95gr Berger VLD Tikka .243 SUCCESS!!

[savages]

I ran a ladder test this past winter and found the rifle liked 41.8 gr H414.
Shot a group at that charge and then never got time to work on it.


Until today that is...
100yd Target.
0mph wind
77F
4 shot group loaded by hand. Rounds to long for magazine.
Easily fixed with a long action mag and bolt catch.

I was told by 3 people this bullet won't work in the 1:10 barrel because its so long.


Tikka Lite Stainless .243 1:10 twist factory barrel
95gr Berger VLD
41.8gr H414
Ogive 2.274 which sets it .01 off the lands
Average 3001fps
1009 feet above sea level
Bipod and rear bag

Target
1 is .01 off the lands.
2 is .02 off the lands.
3 is .05 off the lands.
4 is .04 off the lands.

Not sure why I had such a bad flyer on 4.






Rifle is on the right.


Time to celebrate with a Bourbon and brats over the fire pit.

 

[supratt96]

I've had great success with the Berger 95gr VLDs in every rifle I have tried them. Just seems to be a really well designed bullet.

I have a Cooper Model 22 in 6mm Remington that is also a 1:10 twist and it loves the 95gr Bergers, even here in NJ where we're very close to sea level. I think higher velocity chamberings can get away with a bit less twist when it comes to stabilizing longer bullets.

 

[P7id10t]

Time to celebrate with a Bourbon and brats over the fire pit.

Ya sure, you betcha!

 

[rg1911]

I'm running the Berger 95-gr VLD in a slightly blown 6BR case and a 1-10 twist barrel. The range is at 5,000 feet and I'm keeping the velocity above 2800 fps. No problems and, using Varget, a 3-shot test went into one hole at 200 yards. I'll be using this rifle and load for 600-yard IBS benchrest matches at the range I use.

Now I just need to get a handle on reading wind and mirage.

Richard

 

[idahoorion]

Savages.

I load these and used three powders in the .243. once I settled on 4831sc I moved to the Berger seating test. You can find stickys's on it here or at Longrange hunting. basically it says to test the load at some fairly big seating increments. I did the test and like you were messing with my loads close to the lands. It was a eye opening experience when my Savage Factory barrel put the .09 and .130 groups with holes touching reducing my groups from .6 -.5 to .2-.3! As a result I run a bunch of jump. helps on the mag length too. Your extreme velocity spread may give you some issues at long range.
best
Idahoorion

 

[savages]

Savages.

I load these and used three powders in the .243. once I settled on 4831sc I moved to the Berger seating test. You can find stickys's on it here or at Longrange hunting. basically it says to test the load at some fairly big seating increments. I did the test and like you were messing with my loads close to the lands. It was a eye opening experience when my Savage Factory barrel put the .09 and .130 groups with holes touching reducing my groups from .6 -.5 to .2-.3! As a result I run a bunch of jump. helps on the mag length too. Your extreme velocity spread may give you some issues at long range.
best
Idahoorion

I found the VLD document I believe you are referencing.
I will have to try some seated further off the lands and see what happens. And I agree its a huge eye opening experience watching the groups change.
Tried some 4831sc and couldn't get anything to group consistently. Care to share your load information?

 

[idahoorion]

Savages.

My savage predator is a 1-9.25 twist, don't know if that has anything to do with it.
she shot imr 4350 very well too but I was on the last can and powders being what they are for availability......I decided to try something I had some of. hence the h4831sc.
on powder work up my 44.5 and 45 grain were both quite good and to the same point of impact. I weigh each charge but figured if I split them it would give me a little wiggle room. then I ran
the seating test that is stickied on the Longrange hunting site under reloading. So..my loads is cci 200's norma brass, 44.7 4831 sc and the berger 95 hunting vld. seated off .13... I have shot it to 825 yards and 3050 fps is consistent with my dope. I have shot a 500 yd group that confirms my dope and the group was .6moa.

now with all that I have run out of primers and will be testing for WW, Fed 210 m, and Sand B primers all which I have plenty. hope I can get the same luck.
Idahoorion

 

[savages]

Tried seating them off the lands further and it didn't like it.

80F
15-17mph left to right wind
100yds

Center is .010 off. 5shot group, verified it likes the .010 off the lands. Concerned about what will happen when the barrel erodes since this is a .243.
upper left is .090 4 shot group. Think I'll load up some more from .080 to .100 and see what it does.
upper right is .130 2 shot group, didn't waste the last 2 rounds could see it didn't like it.

The bottom 2 were load tests for a .308

 

[6.5BR]

Have you tried 95 Ballistic Tips? Shot in the 2s for me...

 

[savages]

Who makes the 95gr ballistic tips your referencing?

 

[6.5BR]

Nosler makes the 95 Ballistic Tip

 

[JGorski]

The last four 5 shot groups I shot with my 6mmREM using 95VLDs and 39grs of 760 I got in the mid 3s at 100yds, had a H-S thumbhole stock, bipod and rear bag, it took almost 100 bullets before I found the lands properly, that 700 varmint was accurate but it destroyed the case necks after about 3 loadings with it's .010" neck expansion. It's being transformed into the "Coming soon" part of my signature, then it will be fed 105VLDs.

 

[JGorski]

I know you guys wanted to see target pics,hehe. I did pull that one shot, but otherwise a pretty good showing, hope the 105s shoot even better, they should in the LRI rifle.