Berger 80.5 Fullbore

[Mr_Logic]

Right then reloading folk :) Just after thoughts and opinions on the 80.5 gr Berger fullbore in a 223 for 1000 yard F/TR

I have previously had one box of these things, and made them with varget for use at long range. It was a while ago, before I attended Mik's excellent course. So I did plot the shots but I did not plot true wind or elevation. Therefore, while not completely meaningless I could do with more info.

I shot them over 25.3 gr Varget (as per Sierra's reloading manual) which gave > 3000 fps. No idea what the ES was because I did not write down every value (again I learned stuff after that!), but looking at the target plot and assuming unchanged elevation, both my and my other half's plot showed good elevation spread.

I have had a nightmare job with the 90BTs and the 90 VLDs will not shoot, tried everything I can find. The 90BTs group at 100 yards in the .4s but the elevation opens up at long range.

So I'm going to try the 80.5s again. I have a club shoot this coming week so I will load them with Varget for that one, but moving forward does anyone have a good idea re. powder?

Varget works for about a .5 MOA group, but would like to get tighter. Need to experiment with seating depth too, but I also have a half-eye on the usual problems with supply of American powders so wondering about Vit N540...

Either way, considering the BC of the 80.5 is, give or take, the same as the 155.5 Berger 30 cal, I figure if I can get similar velocities with good elevation control, should be worth shooting!

[Christel]

What about 80 grain SMKs?

With SP10 behind them

[Mr_Logic]

Not used SP10, or seen any load data for it. Is it decent stuff then?

The 80 SMK isn't great in terms of BC; the Berger is a long way in front there so don't see an alternative, save for the 80a-max and they aren't great batch-to-batch.

[phaedra1106]

I've had 1000 of the 168gr A-Max and found them to be very consistent, what about Nosler Custom Competition? I tried a box of 100 last year and found them to be excellent so brought 2000 back from the US, have to say they seem very consistent for me (and were cheaper than A-Max).