Couple weeks ago, my buddy picked up a Sako A7 Long Range Hunter 7 mag from Cabelas. He doesn't reload but wanted to get in the long range game with HSM 168 Berger Loads.
We mounted a 6-24x Vortex PST on the rifle and he went shooting. He put 35 rounds of the 168 VLD HSM stuff down the barrel and it shot terrible. Flyers, velocity spreads of over 100 FPS, and the best he could was 2" at 100 and roughly 4" 3 shot group at 200.
This gun had to much going for it to shoot bad so I talked him into allowing me to load for this rifle and see what we can do with it. He dropped it off last night with the 5 remaining HSM loads he didn't shoot. I gave it a good scrubbing, checked all ring mounts. - all good to go.
I hate messing with seating depth so I purchased 168 berger classic hunter with a BC of .604. I loaded 15 rounds (3 groups of 5) with Fed 215, at 64.7 gr. 65 gr. and 65.3 of IMR 7828SSC. This seems to be pretty good for temp variations and IMR has been good to me before. I seated all 15 rounds to 3.360, which is as long as I could go and still have the magazine feed.
I set the target at 200 yards and shot. Results:
64.7grains - 5 shots, 0.96", 1/8th" below center line - No pressure signs - WINNING LOAD.
65.0grains - 5 shots, 1.36", dead center - slight pressure marks on brass
65.3grains - 5 shots. 1.25", 1/4" above center line - pressure with flatten primers.
HSM 168 VLD - 5 shots. 3.85" - scattered like a shotgun
Observations: This gun can shoot! I understand that the classic hunter bullet profile lends itself to easier loading but man am I impressed. At a BC of .604 this is still a great long range bullet. Based on Trajectory validation, I am guessing the 64.7 load is around 2975 FPS.
Think we have winner hear as far as rifle, scope, load that ballistically gives us a 1000 yard rifle in the right hands.
We mounted a 6-24x Vortex PST on the rifle and he went shooting. He put 35 rounds of the 168 VLD HSM stuff down the barrel and it shot terrible. Flyers, velocity spreads of over 100 FPS, and the best he could was 2" at 100 and roughly 4" 3 shot group at 200.
This gun had to much going for it to shoot bad so I talked him into allowing me to load for this rifle and see what we can do with it. He dropped it off last night with the 5 remaining HSM loads he didn't shoot. I gave it a good scrubbing, checked all ring mounts. - all good to go.
I hate messing with seating depth so I purchased 168 berger classic hunter with a BC of .604. I loaded 15 rounds (3 groups of 5) with Fed 215, at 64.7 gr. 65 gr. and 65.3 of IMR 7828SSC. This seems to be pretty good for temp variations and IMR has been good to me before. I seated all 15 rounds to 3.360, which is as long as I could go and still have the magazine feed.
I set the target at 200 yards and shot. Results:
64.7grains - 5 shots, 0.96", 1/8th" below center line - No pressure signs - WINNING LOAD.
65.0grains - 5 shots, 1.36", dead center - slight pressure marks on brass
65.3grains - 5 shots. 1.25", 1/4" above center line - pressure with flatten primers.
HSM 168 VLD - 5 shots. 3.85" - scattered like a shotgun
Observations: This gun can shoot! I understand that the classic hunter bullet profile lends itself to easier loading but man am I impressed. At a BC of .604 this is still a great long range bullet. Based on Trajectory validation, I am guessing the 64.7 load is around 2975 FPS.
Think we have winner hear as far as rifle, scope, load that ballistically gives us a 1000 yard rifle in the right hands.
