Nosler 30 Seating Depth? Switching from Berger 210 VLD, to ELD-X 212

[moknots]

Been shooting my 30 Nosler with VLD 210s @ 3040 fps. Have heard about enough VLD failures that I am done with Bergers. Sad deal because they shot really well and my load was dialed.

Just picked up 200 .308 ELDX 212s. Hoping for easy crossover! Shooting Retumbo, and have a lot of it on hand so will start with that. Any suggestions on where I should start with seating depth? Rifle is an MOA Hybrid, 26" benchmark barrel. MOA ammo was maybe .020 off the lands -- groups tightened up a bit when I stepped it back to about .035. Would appreciate any tips on starting seating depth for ELDs!

Edited to remove unnecessary background.

 

[FEENIX]

Any pictures of the failure?

 

[MagnumManiac]

A pic would be good.
A bullet failure comes in many forms and many shapes.
I, too, am not on the Berger bandwagon, fell off around 3-4 years ago permanently.
I used the 210g VLD for several years with success, but had far too many failures with the OTM in both 30 and 33, so I no longer use re-named match bullets.
I'm having good success with Nosler ABLR, they shoot very well too.

Cheers.

 

[bsnyder]

Did you make sure the tips were open?

 

[moknots]

Looks like I should not have included the bullet fail aspect. No pics. Didn't mean to start a thread about that! Really just looking for thoughts on making the crossover from VLD to ELD-X so I edited my post, sorry 'bout that.

 

[Gamesniper19]

I am running the 212 ELDX in my 30 Nosler - 82.8 grains retumbo and .012 off the lands - getting 3026 fps out of a 25 inch carbon barrel

 

[Mikecr]

You should do full seating testing to find best (always).

 

[moknots]

Thanks JMG! Mikecr, looking for tips on starting seating depth for the node seeking ladder. I am not an expert reloader and find load development difficult. Was taught to find the node first, then do the seating test. Correct approach?

 

[sierracharlie338]

I did the opposite and went from 208 Amax to 215 Berger. Seating depths were no where close. Start over and go through the normal process is the best way.

I always start at .020 off the lands or mag length which ever is shorter and work back from there.

 

[Mikecr]

The info is right here: https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...-from-berger-vld-bullets-in-your-rifle.40204/
If you do a powder ladder at a bad seating depth, you'll throw up a shotgun pattern like most people doing this.
That doesn't make load development easier.
And there is no such thing as a seating ladder.

I recommend you identify best coarse seating with the Berger method, before moving on to powder development.
Or at least move your powder away from/below a known powder node for seating testing.
But for sure you shouldn't just ask people where to put a new bullet and do that. You should test for where YOU need to put it.

 

[HVGBDT]

I mainly load Hornady elds. How i do it, i keep seating the bullet into empty resized case, chamber & close the bolt, check bullet for lands marks on bullet. Keep seating deeper till marks disappear, that is my lands measurement.
Almost every Hornady bullet i load is seated at .007-.010. I'm getting groups anywhere from .160 to .400. Would like to seat deeper but don't know where to go. Mainly shooting as a single shot but that works for me.

 

[moknots]

The info is right here: https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...-from-berger-vld-bullets-in-your-rifle.40204/
If you do a powder ladder at a bad seating depth, you'll throw up a shotgun pattern like most people doing this.
That doesn't make load development easier.
And there is no such thing as a seating ladder.

I recommend you identify best coarse seating with the Berger method, before moving on to powder development.
Or at least move your powder away from/below a known powder node for seating testing.
But for sure you shouldn't just ask people where to put a new bullet and do that. You should test for where YOU need to put it.

Thanks, sounds like I learned it backwards! will try this method, might save me a lot of hunting around, which I've done way too much in the past!

 

[MagnumManiac]

Best seating depth testing is done with a middle of the road load with a powder that is also in the middle of the burn.
In my testing, I often start at touch, but in most hunting rifle barrels, I see no difference if I start .010" away and go up in .010" increments.
I often test seating depth with stable powder like H1000, it just makes it easier.

Cheers.

 

[UncleDano]

Berger's like a lot of jump - like up to .050"-.060". Not so much with the Nosler, start at .010" and work up to test best jump distance.