BERGER BEWARE!

[P7M13]

this is a LONG RANGE site.
300 is not long range

Captain Obvious!
Which is precisely why I write my disclaimer. Can you comment on my observations of metplat, forgive me -- ogive, shape and proximity to the lands? Do you concur or disagree?

 

[thatguyshm]

No, if you 'had been setting' land relationship at 5thou off, that's what you'd have. You'd always measure and adjust your die for that, and verify it. Nothing just puts you anywhere, except yourself.
It's reloading 101 (not OCD).

Also, no measurement pictured is COAL.
You show bullet BTO, and cartridge CBTO.
And again, it's reloading 101 that components change with lot.
I hope you understand that powder lots also change,, and brass lots,, and primer lots.

I agree completely. Nothing is set it and forget it within the reloading game. Even using the same lot, same box of bullets I will check from one reloading session to the next. Things change, the die may be screwed in less or more, you could have bumped a seating micrometer putting the die away, or you may have changed lots of bullets and they measure a bit different. Always checking is part of the consistency game we play.

 

[406muley]

this is a LONG RANGE site.
300 is not long range, your process may work for you at short range, it will not work at long range.

Well, not every member here shoots or hunts "LONG RANGE" as you stated. The info here can be applied to loading and shooting no matter what range the shooter uses. 406muley

 

[26Reload]

406 mtmm...
Slipped in the backdoor?

 

[2muchbrass]

15 thousands lot to lot I'll take that for the consistency Berger has with in the same lot. I buy mine by the 500 just for this reason

 

[rsmithsr]

if you READ his post, you will see that is just not true.
and there is a reason it say 'LONG RANGE"

Well, not every member here shoots or hunts "LONG RANGE" as you stated. The info here can be applied to loading and shooting no matter what range the shooter uses. 406muley

 

[406muley]

You don't need to use the upper case dude. Carry on. 406muley

 

[keithcandler]

15 thousands lot to lot I'll take that for the consistency Berger has with in the same lot. I buy mine by the 500 just for this reason

I still check, assume nothing. Worst case is to have a digital set of calipers, set a zero, and sort lengths...easy and quick.

It is not unusual for a throat to like .003 jump or a .003 jam...depends on how anal you are on maxing out the accuracy on that particular barrel or calling, "good enough."

 

[MagnumManiac]

I discovered this long before anyone was hunting with Bergers.
Back when Stevens bought the major stake in Nosler bullets and all that was available for long range was Ballistic Tips. I would buy 5-10 boxes of 100 at a time. This is when the boxes had those crimped in metal corner protectors.
Anyway, I had just opened a new box and proceeded to load up with the 200gr BT in my 300WM. Didn't check anything other the COL.
Get out to my usual 500mtr spot, wasn't long before a deer was seen and a round was ATTEMPTED to chamber when it was discovered the bolt wouldn't close...needless to say, not only did I not get any venison but I had a live round stuck in the rifle to boot.
Once home and the rifle cleared, looking at the ogive something was off. I had a few unopened boxes to compare and, that particular box had a waaay different ogive AND the overall length of the SAME bullet was .080" longer!
So, it's not just Berger, Hornady or any other brand, it's US that have to be more diligent in our handloading.

Cheers.

 

[LongBomber]

Anyone take one of each bullet and seat them without changing the seatting on the die, then measure the cbto?
Your seating die is pressing somewhere on the nose of the bullet between the ogive and tip. Bullets are being measured from the base to ogive, none of which related to where the seating die contacts the bullet. Which is what would change the ogive/lands relationship.

 

[rsmithsr]

it is reference math
it does not matter that the seating die is touching just above the throat ogive number on the bullet..as long as it is not seating based on the tip.
it does not matter that the measuring tool is at 300 or 304 or 306...as long as the tool remains the same.
it is not a true measurement, it is a REFERENCE measurement. a number that can be duplicated in loading. one that can be adjusted in and out to change the jump or jam.

Anyone take one of each bullet and seat them without changing the seatting on the die, then measure the cbto?
Your seating die is pressing somewhere on the nose of the bullet between the ogive and tip. Bullets are being measured from the base to ogive, none of which related to where the seating die contacts the bullet. Which is what would change the ogive/lands relationship.

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Good info and a good reminder not to get complacement in our handloading. If you change Anything - re-measure and re-verify. A good reason to buy as many as you can, same lot, of your favorite bullets.
Another reason I like Hammer bullets so much. Almost NO variation (CNC turned).

You are absolutely right! Key word for certain is complacent, as you stated. I loaded tonight and measured and remeasured every round. Part of that is to ensure I understand better the process each time I load being new to reloading. But, complacency does injur and kill. I would rather be slow and methodical, checking and rechecking than have a trip to the ER or worse... Regards, Victoria

 

[eshorebwhntr]

Anyone take one of each bullet and seat them without changing the seatting on the die, then measure the cbto?
Your seating die is pressing somewhere on the nose of the bullet between the ogive and tip. Bullets are being measured from the base to ogive, none of which related to where the seating die contacts the bullet. Which is what would change the ogive/lands relationship.

This is true.

And jumping from one lot to another in any manufacturer, with any component for that matter, should trigger you to reassess. Not just bullets and Berger.

 

[LongBomber]

That is exactly right, it is a refernece measurement that in no way related to the ogive-lands (seating depth).
Yes bullets should be sorted by bearing surface length, but what I am asking is has someone taken two bullets that have a say .010" difference in base to ogive, or the same difference in bearing surface length and seated them both with the same die set the same way and measured the difference in the ogive-lands as the op referenced.

it is reference math
it does not matter that the seating die is touching just above the throat ogive number on the bullet..as long as it is not seating based on the tip.
it does not matter that the measuring tool is at 300 or 304 or 306...as long as the tool remains the same.
it is not a true measurement, it is a REFERENCE measurement. a number that can be duplicated in loading. one that can be adjusted in and out to change the jump or jam.