Berger Bullets

Lrt300 · Sep 2, 2009

I plan to try Berger Bullets this season. I plan to handload my 300 win mag with 168 gr. Berger Hunting bullets.

Would like to hear some thoughts and/or maybe some advice from those who have experienced using this load combination.

Thanks

TDIESEL · Sep 4, 2009

I don't have any experience with the 300 have shot them out of my 7mm shot well, just good luck getting them in your magazine. In my gun they liked being seated against the lands and that put them way too far. I got just as good of groups with accubonds and could get them in the magazine Just my .02Cents

7mm wsm 600yrd. and closer checkmate

ofdscooby · Sep 7, 2009

I just bought a couple boxes of the 7mm in 168 and they shoot terrible and I don't know why. You said they shot good out of your 7mm? What kind of gun do you shoot? Maybe they just don't like my gun. I'm shooting a savage 116 with a 22 inch barrel.

4000fps · Sep 7, 2009

Bought some 7mm 140's and tried them in my 280AI. They only shot so-so. Definitely need some tweaking. Odd part is, 6.5mm 140's shoot great in my 6.5x55, and are nowhere near the lands.

Thought about trying some 168's, since I have a 9 twist.

one_dryboot · Sep 8, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Sep-08-09 AT 09:22AM (MST)[p]I just started shooting berger 190's out of my 300 win mag. There seated 10 thousands away from the lands. my first load I shot a 1/2 inch group. my second group was less than 1/2 in. I am bery impressed with how they shoot out of my rifle.

My gun shoots great with accubonds, partitions, B-tips, E-tips. But Berger shoots better in my gun.

I like the heaver bullet like the 185 or 190s.

TDIESEL · Sep 9, 2009

I got the 140"s I don't really ever shoot heavy bullets I shoot a browning a-bolt I got about 1/2" groups all day long but like I said accubonds shot as well and I could load them in the magazine lots of playing with loads recently shot a 1" group at 300 yrds with the acccubonds I don't think I ever got that good with the berger but didn't spend the time tinkering either.
Everyone always thinks a heavier bullet is better but I say accuracy is better. find the grain of bullet your gun likes and the shape it will come together.

7mm wsm 600yrd. and closer checkmate

TDIESEL · Sep 9, 2009

And for additional info I shoot nothing but berger out of my 6mm PPC heavy barrel by far best bullet out of that gun I've found. nothing against the brand just need to try other things. everyone thinks it will make amazing groups but they have to find the sweet spot

7mm wsm 600yrd. and closer checkmate

fisrtcoueswas80inches · Sep 10, 2009

The above buck fell to a 115 Berger from my .257 wby mag. Load runs about 3230 FPS, and shoots about .75 MOA consistently. Not as accuarate as it could be, but that is about the potential of my rifle. Knocked the dog snot out of the buck. He only went 13 yards, and laid down and died. They are my Coues/deer/Antelope round but I will be switching to 100 TTSX when I go to Africa.

Casey

REDDOG · Sep 10, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-09 AT 10:41PM (MST)[p]Seeing how BC is the allure to bergers, here is a tidbit that anyone who has worked with bergers knows to be true.
In fact, bergers were found to be 24% ABOVE their actual BC.

"Discussion and Conclusion
An example demonstrates the implications of an exaggerated ballistic coefficient
for the Berger 115 grain VLD shot at 3148 fps. For a zero range of 200 yards
and a 10 mph cross wind, using the manufacturer?s claimed ballistic coefficient of
0.523 gives a drop of 45.1 in, a wind drift of 19.6 in, and an impact energy of
8?
299?
rifle
near
chronograph
far
chronograph
3
1180 ft-lbs at 550 yards for atmospheric conditions of 30? F, 0% relative humidity,
and 29.92 mm Hg. In contrast, using the more accurate BC of 0.419 gives a
drop of 49.8 in, a wind drift of 25.7 in, and impact energy of 956 ft-lbs under the
same conditions."

Cahunter805 · Sep 11, 2009

Reddog, I have read that berger gets their BC using the G7 charts and most bullets use G1. I am not sure if this is true but I do know that bergers fly extremely well if you can get them to shoot!

Longbow6360 · Sep 12, 2009

Burger was measuring some of thier bullets against the G1 standard projectile which is better suited to flat based bullets. They now use the G7 standard projectile to compare their bullets against. Berger bullets is now publishing correct BCs for their bullets. That's straight from Bryan Litz, Chief Ballistician For Berger Bullets.
You've got to love those Berger bullets!

"My sickle has a boattail"
"hidden soles leave .308 holes"

REDDOG · Sep 12, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-09 AT 00:31AM (MST)[p]longbow, just so i dont have to dig for the info myself, is berger now averaging velocity for the end results of their published BC? on a hollow point, it can make a huge difference if they are calculating the BC from 2500 or less FPS.

I know it is Sierra's practice to take the average from a wide range of velocity, and IMO, are the industry standard on the subject.

Longbow6360 · Sep 13, 2009

The last time I called about my bullet's BC, he gave me three different BCs for the same bullet. One for 0 - 1800, 1800 - 3000 and 3000 - above. I haven't seen it in print though.
You right it does make a difference at longer ranges.

"My sickle has a boattail"
"hidden soles leave .308 holes"