NEW Berger 7mm 180 gr BT-THICK

[EricStecker]

In the past we have received feedback that some shooters have trouble getting our 7mm 180 gr VLD to work in their rifle. For this reason we are now making a 7mm 180 gr BT,non-VLD) bullet. An additional feature is that this new bullet is made exclusively on the new THICK J4 jackets.

The THICK J4 jackets are meant to significantly reduce if not eliminate bullet failure under the harshest of conditions. So far we have made 6.5mm and 7mm bullets with THICK J4 jackets. 6mm, 22 cal and 30 cal are soon to follow.

These 7mm 180 gr BT-THICK bullets have not been tested yet. To see how they work I need the first ten shooters who can test these bullets by the end of June. If you can do this please send an email to Michelle Gallagher at michelle.gallagher@bergerbullets.com.

It is required that on your email you use the subject line TEST 7MM 180 GR BT-THICK IN JUNE. This will be accepted as your promise to shoot these bullets this month and report your findings to us and on the forum.

The bullets are in stock now and will be shipped at no charge to you on Monday. If they shoot well we'll keep making them, if they don't shoot well for most who test them we won't make them anymore.

Regards,
Eric

 

[JHardy]

Eric:

E-mail sent to Michelle.

Jim Hardy

 

[brad6ppc]

Eric,email sent to Michelle.Thanks,Brad

 

[coupalr]

E-mail sent to Michelle

Thanks

 

[sewwhat89]

I received them earlier this week, and they look fantastic. I started to measure them to sort them by bearing surface. The first five were identical so I stopped. I am in the process of changing my dies to seat these bullets into the lands 0.015". It just so happens that the base of the bearing surface is flush with the top of the shoulder when loaded at the lands. This gives me a COAL of 2.930" IIRC for my 7 SAUM with the bullet 0.015" into the lands. Meetings have kept me from the range; however, Friday AM I will shoot some ladders and Saturday or Sunday I will shoot some groups and let you know how they do for me.

 

[Bolo]

Didn't get to test at 600 today but found the sweet spot for my rifles. It appears that my rifles prefer about 2890 and 3020fps average. My tactical rig shot .244 for 5 shots at 2890 and my HG BR rig shot .303 at 3020fps. I guess my BR barrel is a fast one. It's 30 inches and the tactical is 28. Both are Kreiger 1 in 9 chambered in 7 SAUM using the same load only different seating depths.
Saved some to test against the Sierra 175s at 600. Have a good load for those at 2920fps.
Didn't get as much increase in pressure as the 6.5 140 thick jackets to the 140 VLDs. But velocities were higher with the same loads.
It appears like a fantastic bullet for the 284Win, 280 Rem or the 280 AI. And I here Jerry Tierney shot a very good match with these bullets in his 284.
When my tactical rifles barrel goes, I going to have it's throat and leade cut for this bullet. That tube has over 1500 rounds sent through it and still shot in the 2s with that bullet today.

 

[Rob]

Shot the new Berger 180BT Thick out of the 7BooBoo today. Started off with a ladder to see if there was a sweet spot or two. Setup at 300yds and started with 63.3g Norma MRP and went to 69.0g. Velocity spread was from 2968 to 3180fps measured with an Oehler 35P with 4' rail. at 15 ft from muzzle. All ladder loads were loaded at 0.005" off the lands. Results showed 2 potential sweet spots at 64.8g at 3013fps and 67.5g at 3132fps.

Loaded up 3 rounds each at 3 seating depths. At the lands, 0.010" jump and 0.010" jam. Again shooting at 300yds, the load at the lands was a nice lil round group that measures roughly 0.904". The jumped load was a 0.765" with a double. The jammed load was just ugly with lots of vertical. The load at the lands ran 3116, 3131 and 3126. The jumped load at 3126, 3125 and 3133. The jammed load at 3131,3134 and 3140.

All test loads were shot off portable bench. All test loads were bullets that measured -0.002" on the comparator.

Will shoot the jumped load of 67.5g MRP this weekend at the WV 1000yd match and report back then.

The rifle is built on a 10" Bat with a 32" 9 twist Krieger. Barrel is 1.750" for 10" and then tapers to 1.450" at the muzzle. Baer wood stock and stainless rails. Roughly 400 rounds at the time of the test. Rifle has shot well at 1000yds with the Sierra 175MK and 69.0g MRP.

Feel free to email with any questions.
Rob

 

[Rob]

Shot the Berger 180BT Thick at the WV 1000yd match yesterday. Great lil range that shoots up a tight holler,as we say in SE Ohio and in WV). Conditions appeared to be great and I shot my relay much slower then normal for me. Many impacts on clay pigeons at 1000yd during the sighters with mostly vertical showing.

Target 1 returned with a 96 score, which set the new range record for score in HG, and a 11.377" group. Jim Lorenz also set the new range group record in that relay. Not my best effort, but take the two horizontal fliers out and the group shrinks to a little over 6". Shootoff target returned the same info. A 95 score for Target 2 and a group that measures about 12". Again 6 shots centered up in the 10 ring with more vertical in this target then the first.

I think that these bullets show great promise and will be getting a few more boxes to finish tweaking a load for them. Possibly trying some different powders for a better tune.

Many thanks to Eric and Berger for supplying these bullets to test. Hopefully I was able to impart some information of use to those interested in shooting this fine bullet.

 

[sewwhat89]

Well, with some relief from the rains, I went to the range this morning to shoot a couple ladders for these bullets. The good news is I found what looks to be a great load; however, it is on the low end of the ladder.

57.6-58.2 gr MRP
7mm RSAUM
Wolf LRM
2600-2650 fps ;,

This range put four rounds into one hole for me. I will go back and shoot some groups later this week back out to 400 yards or so. These bullets shoot better than any other bullets I have shot thus far in my rifle. I've shot 168 and 175 SMKs, 162 AMAX, 145 Speer FB and 168 gr Berger VLDs. Initially, it looks like we have a winner!

 

[paulT]

Are thease new bt thicks availible in 6mm, also are the thicker j4 jackets availible with the 105g 6mm VLD bullets ifso what is the order code for the 105g thick j4 6mm molly VLd bullets. thanks paul.

 

[EricStecker]

So far we have made only the 6.5mm and 7mm in the THICK jacket configuration. Remember that the THICK jacket is meant to eliminate or significantly reduce bullet failures. The standard bullets still perform very well.

We will soon be making THICK jacket bullet is 22 cal, 6mm and 30 cal. When these bullets are available we will be posting the news on this forum.

Regards,
Eric

 

[sewwhat89]

All the loads I shot with the MRP left quite a bit of carbon fouling in my barrel. I changed over to some 4350ish burn rate powders trying to pick up some more velocity and cut down on the carbon. These bullets do not seem to leave much copper in my barrel. To date, I have four loads that shoot between 1/2 and 1/4 MOA with these bullets. I am not sure as the actual velocities due to the weather,rain/cloudy); however, I will be shooting them at 500m before long to make sure I can keep them stable. These have been the most consistent bullets I have shot thus far in my rifle.

 

[rhino]

I shoot the vld 6.5's and yes they did take more tweaking to get to shoot right. However once you have your load that higher bc comes into play.

I remember last year in the NE regionals myself and the guy next to me shot at nearly the identical time. He was shooting the 142 SMK and I was shooting 140 VLD Berger. Well we both missed a wind change. He was blown out into the 8 while I held an on the line 10. That new F-class target is brutal!

Basically what I see in the Thicks is a bullet you can load and shoot and not play with like the SMK's.

RHINOUT!