3" group 200 yards, GAP .300 WSM, Berger VLD not cutting it? Need advice pls

[liltank]

Originally Posted by Capt Academy

I also have a 300 WSM, it shoots lights out, 1/2 MOA with Berger 210 VLD's.

What's your load for the 210?

Tank

[gbp]

In my sons GAP with 10.25twist it loves the 168 A-Max, 175LRX, and even the 210SMK's

[bigerik]

i thinks its because the "factory ammo" is seated to work in all types of rifles! and fit the magazines as well.
these bullets rock! but you have to set them out close to the lands. i set mine .010 off the lands. they are long bullets and when seated this way wont work in my mag well, but they shoot...
my handloads for .30-06 in 168 vld run under 1/2'' @ 200yds on good days, best being .442"@ 200yds. in a off the shelf hunting rifle m700 adl that ive accurized. not a benchrest rifle!
im sure if you get someone to measure your chamber and handload a few for you youd be amazed the difference youd see in that rifle! give it a try youll be glad you did! i make almost all my own ammo now days,just buy rimfire.

[mike85]

VLD bullets do not start to stablize until 300yds or more if you think most of your shots are 300 or shorter go with flat base sierra they go stable almost out of the barrel..

[Capt Academy]

Sorry liltank, I did not see your posted question until now. My load for the 300WSM is Win brass, CCI BR-2 primers, 210 Berger's, 59.5 grains of H-4350 with an OAL of 3.033. This rifle is a single shot. It shoots all three bullets touching every time, between 1/4" and 1/2" depending on me.

[elkaholic53]

first, loose the lead sled. This equipment does not allow the rifle to function properly when a round is fired. Shoot off some sorta rest that supports the rifle securely and also allows it to recoil as it should. next get a bubble meter (level) and if you can have it installed by a pro (gunsmith) who will check that everything is level from the rifle up. next invest in and learn how to hand load. make sure you also invest in a Hornady bullet compareter. nothing compares to a round that is made for that specific rifle. I shoot a custom 300 wsm. I settled on Berger vld's 185 gr. I say settled because I tried every bullet in the book and yes i spent bank doing so. But you get what you pay for. I started every ladder i ever made for this rifle seating my bullets 2 thou off the lands in 2 thou increments out to 10 thou. my rifle shot best 4 thou off but i had to bump out to 6 thou in order for the rounds to function in the magazine. i will tell you that my rifle with 65 gr. of H4350 (min load) 185 gr. VLD's 6 thou off the lands (2950 fps mv) puts every round under a quarter at 200 yards.. no BS!!

hope this helps..

[lloydsmale]

first of all like some of the others recomended ditch the lead sled. Secondly you sure cant judge a rifle or be even considering sending it back to be checked because it wont shoot one specific load. Ive got guns that it took weeks of loading to get a charge that worked with a specific bullet and some bullets that just wont shoot period in a gun and even some guns that wont shoot a specific weight of bullet. My wsm absolutely hates 180s does pretty well wth 165s and drives nails with 150s. best two hands down were the 150 tssx barnes and the 150 sst hornady. If i judged that rifle on the first loads i tried which were with 4 differnt 180 grain bullets it would be in the dumpster right now.My use for the wsm isnt long range paper punching its shooting whitetails out to 500 yards and for that either of those 150s will do just fine.