168 Berger Classic Hunters

drakehammer

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Nov 7, 2012
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106
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Potsdam, NY
I have a fair supply of Danzac coated Berger 168gr Classic Hunters that I am going to load in my 7mm STW, so I am looking for your real world load data / info for this bullet that you're willing to share. I have the data put out by Berger but it appears pretty anemic. Powders I have on hand in good supply are H1000, Retumbo, IMR 7828 & IMR 7828 SSC, H4831 & IMR 4831, Reloader 19 & Reloader 22.
 
Don't have specific loads, I run 168gr ABLR in my STW, but have found RETUMBO powder the bees knees.
H1000 or RE25 are also worth a look.
Haven't had 7828 available to me since the 90's, but it would also be a good choice.

Cheers.
 
I use to run the classic in my rifle with neck turned 8mm RM parent cases. I only used Retumbo in mine and it performed well for me. I was .030-.050 off the lands, can't remember exactly. Again, from memory I was pushing them around 3350-3400. I would recommend starting around 76-77gr Retumbo and working up.

I had very good luck with them. Deer were the only kills I had with them and every one was instant, none ran. Never had an exit hole. Shots from 45 to around 650 always stayed in the animal.

I've since transitioned to other projectiles for various reasons but if I was primarily shooting deer I wouldn't hesitate to go back to them.
 
I use to run the classic in my rifle with neck turned 8mm RM parent cases. I only used Retumbo in mine and it performed well for me. I was .030-.050 off the lands, can't remember exactly. Again, from memory I was pushing them around 3350-3400. I would recommend starting around 76-77gr Retumbo and working up.

I had very good luck with them. Deer were the only kills I had with them and every one was instant, none ran. Never had an exit hole. Shots from 45 to around 650 always stayed in the animal.

I've since transitioned to other projectiles for various reasons but if I was primarily shooting deer I wouldn't hesitate to go back to them.
Thank you. I found an opened 2/3 full #1 pounder of RL25 and decided to use it up first. I will try the Retumbo and H1000 on the next series.
 
Well shortly after using them up I started mainly hunting with my 6.5 SAUM. So unfortunately the stw doesn't get used very much these days on meat. This was back in 2016-2017 or so and this group of new shooters made the comment that only .30 cal and bigger were suitable for shots to a mile or more.

Challenge accepted.

Long story but I worked up a load with the then new 183 SMK and showed them the STW was capable.

After that, I had some 180 Berger Hybrids and started using them just bc I had them.

There is nothing wrong with 168 Classic. I just know some people prefer an exit wound so I always note my experience with them. At stw velocities with that bullet design I don't think you'll see an exit hole.
 
Well shortly after using them up I started mainly hunting with my 6.5 SAUM. So unfortunately the stw doesn't get used very much these days on meat. This was back in 2016-2017 or so and this group of new shooters made the comment that only .30 cal and bigger were suitable for shots to a mile or more.

Challenge accepted.

Long story but I worked up a load with the then new 183 SMK and showed them the STW was capable.

After that, I had some 180 Berger Hybrids and started using them just bc I had them.

There is nothing wrong with 168 Classic. I just know some people prefer an exit wound so I always note my experience with them. At stw velocities with that bullet design I don't think you'll see an exit hole.
Thank you. I appreciate the input.
 
Began some rough accuracy testing today, to determine how far I could take the Tungsten Disulfide treated 168 Berger Classics with Reloader 25. I started loading in triplicate right at book max with 75 grains and went in 1 grain increments to 79 grains of Reloader 25. Bullets were seated to accommodate mag length. Never saw the first pressure sign using Nosler ready-to-load brass and Fed GM215s. Thinking seriously about just sitting on the 79 grain load til the Reloader 25 is used up. It's a deer rifle. Probably no need to keep tweaking.
 

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Very nice. If it's cold where you're at be careful the first time you touch her off in summer.

And once you get to 1x fired you may have to drop .7-.9 gr to get back in the node.

Is this the first time you've used the coating? What's the background on it?
 
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Very nice. If it's cold where you're at be careful the first time you touch her off in summer.
And once you get to 1x fired you may have to drop .7-.9 gr to get back in the node.

Is this the first time you've used the coating? What's the background on it?
I am a well-experienced hand loader but I wouldn't say I have a great deal of experience with coated bullets. I have been loading danzac treated 140gr NABs with some stiff 7828 charges for example, but those loads were developed by my gunsmith, well before my time. For our purposes, reduced fouling and potentially increasing throat life are more the driver for using coated bullets , moreso than obtaining off the chart velocities.
I am aware of the high ambient temp issues with RL25 and loads developed in cool weather. I doubt I'll ever shoot this rig during the summer months. Its not really that fun to shoot. Lol.
 
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Ok. I'll have to look into it. Is it like a dry lube?
Its a dry lubricant, Tungsten Disulfide formerly sold in the shooting circles under the name Danzac. It is used like Moly or HBN. It has the lowest coefficient of friction of the three, its easier to clean up than moly, but like Moly, it is still a bit corrosive if you leave moisture in your barrel. In order to buy it today, you'd just buy "nano" particle sized tungsten disulfide if at all possible. I used it as a direct replacement for Moly, purely because its what was available at the time.
 
I have had excellent accuracy results with RE25 and 180 Bergers, but as others have pointed out be aware it is temperature sensitive. 7828 SSC also shot good and gave a little higher velocities. Just be aware that 7828 SSC and 7828 are not the same and don't use load data for 7828 to load 7828 SSC. Ramshot Magnum is also a good one I've had excellent results with and is a nice ball powder to work with; but I don't see it on your list.
 
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