As many of you have already taken the time to help me out with choosing a new reticle for my planning Nightforce purchase, I thought I would put it out there for some input on my new build. I am currently running a Savage 12 F-TR with 155.5 Bergers but I am looking to commit to the game and step up to a custom build. My main question is whether to build a rifle suited to the Berger 185s or the 200s. I am interested in the 200s since they seem to be the way to go but I know that the 185s have been very competitive too. Thanks guys for any advice you can send my way.
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F T/R Competition Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
- Thread starter cjmill87
- Start date
Re: Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
Don't think you can go wrong with either bullet. I personally shoot the 185s (hybrids and Juggernauts) but know a few guys that do well with the 200 hybrids. If recoil isn't an issue for you the 200s might be the way to go. I might step up to the 200s myself when this barrel is wore out.
Don't think you can go wrong with either bullet. I personally shoot the 185s (hybrids and Juggernauts) but know a few guys that do well with the 200 hybrids. If recoil isn't an issue for you the 200s might be the way to go. I might step up to the 200s myself when this barrel is wore out.
Re: Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
I usually shoot the 175 smk but have played with the 155's, they shoot pretty good and you can almost get 3000 fps with them. If you use the newer palma SMK 2156 the BC isn't bad. Trick is getting the OAL to where they group in your rig.
I usually shoot the 175 smk but have played with the 155's, they shoot pretty good and you can almost get 3000 fps with them. If you use the newer palma SMK 2156 the BC isn't bad. Trick is getting the OAL to where they group in your rig.
Re: Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
The driver is always going to be more important than the bullet, and nothing but practice is going to make you a better driver. Guys shooting 155s have beaten guys shooting heavies in pretty much all wind conditions.
That said, windage is where most of your points are going to be lost, 155s pushed really hard still give up more than 185s, and 185s give up more than 200s, but there is a cost. Pushing anything hard is going to kill your brass. You can get loose primers in a hurry if you get the pressures up there.
Heavies have more recoil, more fatigue at the end of a match, getting pushed out of position more each shot.
I personally haven't run the 200s (yet) but what I read online from very good shooters who have is that they are more sensitive to technique, which makes sense, more recoil means the recoil cycle of the rifle will be effected more by variations in your position and will effect the poi.
Another consideration for me at least is that Bergers cost about 20¢ more per bullet than some of the other options. In my case I shot over 1500 rounds this yr in competition and practice. I have identical loads with the Hornady 178 and the 185LRBT. The difference is about 1MOA of vertical and the 178s give up about an inch per full value MPH, not something that I can hold, but something that will cost you a point here and there, but having a load with the 178s saves a few hundred a yr because I shoot them in club matches and most of my practice.
What kind of wind do you usually see at your range? Here in Oak Ridge - well, we have winds that you can't see
- but typically I never dial more than a couple of MOA so the advantage of the 200s is less, but at places like Raton and Camp Perry you can be dialing on 7MOA or more, and might get a minute or more less windage when its blowing. I got a little side by side practice at Raton with a friend shooting 200s, I was shooting 185s; in the wind during the Friday practices it looked like he was seeing about 1.5MOA less adjustment, or at least about a minute and a half less on the letoffs, but my 185s did win one match in the wind, and I believe Darrell said that there were matches won with 155s too.
Personally I would not set up to shoot 155s, but neither the 185s or the 200s would be a wrong answer.
The driver is always going to be more important than the bullet, and nothing but practice is going to make you a better driver. Guys shooting 155s have beaten guys shooting heavies in pretty much all wind conditions.
That said, windage is where most of your points are going to be lost, 155s pushed really hard still give up more than 185s, and 185s give up more than 200s, but there is a cost. Pushing anything hard is going to kill your brass. You can get loose primers in a hurry if you get the pressures up there.
Heavies have more recoil, more fatigue at the end of a match, getting pushed out of position more each shot.
I personally haven't run the 200s (yet) but what I read online from very good shooters who have is that they are more sensitive to technique, which makes sense, more recoil means the recoil cycle of the rifle will be effected more by variations in your position and will effect the poi.
Another consideration for me at least is that Bergers cost about 20¢ more per bullet than some of the other options. In my case I shot over 1500 rounds this yr in competition and practice. I have identical loads with the Hornady 178 and the 185LRBT. The difference is about 1MOA of vertical and the 178s give up about an inch per full value MPH, not something that I can hold, but something that will cost you a point here and there, but having a load with the 178s saves a few hundred a yr because I shoot them in club matches and most of my practice.
What kind of wind do you usually see at your range? Here in Oak Ridge - well, we have winds that you can't see
Personally I would not set up to shoot 155s, but neither the 185s or the 200s would be a wrong answer.
Re: Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
Good post XTR. I've shot a few comps now, and I can tell you that on a windy day, all things being equal the heavier bullet wins. Trick is to get as much vertical out of the heavier bullet as possible. I think most of the top guys these days run at least the 185s. And my guess is they are either experimenting, or already using 200s or heavier.
Good post XTR. I've shot a few comps now, and I can tell you that on a windy day, all things being equal the heavier bullet wins. Trick is to get as much vertical out of the heavier bullet as possible. I think most of the top guys these days run at least the 185s. And my guess is they are either experimenting, or already using 200s or heavier.
Re: Advice on Bullet Weight for New Build
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: easygoose</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good post XTR. I've shot a few comps now, and I can tell you that on a windy day, all things being equal the heavier bullet wins. Trick is to get as much vertical out of the heavier bullet as possible. I think most of the top guys these days run at least the 185s. And my guess is they are either experimenting, or already using 200s or heavier. </div></div>
I agree, from what i'm seeing the 185s and up rule for the most part.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: easygoose</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good post XTR. I've shot a few comps now, and I can tell you that on a windy day, all things being equal the heavier bullet wins. Trick is to get as much vertical out of the heavier bullet as possible. I think most of the top guys these days run at least the 185s. And my guess is they are either experimenting, or already using 200s or heavier. </div></div>
I agree, from what i'm seeing the 185s and up rule for the most part.
