Berger bullet in AR

[cavtrooper94]

Hey Guys

I'm looking to run an 18 inch barrel with 1:8 twist I would like to shoot a 70 to 77 grain Berger bullet. I'm curious who has loaded burgers in there AR? I need them to fit in the magazine.

Thanks Much

 

[Kevin Thomas]

cavtrooper94,

From the Berger table I'm reading, no the 70 grain VLD will not run at mag length. The 77 grain BTHP will do just fine. Difference is in the ogive. The 77 has a 7 caliber ogive, while the 70 VLD has a 12 caliber ogive. Your twist will handle either.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Give the 77g SMK a try like Kevin said or the 70gTTSX for hunting

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Actually, there's a bunch of 69-70 grain offerings that should work just fine. Just not the Berger VLD style. Should'a specified that, sorry for the omission!

 

[woodnut]

I ran into a different problem with Berger bullets. The long ogive of the 87 and 88 grain 6mm bullets wouldn't feed ! Those tiny hollow points and long tapered ogive ran right into the barrel ! Just barely below the taper into the chamber; but no go.
You might want to check feeding your Bergers to see if you will have that problem. I may be the only guy with that problem though. I found Precision Ballistics,LLC. and his 6mm bullets solved my problem. He only makes 6mm though but I found them to be awesome !

 

[trebark]

cavtrooper94,

From the Berger table I'm reading, no the 70 grain VLD will not run at mag length. The 77 grain BTHP will do just fine. Difference is in the ogive. The 77 has a 7 caliber ogive, while the 70 VLD has a 12 caliber ogive. Your twist will handle either.

My real-world observation says the opposite. A buddy of mine is a dedicated AR15 shooter and his pet load is a 70grain Berger VLD loaded to mag length. It produces outstanding accuracy and 100% functioning. My buddy is a member of this board. I will PM him so that he can respond directly.

 

[JamesBailey]

I'm Trebark's buddy.

So I shot the 70gr Berger VLD, mag-length, out of my 20" AR (8 twist) at close to 3000fps in summer. The 70gr Berger has an OAL a bit shorter than the 77gr SMK and there are no problems with the ogive/bearing surface junction and the case neck. If you have Litz's book "Applied Ballistics" you can see these comparable dimensions nicely.

Additionally, I have not had any issues w/ seating depth and accuracy. My 70gr VLD load shots sub-moa out to 200 and a moa out to 500. No enough experience with it out further. I have developed loads for my AR with the 77gr SMK, the 75gr Hornady, and the 75 and 80 gr AMaxs, but I have dropped them all in favor of the Berger 70grs. Not only are the ballistics superior, I have found the Bergers are more consistent bullet-to-bullet (on weight). Given that the 70gr VLD has the same BC as the 77gr SMK, it will outperform the 77gr SMK which I could only get going 2750, 2800 tops.

Now I am tactical match shooters, so I only care about hitting a target. I will not comment on the 70gr Berger as a hunting or zombie-killer. Just not what I know.

If anyone wants load info, I would be happy to share it.

Thanks and best of luck w/ your load development.

 

[trebark]

Thanks for jumping in on this thread.

 

[long450]

I shoot 73 gr Bergers out of My AR's from the magazine.

 

[woodnut]

Long 450, are they 22 cal. 73s ? I think so. I would not doubt that they feed at all. But my Bergers are 243 cal. As I said, I may be the only guy out here with this problem. I have now started to use Don Lahr's fine benchrest bullets and don't miss the Bergers at all!
I too have a 223 in a DPMS and it shoots the Hornady 75s really well and with no feeding problems. As a matter of interest, I have seven ARs and only the one has given me feeding problems (with only one brand of bullet) and that's been resolved.

 

[long450]

OK, I guess I missed the 6mm part. I have AR's in eight calibers and all feed well. One with 90 gr 6mm Bergers. Maybe its how the feed ramps are made.