Thread: Strategy for reloading for Berger VLD

I'm interested in getting forum members' methods for load development for these - the quickest way to find an accurate load with the least amount of experimentation ?

As a general rule for a new bullet I'm trying out I would look to try a few powders in the target burn range first, and for each powder load one batch at maybe 50k peak PSI and a second at 60k. Having shot these, the powder producing the tightest group/s is then used to load up over a range of powder weights starting from say 50k peak PSI up through to whatever my maximum is, looking for group size and POI variations. A second powder might also be tried or held in reserve. Any powder that could only deliver 2moa up front I'll reject without further consideration. Seating depth is third on the list and tweaked as a last refinement.

With the VLDs, where seating depth is that much more critical, should the order for determining these three (powder type, charge weight, jump) be changed around ?

If the seating depth window for best accuracy is missed when trying out the different powders, have folk subsequently found they initially passed over a powder that with further experimentation gave good - or the best - results ?

And is the order above still a usable stategy if trialling the newer classic hunter VLD that are more forgiving with seating depth ?

Did using Bergers tech bulletin recommendations work for you ?
http://www.longrangehunting.com/foru...r-rifle-40204/

Find max charge pressure with just touch. Back it off to safe then do the groups at seating depths thing as suggested on berger sight. Mine shot best at 120 thou jump. Didnt need any further tuning after test

Thanks for info.

Tested another batch of older (yellow box) 168gr in the .280 in the last week, using a number of suitable powders, two depths some distance apart; 20 thou off and 80 thou off. All loaded to a predicted similar barrel time.
I saw a fair bit of variation in the groups. Re-25 at 0.080" gave 1/2moa through to 2213SC at the shorter 0.020" jump for 2.5moa. Re-22, N560 and so on all in between. The difference in group size between these two bullet jumps for a given powder was similar to the difference between powders for a given jump. So I've pretty much answered my own question.

Surprised I didn't get much feedback on this when many of the more experienced on this site load these, and given these would be one of the more finicky style of projectiles to load for - shared experience would benefit us all.

So if i have read this correctly your rifle prefered the projectile to jump further with all powders? Or just some of them?

I use the VLD's a little bit but have'nt found the right load yet and have just kept going with the Accubonds, as they are consistantly 0.75" and the ES around 18 fps (can't remember exactly).

I should try to sort a load out for the VLD's, but time....

I also tried the bergers but gave up as other bullets were an easier/quicker fix.

Buy kiwi.. Try some targex =)

All very time consuming for sure. Yes, Targex (as it seems with projectiles from pretty much any other manufacturer) would no doubt be faster for reaching a decision on suitability. I only shoot 7mm and 25-cal though.

Puku, with these two jumps the longer 0.080" gave better groups than 0.020" for each powder tried, but not all powders gave tight groups even with the longer jump, and similarly one of the powders shot a pretty respectable group with the shorter jump. My observation though is that the distance to the rifling can not be treated as a final refinement in load development for the 168gr Bergers in this rifle as it has been when using other bullets. It looks to have an effect as significant on group size as type of powder and charge weight. All the online info and comments indicated that this would be the case - I just wanted to get a feel for it.

Experimentation is at an early stage. I haven't fired off a lot of rounds (yet) so the results are just suggestive, and because I wanted to check several powders I only tried two different jumps rather than the 4-5 recommended in the above link, though it already looks like somewhere close to 80-thou will be OK. I gather some rifles can have more than one sweet spot as well which would be useful - I might be able to find an accurate load that also fits in the magazine if somewhere out at 0.15-0.2" jump also shoots well! I went through 2 boxes of AMAXs trying to get them to shoot and couldn't get rid of the occasional flyer, so the 168 Bergers are my other > 0.6 BC option. Can't shoot the 180s; 1:10 twist, possibly the reason for the AMAX difficulties.

Im only just starting reloading myself, so this is what Ive read/seen so far. Conventional wisdom is the bullet out at the start of the riflling is the max pressure for that charge (am I wrong?) so until you do that first anything else could be dangerious, assuming your mag feeds it. If not you are stuck with the length the mag allows, our range rules say we feed one at a time so I dont worry. I want to experiment with powders myself but the club gets a huge discount so its something for the future when Ive learnt more. Also primers, from what I can see match grade are the same cost as the ordainary ones and we get them cheap. You want the case filled with a powder as that gives the max pressure(?) but max velocity may not be max accuracy, but im shooting 308 at 1000 yds so have to keep it above transonic...

gtg

regards

Steven, my intention with this particular thread was to bring together some strategies for loading specifically the Berger VLD projectiles because of their sensitivity to "jump". You might want to steer clear of Bergers for this reason, and go with more tractable bullet designs for your 1000yd work.