300 win mag with Berger bullets

[tbrice23]

Also did a seating depth test today with 140 hybrid targets on a new 26 Nosler barrel. .080" jump shot the best. Next time I am going to load .070, .080, and .090 off the lands and see whats up.

 

[barefooter56]

Also did a seating depth test today with 140 hybrid targets on a new 26 Nosler barrel. .080" jump shot the best. Next time I am going to load .070, .080, and .090 off the lands and see whats up.

Tbrice23,
In most cases with the Berger Hybrid Target or EOL/ELITE HUNTER bullets starting your bullet seating depth testing at .015 OFF THE LANDS.Then working back into the cartridge case in .005 increments is the way to go if you havent tried it yet. Any bullet seating depth testing should be done at the lowest powder charge listed for the bullet/powder/cartridge combination you are testing. Once the bullet seating depth accuracy node is found. Work the powder charge back up slowly checking for pressure signs and accuracy until your highest velocity accuracy node is found.
Take care,

 

[tbrice23]

Thanks Phil,
Is been my policy to do a seating tests asap on most any bullet.
Also, if you are still with us?
In your experience, do you find it necessary to chase the lands as throats erode regardless of the jump or do you personally keep you seating depth the same throughout the life of the barrel?

I tend to progress as throats erode but I like getting other peoples opinion.
Thanks.

 

[1Moose]

Tbrice23,
In most cases with the Berger Hybrid Target or EOL/ELITE HUNTER bullets starting your bullet seating depth testing at .015 OFF THE LANDS.Then working back into the cartridge case in .005 increments is the way to go if you havent tried it yet. Any bullet seating depth testing should be done at the lowest powder charge listed for the bullet/powder/cartridge combination you are testing. Once the bullet seating depth accuracy node is found. Work the powder charge back up slowly checking for pressure signs and accuracy until your highest velocity accuracy node is found.
Take care,

Quick ? For you. I find it hard to get enough range / shooting time so when I'm testing a powder and bullet combo I will do what I think of as a cross-ladder—A) loads starting at minimum and increasing powder charges with one seating depth, and B) also a range of seating depths (.010, .050, .090, .130 jumps) usually at constant mid-powder charge. If i saw any pressure signs at that powder combo I'd suspend further testing of course. I'm guessing a full matrix of depths and powder charges would show several "nodes" but wondering about your or others' experiences. I'd iterate from the best results I saw when I could get out again. Other methods that work for people when range days is a key constraint? Also, do you use lowest powder charge for seating depth as a conservative step to prevent running into excessive pressure, or might that help get to the sweet spot faster (something I'm trying to get better at)?

 

[barefooter56]

Thanks Phil,
Is been my policy to do a seating tests asap on most any bullet.
Also, if you are still with us?
In your experience, do you find it necessary to chase the lands as throats erode regardless of the jump or do you personally keep you seating depth the same throughout the life of the barrel?

I tend to progress as throats erode but I like getting other peoples opinion.
Thanks.

I chase the throat as my accuracy degrades. Its been my experience that if the rifle liked (for example) .010 off the lands when it was new . It liked .010 off the lands till it was done. Of course as you set the bullet out while doing this you will have to tweak the load at times to stay on your velocity accuracy node also.

 

[tbrice23]

Thanks

 

[MagnumManiac]

Thanks

Tbrice23,
I found the best thing to do in the SAME barrel was to keep the velocity up by changing the powder charge as the throat elongated. Now, this is in magnum cartridges where throat erosion happens quick, in milder cartridges the seating depth was more important. My 6.5x47 likes the bullet chasing the lands AND the powder charge tweaked to stay in the node.
Each barrel is different I find.

Cheers.

 

[patrick021]

I shot 190 Berger shot 3 shot groups all were touching out if 10 shots there was 180 ft difference what can I do to get it closer?

 

[FURMAN]

I chase the throat as my accuracy degrades. Its been my experience that if the rifle liked (for example) .010 off the lands when it was new . It liked .010 off the lands till it was done. Of course as you set the bullet out while doing this you will have to tweak the load at times to stay on your velocity accuracy node also.

This has been my experience in many barrels. I have actually not found a barrel that differed from this. I have also never found any bullet to be "not seating depth sensitive" as Berger claims with the hybrids. Every single magnum barrel barrel I have owned had to have the powder charge adjusted down after about 100-150 rounds. If I found an accuracy node before this all I have had to do is reduce powder until I hit that velocity again.

 

[patrick021]

What is an acceptable es and how far does the chrono need to be in front of the muzzle?

 

[carpetman2]

OK, if I am following you all correctly, as the throat erodes it creates an ever increasing jump to the lands. As accuracy begins to diminish the solution is to seat the bullet farther out. Correct? This will also make you need to adjust the amount of powder in your load to retain your velocity. Correct? If so, is that amount usually adjusted up?

 

[barefooter56]

OK, if I am following you all correctly, as the throat erodes it creates an ever increasing jump to the lands. As accuracy begins to diminish the solution is to seat the bullet farther out. Correct? This will also make you need to adjust the amount of powder in your load to retain your velocity. Correct? If so, is that amount usually adjusted up?

Correct.
This will help explain:
http://www.bergerbullets.com/effect...coal-and-cartridge-base-to-ogive-cbto-part-1/

http://www.bergerbullets.com/effect...coal-and-cartridge-base-to-ogive-cbto-part-2/