Nosler has introduced a new line of RDF™ (Reduced Drag Factor) bullets that feature very high BCs, hybrid-type ogives, and tight, factory-closed meplats. Based on initial specs, Nosler’s new RDF bullets should be very competitive match projectiles for their respective bullet weights. Nosler claims its new RDF bullets have “the highest BCs and smallest, most consistent meplats of any hollow-point match bullet line on the market.” RDF projectiles will be initially offered in four calibers: .224, 6mm (.243), 6.5 mm (.264), and .308.
NEW Nosler RDF Bullets:
· 22 Cal 70 grain — G1 Ballistic Coefficient 0.416 | G7 Ballistic Coefficient 0.211
· 6mm 105 grain — G1 Ballistic Coefficient 0.571 | G7 Ballistic Coefficient 0.280
· 6.5mm 140 grain — BC field verification in process
· 30 Cal 175 grain — G1 Ballistic Coefficient 0.536 | G7 Ballistic Coefficient 0.270
High-BC RDF Bullets Feature Compound (Hybrid-type) Ogive Profiles
Nosler designed RDF bullets to have very high BCs for flatter trajectories and reduced wind drift. Nosler achieved high BCs by adopting a modern hybrid-type compound ogive, which bridges traditional tangent and secant bullet shapes. Another benefit of the compound (hybrid-type) ogive, is that this shape is normally less sensitive to bullet seating depth than a pure VLD-style, secant ogive shape. That allows hand-loaders to seat off the lands and still get excellent accuracy, which can be maintained even as the throat moves out over time. RDF bullets also feature a long boat-tail for aerodynamic efficiency.
Factory-Closed Meplats — No More Trimming and Pointing Tips
Compared to conventional match bullets, Nosler’s RDF bullets look quite different because the tips have been tightly closed up at the factory. Nosler claims a a 40% average reduction in meplat size vs. conventional hollow-point bullets. With Nosler doing the work on the tips, hand-loaders no longer need to point and trim tips, a laborious task done to improve BC and, more importantly, to make BCs more consistent for every bullet in the box. Consistent BC translates to reduced vertical spread at long range.
John Nosler Talks about RDF Bullets:
“Long-range competitive shooting [is] one of the fastest-growing shooting activities in the world, and quality bullets are the cornerstone of the sport” said John Nosler, Executive V.P. for the company. “Our engineers were challenged with delivering a bullet that would drastically reduce aerodynamic drag and increase ballistic consistency, providing shooters with an indisputable advantage. What we achieved is a leap in match bullet technology….”
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In case you haven’t heard, Sierra has a great new 7mm match bullet, the 183 grain MatchKing (item #1983). This bullet boasts an impressive 0.707 G1 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) at 2300+ fps. These bullets also have very consistent bullet-to-bullet BC, thanks to the tips being “pointed” at the factory. Sierra explains: “A final meplat-reducing operation (pointing) provides an increased ballistic coefficient for optimal wind resistance and velocity retention.” Top F-Open shooters have told us that these bullets shoot exceptionally well, with minimal vertical dispersion at 1000. “Holding waterline” at long range is a reliable indicator that the BC is very uniform from bullet to bullet.
The design of this bullet represents a radical departure for Sierra. The 7mm 183gr MK employs a new bullet shape with a special geometry: “To ensure precise bullet-to-bore alignment, a unique bearing surface to ogive junction uses the same 1.5 degree angle commonly found in match rifle chamber throats.” Mark Walker, Sierra Product Manager, explains: “We thought instead of using the typical ogive radius that can allow slight misalignment, why not use the same straight angle that is used in the chamber leade on the bullet ogive to force itself to always align with the bore? Once past that area, we use a traditional high caliber ogive radius[.]”.
Insight Into Sierra’s New 7mm MatchKing® by Sierra Product Development Manager Mark Walker
In late 2015, Sierra introduced a new 7mm MatchKing® bullet with a different type of ogive. As part of the introduction, I had the opportunity to use them at the F-Class Nationals held in Phoenix with very good results. While at the match, several people had questions about what exactly was different about the ogive on this bullet as opposed to our tried and true blended tangent ogive. So with that in mind, hopefully this blog will answer those questions.
In the past, Sierra has typically used a tangent radius ogive design on our MatchKing® bullets. This is one of the most forgiving ogive designs due to its ability to shoot extremely accurately when jumped, as well as, jammed into the rifling. On rare occasions, some of our MatchKing® bullets have used a secant ogive due to design constraints. However, this ogive is much more sensitive to changes in seating depth than the tangent ogive so we tend to shy away from it. When we decided to work on this new bullet, we wanted to see if we could improve on the accuracy of even our best shooting tangent ogive bullets.
One of the main factors of what makes an accurate shooting bullet is how it aligns itself with the bore when fired. If a bullet is slightly crooked when entering the bore, it will cause inaccuracy on the target. We set out trying to think of ways to make sure that the bullet has no choice but to align itself with the bore perfectly.
The first part of the barrel to encounter the bullet is the leade in the chamber. The leade is an angle that is cut into the leading edge of the rifling which helps to guide the bullet into the bore. To illustrate how current bullets fit into the leade, picture a cone (leade) with a ball (bullet) sitting inside it. The ball can be rotated in all directions and the cone cannot force the ball to orientate itself in any particular direction. When a bullet with a radius encounters the leade, it behaves in a similar way. Now this of course is a very simple example and of course advanced shooters use tight necks and brass that is perfectly formed to the chamber to make sure the bullet is aligned as perfect as possible. However, there is always a small element of misalignment that is possible even with all this precise preparation.
This brings us to the ogive on the new 7mm MatchKing®. We thought instead of using the typical ogive radius that can allow slight misalignment, why not use the same straight angle that is used in the chamber leade on the bullet ogive to force itself to always align with the bore? Imagine the same cone as above (leade) with an identical cone (bullet) sitting inside of it. The cone inside has no choice but to align itself perfectly with the cone that it is sitting in every time. With that in mind, we designed the area of the bullet which contacts the leade in front of the bearing surface using a straight 1 1/2 degree angle instead of the typical radius. Once past that area, we use a traditional high caliber ogive radius to provide a very sleek, high BC bullet.
I hope that explains our thought process behind this new bullet. In our testing, it is one of the most forgiving high-BC bullets we have ever made.
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SHOT Show 2016 kicks off in two weeks in Las Vegas. While at SHOT Show next month, we plan to get the “inside scoop” on new bullet designs from Berger, Hornady, Lapua, Nosler and Sierra.
A while back, at SHOT Show 2012 we chatted with Berger Ballistician Bryan Litz about Berger’s popular line of Hybrid bullets. Berger now offers a wide range of Hybrids in multiple calibers and weights. In fact, for .30-Caliber shooters, Berger now offers seven different Hybrid match bullets, with weights from 155 grains up to 230 grains. Two .338-caliber OTM Tactical Hybrids were introduced in 2012 (a 250-grainer and a 300-grainer).
Bryan tells us: “The hybrid design is Berger’s solution to the age old problem of precision vs. ease of use. This design is making life easier for handloaders as well as providing opportunities for commercial ammo loaders who need to offer a high performance round that also shoots precisely in many rifles with various chamber/throat configurations.”
For those not familiar with Hybrid bullets, the Hybrid design blends two common bullet nose shapes on the front section of the bullet (from the tip to the start of the bearing surface). Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. This then blends in a Tangent-style ogive curve further back, where the bullet first contacts the rifling. The Tangent section makes seating depth less critical to accuracy, so the Hybrid bullet can shoot well through a range of seating depths, even though it has a very high Ballistic Coefficient (BC).
In the video we asked Bryan for recommended seating depths for 7mm and .30-Caliber Hybrid bullets. Bryan advises that, as a starting point, Hybrid bullets be seated .015″ (fifteen thousandths) off the lands in most barrels. Watch the video for more tips how to optimize your loads with Hybrid bullets.
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Berger Bullets has just announced a new 6.5 mm (.264 caliber) 130gr Hybrid projectile. Optimized for magazine-length seating (and AR10-friendly), the new 130gr bullets should be ideal for tactical comps and the PRS series. We expect this new bullet to work great when loaded in modern mid-size cartridges such as the 6.5×47 Lapua and 6.5 Creedmoor. Berger’s new 6.5mm 130gr Match AR Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet (could Berger come up with a longer name?) will soon be released to the public. Berger says this new 130-grainer is the first of many new bullet designs to be introduced in the next few years. Here is a run-down on the new bullet from its designer, Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics.
NEW 130gr Hybrid — Behind the Design
by Bryan Litz, Berger Chief Ballistician
Intelligent bullet design and selection begins with an understanding of application constraints. For bullets that will be used in unlimited rifles, there are few constraints and performance can truly be maximized. However, many shooting applications have realistic constraints such as magazine feeding of loaded rounds. In constrained applications, you need to ask the question: “What’s the best bullet that will work within the constraints of my shooting application?”
The new Berger 6.5mm 130 grain AR Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet is specifically optimized for maximum performance in magazine-length ammo.
6.5mm cartridges are the second most common cartridges used by top shooters in many of the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) matches, with 6mm being the most common. These kinds of tactical matches all have stages that require repeating rifles — either AR-10 platforms or bolt guns — so magazine feeding is a must. Recognizing that Berger did not have an option that was truly optimized for this particular application, we went to work and the latest 6.5mm Hybrid is the result.
SUMMARY
The new Berger 6.5mm 130 grain AR Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet is specifically optimized for use in loaded ammo with COAL constraints for magazine feeding. This bullet maximizes overall performance through BC as well as achievable muzzle velocity in mid-capacity 6.5mm cartridges fed from AR-length magazines.
What makes this bullet optimal for magazine length ammo? To start with, the nose of the bullet is constrained in length so that when it’s loaded to mag length in 6.5mm cartridges such as the 6.5mm Creedmoor, 260 Remington and 6.5×47 Lapua, the nose of the bullet won’t be pushed below the case mouth. This can be an issue with some of the heavier 6.5mm bullets like the 140s. Furthermore, the hybrid ogive design is not sensitive to jump distance like some other designs such as the VLD.
Another consideration of length-constrained ammo is how much of the bullet is pushed down into the case. The inside of the case is for powder, and the more space you take up with bullet, the less powder you can fit in. Less powder means less total energy available, and muzzle velocity is depressed. A bullet weight of 130 grains is an optimal balance between external ballistic performance (BC) and internal case capacity considerations which translate into muzzle velocity. Further to this objective, the AR Hybrid has a minimal air gap in the front of the nose, which allows the bullet to have an even shorter OAL. When dealing with length-constrained designs, you need to pack as much bullet into as little length as possible< to optimize overall performance. Another advantage of making the bullet shorter is that stability, including transonic stability, is improved.
Although this design is length-constrained, the combination of a hybrid ogive and 7 degree Boat Tail produce a very respectable G7 form factor of 0.920 which is within 1% of the popular 6mm 105 grain Hybrid. See below for full live fire ballistic performance data.
The 6.5mm 130 grain AR Hybrid will be barely stable from a 1:9″ twist, and reaches full stability from a 1:8″ twist which is common for many 6.5mm rifles. Visit the Berger Bullets twist rate calculator to get more detailed stability information on your specific barrel twist, muzzle velocity and environment.
Cartridge Selection for Magazine Length Constraint — Advanced Analysis
The trend to smaller calibers in magazine-fed rifles is happening for a very good reason. For a .308 Winchester round, you only have 2.37 calibers of nose length available for the bullet to protrude from the case. Such a short nose will have relatively high drag for the caliber. By contrast, smaller calibers such as 6.5mm and 6mm have proportionally more length available for the nose to protrude from the case and still fit in the same COAL constraint. Proportionally longer noses mean lower drag. Proportionally longer bullets mean higher sectional density. Combine an elevated sectional density with lower drag, and you get higher BC bullets. For example, consider a 175 grain .30 caliber bullet commonly used in .308 Winchester M118LR-type ammo. These 175 grain bullets have G7 BCs in the neighborhood of .243 to .260. Neck the .308 down to 6.5mm (260 Remington) or 6mm (.243 Winchester) and now look at the BCs of the bullets available in these calibers which work within the same magazine length constraint. The 6.5mm 130 grain AR Hybrid has a G7 BC of 0.290, and the 6mm 105 grain Hybrid has a G7 BC of 0.278 — both of which are higher than the .30 cal 175 grain bullet BC. Furthermore, you get hundreds of feet per second more velocity with the necked-down cartridges as well.
All of the above translates into higher hit percentage. See the caliber comparison chart below* which is an excerpt taken from the book: Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting which addresses this and many other topics in even more detail.
*The Weapon Employment Zone (WEZ) analysis shown above is for a 1000-yard shot on a standard IPSC silhouette in an uncertain environment having: +/- 2 mph wind, +/- 1 yard range, Muzzle Velocity SD of 10 fps, and a rifle shooting 1 MOA groups.
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SHOT Show 2014 kicks off in two weeks in Las Vegas. While at SHOT Show next month, we plan to get the “inside scoop” on new bullet designs from Berger, Hornady, Lapua, Nosler and Sierra.
At SHOT Show 2012 we chatted with Berger Ballistician Bryan Litz about Berger’s popular line of Hybrid bullets. Berger now offers a wide range of Hybrids in multiple calibers and weights. In fact, for .30-Caliber shooters, Berger now offers seven different Hybrid match bullets, with weights from 155 grains up to 230 grains. Two .338-caliber OTM Tactical Hybrids were introduced in 2012 (a 250-grainer and a 300-grainer).
Bryan tells us: “The hybrid design is Berger’s solution to the age old problem of precision vs. ease of use. This design is making life easier for handloaders as well as providing opportunities for commercial ammo loaders who need to offer a high performance round that also shoots precisely in many rifles with various chamber/throat configurations.”
For those not familiar with Hybrid bullets, the Hybrid design blends two common bullet nose shapes on the front section of the bullet (from the tip to the start of the bearing surface). Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. This then blends in a Tangent-style ogive curve further back, where the bullet first contacts the rifling. The Tangent section makes seating depth less critical to accuracy, so the Hybrid bullet can shoot well through a range of seating depths, even though it has a very high Ballistic Coefficient (BC).
In the video we asked Bryan for recommended seating depths for 7mm and .30-Caliber Hybrid bullets. Bryan advises that, as a starting point, Hybrid bullets be seated .015″ (fifteen thousandths) off the lands in most barrels. Watch the video for more tips how to optimize your loads with Hybrid bullets.
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At SHOT Show 2013, Lapua announced it was expanding its line-up of Scenar L projectiles to include two new 6.5mm bullets and three new .30-caliber Scenar Ls. We applaud this news. This Editor has tested 6mm Scenar L bullets in his own rifles, and they have proven to be some of the most consistent bullets we have ever measured. The Scenar Ls also shot great in 8-twist barrels from Brux, Krieger, and PacNor.
Two New 6.5mm Scenar Ls
Guys with .260 Rem, 6.5×47, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5-284 rifles have been eagerly awaiting the new 6.5mm Scenar Ls. These will be offered in two weights: 120 grains and 136 grains.
Scenar Ls in .30 Caliber
Lapua will release three new .30-Caliber Scenar L bullets. Along with a new 155gr Palma bullet (GB 552), Lapua will offer a 175gr Scenar L (GB 550), plus a 220gr heavy-weight Scenar L (GB 551). In magnum and short magnum chamberings, the 220-grainers should prove very effective in Long Range comps.
What Makes the Scenar Ls So Good
While all Lapua Scenar bullets are made to exacting standards, Lapua “raised the bar” with its Scanar L series. Scenar L bullets feature closer weight tolerances, tighter jacket wall concentricity standards, and greater uniformity in every dimension. Building bullets this good isn’t easy — you have to get everything right — from the gilding metal cup, to the lead wire and jacket forming, core-jacket assembly, and finally boat-tail pressing and nose-tipping. To build L-series bullets to such high standards, Lapua had to adopt new manufacturing procedures, and install proprietary new machines and advanced instrumentation never seen before in bullet production. Lapua also took its already high quality control standards and kicked them up a notch.
New 6.5mm Scenar Ls — First Look
At SHOT Show, Lapua unveiled its much-awaited new 6.5mm (.264 caliber) Lapua Scenar L bullets. There are two (2) new 6.5mm Scenar Ls: a 120gr tangent ogive design and a 136gr multi-ogive design. These are both all-new bullets, though the new 120gr Scenar L bears a “family resemblance” to the current (and very accurate) 123gr standard Scenar. One look at the new 136-grainer, and you can see that this is NOT just a “tweak” of the popular 139gr standard Scenar. The new 136gr Scenar L has a streamlined secant-ogive shape that blends into a more conventional tangent ogive as the bullet approaches full diameter. This dual-ogive design enhances the bullet’s BC, making it more slippery. That should translate to less drop and less drift at long range.
These new 6.5-caliber Scenar Ls should hit the market very soon. Check with Grafs.com for availability. As soon as we can get our hands on Lapua’s new 120s and 136s we will test them in a 6.5×47 Lapua bench gun and see how they perform. The .30-Cal 175gr and 220gr Scenar-Ls should arrive by late spring according to Kevin Thomas of Lapua. Kevin is a member of our Forum and he can answer your questions about the entire line-up of Lapua projectiles, along with Lapua cartridge brass.
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SHOT Show 2013 kicks off in two weeks in Las Vegas. One of our top priorities is to talk with the bullet makers from Berger, Hornady, Lapua, and Nosler.
At SHOT Show 2012 we chatted with Berger Ballistician Bryan Litz about Berger’s popular line of Hybrid bullets. Berger now offers a wide range of Hybrids in multiple calibers and weights. In fact, for .30-Caliber shooters, Berger now offers six different Hybrid match bullets, with weights from 155 grains up to 230 grains. New .338 Cal Tactical Hybrids were released in 2012 and big .375 Cal, and .408 Cal Hybrids are in the works (read more below).
Bryan tells us: “The hybrid design is Berger’s solution to the age old problem of precision vs. ease of use. This design is making life easier for handloaders as well as providing opportunities for commercial ammo loaders who need to offer a high performance round that also shoots precisely in many rifles with various chamber/throat configurations.”
For those not familiar with Hybrid bullets, the Hybrid design blends two common bullet nose shapes on the front section of the bullet (from the tip to the start of the bearing surface). Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. This then blends in a Tangent-style ogive curve further back, where the bullet first contacts the rifling. The Tangent section makes seating depth less critical to accuracy, so the Hybrid bullet can shoot well through a range of seating depths, even though it has a very high Ballistic Coefficient (BC).
In the video we asked Bryan for recommended seating depths for 7mm and .30-Caliber Hybrid bullets. Bryan advises that, as a starting point, Hybrid bullets be seated .015″ (fifteen thousandths) off the lands in most barrels. Watch the video for more tips how to optimize your loads with Hybrid bullets.
Berger is Developing New Large-Caliber and Hunting Hybrids
In related news, Berger announced that it will be offering a series of .338-caliber Hybrids. First Berger is reintroducing the Gen 1 .338 Cal, 300gr Hybrid bullet in Berger’s Hunting line. Berger will also be making a 250gr Hybrid Hunting bullet using the same type of jacket as the original Gen 1 300gr Hybrid bullet. In addition, Berger has released a .338 Cal 250gr Match Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet, along with a 300gr Match Hybrid OTM Tactical projectile.
More big bullets are on the drawing board. Our source says “.375 Caliber and then .408 Caliber are the next new calibers to be made at Berger”. These are in the design phase, and Berger needs to build a new machine, so the .375s and .408s will not be available until 2013 at the earliest.
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Berger Bullets has announced a new series of “Classic Hunter” Hybrid bullets designed to fit and feed in magazines and perform well in barrels with SAAMI standard chambers. Berger’s Eric Stecker explains: “For the first time in Berger’s history we’ve purposefully designed Hybrid-shaped hunting bullets that comply with the restrictive dimensional standards set by SAAMI. We did this so that hunters can shoot ammo loaded with Berger Hunting bullets in their factory rifles while feeding through a magazine.”
Berger came up with a new hunting bullet design because SAAMI standard dimensions significantly limit the length of the nose (negatively affecting external ballistics performance) in two ways. First, the length from the end of the neck to the tip of the bullet of SAAMI standard ammo is typically so short that to make an ogive that will allow bearing surface to be forward of the neck it must be blunt and therefore have a low BC. The other way SAAMI limits nose length is by specifying longer throat lengths than are optimal. Stecker notes: “When you have a long throat, the nose can’t be too long or the jump to the rifling is considerable. This is typically bad for precision and accuracy. So what you end up with is stubby nose bullets with low BC and poor external ballistics performance.”
To overcome SAAMI-imposed design contraints, Berger’s Bryan Litz designed Hybrid hunting bullets with noses short enough to conform to SAAMI dimensional standards. These bullets should be popular among those who hunt with factory rifles and feed their ammo through a magazine. The bullets use a dual-curve ogive design. As you move forward along the bearing surface, the ogive curve starts as a tangent tangent curve (which is forgiving of seating depth). As you continue forward on the nose the tangent curve transitions into a secant curve. Secant ogives are known to be more efficient in the wind (VLD bullets are pure secant ogives).
When you combine these two shapes you get the best of both worlds (less sensitivity to seating depth differences and improved external ballistics performance). Since these new Berger Classic Hunter bullets must have a nose length that is short enough to comply with SAAMI standards we get the most external ballistics performance possible by making the nose with Bryan’s Hybrid design.
Eric Stecker is enthusiastic about the new Hybrid Hunting Bullets: “We know that this bullet design works [well] because we tested it not only in media but also on game. I took these bullets with me to New Zealand to test them on several animals of various sizes and at various ranges. I know from firsthand experience that hunters who try this bullet in the field will be happy that they did.”
Product Tip by EdLongrange. Product Photos by Robert Whitley, 6mmAR.com.
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Berger Bullets has released a new, 250-grain .338 caliber Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet. This is a slippery projectile, with an impressive .349 G7-model Ballistic Coefficient (.682 G1 BC). This new bullet gives Berger TWO heavyweight .338-cal bullets in its line-up — Berger already offered a 300gr OTM Tactical Hybrid with a .419 G7 BC, and a whopping .818 G1 BC. Berger tells us: “The .338-Cal 250gr and 300gr Hybrid OTM Tactical bullets were optimized for use in the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge, but will work great in other cartridges as well.”
The new .338 cal, 250gr Hybrid was designed by Bryan Litz. The new 250-grainer’s Hybrid design blends a tangent ogive with a secant ogive. These blended shapes yield outstanding ballistic performance, yet the blended Hybrid design is normally less “finicky” about seating depth position than are secant-ogive, VLD-style bullets. Hence less load tuning should be required with the Hybrids compared to VLD designs. According to Bryan, these thick-jacket OTM Tactical bullets have been optimized for specific cartridges. They should be successful at either magazine-feedable lengths or loaded long for single-shot firing situations, which can allow for more powder capacity and higher velocities.
.338 Cal Hybrids for Long-Range Hunting?
While Berger officially says that the new 250gr Hybrid and its larger 300gr cousin are “not recommended for hunting”, large .338-caliber bullets with similar construction, such as the Sierra 300gr Match King, have been used successfully by long-range hunters for many years. One experienced hunting guide told us: “This combination of bullet diameter and bullet weight has proven to be a very effective on elk and other large game.” Berger’s 250gr and 300gr OTM Hybrids offer a higher BC option than other bullets in this caliber and weight ranges. Berger does plan, in the future, to offer .338 caliber 250-grain and 300-grain Hybrid Hunting bullets.
Loaded Ammo with new .338 Hybrids Available from Bryan Litz
Bryan Litz’s ammunition business, Applied Ballistics Munitions, now offers loaded .338-caliber ammo for two cartridges: .338 Edge and .338 Lapua Magnum. This ammo (for both cartridge types) is offered with your choice of either the 300gr OTM Hybrid or the new 250gr and 300gr OTM hybrid. If you’re not familiar with the .338 Edge, this is a 300 Remington Ultra Magnum necked-up for the .338 bullet. The .338 Edge has become popular with long-range hunters.
Story tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions
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They have been on the market for nearly a year, but you may not know that Redding sells a line of Micrometer Seater assemblies, which can be used to upgrade Redding’s standard ½-20 thread seater dies. These replacements allow you to enjoy the ease-of-use and precision of a micrometer seater, without buying a whole new die. Redding states that “the new Bullet Seating Micrometers are a direct [retro-fit] replacement for the original seating plugs and can easily be changed from one die to another.” Unfortunately, these add-on micrometer stems haven’t started shipping yet, and Redding has not provided a firm delivery date (or price). We are hoping the products will start arriving by mid-summer.
NOTE: the seater assemblies are a component of the bullet seating die. These are not the dies themselves. It is the top portion of the die that contains the plunger, which pushes the bullet into the case. And here is something important: these new Bullet Seating Micrometers are available for both traditional tangent ogive bullet shapes as well as for VLD (secant ogive) bullets.
That’s right, Redding now offers micrometer seater assemblies made specifically for Berger VLD bullets. These Seating Micrometers allow you to convert a standard seater to a Micrometer seater optimized for VLDs. That’s great news for VLD fans. Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets tells us: “We have confirmed with Redding that each of the new micrometer plugs in the VLD group were designed based on Berger VLD bullets. We provided all of our VLD bullets to Redding, from which they took deliberate measurements and made these new plugs.”
New VLD-specific Seater Stems Improve Bullet Seating Depth Consistency
Stecker explains how the new VLD-specific seater assemblies produce better, more accurate ammo: “Many shooters have problems getting the VLD bullets to shoot because of the bullet seater die they are using. VLD bullet noses are so long and sharp that, in many dies, the bullet tip bottoms out in the bullet seater stem instead of touching on the side of the ogive like it should. Seating depth inconsistencies up to .025″ can occur if the seater stem bottoms out on the bullet tip. The worst part is that many shooters have no idea that this is the root cause of their poor performance. This new product can help turn a frustrating shooting experience into an enjoyable one.”
Story tip from Edlongrange. We welcome submissions from our readers.
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Having completed successful field testing, Berger is releasing two new .30-caliber Hybrid bullets, the 185gr Hybrid (part #30424) and the new 200gr Hybrid (part # 30427). The Hybrid design, developed by Bryan Litz, combines both secant-ogive and tangent-ogive shapes. This keeps drag low while making the bullet easier to tune than typical VLD style bullets. Both these new Hybrid bullets have demonstrated excellent accuracy along with outstanding long-range ballistics. The BC on the 200-grainer is extremely high, with a G1 value of 0.624 and a G7 value of 0.320. The new 185gr and 200gr Hybrids should be arriving on store shelves very soon.
Berger 185gr and 200gr .308 Hybrid Specifications
Consumer Field Testing of new 6mm 105gr Hybrid, and Heavy 30s
Berger has commenced testing of its new 30 cal 215 and 230 gr Hybrid bullets, and Bergers new 6mm 105gr Hybrid. Berger tells us that: “If the tests results are positive, these bullets should be available to order in the middle of October, 2011.”
Berger is soliciting qualified AccurateShooter.com Forum members to help with the testing of the latest hybrids — the jumbo 30s and the new 6mm 105-grainer. You must have an appropriate rifle and be willing to report your results in a timely, coherent manner. In return, if selected, you’ll get a free bullets for testing — one 100-ct box per test. If you wish to participate in the testing process, click the links below to read Berger’s testing announcements in our Forum.
Applied Balllistics LLC, run by Bryan Litz, has just released new .308 Winchester Tactical Ammunition. This new ammo employs a brand-new 175gr “Tactical OTM” bullet from Berger Bullets. This new projectile is unique in that it was designed to “fly right” even at transonic and subsonic speeds. The new 175gr bullets are loaded to magazine length (2.800″) in new Lapua brass, so the ammo will fit all popular detachable box magazines in tactical bolt guns and gas guns. Bryan recommends a 1:13″ (or faster) twist barrel.
New Tactical Ammo Has Individually-Weighed Charges and Low ES
Unlike most “factory ammo”, Bryan’s new Tactical Ammo features individually weighed charges. That’s right — the charge for each and every round is weighed before it goes in the case. As a result, the new ammo typically delivers Muzzle Velocity (MV) Standard Deviation (SD) under 10 FPS (for 10 shots). That’s a low number, on a par with quality handloads. Bryan has shot this ammo at 1000 yards through a LaRue OBR AR10-type rifle. The ammo shot under one MOA at 1000 yards. Another benefit of the weighed charges is that this allows the use of high-quality extruded (stick) powders. The stick powders are known to deliver great accuracy while being consistent through a wide temperature range.
Berger’s NEW .30 Caliber 175gr Tactical OTM Bullet
This bullet was designed by Berger Ballistician Bryan Litz specifically to optimize performance of the M118LR class of ammunition. The design objectives were to maximize BC while staying within the 2.800” COAL for magazine feeding, and the requirement for the bullet to remain stable through transonic speeds. All of these design objectives were achieved, according to Bryan. The bullet has a length-tolerant tangent ogive shape, so it is less sensitive to seating depth than secant-ogive bullets.
The BC of this bullet is 7% higher than the 175 grain Sierra MatchKing currently used in most M118LR ammunition, and 2% higher than the Hornady 178 grain option. The average G1 BC of the Berger 175gr Tactical bullet is 0.510 from 3000 to 1500 fps. The G7 BC is 0.259, and is a more accurate representation of this bullets performance over a wide range of speeds. (CLICK HERE to read about G1 vs. G7 BC.)
The Berger 175gr Tactical OTM bullet requires a minimum twist rate of 1:13″ to be stable from the muzzle. Transonic stability was verified from a 20″-barreled LaRue OBR with a 1:11.25″ twist.
Early Tests Show Bullet Shoots Great — Report by Robert Whitley
Robert Whitley got a box of early-run 175gr Tactical bullets. He says they shoot great in his own handloads: “I just received some of the new Berger .30 cal 175gr Tactical OTM (Open Tip Match) bullets. Wow — what great bullets for the .308 Winchester! I did some range testing and these things really shoot! As you can see below, I had a 5-shot group around 0.2″ and, then, shooting prone, I produced a 20-shot group that just tore out the X-Ring.” (NOTE: these targets were shot with Robert’s handloads, not the Applied Ballistics pre-loaded ammo.)
While the words “Open Tip Match” might lead one to believe it has a large open tip, this BTHP bullet actually has a small meplat. Robert suspects that, for this bullet’s potential tactical and military applications, it was felt the words “hollow point” should be avoided in favor of “open tip”.
Bullets Are Positioned Optimally When Loaded at 2.800″ Mag Length
These bullets were also made to be loaded at magazine feeding length in the .308 Winchester (2.800″ OAL). Robert reports: “When loaded at a 2.800″ OAL length, the bullets sit perfectly in the neck of the .308 Winchester, with the full bearing surface of the bullet up in the neck of the case, and the junction of the boat tail and bearing surface of the bullet just forward of the junction of the neck and shoulder of the case.”
If you are going to shoot these bullets and expect them to be supersonic the whole way, a 1:13″ or faster twist is recommended, and if you are going to run them at velocities where they might be subsonic/transonic, Bryan confirmed they’ll work in 1:11.25″ twist barrels. Robert notes that his company, AR-X Enterprises, carries 1:11.25″ twist Bartlein .30 Cal barrels as a regularly-stocked item in both the M24/M40/Rem Tactical contour and the Remington Heavy Varmint/Sendero contour.
Whitley concludes “This is a great offering by Berger Bullets”. While the bullets can be purchased through Berger or Berger’s dealers, the new Applied Ballistics’ loaded ammo should be ordered through Bryan’s website. The price is $40 (plus shipping) for 20 rounds.
CLICK HERE to order through the Applied Ballistics secure shopping cart.
Disclosure: Applied Ballistics LLC advertises Bryan Litz’s Ballisitics Book on this site.
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Proportionally longer noses mean lower drag. Proportionally longer bullets mean higher sectional density. Combine an elevated sectional density with lower drag, and you get higher BC bullets. For example, consider a 175 grain .30 caliber bullet commonly used in .308 Winchester M118LR-type ammo. These 175 grain bullets have G7 BCs in the neighborhood of .243 to .260. Neck the .308 down to 6.5mm (260 Remington) or 6mm (.243 Winchester) and now look at the BCs of the bullets available in these calibers which work within the same magazine length constraint. The 6.5mm 130 grain AR Hybrid has a G7 BC of 0.290, and the 6mm 105 grain Hybrid has a G7 BC of 0.278 — both of which are higher than the .30 cal 175 grain bullet BC. Furthermore, you get hundreds of feet per second more velocity with the necked-down cartridges as well.
At SHOT Show 2013, 
New 6.5mm Scenar Ls — First Look
When you combine these two shapes you get the best of both worlds (less sensitivity to seating depth differences and improved external ballistics performance). Since these new Berger Classic Hunter bullets must have a nose length that is short enough to comply with SAAMI standards we get the most external ballistics performance possible by making the nose with Bryan’s Hybrid design.
.338 Cal Hybrids for Long-Range Hunting?
They have been on the market for nearly a year, but you may not know that Redding sells a line of 
That’s right, Redding now offers micrometer seater assemblies made specifically for Berger VLD bullets. These Seating Micrometers allow you to convert a standard seater to a Micrometer seater optimized for VLDs. That’s great news for VLD fans. Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets tells us: “We have confirmed with Redding that each of the new micrometer plugs in the VLD group were designed based on Berger VLD bullets. We provided all of our VLD bullets to Redding, from which they took deliberate measurements and made these new plugs.”
Having completed successful field testing, Berger is releasing two new .30-caliber Hybrid bullets, the 185gr Hybrid (part #30424) and the new 200gr Hybrid (part # 30427). The Hybrid design, developed by Bryan Litz, combines both secant-ogive and tangent-ogive shapes. This keeps drag low while making the bullet easier to tune than typical VLD style bullets. Both these new Hybrid bullets have demonstrated excellent accuracy along with outstanding long-range ballistics. The BC on the 200-grainer is extremely high, with a G1 value of 0.624 and a G7 value of 0.320. The new 185gr and 200gr Hybrids should be arriving on store shelves very soon.
