Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

[Firefour]

Just discovered I'm about out of my sierra 175's and have a possible 1K match next weekend. I do have a couple of boxes of berger 185 vld's I have yet to try, so anyone been there, done that with this bullet?

Can't seem to find a lot of specific info on this bullet, load.
I have varget, RL15, and H4895 with a 24" rock bbl. .308

 

[tansinator]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

Seat into the lands or just shy. Varget 44.9 grains and rock and roll. Shoots better in my .308 than the 175's. I have a 1 in 12 twist 25 inch Schieder barrel.

Eddie

 

[tansinator]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

And as always, start below and work up to this load.

Eddie

 

[One_Man]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I would be very careful shooting 44.9 gr Varget with a 185 gr Berger. That is going to be a hot load. I shoot the Berger HPBT 185 gr LR. My load is:

Lapua brass neck sized .336
185 gr Berger HPBT LR .308
Federal 210m primers
42.2 gr Varget
2.265" OAL or 2.930" COAL
est velocity 2625 fps

Will make it to 1K easy and is damn accurate out of my Savage 10FP.

 

[308sako]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

deleted in protest

 

[vman]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

They shoot well out of my gun when close to the lands... unfortunately thats out of mag length and not seated very far at all into the case.

They do well at dropping stuff too

 

[Belisarius]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I've had good experience with RL15 and 185 VLD. Very accurate with a 45gr. charge in my rifle.

 

[Firefour]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

Thanks for the info, I've read that the vld's are picky on seating, into the lands, off the lands.
Any thoughts on this?

 

[Belisarius]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

Touching the lands in my case.

 

[seven mm]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I had excellent luck with R15 and the 185's, work load up as usual, my load clocked 2715 out of a 22" rock tube.

 

[one shot ST]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I've a lot of Berger VLD hunting 185 lot 1672 gr match grade... BC .549 are the same bullet you are talking.. ?

thanks

 

[fastgixxerlv]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I think that the BC on the hunting ones are the same as the target ones. I had a tough time finding a good load for my rifle. (Waisted 200 rounds) In my rifle .01 off the lands or into and they are all over the place. They also like to move at just a tad over 2600fps for me. With 42.9 of IMR 4064 I'm getting 2635fps and with 42.1 of RL 15 I get 2615fps. They are both the same accuracy with me shooting. I have a question for you guys. Why am I getting close to an inch grouping at 100 yards, and get tighter to just over half inch at 200? Do these bullets not stabalize at 100?

 

[mavrick10_2000]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Firefour</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the info, I've read that the vld's are picky on seating, into the lands, off the lands.
Any thoughts on this? </div></div>

Here is a great article from Bryan Litz dealing exactly with your question VLD's-----> Loading VLD's

 

[ubet]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fastgixxerlv</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think that the BC on the hunting ones are the same as the target ones. I had a tough time finding a good load for my rifle. (Waisted 200 rounds) In my rifle .01 off the lands or into and they are all over the place. They also like to move at just a tad over 2600fps for me. With 42.9 of IMR 4064 I'm getting 2635fps and with 42.1 of RL 15 I get 2615fps. They are both the same accuracy with me shooting. I have a question for you guys. Why am I getting close to an inch grouping at 100 yards, and get tighter to just over half inch at 200? Do these bullets not stabalize at 100? </div></div>

Yes, takes them awhile to stablize, in my 300wsm it took 300yds for them too. I always had a 300 us zero, and would nor shoot them below that for groups.

 

[ubet]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mavrick10_2000</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Firefour</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the info, I've read that the vld's are picky on seating, into the lands, off the lands.
Any thoughts on this? </div></div>

Here is a great article from Bryan Litz dealing exactly with your question VLD's-----> Loading VLD's </div></div>

Great article, thank you!

 

[Bronco]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

Shot the 185 Berger BT long range at the OK. F-class champs at both the 600 and 1000. Works well, kicks a bit more. Was able to push them @ 2650 out of a 24" Krieger seated .010 off the lands using RL-15. Pretty stiff load and had to keep them cool. Think the 2620 area is all I'll try for in the future. Barrel is a 1 in 11 and shows good stability even at 100yd.

 

[one shot ST]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

these are my first test with the Berger 185 VLD... very impressive,
rifle:

HTR .308 twist 1:12
Lapua case improved from 30.06 trim at 51.80 mm
FGM210 M
N550 48.5 gr
Berger 185 VLD
bullet touch the lands
average muzzle velocity 820 m/s ( crono PVM-08)

yesterday with the following meteo conditions

station pressure 985.5 mb
temperature 27 C°
relative humidity 55%

the bullet was still in supersonic range at 1041 m........

on the left 100 m target, on the right 300 m target.. to compare groups there is a a sample target for 300 m competition in Italy

this was done in open range..... always 100 m but is a 10 shots groups

and this are the case.... no pressure sign or other...

next test long distance

 

[one shot ST]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

today at 600 Y same load, on the right side a standard target..

I put 3.9 MILS for elevation and .1L for windage.

wind from 10 o'clock 1/2 m/s, shooting position.. seated, ATLAS full open plus one notch, under the stock only one finger.

sun 12 o'clock a lot of mirage, scope S&B PM II reticle P4 used at 12x

 

[Inline6]

Re: Berger 185 VLD-308 help needed

I am .087 off the lands (mag length) 42.5gr varget, lapua brass,
FGMM primers, 23" Mike Rock 1-11.25. I am getting 2560fps at 15' A/S.
It is a solid 1/3 MOA (most of the time better) load out of my gun.