Seating depth and Bergers

[Backcountry addiction]

I've read about everything I can find on seating Berger VLD's. I shoot them with great success in my 7 RM. What is a guy to do with the long throats in the Ultra mags ?
I currently shoot a 7 RUM and have a 300 RUM coming soon. The 300 will be firing the 215 Hybrids, but I have 2 boxes of 168 VLDs for the Big 7.
My rifles are bone stock Remington 700's. Do I start at mag length, find a good powder charge and work deeper from there ? Or is there a better way to insure the best accuracy from the start. Thanks in advance

 

[Kmccord]

I do not have a 7 RUM, but I do have a 28 Nosler and I have tried various seating depths but have noticed the 180 and 195 grain Berger's only perform consistently at .020 jump from the lands or just a little closer. I have read similar results with others on this forum.

 

[Mikecr]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...accuracy-berger-vld-bullets-your-rifle-40204/

 

[Backcountry addiction]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...accuracy-berger-vld-bullets-your-rifle-40204/

Great info.. Followed it to the T for finding the best seating depth for my 7 RM. My question is... the RUM's have I believe .40 freebore, how does a guy deal with this dramatic jump to the lands ? Are the Hybrids the answer? Or is reasonable accuracy ( sub MOA ) possible with the VLD's in a factory chambered RUM ?

 

[Dosh]

Back, the 300RUM I load for shoots the 215 Berger 1/2 MOA at 200 yds at mag length. It is a factory rifle with only a bedded carbon fiber stock added. I was told the 215 needed to be seated farther out, but we didn't want a single shot. A gunsmith friend said give mag length a try. It worked, we found the 215 easy to load with. Good luck

 

[dok7mm]

Great info.. Followed it to the T for finding the best seating depth for my 7 RM. My question is... the RUM's have I believe .40 freebore, how does a guy deal with this dramatic jump to the lands ? Are the Hybrids the answer? Or is reasonable accuracy ( sub MOA ) possible with the VLD's in a factory chambered RUM ?

I worked up loads for my son's 7 RUM and had to go with the hybrids to get it humming. Also had to jump up to .003 tension on necks. That freebore is there for a reason. Pressure would be a problem. Some tried shorter freebore and it didn't work out very well.

 

[Mikecr]

how does a guy deal with this dramatic jump to the lands ? Are the Hybrids the answer? Or is reasonable accuracy ( sub MOA ) possible with the VLD's in a factory chambered RUM ?

There was NEVER a basis for notions of VLDs needing to be close/into lands. This, because until a push for testing otherwise, few credibly did so.
Still today, few actually do full blown seating testing in a meaningful way.

With Berger's recommended testing, find a best seating node -in your potential range, and THEN load develop with that best seating.
It's really very simple

 

[eshorebwhntr]

There was NEVER a basis for notions of VLDs needing to be close/into lands. This, because until a push for testing otherwise, few credibly did so.
Still today, few actually do full blown seating testing in a meaningful way.

With Berger's recommended testing, find a best seating node -in your potential range, and THEN load develop with that best seating.
It's really very simple

Agreed. Test different lengths from near the lands down to magazine length if you wish. If the rifle shoots to your standards at magazine length then you're fine. If it shoots markedly better at the lands compared to magazine length then you have a decision to make.