.308 and Berger vlds

[jaybic]

Hello,

I am hoping some of you guys might kick me in the right direction. I am trying to shoot some 155gr Berger hunting VLDs and am currently using 46gr of Varget. I want to bump it up to 47grs(John Whidden Palma load from 6mmbr.com site) and I have no pressure signs so far that I am aware of.

Herein lies the issue. Loaded to .80 off the rifling(Eric Stecker Berger Bullets test)which is where it seems to like them, they do not fit into the magazine and appear to be very near max. If I seat them to fit the mag, I am sure it will end up to be a compressed load(danger?????) so the only idea I have is to back of the powder to create more bullet room so to speak.

Is it reasonable to think that by reducing powder and seating the bullet deeper(smaller combustion chamber theory) will allow the same or near same velocities as more powder and the bullet seated longer?

I am not sure I am even explaining this sensibly but hopefully some of you have some ideas.

Goal: push a 155 berger vld fast as possible while still fitting it into the magazine of my rifle( 26 inch Krieger barreled Rem 700) for extended range coyote hunting.

Thanks for your time.

Jamie

 

[Bill Ohio]

Reconsider the goal

Are you looking for the most accurate load, or the fastest load? I'd want the former, not the latter. If your most accurate load requires that you single feed -- because of magazine length limitation -- then that's what I'd do.

If magazine feeding is crucial, then get the most accurate load that works in the magazine. Velocity should be secondary. As in a distant second, IMO.

What I would want is the most accurate load, that goes fast enough.

Goal: push a 155 berger vld fast as possible while still fitting it into the magazine of my rifle( 26 inch Krieger barreled Rem 700) for extended range coyote hunting.

Thanks for your time.

Jamie

 

[clowdis]

Recent tests by Berger and others has shown that the VLD bullets will jump as much as .090 to .125 and still maintain accuracy, in some cases they have attained the best accuracy with this much jump. So don't be afraid to try jumping them from magazine length. As for powder and velocity, you're going to have to reduce powder maybe as much as 2 grains to get them to magazine length. This will cost you some velocity but maybe only 100-150 fps or so. Since you're not shooting 1,000 yards velocity isn't that critical but accuracy is. The only way to find out if it works or not is to give it a try.

 

[Tony Shankle]

Yank the bottom metal off and replace it with one like the Surgeon. The AI mag will handle the length. Then you can have the best of both worlds.