7RM and 168VLD

[overinfinite]

Alright guys, slightly new build of a bergara ridge in a XLR chassis chambered in 7RM, 1:9.5 twist. I am shooting at 4500ish ft. This thing seems to be ultra picky and I am wondering if there is something else going on.
Factory federal, berger 168 classic ammo- amazing groups, 0.5" - 0.75" average out of 4 groups of 5. Ultra slow speeds compared to box rating, 2760fps avg. Vs 2870fps box.

Hornady precision hunter factory ammo 162gr eldx- hated it. Best group was 1.5", most hanging around around the 1.75-2.00"

Handloaded a ladder test of berger 168VLD using hornady brass bumped 0.004", bullet seated 0.010" off lands, about .
0.100" longer than samii. H1000 powder loaded from 67.0gr to 70gr in 0.5gr increments. 68.5gr shot the best. With 2930fps. SD of 11fps
Went to shoot groups today.. oddly would shoot 3 rounds in 0.500" with 2 flyers pushing the group out to 1.5"-2.0".
Other groups in the 0.75"-1.0" size.
Checked all bolts and retorqued with zero movement. I am wondering if this barrel is just not stabilizing the bullet as good as I thought it would.
Anybody else see anything simular, any directions I should take it. I have 3 weeks before a barbary sheep hunt and really wanted to use this thing. I have a 6.5CM with 100rds of 135gr classic ready to roll. Just wanted the 7RM to help buck the wind.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I'm running them in my CA 7 mag 1:9 twist. I'm using RL-22 and shooting around 0.5" groups consistently. 1000 yard rock shots on the hillside no problem.

 

[AkleyFan]

IMO: Ditch the 7RM and take the 6.5 CM, troubleshoot later. Focus on the other aspects of your hunt. The Berger stability calculator says the 168gr is stable at your altitude, twist rate and velocity, there's something else going on that you can address after your hunt. Best of luck!

 

[overinfinite]

I'll post up some pics or the groups from today.. they are not terrible. Makes me think it's just me.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

How many rounds down the pipe?

All once fired brass?

Have you tried adjusting seating depth?

 

[overinfinite]

Just hit 300 rounds. I did a deep clean every 20 rounds until 100, then 1 more deep cleaning at 200. This last set of groups was rounds 270- 300. I was planning to do another deep clean before the next round of shooting.
Twice fired brass. I didn't have time to trim, so neck tension has been a consideration.
I haven't tried seating depth yet. I typically try 0.010" off lands and find powder that's promising and consistent, then move to setting depth. But to be honest the last 3 rifles I set up, I haven't had to really move off 0.010" off the lands. But every rifle is different. Starting to think this just might be me (shooter). Just hard to make sense of the extremely low velocity from factory ammo.

 

[southpa]

Keep working on developement until your hunt would be my move. Based off the pics I'd shoot that smallest group again and then try seating depths. Or shoot it at distance, see what it does. I didn't see any mention of distance.

If you're confident and happy with your other rifle than it's ready so don't stress.

 

[dogz]

Alright guys, slightly new build of a bergara ridge in a XLR chassis chambered in 7RM, 1:9.5 twist. I am shooting at 4500ish ft. This thing seems to be ultra picky and I am wondering if there is something else going on.
Factory federal, berger 168 classic ammo- amazing groups, 0.5" - 0.75" average out of 4 groups of 5. Ultra slow speeds compared to box rating, 2760fps avg. Vs 2870fps box.

Hornady precision hunter factory ammo 162gr eldx- hated it. Best group was 1.5", most hanging around around the 1.75-2.00"

Handloaded a ladder test of berger 168VLD using hornady brass bumped 0.004", bullet seated 0.010" off lands, about .
0.100" longer than samii. H1000 powder loaded from 67.0gr to 70gr in 0.5gr increments. 68.5gr shot the best. With 2930fps. SD of 11fps
Went to shoot groups today.. oddly would shoot 3 rounds in 0.500" with 2 flyers pushing the group out to 1.5"-2.0".
Other groups in the 0.75"-1.0" size.
Checked all bolts and retorqued with zero movement. I am wondering if this barrel is just not stabilizing the bullet as good as I thought it would.
Anybody else see anything simular, any directions I should take it. I have 3 weeks before a barbary sheep hunt and really wanted to use this thing. I have a 6.5CM with 100rds of 135gr classic ready to roll. Just wanted the 7RM to help buck the wind.

First thing first................go back and try that Federal Factory Classic 168 Berger and see if it still perks. If it does, dupe the over all length and speed, add speed from there and see where the wheels fall off.

 

[VTbluegrass]

In my last 7RM I really wanted to shoot the Berger or the ELD-X and it shot them well but it stopped throwing the odd flier when I tried the 168 SMK.

Montana Rifle Company 26" barrel
Norma Brass, CCI 250, 70.5gr H1000, 168gr SMK, COAL 3.380, 3050FPS. No idea how close it was to the lands but that was all that would fit in the magazine.
Best 5 shot group was 0.306 and average of 10 groups was 0.682.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

Alright guys, slightly new build of a bergara ridge in a XLR chassis chambered in 7RM, 1:9.5 twist. I am shooting at 4500ish ft. This thing seems to be ultra picky and I am wondering if there is something else going on.
Factory federal, berger 168 classic ammo- amazing groups, 0.5" - 0.75" average out of 4 groups of 5. Ultra slow speeds compared to box rating, 2760fps avg. Vs 2870fps box.

Hornady precision hunter factory ammo 162gr eldx- hated it. Best group was 1.5", most hanging around around the 1.75-2.00"

Handloaded a ladder test of berger 168VLD using hornady brass bumped 0.004", bullet seated 0.010" off lands, about .
0.100" longer than samii. H1000 powder loaded from 67.0gr to 70gr in 0.5gr increments. 68.5gr shot the best. With 2930fps. SD of 11fps
Went to shoot groups today.. oddly would shoot 3 rounds in 0.500" with 2 flyers pushing the group out to 1.5"-2.0".
Other groups in the 0.75"-1.0" size.
Checked all bolts and retorqued with zero movement. I am wondering if this barrel is just not stabilizing the bullet as good as I thought it would.
Anybody else see anything simular, any directions I should take it. I have 3 weeks before a barbary sheep hunt and really wanted to use this thing. I have a 6.5CM with 100rds of 135gr classic ready to roll. Just wanted the 7RM to help buck the wind.

I think its very possible that the twist is the issue. For me the east button would be to snag a box of the Hammer 145 gr HHT bullets. What you loose in BC (not much), you more than gain back in velocity, and they are excellent for anchoring animals, in the terminal side. Also, they are not jump sensitive, so load development is usually very very quick. I was in the same situation on a mulle deer hunt 3 years ago, with a 7RM, and I went with the 143 HH (HHTs weren't out yet) and I had my load developed to sub 3/4 MOA on day one. Good luck

 

[AZShooter]

I agree with another poster take your other rifle on the hunt and solve this issue later.

I believe I looked up the correct Federal ammo you first tried. It uses a classic hunter hybrid bullet! You are using a VLD. VLDs are more temperamental and IME like to be into the lands. I learned this from my 1000 yd BR friends. Sure you can eventually find a jump that will work too.

I suggest you get the classic hunter hybrid 168s and work up a load. It is as easy as seating the bullet to properly fit and feed from the magazine. They truly are seating depth insensitive. Just work up your powder charge from there. All the hunting rifles I have loaded this way have responded with excellent groups.

Just so you don't think I have only tried a few hybrids:

Rifles loaded with Berger hybrids to date:

7-08 168 classic hunter hybrid

284 win 168 classic hunter hybrid and 180 match target hybrid

four 7 Rem mags 168 classic hunter hybrid

7 mag and 180 hybrid target

308 Win 215 hybrid target

308 Win 168 classic hunter

Two 338 RCMs 300 gr hybrid target

6-284 95 gr classic hunter hybrid

300 WSM 230 gr target hybrid

two 300 Win mags 215 gr target hybrid

four 300 RUMs 230 gr target hybrid

two 338 RUMS with 300 gr hybrid OTM tactical

 

[Kmccord]

You should run a seating depth test. I purchased a Bergara B14 7RM for my grandson back in 2019, I developed a load for it using Berger 168 VLD with H1K and CCI LRM primers. What I can remember, it was best at .040 off lands.

 

[spladi]

Alright guys, slightly new build of a bergara ridge in a XLR chassis chambered in 7RM, 1:9.5 twist. I am shooting at 4500ish ft. This thing seems to be ultra picky and I am wondering if there is something else going on.
Factory federal, berger 168 classic ammo- amazing groups, 0.5" - 0.75" average out of 4 groups of 5. Ultra slow speeds compared to box rating, 2760fps avg. Vs 2870fps box.

Hornady precision hunter factory ammo 162gr eldx- hated it. Best group was 1.5", most hanging around around the 1.75-2.00"

Handloaded a ladder test of berger 168VLD using hornady brass bumped 0.004", bullet seated 0.010" off lands, about .
0.100" longer than samii. H1000 powder loaded from 67.0gr to 70gr in 0.5gr increments. 68.5gr shot the best. With 2930fps. SD of 11fps
Went to shoot groups today.. oddly would shoot 3 rounds in 0.500" with 2 flyers pushing the group out to 1.5"-2.0".
Other groups in the 0.75"-1.0" size.
Checked all bolts and retorqued with zero movement. I am wondering if this barrel is just not stabilizing the bullet as good as I thought it would.
Anybody else see anything simular, any directions I should take it. I have 3 weeks before a barbary sheep hunt and really wanted to use this thing. I have a 6.5CM with 100rds of 135gr classic ready to roll. Just wanted the 7RM to help buck the wind.

Couple things that might help....My chronograph is 40 FPS different than my Buddy's in a side by side test
Verify the powder scale and seat the VLD's .010 t0 .015 into the lands just to see if it does better although that will probably obsolete the mag feeding......try with suppressor removed.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I think its very possible that the twist is the issue.

Mine shoots like this with a 9 twist.