I loaded a sample pack of 115 Bergers in my 25-06 with a load I have for 117 Sierras. A sexy looking bullet I was all exciting about the bug hole groups I imagined getting. Turns out to shoot about 4" at 100 yards which is what I get at 300 yards with the other bullets I shoot in this rifle.

I know I need to mess with seating depth to find better performance but I had not had to adjust any load so far.

Still GRRRR!!!

Thank for letting me vent.

I'm sure you'll work it out************** or not. Either case have fun.
It seems strange to me that many of the old 98s with dark, worn rifling still shoot 2.000" groups off a bench with open sights no matter what fodder you put through them. Go figure!! roger

I load this same bullet in my 257 AI, and for me, it needs to be just touching or slightly "jammed" into the lands.

The VLD Bergers have a secant ogive that is notorious for being very sensitive to seating depth.

Tagent ogive bullets are much more forgiving.

I have the Berger reloading manual, and they say just what AIU said.

Once you've got them right, then the sky's the limit.

So one is shooting bug hole groups with another bullet. Why mess around with others some times we just make hard on our selves for no reason.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
So one is shooting bug hole groups with another bullet. Why mess around with others some times we just make hard on our selves for no reason.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
I load this same bullet in my 257 AI, and for me, it needs to be just touching or slightly "jammed" into the lands.

The VLD Bergers have a secant ogive that is notorious for being very sensitive to seating depth.

Tagent ogive bullets are much more forgiving.

I suggest getting a copy of the Berger Bullets reloading manual (1st edition) and reading the chapter by Eric Stecker on "Berger Bullet Products", especially those sections on the VLD bullet design and "getting the best precision and accuracy from the VLD bullets in your rifle".

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
So one is shooting bug hole groups with another bullet. Why mess around with others some times we just make hard on our selves for no reason.

But they look so cool.

They were the 115 vld hunting I believe which has a rounder nose profile.

I am not a target shooter or a long range specialist.

In my experience a bullet that gives 4 inch groups at 100 meters is never going to become a 1 inch load in that barrel!

The barrel either likes or hates a bullet. JMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:

I know I need to mess with seating depth to find better performance but I had not had to adjust any load so far.

Since the VLD's may be finicky in your rig, consider the newer Hybrid line. They have a different ogive profile that is theoretically less sensitive to seating depth. Just a thought.

P.S. This is an interesting series of articles to read if your have not cone across it before. There is a lot of combined experience behind this compiled data.

"37 out of the 39 shooters using Berger Bullets went with one of the Berger Hybrid bullet designs, but there were 2 shooters using Berger VLD (Very Low Drag) style bullets."

http://precisionrifleblog.com/...eloading-components/

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
Aint reloading fun?!

Well it turns out that apparently I am not doing it to be saving all sorts of money.