168 Berger from chamber throated for 195s

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I have a custom throated 7mm thats running .250 freebore for 195s, I'm looking to give the 168 bergers a try but I'm concerned accuracy might be a problem with the huge amount of jump..
Has anyone shot them from a long throated chamber?

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’m shooting 180s with a .120” jump. Shoot great. You won’t know until you try.

 

[BBob]

How to Load a Hybrid Bullet

Berger Hybrid Bullets were designed to be easy to load and tune to your rifle. Follow these simple steps to get started.

bergerbullets.com

 

[mt100gr.]

I have a great load in my 7mmRM that jumps the 168 HVLD .130....give it a whirl!!

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Nice
This suggests they aren't really sensitive to seating depth.

 

[mt100gr.]

Nice
This suggests they aren't really sensitive to seating depth.

Is this in your 7mm-300wsm? How far would the jump be? How are the 195s shooting?

In my Tikka 7mag, they shot equally well closer to the lands, but IIR, I had a little more stability in velocity with the jump and with H1000 vs Retumbo where I started. Albeit at a lower velocity. My barrel has about 850 rounds thru it.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Is this in your 7mm-300wsm? How far would the jump be? How are the 195s shooting?

In my Tikka 7mag, they shot equally well closer to the lands, but IIR, I had a little more stability in velocity with the jump and with H1000 vs Retumbo where I started. Albeit at a lower velocity. My barrel has about 850 rounds thru it.

Yep
The 195s shoot really good but I hear way better terminal reports with 180 or 168s, the velocity difference would also probably favor the lighter bullets.
I don't have any 168s yet to measure the jump, I found a good deal on them and just ordered 5 boxes.
Guess I'll see how it goes

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Let em rip and report back. I’m curious.

 

[mt100gr.]

Yep
The 195s shoot really good but I hear way better terminal reports with 180 or 168s, the velocity difference would also probably favor the lighter bullets.
I don't have any 168s yet to measure the jump, I found a good deal on them and just ordered 5 boxes.
Guess I'll see how it goes

I'll be curious how that all goes. And what that jump ends up being.

I haven't shot the 195s, but the terminal performance of the 168s has been pretty impressive from around 125 yards out to 600+ for me. I do remember reading a fair number of reports that the 195s are rather underwhelmimg. Again, no personal experience.

The 168gr classic hunter has also been very effective from my rifle. Lose some BC, but it'd get you a fair bit closer to the lands. It has shot well at a variety of seating depths for me also.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Hybrids will jump like a mofo, but I've chased my tail a lot trying to excessively jump any VLD's. I had a 7 RUM years ago that had a legit .500''+ jump with 180 Hybrids and it shot great. I'm also in the camp that greatly prefers the 180 Hybrids vs 195s for killing.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Hybrids will jump like a mofo, but I've chased my tail a lot trying to excessively jump any VLD's. I had a 7 RUM years ago that had a legit .500''+ jump with 180 Hybrids and it shot great. I'm also in the camp that greatly prefers the 180 Hybrids vs 195s for killing.

That's not good to hear.. I also scored some 180 VLD targets not the hybrids, it sucks having to just buy whatever you can find.
180 hybrids are what I really want, I'm on a bunch of notification lists so hopefully they hit the shelves at some point.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I tried to ping you on some Hybrids earlier today on LRH.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Thanks I saw that, I won't pay $105/box though out of principle

 

[35WhelenAI]

Every gun is a rule into itself, if you have the 168's load them up and let us know how it goes!

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Hybrids will jump like a mofo, but I've chased my tail a lot trying to excessively jump any VLD's. I had a 7 RUM years ago that had a legit .500''+ jump with 180 Hybrids and it shot great. I'm also in the camp that greatly prefers the 180 Hybrids vs 195s for killing.

I got the 180 vlds and loaded a few up tonight, turns out the bearing surface seated just above the neck shoulder junction is right at .060 jump.
I put three into .8" at 200 yards, pulled the 4th high, and sent the fifth into a 1.2" group, who knows maybe the 168s will cooperate as well..
I chronoed the loads at 2850 from my 18" barrel, I can't wait to send a few at 1k

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Might as well try 162gr ELD-M while you are at it. They are killing bullets.

 

[SouthPaw]

I do remember reading a fair number of reports that the 195s are rather underwhelmimg.

What seems to be the issue with the 195s? Does the tip need drilling? My 7saum shoots the 195s into the same hole so I don't want to switch but they need to kill effectively...

 

[IrkedCitizen]

What seems to be the issue with the 195s? Does the tip need drilling? My 7saum shoots the 195s into the same hole so I don't want to switch but they need to kill effectively...

@Broz has a collective of experience with them

 

[Broz]

What seems to be the issue with the 195s? Does the tip need drilling? My 7saum shoots the 195s into the same hole so I don't want to switch but they need to kill effectively...

We killed a couple dozen elk with them the year of the management hunt. They were plenty explosive from a 7-300 win mag with a MV of 2950. I personally would NOT open the tips. Shots from 250 to 450 they often took two. This does not mean the elk were not going to die from shot one. But the question is where. When you are killing elk from a herd of 200 to 300 head, and it is getting dark you need them down, not back in a herd where a follow up is difficult. The 180 H VLD's worked better. The 300 win mag with a 215 were almost all one and done. We took 106 elk that season. By the end of all that, I knew what I wanted to hunt with. If you are only hunting deer, you will likely be fine with the 195's. Elk, I truly believe there are risks.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

We killed a couple dozen elk with them the year of the management hunt. They were plenty explosive from a 7-300 win mag with a MV of 2950. I personally would NOT open the tips. Shots from 250 to 450 they often took two. This does not mean the elk were not going to die from shot one. But the question is where. When you are killing elk from a herd of 200 to 300 head, and it is getting dark you need them down, not back in a herd where a follow up is difficult. The 180 H VLD's worked better. The 300 win mag with a 215 were almost all one and done. We took 106 elk that season. By the end of all that, I knew what I wanted to hunt with. If you are only hunting deer, you will likely be fine with the 195's. Elk, I truly believe there are risks.

Good input
Have you used the 180 vld targets on elk?