Berger issues??

[ltrbuck]

Tried out some 190 VLD's in my Savage 116 300WM yesterday. I found that they would only shoot well when just in the lands, but with that I ended up with an OAL that is too long to fit in my bottom dump mag?? It's a hunting rifle so obviously I don't want a single shot. Any suggestions? Would the 210's fit better being as it's maybe a little wider sooner on bullet tip allowing me to seat a little deeper?

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Im shooting the 185g in my 300 win mag and I have to single round load them as well. I dont see it as an issue. Bergers shoot best for me .050 off the lands and my rifle is built on a HOWA action so a wayatts extended mag box is not an option yet.

Just start practicing alot and you will get to the point you are going to be able to re load very fast. If you are hunting with a partner(spoter) it is his job to call your hit any how you should be re loading and waiting for his command to send it again with corrections if you made a bad hit.

You can always do another seating depth test and see if you can get the rounds COAL shorter but you are going to have to give up some case capicty.

 

[ltrbuck]

Yea, I tried about 7 or 8 deeper seatings and they didn't shoot well at all unfortunately. I hunt alone a lot so the spotter isn't always an option. Does anyone know if the 210's "widen" (for a better term) sooner than the 190's as I'm really wanting the VLD to work for me. But if not......

 

[JARHEAD1371]

I would trade accuracy for the ability to reload faster any day. I built my 7 SAUM on a single shot Surgeon action and I don't regret it at all. Last year my wife and I killed 3 mule deer, over 400 yds, in about 30 seconds with the same rifle. IMO if you miss with the 1st shot, you will miss with the second, unless you make a sight adjustment and that takes some time anyway. I would seat the bullets where the gun likes them, not the magazine.

 

[sniperjwt]

I would trade accuracy for the ability to reload faster any day. I built my 7 SAUM on a single shot Surgeon action and I don't regret it at all. Last year my wife and I killed 3 mule deer, over 400 yds, in about 30 seconds with the same rifle. IMO if you miss with the 1st shot, you will miss with the second, unless you make a sight adjustment and that takes some time anyway. I would seat the bullets where the gun likes them, not the magazine.

I could not have said it better myself. Although i was going to try until i seen jarheads post. All of my rifles that i shoot the bergers out of i have to single feed. Does that bother me? NO not one bit because i have yet to have to make or try to make a follow up shot. And when the day comes i will be ready because i practice loading another one in all the time at the range. I have one of those holders that goes on your stock so it makes the follow up shot easy just grab one and throw it in. Like jarhead said i would trade one accurate shot for 3-4 fast fliers any day.

 

[ltrbuck]

I couldn't agree more with any of you on the one shot counting vs several that don't, I'm simply looking for different options. Additionally being new to the reloading game, I'm always looking for different suggestions from those that have more experience doing so. Appreciate all info!

 

[sniperjwt]

I couldn't agree more with any of you on the one shot counting vs several that don't, I'm simply looking for different options. Additionally being new to the reloading game, I'm always looking for different suggestions from those that have more experience doing so. Appreciate all info!

ok then try the matchkings they usually dont mind jumping so they will fit in a mag. Although not reccomended for hunting there are a lot of people that swear by them for hunting bullets.

 

[ltrbuck]

Thanks Sniper, I've given that some thought as well. Have you or anyone you know used them in a 300WM? Any bullet grain recommendations?

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

You will see alot of guys here using the matchkings in there 338s for hunting but not so much in anything else.

If im not shooting the VLD I shoot the AMAX they do not seam to care about seating depth just powder and primers.

I see alot of guys here shooting the 168g or 180g TTSX from Barns as well but I have no experence with them.

 

[Rimfire]

Thanks Sniper, I've given that some thought as well. Have you or anyone you know used them in a 300WM? Any bullet grain recommendations?

190- run great out of mine. Depends on how far you are shooting, but in general the 190 SMK is a good bullet.

 

[ltrbuck]

How far have you shot or patterned those 190's?

 

[bigbuck]

A friend of mine shoots SMK'S out of his 300 Win. and killed two deer last year both was in bow range . Both DRT.....

BigBuck

 

[cfvickers]

I shoot 168 VLDs from my 300WM and I have found two spots that it likes. Mine is a model 700 and it will accept any bullet as long as I want it. Not sure if this is normal but it works. My two spots are .008 off the lands, which works best for me in in everything I shoot VLDs from, 6.5 .257 and .308. The other in the 300 is backed all the way down in the case to the base of the ogive. Found this one on accident. I was out of ammo (forgot mine) and had a friend who I had loaded some with the same load and lot for his A-Bolt. actually the same night. So I fired two shots at the makeshift range at camp. they were touching and on so I rolled with it. Checked a group when I got home and it was a nice half inch group. Wasn't as pretty a group as with them in the lands but more than acceptable for a hunting rifle still. OAL was exactly 3.34 and it was all I could fit in the A-bolt. This is the 168 but with VLDs the best OAL is close with most weights in my guns. Only very slight differences. That is based on experience with the 6.5 and 130 to 140 grain VLDs, only fired 168s out of my 300 because I have an absolute maximum range where I hunt of about 450 yards. Also the trajectory at 3190 FPS is flatter at 500 and very close to a 190 beyond that out to about 800. I would not take a shot at this point beyond 650 on an animal anyway so I really don't currently need the extra energy and therefore cannot justify the extra recoil of heavier bullets. Good luck finding something that works for you. Maybe this could work. remember though with the 190 you are going to have a more significant loss of velocity than I noted with the 168 if you load them that deep in the case. As always, all guns have their own personality and are not always going to like the same stuff.

 

[cfvickers]

On another note, Having killed a deer with a 168, I can assure you that you will only need one with a halfway decent shot placement. I would shoot it in singles personally. the only deer I have ever shot at more than once and killed was with my encore 45/70. It had a broken reticle and was shooting 2 feet to the left. Something to think about.