Questions on 95 gr Berger VLD .243!

[coyotelatrans]

Ok I'm new here on LRH looks like alot to see on this site! I have a .243 rem sps varmint that I use on coyotes. I have purchased some Berge 95 grain VLD's to try. My old stand by was a 80 grain Nosler bal tip, very accurate 3/4" at 200 yards. I also was toying with the 90 Bal tip. My issues have been I get some coyotes that hang up past 300 yards due to various reasons. The ones I have shot with the thinner jacker bal tip if on the shoulder bullet splash and some crawl away! I call for fun but also do this for a living as well.

My question is what can I expect from these bergers? To cold out now to shoot them, but I know some have said they work best against the lands and in talking with Walt Berger he says to get them to my max magazine length which I have just done, standard max in .243 is 2.710 I can get these to 2.745 OAL and that is about it. I'm way off the lands with a hornady OAL gauge just touching would be 2.910 OAL can't do it becuase of the magazine in the stock.

How many have hunted with bergers and what kind of accuracy do you get past 300 yards? Are your seating depths at max specs longer shorter? Any info on these bullets would be great from a hunting aspect! I have a few friends that shoot long range real well and they use them for paper, but they are loading them 1 at a time so OAL means little on paper!

Thanks again for any info you can lend! I hope to get out and shoot these next week when we get back to 40 degrees or so!

 

[BryanLitz]

You'll want to be sure your rifle has at least a 1:9" twist barrel to insure proper stability.

People have had mixed results shooting the 95 grain VLD's from 1:10" twist barrels, stability is
right on the edge.

Hopefully you get a load to shoot well at the max magazine length. If not, you may find best accuracy when they're seated in the lands, which would mean single loading.

The 95 grain VLD has a good track record for accuracy in 600 yard BR competition. It's got good ballistics, accuracy (if your barrel and load is right) and is a very lethal hunting bullet.

Good luck to you,
-Bryan

 

[goodgrouper]

I've used that bullet to kill everything from prairie dogs to rockchucks to pronghorn. It penetrates well, creates massive wound channels and hates to slow down.

A factory twist barrel is probably a 10" twist and that might not always work to stabilize. Especially at sea level in the cold weather.

Accuracy is top notch (if your barrel likes them) past 300 yards. I have killed rockchucks at 1400 yards with those bullets and it was scary how easy it was.

 

[coyotelatrans]

Good grouper thanks for the info! I'm going to ask you more though how close are you seating those VLD"s? How far will your "hunting" rifle allow you to see them out for proper magazine function? I assume your using these in a bolt action? My factory rem barrel is listed at 1-9 1/8 twist so I should be good to go on twist? My main thing is hearing that you have to have them close to the lands to get real good results and a few say nope they get good accuracy from under max COAL settings. What is the COAL of yours and how far off if off the lands is yours? Thanks again!

 

[goodgrouper]

On a hunting rifle where you intend to use the magazine, you are limited to how long it will let you seat them out. On 99% of factory rifles, they are throated so long and the magazines are so short that you won't have a prayer for touching them into the riflings. But no matter. Tune them to your depth whatever it might be. The last 5 or 6 guns I loaded them up for shot them well and they were probably jumping .100" or more.

I have always found that there are two sweet spots in a rifles tune in regards to seating depth (and powder/pressure too) and you simply have to find the deep node in this case. I suspect that you can easily attain accuracy good enough to kill a coyote to half mile or better with these bullets once you find what they and your gun want.

Yes, your twist should be ok supposing Remington got it close to spec of twist.

Yes, mine are bolt guns. Are there any other?!

And I always leave about .020 to .030" of room from the tip to the end of the mag well just to insure they don't ever touch under recoil.

 

[coyotelatrans]

Thanks good grouper I will find out next week! Yes I know what you mean about the long throat! With the OAL gauge the bullet just touching is at 2.910 no way I can get close to that with my rem and having it feed well. I'm at 2.745 and that is leaving that little extra for good reliable feeding! I will see what happens next week, if I can get them to shoot like the nosler 80's 3/4" at 200 yards I will be a happy camper even 1" at 200 would be acceptable for me to have th confidance in them to 550 or so!

 

[novaman64]

Wanted to see how those bullets ended up working out for ya? I am looking at running the same ones, and using them for deer hunting as well. I have the exact same rifle as you...

 

[Woodycreek]

Just got a box of 95gr VLDs and 95gr Bts to try out in my 700 SPS V. What powder are you guys going to use? I'm looking at using Varget,7828ssc,Magpro, or Hybrid 100V.