168 VLD load advice

justramit

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 3, 2009
34
1
45
Texas
I have been working with the 168 VLD 2.830 OAL in my remington VTR and I shot 3 shot groups from 42.5 grains to 45.5 grains of ramshot tac in .5 increments. The 43.5 (2615 fps)grain group was .5" with both surrounding groups about 1 inch and having the same center poi. The 45 grain (2720 fps) group was .625" and the two surrounding groups a hair over an inch, but with same basic poi. both 43.5 and 45 grain loads have same poi. Which would you go with? The .625 group @ 2720 or the .5" group @ 2615? Or should I just load 5 rounds of each and shoot further than 100 yds? It was about 80 degrees when I shot these, only thing I am wondering about is the 45 grain load in hotter weather.
 
Re: 168 VLD load advice

1) Shoot more than a single 5 round group, 15-20 is a minimum.

2) Work between the two loads. Pick one in the middle and load there for a full 15 or 20 rounds.

Some loads it's pointless to shoot more than 5 rounds. When you're closing in on a load you need to shoot more than 5 rounds.

Also, experiment with the seating depth, this can be very very important.

I was working on loads from the 204 Ruger I own.

26.8 grains shot 0.42 inches with a flier (no flier was 0.15) and 27.0 grains shot .656 inches

Both groups were set to the same seating depth. Next step for me is to work with the COL on the round to see how it goes. They don't make a 20 caliber VLD that I can find, but it's common knowledge that seating depth is a critical component of load development for VLD's

 
Re: 168 VLD load advice

The MOST important factor in loading a VLD is playing with the seating depth. Go to Bergers website and they have instruction on what they recomened to do. You will find a seating depth that will really stick them in there. If you want to play with the charge wait after that, go ahead. It has worked great for me that way
 
Re: 168 VLD load advice

Use a chrono. Each time you pull the trigger during load development, you waste info unless you are shooting over a chrono.