loading bergers for 300WSM

[Wheatgerm]

i have a post going in the long range hunting section that i just posted these same pix on but i was hoping to get some others looking into this for some help. any info or input would be great

rifle is rem 700 sps 300wsm. (mostly stock besides a little lighter trigger)
let me know where you think i should go from here. the load was berger 185 vld's seated as far out as my magazine will allow, rl-17 powder.
i started at 58 gr of powder and ended at 61 (max load) there was no signs of pressure on the primers. the bolt was nice and smooth after every shot.. all these shots were with virgin brass, idk if fire formed would have tightened up the group or not

the square in the target is 1in. at 60gr it put 2 bullets right next to eachother then the 3rd shot was about 1.5 lower than the other 2.
ill be the the first to admit im not the most consistent on the bipod so i really feel someone else could have probably tightened up the group.

ive been shooting my whole life but this is the first time ive actually shot on paper and really watched my groups. so let me know what you guys with more exp get out of this thanks!

 

[AZShooter]

I see your groups are inconsistent with flyers. You might want to do some work on the rifle. Looks like the rifle might be moving in the stock. Is it bedded? How about shooting from a front rest and rear bag as a control?

Alliant's reloading page says 66 gr of RL-17 is max for a 180 so you could add more powder. Who knows it might be more consistent.


If you cannot get the VLDs to shoot well, switch to the 185 gr match hybrid target or 185 gr hybrid hunting bullet. So far all the hybrids I have tried don't care a hoot about seating depth.

 

[Wheatgerm]

Yes, it was inconsistent and I need to improve it... I could be wrong but I don't think its the gun, I shot 3/4 inch groups with the hornady load I worked up last month..
Im wondering if its just me on the bipod or the vld not liking the seating depth.

Im mostly interested in the 60gr group, is that worth looking into again? Maybe on a led sled or something? I don't think I flinched on these groups but I very well could have.

Also I've read with the vld bullets most ppl have luck with them seated way out or way in by the ogive. Im kindof right in the middle... so should I pick the most accurate powder groups then start on seating depth

 

[Joe King]

I don't know how others feel about it, myself I think it's very important to know your own capabilities and to be honest with yourself about them when working up a load. Other wise how are supposed to know what your rifle is capable of? so you already know that you can fight with a bipod some that's good, you know what you need to work on. Do you take notes after each shot at the range? Call your own shots write it down before you ever look to see where the bullet went? I do this and I feel it's the only way I could ever have any idea if a load has promise or not, how much you contribute to the group size. If you know that on a really good day your good for 1/2moa, ave day maybe 1 moa, bad day 2moa or more. The hard part about it is not stroking your own ego and convincing yourself your better than you are lol.

The reason I brought it up is it's one of the very few ways that you can identify:

Im wondering if its just me on the bipod or the vld not liking the seating depth.

ill be the the first to admit im not the most consistent on the bipod so i really feel someone else could have probably tightened up the group.

ive been shooting my whole life but this is the first time ive actually shot on paper and really watched my groups. so let me know what you guys with more exp get out of this thanks!

Trying to help you figure out just how much you contribute, or blow it

 

[Rem700addict]

I shoot a Rem700 sps as well, changed the stock and bedded it, mine is a .300wm but if your finding your third shot drifting on you even though you feel your putting a good shot on it I think it can be due to heating of the barrel as well. I know my .300wm doesn't like to shoot back to back rounds in hotter weather as the barrel heats up quite a bit and the bullet starts to move around. But when I let the barrel cool it goes back to shooting right where I need it. Just another thought.

 

[DinoS]

The E mail I got from berger states RL17 max load 60.9gn with the hunting 185 vld. so you are under max. I just shot the first 40 rounds through my Savage 300WSM with a McGowan 24" 10 twist and the bergers were grouping great. I loaded 5 of each load from 56-61.5gn. to check accuracy and look for pressure signs. I am using H4350 at 60.5 gn. .010 off the lands at 2.220 (from memory) to the ogive using the comparator. This is about the best grouping. The max for H4350 is 62.3 gn. This is directly from berger. I am taking it out for some longer shooting this week, out to 600-800m. if this load hold together out further I will let you know.

DinoS

 

[stukpedal]

The E mail I got from berger states RL17 max load 60.9gn with the hunting 185 vld. so you are under max. I just shot the first 40 rounds through my Savage 300WSM with a McGowan 24" 10 twist and the bergers were grouping great. I loaded 5 of each load from 56-61.5gn. to check accuracy and look for pressure signs. I am using H4350 at 60.5 gn. .010 off the lands at 2.220 (from memory) to the ogive using the comparator. This is about the best grouping. The max for H4350 is 62.3 gn. This is directly from berger. I am taking it out for some longer shooting this week, out to 600-800m. if this load hold together out further I will let you know.

DinoS

What kind of speed and accuracy are you getting from this load? I'm going to be loading for 300 wsm soon, and I'm trying to find a good bullet to start with. I would like to try the Berger 185 hybrid's, but I cant find any in stock anywhere.

 

[northernexposure]

Interesting read... I'll be watching this one as I recently purchased a Tikka T3 HB 300 WSM. I'm still "playing" with factory loads (Federal 168 grn ttsx) for the moment in an effort to get some fire formed brass.

 

[DinoS]

I went on a 3 day trip with the 300 but did not get the chance to stretch the legs on this load. I have not shot it through the chrono yet either. I did however get to see what the 185's do to a bear. I was hunting chickens (Grouse) with my cousin with the 22's and scouting for good moose territory when a 200 lb blackbear stepped out at 185 laser ranged yards. We were taking a break and had water on the single burner on the tailgate for coffee when it came out. I pulled out the 300 layed down with the forend on a day pack and touched one off. The bear balled up and dropped in less than 5 yards. We were sifting through the entrails looking at the damage when my cousin asked me "where the hell is the heart". We found it, it looked like a rag. The thing was blown wide open, completely opened up. We took pictures of the thing thinking nobody would believe the damage the VLD would cause. I don't know if "I shoot better I shoot Berger" but I can say "I kill faster, I use berger".

I will have a chance soon to chrono this load. Will keep you posted.

DinoS

PS: I used the 100 yard zero at this range and point of impact was dead on. 41st bullet down the pipe.

 

[Broz]

but I can say "I kill faster, I use berger".
DinoS

Few that actually have tried them will argue this point.

Congrats and Nice job on your Bear. It is always nice to watch them pile up DRT.

Jeff

 

[DinoS]

BROZ, as I was Typing the I kill faster I use Berger I thought I would get a lot of flack but I didn't care. When I saw with my own eyes what they can do, I believe. These bullets will work great for me, they are frangable and will not tollerate being shot through brush and that's ok with me. I am no purist or saint but I have passed on some great animals because the shot did not present its self, shots others would have taken. The older I get, now 51, the more doing it right exceeds filling a tag. These do it right.

Dino

 

[Powerguy]

I am loading a 300WSM with 185g Berger VLD Hunting with 62.5g of H4350 at .080 off the lands (2.900 OAL) that consistently shoots 3 shots at 3/4" or less at 100yds. Tried loading from .030 to 1.00 off and didn't see much change if any in accuracy.

Interesting thing is that my second 300WSM load is the 168g Berger VLD Hunting with 64.5g H4350 also at .080 off the lands and the ballistics at 100 and 200 yards are almost identical to my 185g Berger loads. Berger seems to be conservative with their max loading recommendation comparted to the powder manufacturers. No pressure signs with either load.

 

[northernexposure]

I am loading a 300WSM with 185g Berger VLD Hunting with 62.5g of H4350 at .080 off the lands (2.900 OAL) that consistently shoots 3 shots at 3/4" or less at 100yds. Tried loading from .030 to 1.00 off and didn't see much change if any in accuracy.

Interesting... I loaded some 185 grn VLD hunting as well... using the same powder. A couple differences though... I only used 59.1 grn of H4350 with winchester magnum primers and compressed them to 2.880" .
At the range, I managed to get four of five shots touching each other @ 100 yds (I goofed up on the flyer). Stretching it out to 200 yds, I managed to get five of five all within .75" .
Not too sure if any of this is relevant, but it almost says that less can be more... at times.

Additional information: Shot with ambient temperature of 15c at 927 ft above sea level. Dead calm wind conditions.