Berger 180BT Test Updae

[Rob Ashcraft.]

Shot the new Berger 180BT Thick out of the 7BooBoo today. Started off with a ladder to see if there was a sweet spot or two. Setup at 300yds and started with 63.3g Norma MRP and went to 69.0g. Velocity spread was from 2968 to 3180fps measured with an Oehler 35P with 4' rail. at 15 ft from muzzle. All ladder loads were loaded at 0.005" off the lands. Results showed 2 potential sweet spots at 64.8g at 3013fps and 67.5g at 3132fps.

Loaded up 3 rounds each at 3 seating depths. At the lands, 0.010" jump and 0.010" jam. Again shooting at 300yds, the load at the lands was a nice lil round group that measures roughly 0.904". The jumped load was a 0.765" with a double. The jammed load was just ugly with lots of vertical. The load at the lands ran 3116, 3131 and 3126. The jumped load at 3126, 3125 and 3133. The jammed load at 3131,3134 and 3140.

All test loads were shot off portable bench. All test loads were bullets that measured -0.002" on the comparator.

Will shoot the jumped load of 67.5g MRP this weekend at the WV 1000yd match and report back then.

The rifle is built on a 10" Bat with a 32" 9 twist Krieger. Barrel is 1.750" for 10" and then tapers to 1.450" at the muzzle. Baer wood stock and stainless rails. Roughly 400 rounds at the time of the test. Rifle has shot well at 1000yds with the Sierra 175MK and 69.0g MRP.

Feel free to email with any questions.
Rob

 

[Rob Ashcraft.]

Shot the Berger 180BT Thick at the WV 1000yd match yesterday. Great lil range that shoots up a tight holler (as we say in SE Ohio and in WV). Conditions appeared to be great and I shot my relay much slower then normal for me. Many impacts on clay pigeons at 1000yd during the sighters with mostly vertical showing.

Target 1 returned with a 96 score, which set the new range record for score in HG, and a 11.377" group. Jim Lorenz also set the new range group record in that relay. Not my best effort, but take the two horizontal fliers out and the group shrinks to a little over 6". Shootoff target returned the same info. A 95 score for Target 2 and a group that measures about 12". Again 6 shots centered up in the 10 ring with more vertical in this target then the first.

I think that these bullets show great promise and will be getting a few more boxes to finish tweaking a load for them. Possibly trying some different powders for a better tune.

Many thanks to Eric and Berger for supplying these bullets to test. Hopefully I was able to impart some information of use to those interested in shooting this fine bullet.