Berger's VLD load testing

[jdboy]

I recently read Berger's article on VLD load testing and thought I'd give it a try. I started off touching the lands (2.950") and then subtracted .040" down to 2.830". Then I loaded the last group at the normal suggested OAL from a manual (2.800"). These are from once fired brass, prepped and neck sized, with 44.5gr of Varget. I started with the 2.950" groups, first group was high so I came down .4mil and fired the next groups at this dope. All groups were shot at 119 yards, have a look.

I realize this isn't the 5 shot norm that everyone usually does here on the Hide but it's how Berger suggested to run the test.

Every dog has a lucky day, lol!

 

[Dentite]

I recently read Berger's article on VLD load testing and thought I'd give it a try. I started off touching the lands (2.950") and then subtracted .040" down to 2.830". Then I loaded the last group at the normal suggested OAL from a manual (2.800"). These are from once fired brass, prepped and neck sized, with 44.5gr of Varget. I started with the 2.950" groups, first group was high so I came down .4mil and fired the next groups at this dope. All groups were shot at 119 yards, have a look.

I realize this isn't the 5 shot norm that everyone usually does here on the Hide but it's how Berger suggested to run the test.

Every dog has a lucky day, lol!

Nice. Can you elaborate on what the targets are with the line through the info lines on the left? For example the group where you had three rounds in one hole there is no data on seating depth, etc. Is that because you shot two three round groups at each seating depth?

This is interesting to me because I'm trying to work up a load for some 140 .264 VLDs and I think I need to vary the seating the depth and do some testing.

Thanks.

 

[jdboy]

Each page is the same load data as written in the description part of the target. Berger suggests doing 2 3 shot groups at each OAL. The first 2 groups were touching the lands at 2.950". The next 2 groups were -.040". Each increment was -.040" down to 2.830" OAL. The last group was the only one that was different at -.030 taking it to 2.800" OAL. Hope that wasn't too confusing, I can get that way at times when trying to put things in text.

Edit: take a look

http://www.bergerbullets.com/getting-the-best-precision-and-accuracy-from-vld-bullets-in-your-rifle/

 

[CharlieNC]

You may also want to take a look at shorter jumps of .005, .010, .020 etc that are mag friendly. Never know where you will find the sweet spot.

 

[jdboy]

You may also want to take a look at shorter jumps of .005, .010, .020 etc that are mag friendly. Never know where you will find the sweet spot.

Yes the jumps were quiet wide but that's how Berger suggested running the test. I think what I'll do is take the loads with the most consistent groups and go +/- .003" and .006". Also all but one of the loads are to mag length. My SRS mag can run 2.920" OAL max. Running from 2.800" to 2.950" in .005" incriments with 2 3 shot groups each would burn a lot of recourses and things are still hard to find around here.

 

[Warbone]

If you look at 2.800 and combine the 2 groups together without the possible 1 flyer you have a nice 5 shot group there. I would go with 2.800. I might refire 2.910 just to see if the oneholer was a fluke or not.

 

[jdboy]

If you look at 2.800 and combine the 2 groups together without the possible 1 flyer you have a nice 5 shot group there. I would go with 2.800. I might refire 2.910 just to see if the oneholer was a fluke or not.

I think that's exactly what I'll do, thanks for the reply. The one hole group was one of those "WOW" moments. I'm actually still getting the feel of the SRS and that one made me grin. I would shoot the 2 groups at each OAL, pull a bore snake down the tube, and then go change the target. I may try it without wiping the bore between groups this time. I just wanted to try to keep some constancy between the OAL changes. I started with a clean/cold bore and fired 2 fouling shots using factory ammo.

 

[Svendogg]

I think that's exactly what I'll do, thanks for the reply. The one hole group was one of those "WOW" moments. I'm actually still getting the feel of the SRS and that one made me grin. I would shoot the 2 groups at each OAL, pull a bore snake down the tube, and then go change the target. I may try it without wiping the bore between groups this time. I just wanted to try to keep some constancy between the OAL changes. I started with a clean/cold bore and fired 2 fouling shots using factory ammo.

Nice shooting! I have found that doing the seating depth testing has been invaluable in both my .223 (70 & 80gr vlds) & in my .264 with the 140 VLD's. One thing that I do, which may help "keep some consistency" is to use the round-robbin approach, similar to doing an OCW. Right, wrong, or indifferent that's what I do. Seems to help spread variables across all "loads". So I'll have a target with for each seating depth "group", warm-up/foul my barrel, then shoot 1 from each seating depth group at its own target, cycle thru until I have shot 3 shots of each group at their own targets. Sorry if that's not super clear, but the attached picture may help. On this target I was doing my "fine tuning" of seating depth on targets 3-8. So I had done this before with larger jumps per Bergers website to get a good idea on where to really start. In the pic, you can see how 1,2,3 on each target, so I shot all the "1's" first, then the "2's", then the "3's".

 

[Svendogg]

Nice. Can you elaborate on what the targets are with the line through the info lines on the left? For example the group where you had three rounds in one hole there is no data on seating depth, etc. Is that because you shot two three round groups at each seating depth?

This is interesting to me because I'm trying to work up a load for some 140 .264 VLDs and I think I need to vary the seating the depth and do some testing.

Thanks.

I know every rifle is different, but I found .015" off to be the sweet spot on my .260 with the 140vld's. Do the full test that Berger recommends, but might want to include .015" off in that test, never know might be the ticket in yours too.

 

[fatcat265]

I did the same test today and to be honest could not really tell much difference. I only shot a 3 round group of each depth after cleaning and firing one foul shot with cheap factory loads. All four different depths had all three shots touching in their individual groups at 100 yds. Is this a fluke?

 

[D.ID]

I have bean so lucky with VLDs I never actually made it that far in the test.
Have set out to do it a couple times but I end up working them up to pressure .010 off the lands and finding a load that shoots beyond expectations in the process.
The last two I worked up: I did not even plan to try to test other seating depths. Unfortunately this approach pretty much dictates single shot loading in everything I got.
I have resorted to planning short action calibers on long actions just so I can plan on running VLDs in a magazine.

 

[jdboy]

I did the same test today and to be honest could not really tell much difference. I only shot a 3 round group of each depth after cleaning and firing one foul shot with cheap factory loads. All four different depths had all three shots touching in their individual groups at 100 yds. Is this a fluke?

Sounds like the barrel/bullet/powder combination you have just works, and that's a good thing! Another way you could run the test is to extend your range if you can. Longer ranges would allow the bullet impacts to open up a bit and maybe make it a little easier to spot changes in POI. The only way to tell if it's a fluke or not is to rerun the test.

 

[fatcat265]

Sounds like the barrel/bullet/powder combination you have just works, and that's a good thing! Another way you could run the test is to extend your range if you can. Longer ranges would allow the bullet impacts to open up a bit and maybe make it a little easier to spot changes in POI. The only way to tell if it's a fluke or not is to rerun the test.

I agree, I will rerun the test and stretch it out to 200 yards this time.

 

[RangerDan25]

Savage 6.5 creedmoore w/ Burger 140g Hybrid VLD

This was some groups I just shot last week. The first two groups where really bad because I never shot from a bench. I couldn't get the rear of the rifle stable do to the tall bipod and so the first two groups suffered tell I figured something out.

140g Hybrid VLD
H4350 40-41.5 (still going up tell I see pressure signs)
CCI large primers.
Nosler Brass

OAL is 2.890

Two of these groups measured less than .3