7mm 180 hybrids switching to 180 vld hunting, is it that big of a deal

[rockwind]

update: to reduce drama in my life, i just got some more hybrids rather than chase the impossible dream of .100 groups. i only had 100 vld's so i would have had to order more no matter what.

these are 2 very popular bullets, was wondering if anyone has switched from one to the other and if there was much of a change in your load. i do know it is recommended to start all over again when changing anything but would surely be intersted in any real world experience

my current load with the hybrids was definely not pushing any pressure signs. i guess the vld is about .060 longer in the bearing surface. i was going to just keep it the same distance off the lands as the berger and see how it shoots.

i am not really doing it on purpose, i just ran out of hybrids and have some vld's handy so anyway,,,,,please don't yell at me if this a stupid question.

 

[Rhovee]

As far as powder is concerned i would leave it and do seating depth test. The 180 vld in my experience likes somewhere around 10 off. Hybrids were around 20. I have a couple hundred hybrids you could run if you want them?

 

[Rick Richard]

As mentioned, VLDs in general like to be in than .010 neighborhood where the Hybrids can run about .030 off. There can be some difference in the powder charge and you will have to experiment a little on both sides of your current charge. If you can get more Hybrids, I would stick with them. For whatever reason, the Hybrids are the "cats meow" in the "7s". The bull in my avatar was taken with a 180 Hybrid at a long distance.

 

[rockwind]

As mentioned, VLDs in general like to be in than .010 neighborhood where the Hybrids can run about .030 off. There can be some difference in the powder charge and you will have to experiment a little on both sides of your current charge. If you can get more Hybrids, I would stick with them. For whatever reason, the Hybrids are the "cats meow" in the "7s". The bull in my avatar was taken with a 180 Hybrid at a long distance.

thanks rick, appreciate it.

 

[FURMAN]

I have not found any Berger to be repeatable from one barrel to another as far as seating depth in many different barrels. I have found them to shoot .000-.040 off with both 180 VLD and Hybrids. I strongly suggest you start over if you really feel you need to switch but if you have a good load with Hybrids you are simply wasting barrel life by switching as both bullets perform nearly identical on game and the ballistics are very similar depending on the barrel. My recommendation is sell the VLDs and buy more Hybrids.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I second this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[JW74]

In my 280AI I was shooting 180gr Berger Hybrids and switched to the 180gr VLD Target (not the vld hunting but possibly similar enough for comparison sake). Two best loads are as follows:

280 AI
180gr Berger Hybrid
57.5gn of IMR 7827ssc
CCI BR-2
2.820" to Ogive (0.020" jump)
2793fps, SD 7.9
3 shot group @ 100yd 0.175"

180gr Berger VLD Target
57.7gn of IMR 7827ssc
CCI BR-2
2.782" to Ogive (0.015" jump)
2782fps, SD 11.7
3 shot group @ 100yd 0.32"

 

[6.506ai]

In my 280AI I was shooting 180gr Berger Hybrids and switched to the 180gr VLD Target (not the vld hunting but possibly similar enough for comparison sake). Two best loads are as follows:

280 AI
180gr Berger Hybrid
57.5gn of IMR 7827ssc
CCI BR-2
2.820" to Ogive (0.020" jump)
2793fps, SD 7.9
3 shot group @ 100yd 0.175"

180gr Berger VLD Target
57.7gn of IMR 7827ssc
CCI BR-2
2.782" to Ogive (0.015" jump)
2782fps, SD 11.7
3 shot group @ 100yd 0.32"

180eld m at 2900 with rl23 28 inch barrel 280ai