Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

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Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by jackles » 21 Oct 2013, 2:06 pm

Hi all,

So I'm new to shooting and have been working my way through a few types of ammo in my .308 to find what works well, and done a little reloading with a mate.

Not to the stage of fine tuning loads let, but getting 1.5" - 2.5" groups with my current novice level skill.

Just for fun, I bought a pack of 185gr Berger's so I could shoot a heavy pill for the kick and Berger's have gotten a good wrap on other shooting forums and stuff I've read.

Putting them through my Rem 700 though, I got 7" - 8" groups on my first batch.

Hardly thorough testing I know, but disappointing compared to the few other groups I got and big write up the Berger's got :(
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Spooner » 21 Oct 2013, 3:30 pm

As you said, putting 1 load down range is hardly fair testing.

You'll see as you worth further into your loads and fine tune things, a few grains of powder here or there can make a group go from 1" to 5" no problems.
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Rippah » 21 Oct 2013, 4:55 pm

More testing required...
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Carter » 21 Oct 2013, 8:37 pm

Rippah wrote:More testing required...


+1 for this.

Discounting a bullet after only 1 load is pointless. You could be missing out on a very accurate load that you'd find with more testing.
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Wisey » 29 Oct 2013, 6:38 am

185gr is a big pill for a standard .308

Let us know how you go anyways
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by jackles » 29 Oct 2013, 9:19 am

TBH I just gave the 185gr a go because that was all they had.

I'll try something in the 150-160 grain in due course.
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Norton » 29 Oct 2013, 9:45 am

jackles wrote:Hardly thorough testing I know, but disappointing compared to the few other groups I got and big write up the Berger's got :(


You really try to try more load testing before you'll know.

A few grain of powder here or there and they could turn around into the perfect load.

Test, test, test...
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by reddog » 29 Oct 2013, 9:54 am

I would guess they are a very long bullet do they need a special twist barrel ?
You can test all you want but if they are not stabilised you wont get them to shoot ?
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Norton » 29 Oct 2013, 11:07 am

reddog wrote:I would guess they are a very long bullet do they need a special twist barrel ?
You can test all you want but if they are not stabilised you wont get them to shoot ?


You're right. If it's too long it's just too long and you'll never get it to shoot well regardless of anything else.

My point was that, really, it's pointless to try one load and dismiss a bullet as not suitable.

At a minimum, you'd need to do a spread of loads from starting to max in .5gr increments to see what potential it has.

Jackles could do that and he might find a winner, or it might be totally useless like you said. If you don't try though you don't know.

I'd try a few more loads before chucking them out is all I'm saying.
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 07 Dec 2013, 10:10 am

Jackle
My son and i wont use anything else and they are the most accurate we have used in our rifles.
They work well on game and shoot bug holes but you have to play around with your loads.If your rifle twist is not suited to the projectile weight then you will have problems as they are a longer projectile.Get the projectile out as far as possible as they are lance sensitive we run around 5 to 12 thou depending on rifle. We hand feed some times as they end up 2 long for the mag.
Barrel twist is very important so check there site and will give you there recommendation on barrel twist to projectile weight and if you follow these things you will change your mind as most shooters i know that shoot long range love them.
We are all waiting for them to make a 350 gr in 375 which they have put back for now.
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by Warrigul » 07 Dec 2013, 1:49 pm

jackles wrote:Hi all,

So I'm new to shooting and have been working my way through a few types of ammo in my .308 to find what works well, and done a little reloading with a mate.

Not to the stage of fine tuning loads let, but getting 1.5" - 2.5" groups with my current novice level skill.

Just for fun, I bought a pack of 185gr Berger's so I could shoot a heavy pill for the kick and Berger's have gotten a good wrap on other shooting forums and stuff I've read.

Putting them through my Rem 700 though, I got 7" - 8" groups on my first batch.

Hardly thorough testing I know, but disappointing compared to the few other groups I got and big write up the Berger's got :(


150-165 grains is all you will ever need for hunting purposes in a .308, to stabilise anything heavier will require too much pressure and a 26" plus barrel or a faster twist than what I suspect has come with your Remington.. You are wasting your time with the 185's the game will never know much difference. I load for five hunting .308's at the moment and they are all wearing Winchester softpoint 150 grainers crimped tight in front of a medium load of 2208, all shoot better than MOA except for a worn out Parker Hale that is around 2" at 100. For target I use 155 grain HDC Dyers in two rifles and their accuracy over a rest is better than 1/2".

It is all right to experiment but as you have found out it is not always successful, all of us make similar mistakes(not meaning to sound patronising) I have dozens of part boxes of projectiles that never lived up to the purpose I had in mind for them.

Usually if the load and projectile are somewhere in the ballpark of suitability they will shoot better than 2" at 100m and fine tuning is what brings it closer.

Just my humble observations, keep experimenting -if someone hadn't tried something different in the 1850's we would still be using cap and ball colts
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by dustin » 08 Dec 2013, 12:05 pm

Oldboy 7mm Dakota wrote:Barrel twist is very important so check there site and will give you there recommendation on barrel twist to projectile weight and if you follow these things you will change your mind as most shooters i know that shoot long range love them.


I wish all brands did this.

If Berger do it that's great. I know Sierra mention it on their website for bullets which are particularly long and/or need an unusually fast twist. Other than that nothing though...

You'd think this would be pretty common info that should be on every pack of bullets...
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Re: Disappointed with Berger hunting VLD's

Post by jackles » 07 Jan 2014, 10:19 am

I'm giving the Bergers another go.

There is a batch of 168 gr Match Grade Classic Hunter's boxed up and ready to go for the weekend :D
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