Berger Bullet length

[RDHNTR]

I just purchased a box of Berger VLD VLD 6mm 95 gr MATCH GRADE bullets.I measured 8 of them and there was a variance of .018" with none of them being the same length.I then measured 5 more with similar results.Has anyone else experienced this? Just for the hell of it I measured some Nosler, Hornady and even Speer and had no more than .003 variation. I don't understand if these things are so accurate how does a person get consistant overall loaded length with bullets that are so obviously inaccurate. Please tell me that I just don't know what I'm doing and that oal doesn;t have any effect on accuracy. Thanks Frank

 

[expiper]

Hi Frank...you dont know what ur doin...!!!hahaha
sorry ...culdnt help it..!!! This variation is mostly at the lil skinny tip on the bullet whn it was pointed....your seater stem usually doesnt touch this...it touches the bullet down aprox 3/16"....so the tip may vary ...but the jam or part of the bullet that touches the bore doesnt vary much....
Buttttt this tip can be uniformed with a tool/cutter and make the bullets more alike...some say it is un-important and some say it is crucial....just part of target shooting and loading....it is a thing we all toy with and talk about ...I hope you dont see this as a non-answer...I hope it helps you with your loading procedure...and your shooting....Roger

 

[tenring]

Frank - Get a Sinclair catalog. Look at the Davidson Seating Depth Checker. Buy two nose pieces in 6mm caliber. Mount one on each caliper arm. Place a bullet between each nose piece and measure. Pretty simple. Stony Point also makes same device,now Hornady).

 

[RDHNTR]

Thanks for the info guys.I'll do as both of you recommended. I just sent for a sinclair catalogue. Think I'm going to skip the Bergers though. For a supposedly accurate bullet they are too inacurate for me. Maybe Sierra?

 

[flatlander]

Frank, were the Speer, Hornady, and Nolser bullets you measured hollow pts. or? As Roger said, the actual overall length of hollow point bullets will vary - simply due to slight variations in jacket length or the way a given jacket draws when formed in the final pointing die. Soft point bullets are formed in a die that limits the length of the bullet in the process of forming the soft point, and bleed the excess lead off through a weep hole in the die body. So it stands to reason that soft pt. bullets are going to be more uniform in OAL than anyone's HP bullets.

More importantly, the variation in bullet OAL doesn't have an appreciable effect on accuracy. Look at the bullets used by short range,100-200yd.) BR shooters - they're ALL HPs, and to the best of my knowledge, none of these guys worry about variations in bullet OAL, let alone take the time & trouble to uniform meplats,tips of HPs).

If you've had a problem with the accuracy of your 95 VLDs, it's entirely possible that it's due to seating depth - and here, we're talking about seating depth in relation to where the bullet's ogive touches the lands in the throat of your barrel, not the OAL. Often, a VLD-style bullet will need to be seated .010"-.015" into the lands to shoot well. There are exceptions to every rule of thumb, but that's one thing to consider.

 

[1shot]

Frank,
Don't be to hasty to disregard Bergers as an inconsistant bullet. I'll bet that once you get the appropiate measuring device and measure from the ogive to the base, you will find that Bergers are quite uniform.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd

 

[RDHNTR]

Dennis and Lloyd thanks for the reply,Yes the bullets measured were not hollow pts. My concern is that my overall loaded length is going to vary due to the difference in bullet length. Its true that my seating stem does contact approx. 3/16" below the bullet point but is that enough to disregard the variance in oal bullet length? I just ordered a bullet comparator from midway last night hopefully that will allay my fears.
Dennis you say that the VDL's may have to be seated .010-.015 into the lands. Wouldn't the bullet be forced into the case rather than into the lands when loaded into the rifle? Thanks for all the help guys, looks like a whole new field of accuracy is opening up for me. Frank

 

[RDHNTR]

I was obviously off the mark in my opinion of the Berger bullets.Please chalk it up to inexperience and not thinking before engaging my mouth. I have been reloading for over 40 years but it was just to be able to shoot hunting rifles more. Now I'm starting out on this accuracy thing and realize I've got a lot to learn and I'm going to be trying really hard to do just that. If you see my ignorance showing PLEASE knock me down a peg or two.Thanks to everyone, Frank

 

[1shot]

Frank,
We are all on the same "ladder" so to speak, just on different steps. Don't be so hard on yourself, just ask and there will be someone on here that has already been where you are. Best of luck with your accuracy quest.
Lloyd