ogive so taking account the neck (.203) you have almost .4 inches of bullet in the powder section. Even compressing powder I cannot imagine how low the velocity would be.

What velocity were you getting?

David

 

[Ned Ludd]

Long after I first received it from the gunsmith, I worked up a load with the 80.5s in a .223 Rem custom bolt (F-TR) rifle with a 26" barrel that was chambered with zero freebore. That particular rifle shot FGMM 77s extremely well, but I wanted to try a bullet with a little better BC that was more resistant to wind deflection. Due to the non-existent freebore and relatively short barrel (for F-TR, at least) I decided to use Hodgdon H322 powder to get them moving. Due to the fact that the base of the bullet was seated relatively deep below the neck/shoulder junction, the extremely small kernels of H322 were ideal.

Ordinarily, H322 would be considered much too fast for an 80.5 gr bullet. However, the load shoots extremely well and is not extraordinarily "hot" (i.e. ~2860 fps and brass life has been good). So using a smaller charge weight of a faster-than-normal powder was just the right recipe in this particular case. My recollection is that with the 80.5s seated at ~.020" off the lands, the loaded rounds were just barely short enough to feed from a 10-round AICS plastic mag. So it can definitely be done, although I will be the first to admit the practice is far from being "optimal".

 

[r bose]

I am shooting the sierra 77 gr at mag length and was wondering if the Berger 80.5 can be loaded to that length without much of a penalty. the threads I have looked up mostly mentioned single loading and bolt action loads at up to 2.5 inch. I like the BC of the berger and would like all the weight I can for seeing hits on steel. If they won't fit, the 77's are not bad.

Before buying the 80.5 bergers, I'd try a box of 77g nosler RDF's. I'm loading them at mag length using 26.6g 2000MR powder getting 2750 FPS out of a 20" 7 twist service rifle. Very similar BC to the berger 80.5's

 

[johnfred1965]

Before buying the 80.5 bergers, I'd try a box of 77g nosler RDF's. I'm loading them at mag length using 26.6g 2000MR powder getting 2750 FPS out of a 20" 7 twist service rifle. Very similar BC to the berger 80.5's

Is the ogive out of the neck? I once bought a bunch of 75 grain A-max bullets, without thinking about loading them to mag length. the ogive was way down in the neck, but that was a very pointy bullet.

 

[johnfred1965]

I don’t see why not. I can mail you a few 80.5 bullets if you’d like

Joe

I may take you up on that, thank you for the offer.

 

[johnfred1965]

IF you decide to try the 80.5's PLEASE REDUCE YOUR LOAD AND WORK UP!!

(but you already knew that, right)

Respectfully submitted,

Frank

Got it. I wanted to know if it would work first, before a looked for a starting load.

 

[johnfred1965]

Long after I first received it from the gunsmith, I worked up a load with the 80.5s in a .223 Rem custom bolt (F-TR) rifle with a 26" barrel that was chambered with zero freebore. That particular rifle shot FGMM 77s extremely well, but I wanted to try a bullet with a little better BC that was more resistant to wind deflection. Due to the non-existent freebore and relatively short barrel (for F-TR, at least) I decided to use Hodgdon H322 powder to get them moving. Due to the fact that the base of the bullet was seated relatively deep below the neck/shoulder junction, the extremely small kernels of H322 were ideal.

Ordinarily, H322 would be considered much too fast for an 80.5 gr bullet. However, the load shoots extremely well and is not extraordinarily "hot" (i.e. ~2860 fps and brass life has been good). So using a smaller charge weight of a faster-than-normal powder was just the right recipe in this particular case. My recollection is that with the 80.5s seated at ~.020" off the lands, the loaded rounds were just barely short enough to feed from a 10-round AICS plastic mag. So it can definitely be done, although I will be the first to admit the practice is far from being "optimal".

Thanks for the suggestion, I guess with tthat much bullet in the case, it would be like shooting a smaller case with a lighter bullet, allowing the faster powder? If I followed you correctly.

 

[r bose]

Is the ogive out of the neck? I once bought a bunch of 75 grain A-max bullets, without thinking about loading them to mag length. the ogive was way down in the neck, but that was a very pointy bullet.

Yes it is, by about 30 thou. Feeds very well thru GI mags during rapid fire stages at 300 yds shooting across the course (200,300, and 600) Listed BC is .454 from Nosler

 

[Ned Ludd]

Thanks for the suggestion, I guess with tthat much bullet in the case, it would be like shooting a smaller case with a lighter bullet, allowing the faster powder? If I followed you correctly.

Yes. I tried H4895, but wasn't going to be able the velocity I was looking for with the smaller "effective" case volume. I also tried a couple other relatively fast powders for the 80.5s, but the H322 worked the best with bullets sunk so far down in the case.

 

[Ahhnother8]

I agree that you can physically load the 80.5 to mag length. According to my measurements you will have .032 of the bearing surface past the mouth for a COAL of 2.255. The bullet is .633 from base to ogive so taking account the neck (.203) you have almost .4 inches of bullet in the powder section. Even compressing powder I cannot imagine how low the velocity would be.

What velocity were you getting?

David

What you state above is true, including highly compressing the powder. The rounds look "odd" and it is all counter intuitive, but it works. Think Weatherby chamber/throating. We actually got more velocity, with more powder of course, than what was possible with .030" jump ammo. None of it makes logical sense, but it's all that I used chasing the DR badge, and for rattle-battle. One has to try it to believe it.

 

[RegionRat]

I am shooting the sierra 77 gr at mag length and was wondering if the Berger 80.5 can be loaded to that length without much of a penalty. the threads I have looked up mostly mentioned single loading and bolt action loads at up to 2.5 inch. I like the BC of the berger and would like all the weight I can for seeing hits on steel. If they won't fit, the 77's are not bad.

Don’t forget to take a look at the TMK as well. In a way, they fall in between the 77s and the 80s and stuff into mag length with no drama.

 

[SEMO Shooter]

I shoot 80.5 Berger FBT in a remington action with a Hawk Hill 1:7 twist 26" barrel. I use Accurate mags. Their follower can easily be modified to shoot long COAL. I load to 2.39", and you could load longer if chambered to accommodate. I'm using Lapua brass, Varget, and CCI 450 primers, with a MV of 2990.