Berger Adds 215gr and 230gr Hybrids to .30 Caliber Bullet Line
Recently, Berger released two new .30 caliber Hybrid Target bullets, a 215-grainer and a 230-grainer. With this new pair of projectiles, Berger now offers .30 Cal Hybrids in weights of 155 gr, 168 gr, 185 gr, 200 gr, 215 gr, and 230 grains. These bullets use a Hybrid nose designed by Bryan Litz to optimize long-range performance and enhance “tunability”. The Hybrid nose starts with a tangent shape and transitions into a secant shape. This allows these bullets to be much less seating-depth sensitive (than the VLD) while at the same time the secant portion reduces drag (for a higher BC). Berger’s Eric Stecker: “It is my understanding that each of these [new Hybrid] bullets has the highest BC of any bullets in their weight class. Combine this with being easier to tune and what you get is six new projectiles that raise the performance bar for .30 cal rifles.”
Berger Rolled Out 11 New Bullet Designs in 2011
This has been a busy year for Berger Bullets. It has introduced eleven (11) all-new projectile designs. In addition, Berger re-labeled two of its popular bullets. Here’s a summary of the new offerings:
- 6mm 105 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 cal 155 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 cal 168 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 cal 185 gr Juggernaut Target (Name change — this was formerly called the 185 gr Long Range BT.)
- .30 cal 185 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 cal 200 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 cal 215 gr Hybrid Target
- .30 Cal 230 gr Hybrid Target
- .22 Cal 77 gr OTM Tactical (Name change — this is the same bullet as the .22 cal 77 gr BT Target, but it’s new to the Tactical line).
- .30 Cal 175 gr OTM Tactical (designed for .308 Win to be a transonic-stable option.)
- .30 Cal 185 gr Juggernaut OTM Tactical (designed as a transonic-stable option for the 300 Win Mag.)
- .30 Cal 230 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical (designed as a supersonic option for the 300 Win Mag.)
- .338 Cal 300 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical (this is the redesigned Gen 2 version.)
Similar Posts:
- Bullet Geometry Basics: Tangent, Secant, and Hybrid Ogives
- Tangent, Secant, Hybrid — Bullet Geometry Explained by Litz
- Bullet Geometry: Tangent, Secant, and Hybrid Ogives Explained
- Ogive No Jive — Litz Explains Tangent, Secant, and Hybrid Ogives
- Tangent vs. Secant vs. Hybrid Ogive — Bryan Litz Explains
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Tags: .30 Cal, .308, Berger Bullets, Bryan Litz, Hybrid bullets, Secant, Tanget
These new hybrid designs solve a long standing shortage of low form factor/high BC .30 caliber target bullets. A few years ago I wrote this article on the subject:
http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/index_files/30cal_fullVersion.pdf
In summary, the article is titled ‘What’s Wrong with .30 Caliber”. Skipping to the punch line, the answer is: there are very few GOOD (high BC) bullet designs in .30 cal. Probably the reason why is that bullet companies have historically wanted to keep all their bullets mag length feed-able when loaded into ammunition. Given the vast myriad of .30 cal cartridges including several in military use, the resulting .30 cal designs had to distill to the ‘least common denominator’ in terms of mag length, leaving the world with a shortage of bullets optimized for performance in a single shot application.
This new line of low form factor, high BC Hybrid .30 caliber designs remedies this long standing problem. I hope you give them a try.
*Note these designs are longer than other similar weight bullets, and therefore need a bit faster twist:
1:12″ for the 155 and 168
1:11″ for the 185 and 200
1:10″ for the 215 and 230
-Bryan
I have been shooting the 230 Hybrid OTM in two different 300 Win Mag’s,both with 26 inch barrels.This bullet is very accurate shooting steel from 200 to 500 yards,it hit’s very hard you know when you score a hit.This bullet shot very well shooting groups on paper at 1000 yards,first five shot group shooting at 10 power with a Remington 700P 300 Win Mag was very good.All groups from the Savage 110BA 300 Win Mag were very good also,bullet speed a little slower than i like but it does a good job on steel or paper.
Dear Brian,
Regarding the Berger Juggernaut 185 grain .30 cal
I am trying to find any difference between the target and tactical lines. I keep seeing that the tactical is meant to remain transonic and work with the 300 WIN MAG but haven’t not found anything other then the length of the tactical bullet is .050mm longer. Will this difference be beneficial to my accuracy at long ranger 1000yards.
Bryan,
Can you help me determine the best bullet for my rifle. I have the Sako TRG 42 in 300 WM. I like to use something as heavy as the barrel can handle. With a 27″ barrel and a 1:11″ twist, would the 230 gr pill still stable enough to maximize the potential of the gun?
I know your recommendation is for 1:10″ twist for 230 gr. Doing some math:
The Remington MSR: 24″ barrel with 1:10″ twist gets 2.4 spins out of the barrel.
My TRG 42: 27″ barrel with 1:11″ twist gets 2.45 spins out of the barrel. Is that enough for my TRG to stabilize a 230 gr?
Thanks,
Tim
1:10 will do it.