Nosler RDF's

[L W P]

Has anyone else noticed the range of weight that the 140gr Nosler RDF's are? I purchased two 500ct boxes and the weights vary from 139.30 - 140.25. Almost a full grain difference. Seems like a lot to me for being a match bullet? Anyone else had this much variation? Guess I'll be sorting in batches of three or four.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I didnt know nosler was making actual match bullets. Thats typical to very good for a mass produced bullet no matter if they call them hand packaged or new machine made or even to go as far as calling them “match grade”

 

[L W P]

Well when I look on the top of the box and it says Ultra-High BC Match Bullets I'm assuming that there Match ? No?

 

[L W P]

Thats typical to very good for a mass produced bullet


Not sure that I understand?

 

[Dgd6mm]

Very interesting. I would make 2 lots, about a 1/2 grain apart for myself. I know I can't shoot the difference, Heck for that matter not even 1 grain. Should they be better than that ? I don't know, I don't weigh my bullets, shooting f class and PRS.

 

[dstoenner]

Well when I look on the top of the box and it says Ultra-High BC Match Bullets I'm assuming that there Match ? No?

Yes nosler considers them match not hunting bullets

 

[MrBottleneck]

I shoot the 140gr RDFs in my 6.5 and it does quite well with them.
Yes, I too noticed a slight variation in weight but, nothing to drastic.
I know they shoot steel at 1000 yards very good. The BC are fantastic and you cant beat the price.

 

[rardoin]

Yes, that is not bad for a bullet produced by machine on a factory line. I found them to shoot decent but I could not get the 140's to shoot near as consistent as a handmade bullet and not as good as a berger 140 hybrid. But...they are cheap for sure. I will pay more to give me a better chance of winning F-class matches. If I was popping prairie dogs they would be a decent and cheap bullet.

 

[284winner]

I didnt know nosler was making actual match bullets. Thats typical to very good for a mass produced bullet no matter if they call them hand packaged or new machine made or even to go as far as calling them “match grade”

Nosler has always made custom competition match bullets. Not real popular until they jumped into the Reduced Drag Factor bullet. Competing with SMKs, VLDs and ELDs(Amax) they have done a decent job IMO. Not surprised that the weight varies some. There bc numbers seem much more accurate than there advertised LRAB bullets. Haven't personally shot my 6.5s yet but I have high hopes for it's success out to 600 yards.

 

[rardoin]

I found the claimed BC to be accurate at 600yds with a MV of 2930 fps avg..

 

[L W P]

I shoot the 140gr RDFs in my 6.5 and it does quite well with them.
Yes, I too noticed a slight variation in weight but, nothing to drastic.
I know they shoot steel at 1000 yards very good. The BC are fantastic and you cant beat the price.

Would you mind sharing your loaded info? Powder and weight , Brass , primers, and most importantly to me seating depth. I've heard that they like a .050" jump and that's where I've started. Not much success with that jump, compared to my 140gr Berger Hybrids. Trying the same load with the RDF's as the Hybrids, that shoot well to me.(3/4"-1" 5&10 shoot groups at 200yds) My recipe for The Bergers that I'm trying with the RDF's is Lapua SR brass, CCI-450,43.5grs of H-4350, seated at 2.820"-.825" OAL (=.040" jump). And the Bergers are 2.840"-.845" OAL which is about .065" jump. Bergers AV 2775fps with E/S 16 and S/D 6. The RDF's with the same charge went 2792fps AV, E/S 15, S/D 5, but with 1 1/2" - 2 1/4" groups at 200yds.

 

[L W P]

I wish that I could get the RDF 140gr bullets to shot as well as the Berger 140gr Hybrids, but time will tell. I just hope not too much time. The Berger Hybrids were very easy to find a load that works well with my rifle.

 

[ratbuster]

I was considering trying the 6mm RDF so this thread stimulated me to weigh some Berger 6mm 105 Hybrids to see how they compare to the Noslers. I weighed 50 of the Bergers with my 120FXi.....the extreme spread was only .2 grain. Quite a bit better than the Noslers.

Does anyone know how much one grain of mass affects drop at 1000 yards?

 

[MrBottleneck]

Would you mind sharing your loaded info? Powder and weight , Brass , primers, and most importantly to me seating depth. I've heard that they like a .050" jump and that's where I've started. Not much success with that jump, compared to my 140gr Berger Hybrids. Trying the same load with the RDF's as the Hybrids, that shoot well to me.(3/4"-1" 5&10 shoot groups at 200yds) My recipe for The Bergers that I'm trying with the RDF's is Lapua SR brass, CCI-450,43.5grs of H-4350, seated at 2.820"-.825" OAL (=.040" jump). And the Bergers are 2.840"-.845" OAL which is about .065" jump. Bergers AV 2775fps with E/S 16 and S/D 6. The RDF's with the same charge went 2792fps AV, E/S 15, S/D 5, but with 1 1/2" - 2 1/4" groups at 200yds.

41.4 gr H4350 2.861 coal and 2.220 to ogive
CCI 450s with Lapua SR Primer brass. This is .005 off and seems to be what my particular barrel likes. Average FPS of 2770 at 40*F and getting mid 5 to low 5 SD.
Not sure if that will help you any but, there is what mine seems to like.

 

[Liven The Dream]

I have them and tested three time from my 1000 yard prone rifle.
140 Berger HB and Sierra 142 New Tipped shoot way inside Noslers .

As stated not bad at the price ? I can drive over and pick them up.

The Guys at the Pro Shop said "you need to jump them at .030 or more ".

 

[L W P]

Yep, I guess I'll try .050" off and continue towards the lands carefully. Thanks guys.

 

[L W P]

I sure wish that these RDF's were the same design as Berger Hybrids. Not sure why any of the bullet manufacturers haven't copied the design yet? Would make life easier in the quest for finding that perfect seating depth. Load .020" - .100" off the lands and shoot.

 

[Rockin90]

I weighed 500 of the 6mm 105 RFD. They weighed 104.8-105.2. The majority were 104.9-105.1. I don't have the numbers in front of me but 95% fell in between those weights.

 

[ratbuster]

I weighed 500 of the 6mm 105 RFD. They weighed 104.8-105.2. The majority were 104.9-105.1. I don't have the numbers in front of me but 95% fell in between those weights.

That's a much smaller variation in weight than the OP found.

 

[dsculley]

As to jump for the RDF's, I am shooting the 140's in my 6.5x47 with a .060" jump. I tried the Berger seating depth test and that is where I wound up. I have heard it said they are not picky about seating depth but that has not been my experience.