VLD seating depth poll

[Stokely007]

7 mag, 168 VLD, .040 off.
270 win. 140 VLD , jam. ( lightly)

7 mag accuracy .25 at 200
270 accuracy, .3's at 100, .7's at 200.
7 mag is MORE accurate at 200 and beyond with this bullet.

Just wondering what (Lightly) into the lands ment. I am just now loading 140 Bergers. I haven't started playing with seating depths, but I am found my charge, so before, I just wanted to have an idea of what worked for you exactly

 

[Gene]

Put that bullet in a dummy case, with no primer or powder, burnish it well with a piece of 0000 wool - start with seater die high, keep moving down until land engraving barely touches the jacket. You should be able to just barely see several lands touching. Measure with a comparator and record that setting. From there you can jump or jam. Read this:

Determining Bullet Seating Depth | The Reloading Press

 

[redgun]

7WSM 180 gr hunting
270 WSM 150 gr hunting
6.5 X 284 140 gr hunting

All like/shoot best touching the lands

6BR 105 gr target match

Like's .010 jammed

 

[RDavies]

I dont understand when lots of people post about VLD s being finicky to find a seating depth. I gave up on testing seatings depths of the berger VLDs a while ago. I load all 130,140gn 6.5VLDs, 168 and 180gn 7mm VLDs (in 284 and 7mm/300WSM) at .015" jam and the 105gn VLDs at .010" jam. Back when I was experimenting a bit, I came up with these numbers and they are what I have stuck with in 7-8 different barrels used strictly for F Class competition at 300-1000yds (and sometimes longer).
Yes, if the throat started to wear, they wouldnt group very well, until I seated them back into the lands more.

 

[Mikecr]

I dont understand when lots of people post about VLD s being finicky to find a seating depth. I gave up on testing seatings depths of the berger VLDs a while ago.

But do you have basis for jammed as being best?
It sure sounds like an assumption.. After all, you don't even test it. You gave up on it. Right?

 

[RDavies]

Mike. I didnt bother doing much testing once these barrels were able to hold very very good elevation at long range, with most of these barrels getting very high X counts when I steer them right and get the powder charge right. Most of these barrels have shot X ring possibles or close to it. On some previous occaisions when experimenting with a throating reamer, or trying to clean up a slightly eroded throat, I did experiment with various jumps. I got one 284 to group fairly well at .100" jump, but couldnt get any quite as accurate as jammed. Also, in the limited testing of jumped VLDs, I found I had to experiement with various jumps, while when jammed, .015" jam always worked well.
I have recently played with jumped VLDs and Hybrids in my 6.5WSSM due to a too long throat, but gave up after trying out to .120" jump.

 

[brentc]

I have a 300 WSM that likes 210s and 230 Hybrids jammed .005. I tried several depths and .050 jump was dang good, but the sweet spot is .005 in the lands.

My 7mm Rem likes both 168s and 180s touching the lands.

 

[mnhntr]

My Savage LRP in .260 hates the 140 VLDs at the lands. I found .020 works for me.

 

[gunner69]

Ok I wanted to share some results of the berger sorting technique video I posted: Let me give you the finer details first.

Rifle; Custom built .284 Win, Defiance Action, Schneider 28" 3 taper fluted 1:9 twist, reamed for neck turned necked up Lapua brass, Jewell Trigger 1.5 lb, Grey Bull bedded stock., Near base and Rings, GreyBull/ Leupold scope, PTG bottom metal.

Load: necked turned Lapua brass. .001 neck tension, Wolf Large primers, 51.4 gr R17, Berger 180 VLD hunting bullets sorted by seating depth. I am getting 2848 fps. In the video I mention that my rifle like them seated .010 in the lands. I subsequently discovered that it actually much prefers then .010 off the lands:

Here is the results: Target is a 50 yard target 1/2" rings. The 6 round group was taken at 302 yards. This makes my rifle approx. 1/4 MOA accuracy



Again here is the sorting technique;

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etgIVSSl8L8]CONSISTENT BULLET DEPTH SEATING - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Fla shooter]

Looks good

 

[veeman]

In my Savage 16 in 7mm 08 I have found a .008" jam seems to work the best. Tried out to .090 jump and I think my Citori would group better, but jammed she shoots quite well.

 

[Aldon]

Most recently, 6.5-06 AI.
130 gr Berger, 59.2 H1000, Federal 210M primer, lapua brass, 2930 fps, Jump to lands was higher than I expected at .150

Less than .5 moa repeatable and 1st cold clean shot dead on. Sweet!!!

 

[MNbogboy]

These are all hunting rifles with hunting triggers and the hunting VLDs....All of these rifles except the Rem will occasional shoot ragged one-holers, but my records show these as average scenarios.....
.243 Win on Stevens 200
87gr .020 off factory savage 22" bbl .50 ave @ 100 yds
95gr .015 off same as above .68 ave (limited load development)

25-06 Rem 700
115 .120 off fact. 24" .75 and up doesn't seem to like them much
25-06 Sav 110
115 .025 off ER Shaw 24" sporter 10 twist .68 and better
25-06 Sav 110
115 .005 jam Douglas 26" varmint 10 twist .5s or less
115 .120 off same Douglas .4s and occasional .3s

.260 rem on Sav 110
130 .010 off Shilen 26" 8 twist varmint .4s or less
.260 rem on Stevens 200
130 .015 off Shaw 9 twist sporter 24" .6s and some .4s are common
.260 rem on Sav 110
130 .025 off 2ND Shaw 9 twist 24" sporter .5s with occasional .4s and .3s

All of above .260s (my pet go to load 45.9 gr H4831sc at 2820/2795/2805 respectively top to bottom) 130gr VLD .020/.015/.010 off FL sized Common to above .260s all three often less than .5 with the same load...This load took a whule to get there but was intended to be used with all three rifles....

The Bergers are pretty new to me and the jury is still out with me on their effectiveness on game....With only a handful of kills (6 lopes/5 mule deer/6 whitetails) with these bullets I am not ready to make my judgment yet....But one thing for sure they shoot great....

 

[Brad615]

Remington Sendero 7mm rem mag, 180 bergers 0.05 off the lands is cutting holes at 200 yards!gun)