180gr 7mm bullet choice?

[csdilligaf]

I built a 7mm WSM with the intention of shooting the Berger 180 target VLD Hybrid. I am told the Hybrid will not be picky on seating depth as much as the regular VLD. I can not find them anywhere and missed the 500 that sold on the classifieds the other day. I will just be shooting steel targets at 1000 yards and paper for groups. Do you think I will loose anything if I go with Sierra Match King 180gr HPBT? Are the Berger that much better that I should wait to find them? Or go with the Regular VLD and see how that goes? The gun is a Surgeon single shot with a 27" Krieger Heavy Bull target barrel in a benchrest stock.

What would you do?

 

[Graham]

JLK 180s .005 off the lands.

.735 BC

 

[jbailey]

Be careful with 180gr SMK in chambers reamed for the 180gr Berger Hybrid. The ogive profile on the SMK is much thicker than the Berger and you will find yourself DEEP in the lands with the SMK when using the Berger OAL. I found this out the hard way and had to abandon the SMKs as result. With that said, the Bergers absolutely hammer. Good luck finding some!

 

[wfv56]

I recommend trying the 175 smk before the 180 smk. The 175 is a traditional easy to tune Sierra, the 180 is a VLD profile that I think is harder to tune. Regards Bill Vaughan

 

[dumbbell]

I went from the berger target vlds to the 180 smks in my 284. I did have to adjust seating depth about .020 on one gun and the other gun I didn't have to change a thing. The 180 smks have been 97% as good for me as far as quality and bc as the bergers, but are cheaper and much easier to find.

 

[pangelos]

Third generation shooting supply has 200+ boxes of 180 berger hybrids if you want some

 

[bribri]

Third generation shooting supply has 200+ boxes of 180 berger hybrids if you want some

WTF......wish I'd seen this about 5 minutes earlier.

 

[csdilligaf]

Thanks for the info guys. Now that it looks like I can find the hybrid I will jump on that and some SMK and have a shootout...