Among service rifle shooters it seem to be popular to shoot something like a 77gr SMK from the magazine and then single-load the longer tipped (secant ogive) Berger VLD bullets for longer distances.
Unfortunately, that strategy does not lend itself well to tactical matches. If I already suffer the reduced accuracy of a semi-auto, I want at least the advantage of faster follow-up shots by feeding from the mag. I am thinking here about DMR matches and events where a bolt gun shooter (for long range) is teamed up with a semi shooter (for targets inside of 800 yards).
The 77 SMKs group excellent out of my current barrel at 600 yards with V0~2600fps but that load is deep into the trans-sonic region at 800 yards. The problem is that I cannot try easily what will actually happen due to local range limitations.
Rather than taking the risk of an unpleasant surprise, I would rather try to keep the speed above 1200 fps out to 800 yards at sea level. A bullet with a better BC would do that easier than trying to jack up the muzzle velocity for the 77SMKs.
The 70gr VLDs shoot alright (not as well as the SMKs) from my current Wylde chamber but due to the magazine length limitation I cannot explore the jump region Berger recommends for these bullets (.010 -.130).
Is there a chambering that is especially well suited for the Berger VLD bullets loaded at magazine length?
I do not care if that leade would be too short for M193 and M855, their commercial copies, or anything else you would buy in a store. Nobody else but me is going to use that barrel and I do not remember when I bought the last box of 5.56 factory ammo.
Unfortunately, that strategy does not lend itself well to tactical matches. If I already suffer the reduced accuracy of a semi-auto, I want at least the advantage of faster follow-up shots by feeding from the mag. I am thinking here about DMR matches and events where a bolt gun shooter (for long range) is teamed up with a semi shooter (for targets inside of 800 yards).
The 77 SMKs group excellent out of my current barrel at 600 yards with V0~2600fps but that load is deep into the trans-sonic region at 800 yards. The problem is that I cannot try easily what will actually happen due to local range limitations.
Rather than taking the risk of an unpleasant surprise, I would rather try to keep the speed above 1200 fps out to 800 yards at sea level. A bullet with a better BC would do that easier than trying to jack up the muzzle velocity for the 77SMKs.
The 70gr VLDs shoot alright (not as well as the SMKs) from my current Wylde chamber but due to the magazine length limitation I cannot explore the jump region Berger recommends for these bullets (.010 -.130).
Is there a chambering that is especially well suited for the Berger VLD bullets loaded at magazine length?
I do not care if that leade would be too short for M193 and M855, their commercial copies, or anything else you would buy in a store. Nobody else but me is going to use that barrel and I do not remember when I bought the last box of 5.56 factory ammo.
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