Berger Bullets News from the President

[EricStecker]

Hi Eric
Is there anything new on the 30 cal 115 gr platform,? [30 BR] I need to order more bullets and am wondering if I should look for something special.

If you are asking about the 30 cal 115 gr Flat Base bullets we already offer (that we haven't made for quite a while) I can tell you that the jackets we use to make this bullet just came off the press. They will be made into bullets in the next few weeks.

If you are asking about a new version of a bullet in this weight class, we won't be making any new bullets until we get caught up. There is one bullet that is soon to be released but this bullet has been ready to go for quite some time.

I can relay that when we are ready to release more new bullets we do have several in mind that will be next. I won't say which so no one needs to ask but I can say that a light 30 cal is not on that list.

There is not much you can do that is new with the lighter bullets. Lighter, more importantly shorter bullets don't give you much real estate to work with in applying advanced shapes. We do have a concept that is similar to our 6mm BR Column bullet but these take years to develop so it won't be available anytime soon.

Regards,
Eric

 

[EricStecker]

I very much appreciate the kind words. What we do is based on our love for shooting and out of respect for our fellow shooters. I know what I want from a product, a brand and from the leader of that brand. I don't often enough get what I want but that doesn't change what I think about it.

It doesn't make sense to me to know what I hope to see in others and not hold myself to that standard. It is really that simple.

We won't run machines if the jackets aren't .0003 TIR or less because I wouldn't want to shoot a bullet made with a jacket that isn't .0003 TIR or less. I don't accept that anyone I shoot with would want that either. So we keep working until we get it right. This same perspective applies to everything we do.

One of the things I heard Walt say numerous times is, "If you're going to do it, you might as well do it right." If you think that statement is a cliché then it is, to you. If you think that statement is a truth, then it is. It is a truth to me.

We're only here once folks. If you have the choice, why not do it right.

Regards,
Eric

 

[BenPerfected]

I very much appreciate the kind words. What we do is based on our love for shooting and out of respect for our fellow shooters. I know what I want from a product, a brand and from the leader of that brand. I don't often enough get what I want but that doesn't change what I think about it.

It doesn't make sense to me to know what I hope to see in others and not hold myself to that standard. It is really that simple.

We won't run machines if the jackets aren't .0003 TIR or less because I wouldn't want to shoot a bullet made with a jacket that isn't .0003 TIR or less. I don't accept that anyone I shoot with would want that either. So we keep working until we get it right. This same perspective applies to everything we do.

One of the things I heard Walt say numerous times is, "If you're going to do it, you might as well do it right." If you think that statement is a cliché then it is, to you. If you think that statement is a truth, then it is. It is a truth to me.

We're only here once folks. If you have the choice, why not do it right.

Regards,
Eric

Ingrained in me is what my mother taught "Do it right or don't do it at all".

 

[Jim Hardy]

Jim, I think I got a glimpse of what you're referring to when when we spoke after the Black Hawk. I truly hope you'll do a seminar or video -- and I'd be happy to assist with logistics any way I can.

For those who don't know Jim: I would bet he knows as much as anyone out there about how to optimize ammunition.

Dave Rabin

Dave, thanks for the kind words. As to your ideas, I would love to talk to you about your suggestions. I will give you a call. Note that I had to re-register because my other computer crashed.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[TroyG]

Eric,

Please consider making the .172 30gr LTB bullet and the .172 30gr flat base with small meplat. You would make a bunch of small caliber nuts very happy. The two mentioned bullets were about the best bullets I was able to shoot for harvesting fur.

 

[Mega]

Eric, some time back prior to January 2015 Berger 6.5mm 130gr VLD Bullets had a drastic change in design for some reason and despite a number of enquiries and replies from Bob Blaine I never found out the reason for the drastic change without notice. Bob passed on the story to the Production Team and that was the end of any further replies or information.

To compare the dimensions of the 6.5mm Bullets in your Quick Reference Sheet in your Reloading Manual to even those dimensions in 2015 is a huge reduction..ie from an OAL of 1.400" to 1.310". I also note that the J4 Jackets these were made from have also stopped production. Is this ever going to change and go back to the old longer dimensions. ?

The reason I ask is that I have 2 Barrels Chambered for 6.5x47L with long freebore (0.250") for the 140gr VLD's but found the 130's performed far better by miles. I mean they were producing 0.1MOA and rated extremely well in national competition (500 Metres) here in Australia. With the change of bullet design that accuracy went down the drain badly. I have tried any number of changes to regain accuracy and none have come close to what the old bullets produced.

These barrels are a long way from needing a rechamber so if I can find out that they will never go back to the old dimensions then I will be convinced I need to obtain a new Reamer and have them rechambered way earlier than expected and I will scale the new Reamer to the current design of bullet.

To anyone saying the Freebore was too long then I'll say the proof was in the pudding, the accuracy of those old bullets in that chambering opened some eyes over here of how accurate a 6.5x47L could be at a National Benchrest Level.