Berger 130VLD @ long range? Will it fly

M67

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I employ a Sauer 200STR/SSG3000 "clone" as my primary long range rifle. Primary because it is the rifle i like best, out of the rifles i have, this is recreational shooting only, fun shooting, plinking at long range, and on and off hunting for small game or roe deer.

The chambering is 6.5x55, and the barrel(s) have a rifling twist of 1:220mm or 1:8.66"

Been using it out to about 1300m, but mainly between 100 and 800m, excellent accuracy using the Lapua Scenar 139gr bullet over 40grs of VV N550, a rather mild load, but exceedingly accurate, at least for the first 2.5k rounds.

Now i tested the Berger 130gr VLD bullet (not reading it needs 1:8"...), @ 100m it shoots plain and simple fantastic, AVERAGING 1/4" groups @ 100m, and giving much more encouraging velocities than i have managed with the Scenars, the groups come apart with hotter loads, unless i use N570, and that is a real hassle
- so i'll run out and test more of the 130s @ 500 next week, improving on the Scenars 3-4" 10shot groups (cold, prone, bipod, in the dirt..) would be something to raise my performance to another level so im eager about this, and >1km shooting coming up in january, i want to have everything set up.

Now Norway is a cold country, particularly in vinter and our range is a frozen lake. Air density IS an issue. I have "lost" 90gr .224" Bergers enroute to 1km earlier, grouping well and then some at 750, but simply disappearing somewhere after 750m. Other bullets arrive @1km sideways, or not at all. Normas othervise excellent 130gr VLD but from a 1:9" twist, is among the disappearing acts.

The Scenars fly along quite nicely, both the 155s in .308 and the 139s in -b6.5mm, both grouping <10" @1000m, field conditions, and generally first round on paper.

So, at last, will the 130 Berger VLD "fly" in our thick winter air, launched from the 200STR 1:8.66" twist tube, at some 2750fps/830m/s?

K
 
the Berger 130s fly very well in my 6.5x47 which has a 1-8.7 twist, but I am pushing them 2970 fps. They are well under MOA out to 1000. That is as far as I have shot them so far. So far I have only shot them down to around 40 degrees farenhiet.

I would think that the 6.5x55 should be able to push them in the same range.

BTW, why aren't you shooting the 130 Normas. Are you sure they will not stabilize in that twist?

BH
 
Thank you for the info

why aren't you shooting the 130 Normas. Are you sure they will not stabilize in that twist?
The 130 Norma is a very good bullet, but barrels differ..

Simply because they dont group as well, at 100m that is, but not anywhere near. Also, at the same charge the Bergers fly considerably faster. This may be due to the barrel having 2.5k rounds through it and the Bergers beiing sligthly fatter. I'll measure them, for some odd reason i havent yet.
It is a bit irritating because the Normas are half the price compared to the 130 Berger.

I would think that the 6.5x55 should be able to push them in the same range.
Easily, but i found best accuracy at 830m/s (and with N550, that meters well, something N15/MRP and N570 do not) - i havent tried near the top yet. And i have limited range time for tuning right now (due to darkness and foul weather), so i'll have to stay with what i know works,

K
 
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