Berger Meplats - Improved Uniformity

[Pdvdh]

I don't use JBM, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't enter any BC value you desire into that online ballistics program.

I haven't done extensive testing with my meplat trimmed and countersunk Bergers - either extensive long range measured drops or chronographed velocity @ long range. I collected 1000yd chronographed velocity for the .308 Berger 210 VLDs and the .284 Berger 168gr VLDs prior to meplat uniforming, but not after. That's a pretty time consuming chore for me. I don't have the type of downrange velocity measuring equipment Bryan Litz uses - which makes this chore much simpler.

I shot the meplat uniformed bullets at 1000yd and did notice the bullets hitting a little lower. I don't provide info. on this Forum unless I'm confident in the data, and I simply haven't tested sufficiently to provide a % reduction based on my personal measurements. I reported the range of BC reduction I've read on the Forums - and I read and collect a lot of armchair knowledge.

I've shot my meplat trimmed bullets at 1000yds and tweaked the BC value down slightly in my ballistics program to match my measured drops. I use ColdBore 1.0 ballistics program.

I've played with JBM a little years ago, and I'm virtually certain that their online program can be fed any BC value you desire.

 

[tbrice23]

Correct, I can manually input BC.
I used Berger 105gr hunting vs target vld as an example because I know that they uniform the meplats of the target bullets. Turns out to be 7.4% G1 and 7.8% G7.
That sounds like a lot but if your dispersion gets smaller because of uniformity and you are familiar with your dope life should be much better, especially since I would be more confident in terminal performance with wider meplats.

 

[Pdvdh]

Interesting. I didn't realize Berger meplat uniformed their "Target" bullets. You certain about that???

 

[tbrice23]

Pretty sure. Its noticeable that they at least trim them.

On the Berger site there is (or used to be) an article on their blog section about their reduced BC.

105 vld target bullets only I think.

 

[tbrice23]

Target left 1.220. Hunting right.1.225"
The meplat is wider on the target.

 

[Pdvdh]

tbrice23,
I just researched Berger's website. Their 6mm 105gr Match Grade VLD Hunting bullet (Part No. 24528) has different dimensions than their 6mm 105gr Match VLD Target bullet (Part No. 24429).

The nose is longer on the Hunting bullet (0.671"), and that explains the higher BC value for the Hunting bullet, compared to their Target bullet (0.656"). Don't think the higher BC value has anything to do with Berger providing meplat trimmed and uniformed Target bullets from their factory. Never ever heard anything about this option before.

 

[Pdvdh]

Target left 1.220. Hunting right.1.225"
The meplat is wider on the target.

The bullet OAL's I find on their 2014 literature is 1.235" for their Hunting VLD and 1.230" for their Target VLD.

 

[tbrice23]

Gotcha. That sounds better.

 

[tbrice23]

The bullet OAL's I find on their 2014 literature is 1.235" for their Hunting VLD and 1.230" for their Target VLD.

I know that is what they list. But I actually measured mine. I was aware of the difference because of experimenting with their twist rate calculator.

 

[Pdvdh]

Yeah, the dimensions on some Berger bullets I've measured in the past do deviate somewhat from the Berger literature. When you don't meplat uniform the tips, there can be an easy 0.010" difference in OALs within a 100ct box of bullets. That's not the typical deviation from bullet to bullet, but that much variance can be measured within a box of Bergers. Then one can also expect some variance between differing Lots of bullets, depending on when they change out their bullet forming dies at the factory. Their listed dimensions are a good rule of thumb, but not exact down to +/-0.002". At least that's been my experience.

 

[Pdvdh]

Meplat uniforming their bullets at the factory would increase their cost, because it takes more time, tools and effort. However Sierra is now beginning a line of Match King bullets with tips, like the Nosler Accubond, Ballistic Tip, and AccuBond Long Range bullets. Quality tipped bullets will generally have more consistent BC values from bullet to bullet than non-meplat uniformed VLD style bullets, and in my experience, tipped bullets will improve the percentage of bullets that expand on game at lowered, long range impact velocity.

So if Sierra is investing in a line of Tipped Match Kings, Berger may at some point be forced to consider tipped VLDs, Hybrid Target, and OTMs. Tipped Match King Bullets will compete pretty fiercly with Berger's line of hunting bullets, because the BC value of their tipped bullets will increase, bringing the Match King Tipped bullet BC values closer to Bergers BC values. Of course, if Berger tips their Hybrid Target and OTMs, their BC values will regain the advantage over the Sierra Match King Tipped bullets.

Doing this on a mass production scale doesn't necessarily drive the cost of the bullets up to beyond the reach of the average hunter. Nosler's been placing tips on their Ballistic Tip line of bullets for, to my knowledge, 35-40 years now.

 

[tbrice23]

Right.

The reason I needed to be sure of the actual length is that I hunt at a pretty low elevation and using their set parameters it appeared that I was marginal on some of my twist rates till I corrected them with actual lengths.

 

[tbrice23]

Meplat uniforming their bullets at the factory would increase their cost, because it takes more time, tools and effort. However Sierra is now beginning a line of Match King bullets with tips, like the Nosler Accubond, Ballitic Tip, and AccuBond Long Range bullets. Quality tipped bullets will generally have more consistent BC values than non-meplat uniformed VLD style bullets, and in my experience, tipped bullets will improve the percentage of bullets that expand on game at lowered, long range impact velocity.

So if Sierra is investing in a line of Tipped Match Kings, Berger may at some point be forced to consider tipped VLDs, Hybrid Target, and OTMs. Tipped Match King Bullets will compete pretty fiercly with Berger's line of hunting bullets, because the BC value of tipped bullets will increase, bringing the Match King bullet BC values closer to Bergers BC values. Of course, if Berger tipps their Hybrid Target and OTMs, their BC values will regain the advantage over the Sierra Match King Tipped bullets.

Doing this on a mass production scale doesn't necessarily drive the cost of the bullets up to beyond the reach of the average hunter. Nosler's been placing tips on their Ballistic Tip line of bullets for, to my knowledge, 35-40 years now.

I wonder if Sierra jackets are thicker than the AMP jackets on amax bullets as for as performance on game is concerned ??

 

[Pdvdh]

One of our Forum members is working today on customizing some Berger 300gr .338 OTMs. He's a machinist by trade and has the tools and the skills to get this done. But the cost per bullet on the small scale production line will be outrageous, in order to make a living/profit. By the way, he's not making these bullets for sale. He's just making some bullets for his own use. He's going to manufacture his own tips, and also custom machine the factory OTMs, and then mate the two together. Will be pretty neat.