Berger bullets blocked hollow point hole

[jimbires]

does anyone know what the dimensions would be for the hollow point hole , on the 338 / 300 gr hunting and otm bullets ? I'd need diameter and depth . I've got a bunch that are blocked , and I thought if I could get a drill bit the correct size, I could open them up . thanks Jim

 

[FAIRCHASE]

Blocked with what? Pretty sure using a drill bit will not be very precise.

 

[cowboy]

Jimbires: Sent you a PM.

 

[Barrelnut]

I loaded a bunch of 55 Nosler 223 Varmageddons yesterday that were that way. They were filled with something that was almost like a hard clay. Wasn't wood.. It was kinda loose too. A Lot of them had fallen out into the bottom of the box. Some were stuck inside. I just pushed the stuck ones back down into the hollow point with a small pin. Almost seems like they were like a filler that was used to make the hollow point that didn't' fall out. Anyway there are just some varmint bullets that blow up like the dickens anyway. So not worried about them.

I would contact Berger. They are good about making things right. I bet they would just replace them for you.

 

[Bravo 4]

I have some and they are just gonna be shot at steel.
If you have a good amount then I would call Berger. They may replace but also may want the lot number.

Or read this:
Berger Bullet tip opening [Archive] - Long Range Only

 

[jimbires]

Blocked with what? Pretty sure using a drill bit will not be very precise.

I'm not sure . some holes are deeper than others . some really don't have a hole . some when I pushed in the hole it pushed through with very little effort . some I'd say are perfect . I just thought a correct size bit turned by hand would follow the partial hole , cleaning it out and true it up . I probably need to talk with Berger .

Bravo4 , thanks for the link , I'll check it out later today .

cowboy , thank you . I'll be in touch when I have a little more time .

Barrelnut , I've been using plugged ones for target shooting . now I'm getting ready for an elk hunt , so I'd like the hole to be as designed .

I know how bullet threads go so I'll say ; * I'm sure not trying to start a ****in match on this fellas * if it turns into that I'll close the thread .

 

[Edd]

On my 230 gr 30 caliber bullets, the cavity is much more than the size of the hole in the tip. The entire front of the jacket is empty to about a .375" depth.

 

[Wedgy]

Find out the size it needs to be then get a jewelers drill with the right sized bit(s).
Hand Drill Jewelers Manual Hole Drilling Hand Twist Drill Reamer 10pcs Twist Bit | eBay

 

[rcoody]

does anyone know what the dimensions would be for the hollow point hole , on the 338 / 300 gr hunting and otm bullets ? I'd need diameter and depth . I've got a bunch that are blocked , and I thought if I could get a drill bit the correct size, I could open them up . thanks Jim

I trim the meplate on all my berger hunting bullets. Open them up to insure expansion.

Sinclair Meplat Trimmers | Sinclair Intl

and if you really want to get fancy you can get a whidden bullet pointing die.

 

[jimbires]

this is all good info , and very much appreciated .

EDD , I never thought of it being more than just a hole .

Wedgy , I've look for this type of drill set at different stores , I couldn't find it . I was calling it a hand precision mini drill set . nobody seemed top know what I was talking about . I never thought of ebay , and cheaper than I thought .


rcoody , I remember reading about one of the guys trimming the meplates , must have been you . I kind of remember a couple close up pics .I think the hole was opened up a little more , and funneled nicely . does this actually go in the bullet hole a little , 1/4" - 3/8 " or does it just trim the jacket ? I've never done this .

thank you fellas . Jim

 

[rcoody]

this is all good info , and very much appreciated .

EDD , I never thought of it being more than just a hole .

Wedgy , I've look for this type of drill set at different stores , I couldn't find it . I was calling it a hand precision mini drill set . nobody seemed top know what I was talking about . I never thought of ebay , and cheaper than I thought .


rcoody , I remember reading about one of the guys trimming the meplates , must have been you . I kind of remember a couple close up pics .I think the hole was opened up a little more , and funneled nicely . does this actually go in the bullet hole a little , 1/4" - 3/8 " or does it just trim the jacket ? I've never done this .

thank you fellas . Jim

berger says don't mess with them but some people have had problems with lack of expansion with bergers. Some of the tips are almost closed. I don't mess with my target bullets and may be fixing a non-existent problem with my hunting bullets. I trim the meplate to create a uniform opening at the bullet tip to ensure expansion. You just need to trim a little. No need to drill a hole.

 

[J E Custom]

The material in side the hollow point is polishing media that was left in from the polishing/tumbling
process at the bullet mill. (Much like the tumbling media that gets into the primer flash hole and has to be removed).

I have seen this in many hollow point match bullets where the tip opening is very small. When I used to use SMKs a lot I used a Meplat trimmer to open all of the tips up just a small amount
and this media would come out with the tip opened up a little, plus they were more consistent on game.

Using a Meplat trimmer does uniform all the bullets, and it appears to make them more accurate.
using a drill will only make them less uniform.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Pdvdh]

this is all good info , and very much appreciated .

rcoody , I remember reading about one of the guys trimming the meplates , must have been you . I kind of remember a couple close up pics .I think the hole was opened up a little more , and funneled nicely . does this actually go in the bullet hole a little , 1/4" - 3/8 " or does it just trim the jacket ? I've never done this .

thank you fellas . Jim

Jim,
It sounds like you read one of my prior Posts with photos. I use the Kevin Cram (Montour County Rifles) Meplat Uniforming Tool, which is also available with a countersinking accessory/option. I both meplat trim and then countersink every Berger bullet I use for hunting. Why? I had a couple disappointments - in the way of non-expanding Bergers. Using this tool is what caused me to identify the fact that some number of Berger bullets leave their factory with closed tips. Tips where the jacket material pinches together and seals off the tips of their bullets. Since then, lots has been Posted on this Forum over the years about the closed-tip Bergers.

Montour County Rifles

Review of Montour Meplat Trimmer
"The MCR Countersink/Deburrer Accessory--How It Works
MCR includes a special component not found on other meplat uniformers. This is a tip-deburring accessory designed to countersink the meplat and remove any small burrs pushed into the inside of hollow points during the meplat uniforming operation. The countersink/deburrer really works. It definitely gives a more finished appearance to the tip of the hollow point."

I own and use the Kevin Cram tools in .284, .308, and .338 and am currently shooting the 7mm 168gr VLD, the .308 210gr VLD, the .308 215gr Hybrid, and the .338 300gr OTM. Shot a ram this year with the 215gr Hybrid at 600yds in the ribs broadside. A small portion of the bullet exited the far side, but it was just a fragment, as the exit hole in the hide was around 17 cal instead of .308". Shot one last year also, and the meplat uniformed and countersunk tips on the 215 Hybrid performed well on these two sheep.

I can say I haven't had a Berger fail to expand since I began using the Kevin Cram tools on my bullets. I'll condition that with the fact that we only shoot a couple animals each year. So it's not like I've had a wealth of on-game experiences. Maybe 8 animals in the past 4-5 years. So far so good.

As mentioned previously, using these Kevin Cram tools ensures I identify every factory bullet with a closed tip. If these tools won't open up the closed tips, I set the bullet aside for target practice and pre-hunt confirmation of rifle POI.

Paul

 

[Pdvdh]

berger says don't mess with them but some people have had problems with lack of expansion with bergers. Some of the tips are almost closed. I don't mess with my target bullets and may be fixing a non-existent problem with my hunting bullets. I trim the meplate to create a uniform opening at the bullet tip to ensure expansion. You just need to trim a little. No need to drill a hole.

The closed tips come in all different flavors and degrees of "closed". I had one .338 300gr OTM out of a box of 250 with the tip so solidly pinched shut with copper that neither of the two Kevin Cram tools opened up the tip. Next I took a small drill bit in a battery powered drill and tried to chase the countersunk tip open. Believe it or not, the drill bit exited the side of the bullet, rather than chase down into the empty cavity. NEXT, I took a grinder to the bullet tip until I ground away all the solid copper at the nose of the bullet, and finally reached the open cavity. By that time, the bullet was looking more like a wadcutter. I shot that bullet while breaking in a new Bartlein barrel.