Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Caretaker on July 11, 2010, 09:40:29 PM

Title: Berger bullets
Post by: Caretaker on July 11, 2010, 09:40:29 PM: I'm not getting any success with 140 gr berger bullets in my Savage 270 WSM, I'm talking as much as 14" groups @ 100 yds, never seen anything like it in my life. Factory Federal 130 TSX are sub MOA so I know it's not the gun. Rifle twist rate is 1/11, Berger recommends at least 1/11. I've tried H1000, Retumbo, RL17, various seating depths, CCI 250 and Fed 215M primers. Anyone have similar experiences?
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: carpsniperg2 on July 11, 2010, 09:52:38 PM: yeah we have talked about them on here some people love them and i have posted asking questions about them and thought of trying them but a lot of people said the group pretty poor at 100 were other bullets will shoot better like they shoot 2" and other .5" but as you move out they stay at 2" at 200 400 etc kinda weird to me but you are not the first person i have heard say this. i think a lot of the poor results are because of rifling being 2 slow of twist in the older guns people try them in :dunno: i have not been willing to side line my noslers when i trust them with my life :tup:
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Caretaker on July 11, 2010, 09:58:09 PM: Agreed, I've gone through a box of 100 and I'm done with them, time to move on. Like you, they peaked my curiosity for a few years and I decided to try them. Live and learn I guess.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Jamieb on July 12, 2010, 05:49:17 AM: I got the 110gr .257 shooting out of my 257wby but I stoped useing bergers and wont mess with them for any cartridge again.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Alan K on July 12, 2010, 06:08:16 AM: My 185 gr VLD's out of my .300 WSM are shooting sub-MOA. I ended up going with them rather than the TTSX's just for the price.

:dunno:
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: high country on July 12, 2010, 08:30:23 AM: you either have a loose scope/mount, or you do not have enough twist to stabilize them. toss a few known good rounds through to eliminate an optics issue. any bullets keyholing the target?
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Bob33 on July 12, 2010, 08:45:58 AM: Quote from: high country on July 12, 2010, 08:30:23 AM
you either have a loose scope/mount, or you do not have enough twist to stabilize them. toss a few known good rounds through to eliminate an optics issue.
" Factory Federal 130 TSX are sub MOA so I know it's not the gun."
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: high country on July 12, 2010, 08:58:25 AM: as long as they still do that.....scopes and mounts can break at any time, ask me.....I seem to be a former pro....lol
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: buckhorn2 on July 12, 2010, 09:11:57 AM: You might check the tang screw just behind the trigger guard if it loosens up the gun with shoot all over the place.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: MDGrand on July 12, 2010, 02:17:51 PM: Quote from: Caretaker on July 11, 2010, 09:40:29 PM
I'm not getting any success with 140 gr berger bullets in my Savage 270 WSM, I'm talking as much as 14" groups @ 100 yds, never seen anything like it in my life. Factory Federal 130 TSX are sub MOA so I know it's not the gun. Rifle twist rate is 1/11, Berger recommends at least 1/11. I've tried H1000, Retumbo, RL17, various seating depths, CCI 250 and Fed 215M primers. Anyone have similar experiences?

As others have stated on this forum... this bullet can have mixed results.. either OUTSTANDING accuracy or all over the place. I personally have loaded it for my 300 Weatherby and it HATED them... I mean no load, no powder, no seating would get these things to group at any better than 3" in at 100 yards. As Carpsniper said, my Noslers are just WAY more accurate in THIS PARTICULAR rifle.

SO.. I will offer the following.. as I found out with some other similar bullets.. My Weatherby because of the freebore and twist doesnt really like anything other than Tangent Ogive bullets. Secant Ogive bullets get thrown all over the place.

So, try this.. go by some Sciroccos or Hornady rounds with Secant ogive bullet designs and see how they shoot. You may find they dont group well either.

Good luck!

BTW.. I am trying the Bergers again though in my 300 RUM. I hope they shoot well because the BC on the 210 grain .308 bullet is above 6! That means some serious long range accuracy AND Bergers are quite unique in how they perform. They dont blow up right away like a ballastic tip... they have a great delayed expansion + a sharding that gives massive wound channels.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: yorketransport on July 12, 2010, 02:24:56 PM: Like others have said, Bergers can be hit or miss. I've used them in a 22-250, 243, and 300WSM. All have shot .5 MOA or better at 200yds with very little work. 100 yd groups would be in the 1 MOA range. They are very sensitive to seating depth.

Andrew
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: whacker1 on July 12, 2010, 02:26:51 PM: They shoot well in my 22-250 and 300 Ultra. never tried them in my .270, because the accubonds shoot so well, not worth trying to improve, because all that would prove is that I am maxed out on my abilities
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Caretaker on July 12, 2010, 07:10:11 PM: High Country, I forgot to mention I thought it was my scope, had a Burris Signature 4x16x44, so I swapped it and put a Nikon 3x9 on it, same results. That's when I tried factory loads which shoot sub-moa, consistently.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: jjhunter on July 12, 2010, 08:03:09 PM: They will shoot, twist and seating depth are key. My .300 WM will shoot 1/4 MOA consistently with 190's.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: high country on July 12, 2010, 08:07:02 PM: Quote from: Caretaker on July 12, 2010, 07:10:11 PM
High Country, I forgot to mention I thought it was my scope, had a Burris Signature 4x16x44, so I swapped it and put a Nikon 3x9 on it, same results. That's when I tried factory loads which shoot sub-moa, consistently.

good deal. I have seen guy play chase the tail only to find a broken screw or scope.....I have been one of those guys myself.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: Mike450r on July 13, 2010, 11:24:43 AM: They are a great bullet. Don't give up on them until you have tried all possible seating depths throughout the C.O.A.L. range. You will get a good load I am positive.
Title: Re: Berger bullets
Post by: MDGrand on July 14, 2010, 09:11:49 AM: Just wanted to give an update and perhaps give you some hope.. I went to the range yesterday with some custom Berger ammo, 210 VLD in 300 RUM and got really god results. I had 4 groups of 5 with different loads, seating depths, etc and got really good results with one group, well under 1" MOA with 4 out of 5 shots. VERY happy as these bullets are really unique and there really isn't anything else that performs like them as far as a delayed expansion after penetration. The BC is also rediculously high at .063 and I am getting just over 3K FPS. Can't wait to try it out on some Mulies this year as well as Black Bear in Alaska in Sept if I can make it.

Anyway.. just wanted to let you know that while this bullet is difficult to load, and some rifles just do not like the secant ogive and long boat tail, it is possible and you can get good groups. I actually ordered mine from an ammo guy. Cost me 40 bucks for a sample pack. NOT BAD for custom made. sample ammo made is 4 different loads, powders, depths, etc. Here is the link if you are interested. His name is Alan and he is a pleasure to work with.

http://preciseammunition.com/ (http://preciseammunition.com/)