Found the load I`ve been looking for

[Catfish]

I`ve been playing with a .22-6mm for abt. 9 mo. now and think I`ve findly found the load I`ve been looking for. I got groups around 1/2 moa with 80 gn. Sierra MK bullets, but to get them I had to keep the velosity down around 3,200 fps. I tried some 80 gn. Bergers yesterday and shot a .321 group at 3,481 fps. The magic load was 50 gn. of Mag. pro. and a Fed. llarge rifle match primer. They are plently warm and I my drop back .2 of a gn., but they will still be up around 3,400 fps. where I think they should be.
Now the big question, will they open up on game??? I built the rifle for long range coyote shooting and have taken 1 coyote at 350 yrds. with the 80 gn. Sierra`s at 2,800 fps and it did a real nice job, but will the Berger`s open. They will be spinning at 5,221.5 rev`s. per second so I think they should open, does anyone know??????????

[BILLY D.]

Catfish

Barsness just did a article on Berger VLD's on Big game in New Zealand. According to the article the VLD's performed admirably. But they were shooting much larger animals. But I would have to assume the 22's would be constructed similiarly and perform in the same manner.

The article was in the last issue of Handloader.

Bill

[Catfish]

Bill,
I hope they expand, I just ordered 500 of them. I used to use their match bullets in my .17 Rem. becxause their MEF bullets expanded to fast. I got very few exit hole with them.

[petey]

Match Kings do the trick nicely. We've been using them for years and they put a whallop on a deer at 700 and beyond.

I've been fiddling around with some 180 grain Bergers in my 7 RUM and I haven't found a "sweet" load yet. The Seiras shoot a tad under 1/4" at 100 yards and have proven themselves out to 750 on deer. I wanted to try the Berger's for their unreal BC in hopes to get a "better" long range round. Ok who really needs something better than what I have?? Just a point I guess and the want to fiddle a round a little bit.

As of right now I can get 150 Noslers to shoot sub 1/2 MOA, Match Kings to shoot under 1/4 at 100 and around 2" at 500 yards. The 180 Bergers....welp, no luck so far. I can't get them to shoot anything better than an 1.5" group at 100 yards!! This is the first bullet I've put down this gun's throat that hasn't obtained sub 1" groups. I worked up 12 different loads last night starting around 86 grains of retumbo and ending up at 91. Hopefully one of them will produce something better than what I've seen so far. If not...I'll just stick with the MK's. It could be an issue of the longer bullet just not stabalizing by the time it reaches 100 yards. I may have to step back to 200 or more to get the true results out of these Bergers. BTW, I'm testing Bergers for their super Ballistic Coeficent and the claim that they are an excellent game round. So far, I haven't seen a match bullet that didn't put a whallop on deer sized game. I'm sure Berger VLD is no different

They should work great out of your rig. I shoot Balistic tips out of my .22 caliber and she explodes on contact. The only bullet I've ever found to "fail" in my opinion were 165 gr Speer Grand Slams out of a 308 on deer. I just don't think our deer have the meat to make this bullet do what it was intended to do. Instead of expanding, they acted more like a FMJ and had little or no expansion resulting in not so perfect results. I initially had them loaded up for bear, but used them one season on deer. After I saw what the did on a couple deer, I pulled all the bullets and they still sit in the same box today They are more of a heavy game bullet, so bad selection on my part. She's now loaded with 168 grain Balistic Silvertips....which work perfectly.

[Catfish]

Petey,
One thing I`ve been thinking about tring and haven`t got to yet is putting weights on the barrel. I`m convinced that the reason that different bullets shot well in some barrels and not others is at least in part do to barrel harmonics. I think that by putting weights on the barrel you could change the harmonics and change the accuracy of the of the barrel by changeing the harmonics. If the Boss doses it so should anything else that changes the harmonics. Sounds good any way.

[petey]

I read an interesting article once about the Sims Barrel Deresinator. Pretty much came up with the results of it being a gimick. I can't recall the magazine, the date published or the author, but that was his findings.

That being said, I used to own a Browning SS with a BOSS in a .338. I fiddled around with the BOSS quite a bit and found that it was a finicky little bugger. It would change groups quite drastically. Nothing like throwing another vairable in the mix. I got to the point where I just worked up a load and adjusted the BOSS to the results I wanted. Problem is, I found that sucker liked to loosen itself up after throwing 20 or so rounds down the barrel of that ol .338. I'm sure it was the recoil and souped up loads..but the final result was I got rid of it and went to a 300 RUM. I used to think the .338 was king but after shooting 225 gr .338 vs 180 gr .30 at a 5/8" steal plate at 500 yards, made me change my mind quickly about the 338. Foot pounds of energy and better bullet selection, plus the worry of "is my BOSS in the same place", and the LOUD boom when I pulled the trigger, caused me to get rid of it!

Still, your claim has merit and I've seen it happen with my own experiments. But it's just another variable and do you want to mess with the headache? I suppose the answer may be yes, since it's just something to do and people who reload and shoot wildcats do it for a reason. Otherwise you'd just step in line, buy an off the shelf gun and shoot factory ammo

[petey]

Catfish,

Welp got to tinker a bit this weekend and post some results. I am getting closer. Seems I wasn't shooting them fast enough. My 160 Sierra's like about 3200 fps. I bumped the 180 gr Bergers up to 3200 and she started to close in. I'm getting almost 2 in one hole and a 1/2 inch "flyer" I shot this load a few times and each one produced the exact same results, in the same hole. Pretty impressive when you line all the targets up and look at a 9 shot group. Pretty much 6 in one hole and 3 a half inch out.


No signs of pressure at all. My load is on the low end for those 160's 91.5 gr of Retumbo and I'm getting about 3204 fps. Guess what the magic load is for these 180 gr Bergers? 91.5 gr of Retumbo! I'm pushing them around 3210 average. I'm getting some inconsistant spikes which doesn't make sense, but I am using new brass. I was finding around 86-87 grains I was getting around 3000 and I guess my gun just doesn't like it. Anyhow I'm going to start from here and change a couple little things and hopefully I'll get them all shooting right in there. Still it's getting close to where I am, and If I can get it there, I'll use them.

I don't have much time to field test, so I need to hurry. Anyhow, with your question of "do they expand?" The answer is MOST DEFINITLY YES! Attached is a picture of 6, 180 gr Berger VLD I pulled from my sand box, next to one that hasn't been shot. These are all traveling around 3200 fps and they litteraly explode. Pretty similare to a balistic tip actually. I'll bet they'll rip a deer in two Sometimes a picture tells a thousand words. I may be shooting them too hot, but that's what my gun likes. I'd like to see what a bullet looks like at 500 yards and beyond, since that'll be my minimum range for this round. I'll load it into my Exball program to see what kind of energy and speed I got at those distances. I'll bet she holds together a little better once it slows down.

[petey]

Ok,

Here's what my Exbal says

500 yards - 2522fps, 2542 ftlbs of energy 35" of drop
750 yards - 2215fps, 1961 ftlbs of energy, 99.5" of drop (I've gained 2ft of drop from the BC on this bullet!) My 160 gr load is at 10' of drop @ 750
1000 yards - 1932fps, 1491 ftlbs of energy, 208" of drop (I've gained 80" of drop and 901 ftlbs of energy!!!)

Def. worth changing bullets if I can get them to shoot. Geesh, didn't know I'd gain so much by 20 grains and almost double the BC. This is with a straight .684 BC, which you know will change at different velocities. Berger does not post these on the website, so the only way you know the true BC at these velocities are actually shooting and checking your clicks. I've always found that they are a bit more than whats listed.

For instance to show you the change in BC, My 160 gr Seirra's go from .384 at 3200 to 2800 fps to .394 at velocities 2800 to 1800 fps, .404 @ 1800 fps and below. That's where shooting them in the field helps determine your actual elevation needed. My Exbal gets you close, but shooting these distances helps you determine the actual clicks and true BC of the bullet.

[Catfish]

Petey,
Sounds like your about ready to go. Looks like your bullets should preform better at longer yardages also.
I won`t try those yardages on game because my range finder will not range game size animals that far out. Coyotes are different, with them I get the best I can and fire away.

[Evan03]

catfish


shoulds like a great project rifle.

ive been think of 22/250 improved with 1/8 or 7 twist to push 80-105gr bullets. but i think the short barel life rumers are scareing me. i can put 300-500rds on paper very quick.


ive been think maybe just 6mm improved instead shooting the same weight bullets. so im not forcn that powder down the smaller size bore.


keep us posted on the game results with those bullets


Evan


ps good luck