Amazed with the Gen 2 Bergers

[Rymart]

Broz,
What's the story with these Bergers. How much better are they than the SMK in all truth?

I have just done some testing on some Rocky Mountain, 300 grain bullets with advertised B.C.'s through the roof but found the true B.C. to be very disapointing. I hope these Bergers are not the same.

You are shooting these Bergers. Whats the advantage if any over the SMK's.

I haven't tested the Gen2's as extensively as Broz. In my rig (Sako TRG-s rebarrelled and worked over by GAP), they group 0.2" - 0.4" better at 100 yards than the SMK's do/did for me. They seem to hold this accuracy improvement to 500 yards (especially vertical dispersion), which is as far as I have put them on paper so far.

I shot a four point mule deer yesterday at 385 yards with one of the Gen2's. Maybe it was just shot placement, but the damage was more devestating than I have seen with the SMK's. It looked like it penetrated then exploded like a grenade once inside the chest cavity. There were a lot of broken ribs on both sides.

The high B.C. numbers on the 300 gr Berger OTM's look sexy, but in actual drop and wind drift numbers out to 1000 yards, I don't think there is enough benefit on B.C. alone to justify the extra cost. The cost was, however, easily justified in accuracy gains. I now have a sub 1/2 MOA 338 LM.

FYI, I have no issues running these at magazine length with the GAP min spec chamber. My current OAL is 3.715" (jumped 0.015"), but recent testing seemed to show an improvement at 3.720". The 300 OTM's appeared to show less pressure and similar velocity compared to the SMK's with equal charges of H1000.

 

[Magnumitis]

Not sure, I am using H-1000 in my 338 LM. Start at 89 gr and work up for this caliber.

Jeff

I plan on using H-1000 in my RUM with the Gen 2s that I just ordered. Any idea where to start?

 

[Broz]

I plan on using H-1000 in my RUM with the Gen 2s that I just ordered. Any idea where to start?

Now you have me confused. In another thread you stated how you and people in your area had such a problem with the Bergers and game running off with them. I have killed litterly truck loads of game with Berger bullets and no problems at all , but why would you say that and then buy some for your RUM?

Jeff

 

[Magnumitis]

It's the only Berger bullet I'll consider using. 300 grains is 300 grains and no matter what it does, it should still be making a large hole. I would guess the terminal performance to be like the 300 SMK; which is very deadly from what I have seen. I jumped off the Berger bandwagon a long time ago, but I'm still willing to give this bullet a try.. even if it makes me look like a hypocrite. Thanks anyway.

 

[Broz]

It's the only Berger bullet I'll consider using. 300 grains is 300 grains and no matter what it does, it should still be making a large hole.

I agree and also that 210 gr is 210 gr and I usually get pass throughs with them.

Good luck with the new 300 Bergers, they are very consistantly accurate bullets.

Jeff