Twist rate for Berger 95 VLD

[vegeta]

I tried searching to the answer but could not come up with a definitive opinion.

I have a 1 in 10 twist barrel. Will this stabilize the Berger 95 gr VLD? Or is a 1 in 8 needed?

I am looking for a long range bullet to be used for prairie dogs. I am currently using Nosler 70gr ballistic tip.

Thanks,

Bobby

 

[SnakeEye]

A 10 twist should handle it fine...

Varmints For Fun

 

[Forum Boss]

Hoo-boy, this is controversial.

All I can say is, there are quite a few guys running the 95s in 6BR improveds with success, and their barrel says 1:10 on it. David Stripling says they stabilize fine in his 1:10 Krieger, using a 6BR AI case, with the bullets moly'd and pushed quite fast.

Berger says you need a 1:9.

Henry Childs says a 1:10 won't work period, you need a 1:9, and a 1:8 is a better choice for "all conditions" shooting,low ambient temps and altitudes).

So... if you've got a 1:10--Try 'em. They might work. If you're building a gun to shoot them, going with a 1:9" twist might be better. And yes, they shoot fine from a 1:8, but you'll get best results by sorting first.

 

[Forum Boss]

Donovan,

What seating depth and velocity are you running for the 87's. That is the one bullet my PacNor 1:8 didn't seem to like. SnakeEye told me to push them quite deep into the lands to get good accuracy.

One other issue that may be going on with the 95s is that, in the box we measured, there were some fairly substantial spreads in bullet OAL,.022"), and bearing surface,.008"). Could be that some lots had excessively long jackets or some pointing-up issues at the nose that contributed to instability.

This is one issue which may never be fully resolved. I know if I had a short-throated 1:10, I wouldn't hesitate to try the Berger 95s. However, you should remember that the bearing surface is really short on these bullets. To get them into the lands, you really should have a freebore of .070" or less. I have a .080" Freebore, and there's barely enough neck to hold 'em.

 

[vegeta]

Thanks for all the replys.

It looks like this is a controversial area. I will try some out and report back on my results.

Unfortunately I have a large freebore so I may not be able to properly load these rounds. I guess I will see how they work with some "jump".

I was going to use Varget as my powder. Any suggestions for starting charges?

Bobby

 

[Forum Boss]

Thanks for all the replys.

It looks like this is a controversial area. I will try some out and report back on my results. I was going to use Varget as my powder. Any suggestions for starting charges?

Bobby

I'd start at 30.4gr Varget and work up. I ended up at 31.4 with 3067 fps, but 31.2 gave 3060 fps with naked 95s. I may try pushing it a little, but the 31.2 load looks pretty good. This is with a 27" barrel that seems a bit peppier than average. You might end up close to 32.0 grains in your barrel.

 

[mikecr]

I don't believe Henry ever stated that 10tw wouldn't work.
In fact, I'm pretty sure he stated that they had great potential in 10tw. Just NOT under higher air densities, such as at his low altitudes, and during colder weather. This, he predicted and proved.

He suggests a 9 or even an 8tw, because he hasn't seen that as a problem,accuracy wise). He has calculated and seen better accuracy with higher stability and VLDs. Plus it leaves you potential for use of heavier bullets.

They obviously do work in 10tw for those living at higher altitudes and temps. And I'm sure Henry could prove that as well.

A recent clash I got into at SH, is whether a bullet such as this could be stabilized in even a lower twist, such as 1:11. An RPM theory persists that influences people to think that with enough velocity,or RPMs), even this combination would be okay.
I gotta throw the BS FLAG on that. As I don't believe anyone will see this bullet hit anything in 11tw. Regardless of velocity.

 

[vegeta]

I just tried out about 10 rounds that I quickly put together and the 95's seemed to stabilize just fine.

I did not chronograph these loads but I used 30grains of Varget.

I shot at 200 yards and got a group similar to my 70gr Nosler BT loads. Bullet holes were round so it did not appear that they were tumbling.

My barrel is supposed to be a 1-10" twist. Temp was only 70 F. I do not know my elevation but I do not suspect it is much above sea level.

Just wanted to report my results if anyone is interested.

Bobby

 

[rwleonard]

Thanks for the report. I am just waiting for a chance to get to the range to try some 95 Bergers in my 1-10 .243 Ackely. I have some 87 V-max for back-up.

Rick

 

[dkopriva]

My main prarie dog rifle.
I am shooting the 95 grain bergers in a 10 twist 26" straight 6BR. I am loading 31 grains of Varget for a veloctity of 2960 and they seem to shoot really well if they are sorted for bearing surface length. I am shooting in western KS at an elevation of 2950. Yesterday the temps were in the lower 70's and we had a wind of 12-17 mph from 10 o'clock and after we got the corrections dialed in we were hitting more than we missed at 500-600 yds on the little prarie rodents. I still prefer the 87 gr Hornadys just because they flatten PD's better. The bergers do a better job on the windy days.

Daryl Kopriva

 

[rwleonard]

I got a chance to shoot the Berger 95's in my 1-10 twist, .243 Ackley today. 80 culver clicks of RL-22 puts them into the .2's. I didn't get to chrono them or shoot past 100 yards, but so far, so good. I wouldn't build a rifle around this bullet in a 1-10 twist, but if they happen to do what I want them to out of the 1-10 twist I have, I'll sure use them until its time to re-barrel.

Rick