Berger recommended VLD seating depth test anyone tried it?

[naagren]

I am running in a new 1:8 twist Maddco barrel for my 6mmBR and I've settled on 30.8gn Varget after testing from 29.5gn to 31.0gn. It now has 100 rounds through it. I'm using Berger 105gn VLD's jammed in .01". My chamber has a .268 neck and I have neck turned the Lapua brass to give me a .266 loaded round using a .265 bush which holds the bullet firmly in place. This is giving me 5 shot groups at 300yd of around 1.4" in 4-5mph cross winds using flags.

I have shot a 5 shot group with the bullet jumped .01" but did not see any noticeable difference.

I would like to get 5 shot groups close to or under an inch at this distance and will try the Berger recommended method of 3 shot groups with the VLDs jumped .04", .08" and .120". Can anyone tell me if they have tried this test to improve their group sizes and did it work? I will try this test with two different neck tensions of .263 & .265


Nick

 

[dkhunt14]

In my Dashers the VLD did not like a jump. They liked it in 10 thousandths. Every gun is different and you have to test. Don't be afraid to try another thousandth smaller on the bushing. Matt

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have tried it. There will be a depth that shoots better, then you fine tune from there. If I was you, I'd shoot 3 shot groups starting .020 in working out .003" at a time until you find where it likes. If it still doesnt shoot like you want try a different powder or bullet.

 

[strut64]

I was able to buy Varget at Grice's in Clearfield PA this week. They had 1 LB, And one 8 LB. No 4 LB

 

[mikecr]

Bergers test works. Follow it coarse, then finer & finer till you lock in on it.

 

[BradY]

Ive seen alot of shooters having success actually jumping VLD's 30-40". My maddco 6.5mm barrel likes them jammed 0.010" and Im going to try jumped soon. But a mate is shooting a krieger just as well in f class with 40" jump and 140 vlds like me. I won a Western Australian F Open Queens Prize with a hart barrelled 6.5x47L with 130 bergers jumped 30". Jumping them in f class is a safer option I feel, the last thing you want with 1 thou tension on an unload command is an action full of powder...

 

[spclark]

Ive seen alot of shooters having success actually jumping VLD's 30-40".

30 - 40"?

Really??

How the heck long are their barrels?

(Seriously, I can make the mental adjustment to read that as '0.030" - 0.040" ' & agree with you in the end. Even 0.100" can work under certain conditions with some bullets. I once shot some 6XC's I'd loaded for one rifle with a 'short' chamber in another where the Berger 105VLD'S were jumping 0.060" & accuracy @ 600 yards was equal to that of cartridges loaded the same but only jumping 0.020", which incidentally is my usual practice. The long jumpers did show a little bit of primer cratering so pressures were higher so the 0.040" shorter seating did have an effect but not on paper.)

 

[r bose]

From testing, I found my 223 w/90g Berger VLD's shoots best jumping 35 thou.

 

[tuttlefarm]

Just like Matt suggested, try .264 and .263 bushings. they do like some moderate neck tension.
John

 

[BradY]

Ive seen alot of shooters having success actually jumping VLD's 30-40".

30 - 40"?

Really??

How the heck long are their barrels?

(Seriously, I can make the mental adjustment to read that as '0.030" - 0.040" ' & agree with you in the end. Even 0.100" can work under certain conditions with some bullets. I once shot some 6XC's I'd loaded for one rifle with a 'short' chamber in another where the Berger 105VLD'S were jumping 0.060" & accuracy @ 600 yards was equal to that of cartridges loaded the same but only jumping 0.020", which incidentally is my usual practice. The long jumpers did show a little bit of primer cratering so pressures were higher so the 0.040" shorter seating did have an effect but not on paper.)

That right there is why the world should be either metric or imperial! Not one or the other! I should have just not bothered with trying to shortcut and typed "thousandths" Oh well. Jump them 30 inches if you wish!

 

[spclark]

That right there is why the world should be either metric or imperial! Not one or the other!

Agreed, at least in theory.

I grew up acquainted with Metric but Imperial was all around me & what most everyone else used so it's what I'm most familiar with. Just avoid trying to do anything with fractions if possible. I actually prefer Metric for things like weights and volumes! It's when you get into dimensional stuff you need to watch where you drop the decimal point no matter which system you're using, which is where conventions are important.

I had a hunch I knew what you were suggesting in your post, if only because it's an unusual day on the range when a shooter brings out a barrel long enough to jump bullets 30 - 40 inches... unless maybe it's mounted on treads somehow & will take out five or six target frames at 5,000 meters with one round!

 

[johara1]

When i shot the Berger 105 H they shot in .2 from .060 jump to zero but when i started in they closed up to the zero's from in.008 to .012 a.004 window but that was with my .155 free bore reamer ……… jim

 

[maxpower]

In 2 out of around 10 barrels I have tried it in, I get them to work with a lot of jump. Some of my chambers were too short and I couldn't get enough jump, while I was able to try it in some barrels which had a deeper than optimal chamber.
Still, only 2 out of 10 liked a lot of jump at 1000yds. Both were were around the 0.100" jump area.

 

[DennisH]

Everyone one of my rifles like VLD's .010 in the lands.

Hybirds like anywhere from kissing to .050 off the lands, in the same rifles.

JMO

 

[johara1]

Dennis, I think the reason they like jumped and some like in, is the diameter of the bullets vary from .2429 to .244. By opening my free bore diameter up from .2435 to .2438 helped a lot. but the ones with the pressure ring that is smaller than the shank nothing really helps… jim

 

[BradY]

Ive seen a 22-250 barrel that I reckon had at least 3-4 inches jump ;D Was in nasty condition.

Yes growing up in Aus you get taught metric all the way through school. Then soon as I started doing any reloading calculations I had to re learn imperial to read verniers and micrometers.

I will only do two tests now with VLD style bullets. 10 thou jam and 40 thou jump. But most of the time for f class I will use hybrids first due to their better BC. Hybrids seem to vary more and not always be as seating depth insensitive as advertised in my experienced. 6mm a 50 thou jump with fat hybrids, 6.5mm a 10 thou jam, 7mm a 10 thou jump. VLD's is just one or the other...

 

[naagren]

Thanks to all for your input on this topic.

I went to the range yesterday and being a bit windy I set the target at 150 yd and tried seating depths of 40, 80 & 120 thou jumped for the Berger VLD 105gn in 3 shot groups. Interestingly I came to the same conclusion as BY1983 that 40 thou was the best grouping of the jumped seating depths. I also then tried either side of this at 30 thou and 50 thou jumped.

I also tried two bushes, .263 & .265 for my .268 neck and it looks like it prefers the .265 neck or there is very little difference.

I will next shoot targets at 300 yd and test the 10 thou jammed load against the 40 thou jumped. 5 shot x 3 targets each and determine which is grouping the best. I'm loading 30.8gn Varget in the 6mmBR and getting 2830 fps from a 26" barrel.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Work in .003" increments when you get close. Sometimes the window can be small and if your doing .010 or even .005' increments you may miss your best spot. Good luck.

 

[BradY]

Keep in mind too that a jammed load may work better at say 30.6- you will have a little more initial start pressure jamming to get the bullet moving. I found a good load with hybrids jumped in one rifle and then jammed them which wasnt as good. But backed off on powder charge and I found the best of them all...

 

[amamnn]

Not to hijack the thread, but................ I wonder how many of the people who have posted answers here use the Berger/Redding VLD specific seating stem in their seater die and if so, has it made a difference for you?
The depth test business notwithstanding.............