Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

[SWRichmond]

I did a search for a thread similar and found none.

Starting with 185 Berger hybrids and a new 26" Krieger. I haven't yet done the break in.

Brass will be used LCNM and perhaps some WIN. Primers Fed 210M. Sinclair competition / bushing die set. I've already measured the "leade" and intend to seat the Bergers to jump about 0.005" to start with.

I might try the chrono, or I might drive my truck over the thing and send the pieces back to the stupid MFers that sold it to me. Not sure yet.

A very nice gent at Berger sent me some load data, and I am going to start with what I've got: IMR 4895, RE-15, and maybe even some IMR 4064, which I hear is a good powder for this bullet. This bullet, going slightly slower than the 175 Sierra, buys me 21" less drift in a ten mph full-value wind at 1000 yards.

Anyone else using this bullet in .308?

 

[littlecalm]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

Have only tried the new Berger 175 OTM tactial. Real nice.

 

[jawjatek]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

I'm shooting this bullet in my DPMS LR308 24" 1-10 twist for 600 and 1000 yard matches. I'm using the RL-15 (M118 pull-down) powder from Jeff at gibrass.com, which is a great deal at $100/8#. My load is a pretty stiff charge similar to the USAMU's load which I won't post; it would not be good in a M1/M14/M1A but is fine in the LR308/AR10 based on a buddy on the Guard team's results in his DPMS/M110. So far so good, but have more testing to do, and I have only shot it at 600, but I was pounding the 10/X ring with it the first time I shot it. Going to do some chrono work today and see what fps I'm getting. I moly coat (not interested in any debate about moly), and am using either LC or IVI nato brass. OAL is 2.950 (single load thru the port as rules require so I don't care it won't go in a mag) and that is quite a ways off the lands in this particular gun, as it hits the lands at 3.027" OAL... Like I said, so far so good, but still testing. I did just order some more... HTH

 

[texasleftychef]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

I have had good success shooting them in my TRG with 44.5 gr Varget, 210M primers, Lapua brass. I seat them a little further out than you though ~.020. Litz, the guy that designed the bullet recommended seating them .015 off and working out from there. Not closer, so might want to check on that.

 

[shoepop]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

I just tested them in a TRG with varying weights of Varget and RL17 starting off lands .005 moving back .010 at a time to .060 off couldn't get them to shoot that great in my 308. I'm done with them couldn't get the 6mm hybrids to shoot that great either. They would barely hold 1 moa @ 300 out in my rifles. Hope you have better results.

 

[SWRichmond]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

Been tinkering with this bullet in .308 Win. I did some pressure evidence testing with Re-15, settled on loading some to shoot for groups at 42.4 Gr with a F210M primer in LM match brass, bullets jumping 0.010". Shooting prone from a bipod and rear brick bag.

I shot twelve rounds at 100 yards, and throwing out two called flyers (called when shot not when seen) I have two three shot groups at 0.310" and .400", and two two-shot groups at .280" and one-hole. Including the called flyers would make the last two groups .675" and .430" respectively.

Got sticky boltness a few times, so I am going to back off to 42.1 gr and shoot more, and five-shot groups.

Interestingly, 42.1 gr of Re-15 is Berger's recommended max for this bullet and gives a claimed 2578fps.

 

[SWRichmond]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

Update

For this .308 I have settled on 42.0 gr Re-15 with the Berger 185 Hybrid target. I shot two 5 shot groups with it yesterday (prone, rear brick bag) and got 0.475" and 0.525". Fed 210M, LC match brass, FL sized with neck bushing die, cases not neck turned, bullets jumping 0.005". I also shot 5 shot groups with a lower bipod setting (disaster) and with less time on the trigger (also disaster).

These were after shooting 27 rounds of development with 175 Sierras and 155 Scenars, three round groups looking for pressure issues, trying to develop something I can shoot 1000 yards that will also fit in the AI magazine, as follows:

175 SMK, jumping 0.010":

41.4 gr Re-15 0.725"
41.8 gr Re-15 0.800"
Caught myself making a bag error (I need a slightly bigger bag and sometimes overcompensate), corrected the error and shot
42.3 gr Re-15 0.450"
43.0 gr Re-15 0.480"
43.3 gr Re-15 0.385"

Lapua 155 Scenar, seated to 2.840", jumping 0.008":
45.2 gr Re-15 0.575"
45.4 gr Re-15 0.940" (did not call a flyer, but one shot is in a different place than the other eleven with this bullet)
45.7 gr Re-15 0.400"
46.0 gr Re-15 0.380"

I am going to load more 175 SMKs and 155 Scenars at their respective highest load shown and shoot two 5 shot groups each. The 185's I am going to try at 1000 yards and see how it goes.

I am certain that the rifle is capable of better than this, which is exactly what I wanted: I am no longer equipment-limited, the improvement is up to me. Before the rebarreling I could not get better than 0.600" or so with 175 SMKs, and the rifle wouldn't shoot the 155 Scenars at all (1.500" plus group size), under any circumstances. And believe me, I tried. In retrospect, I probably spent several hundred dollars on bullets, primters and powder, not to mention time, trying to get the factory 700P barrel to shoot.

My sincere thanks to Krieger, and to Berger.

 

[Heman]

Re: Berger 185 Hybrids in .308 Win

I shoot the 185 LRBT for palma. 44.5gr of Varget. Dan Pohlalbel who is on the national F/TR team used the same load last year with his. Hybrids will shoot slightly better but you will like them.