Anyone loading Berger 215 hybrids in a CA Ridgeline 300wm

[TruckMonkey]

If you are using 215 hybrids in a CA Ridgeline 300wm what seating depth are you using? I guess comparators will vary some. How far off the lands are you loading?

I loaded one .002 off the lands and the nose of the bullet hits the ramp between the mag well and chamber. And the first round barely fits in the mag well.

I am new to reloading and wondering if I just gradually seat the bullet deeper until it loads ok and go from there?

I keep hearing that I should start .002 off the lands and so far two rifles and that depth seems to be an issue (first one was due to shorter magazine length).

 

[ID_Matt]

My ridgeline liked .025-.040 off the lands. that seems to be the sweet spot. If it isn't fitting in your mag I would back it off slightly until it does and then see how far you are off the lands, then go from there. 0.002 is awful close.. most guys are jumping quite a bit more than that.

 

[TruckMonkey]

Just looked at Panhandle Precision and see he loaded 210 VLDs .010 off the lands... but for a different rifle

 

[WyoElk]

I’ve been shooting the Berger factory ammo at 3.600 COAL. It’s been great in my ridgeline

 

[ID_Matt]

Just looked at Panhandle Precision and see he loaded 210 VLDs .010 off the lands... but for a different rifle

VLD's are a different shaped ogive. 0.010 is a lot farther than 0.002. Bump them back to 0.025" . They'll shoot just fine.

 

[tdhanses]

I haven’t shot the 215’s yet but once my 300wsm is done I’ll play with them a bunch.

That said, all the Berger VLD’s I’ve shot in a 270wsm and 6.5cm, they liked a lot of jump, between .08 and .1, yes a lot of jump.

Berger has a great write-up on the seating depth test for them, it isn’t small changes. They go from .01 to .12.

 

[archp625]

I am new to reloading too but have had rookie success that I can pass along. First measure your mag box length. Once you know this you know you cannot exceed that length on your COAL. I would stay 0.040" shorter than your mag box or at least try your loaded ammo to make sure it functions like you want it to.

Next measure your distance to your lands in your gun. Every gun is different so don't take what someone else tell you to heart. Once you have that measurement 0.020" off the lands is a good starting point for me.

One caveat to all this is the mag box length. If you are going to single feed then don't worry about mag box length.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I am very new at this, I loaded some 212 eldx’s .012 off the lands for my ladder test and they have plenty of room in the mag box at 3.613 coal. I loaded a dummy round at the same ogive with a 215 berger but it won’t fit in the mag box it’s to long because of the different shape bullet. I’m going to have to try what Arch said above

 

[TruckMonkey]

So I loaded to .015 off the lands and it still seems like the tip of the bullet presses into the feeding ramp to the chamber at a point causing the bullet not to feed very well.

Anyone else run into this issue with the hybrids due to the long shape of the bullet?

 

[rootacres]

If you are using 215 hybrids in a CA Ridgeline 300wm what seating depth are you using? I guess comparators will vary some. How far off the lands are you loading?

I loaded one .002 off the lands and the nose of the bullet hits the ramp between the mag well and chamber. And the first round barely fits in the mag well.

I am new to reloading and wondering if I just gradually seat the bullet deeper until it loads ok and go from there?

I keep hearing that I should start .002 off the lands and so far two rifles and that depth seems to be an issue (first one was due to shorter magazine length).

Mines not a 300 WM Ridgeline but its a 300 WSM Ridgeline. The happy spot I've found with Bergers and Accubonds is right around .025 off the lands FWIW.

 

[Wrench]

Make the choice to load to the box, or the lands and go with it. Don't try to split the difference.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve been kind of chasing my tail, I did a seating depth test on the 212 eldx’s it likes .02 off the lands, I got a .6 group and ES of 26 with 75 grains of H1000. I went down and up .1 either side of 75 and found 75.1 had ES of 15 75.2 was 14. Seems a little fast from what I’d expect. With 74.9,75,75.2 I’d get 2-3 in the same hole then throw one 75.1 was the only good group of the day. After this I did a ladder test with bergers .015 off the lands 3 shot groups almost all of them 2 touching and throw one. 76grains was the lowest ES with the bergers with 26 again but the speeds seem way to fast from what I keep finding online. No hard bolt lift one faint ejector swipe at 76.5 but nothing at 77. New magneetospeed this was my second time using it, gun is a fierce fury 26 inch barrel 300WM I think I just hit 120 rounds through it today

 

[TruckMonkey]

I am to the point of being 0.1 off the lands to get them to feed ok cycling the bolt.

However, I am running into issues with seating depth consistency. I am using a Forster Ultra Micrometer die and I have tested the stem with half a dozen bullets and they don’t appear to bottom out. However, my seating depths are varying .005 CBTO using a Hornady comparator. Any ideas on this one? I am using an RCBS press and it was well secured.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I am to the point of being 0.1 off the lands to get them to feed ok cycling the bolt.

However, I am running into issues with seating depth consistency. I am using a Forster Ultra Micrometer die and I have tested the stem with half a dozen bullets and they don’t appear to bottom out. However, my seating depths are varying .005 CBTO using a Hornady comparator. Any ideas on this one? I am using an RCBS press and it was well secured.

Is your ram touching the die when it’s all the way up? I had inconsistencies when I put ram all the way up screwed die down to touch then backed out 1/8 turn now I have mine touching the slightest bit for cam over and it cleaned that up

 

[CCooper]

I would love to here more on this. I purchased a new CA ridgeline 300WM and have found a load it really likes .005 off the lands with H1000 norma brass mag primers and berger 215's. In the same boat as the OP, magwell is way short for this load, and I don't want to go to a wyatt's box. I am preparing to work a load up at magwell length tonight for testing tomorrow if I can do it without compressing the load.

 

[TruckMonkey]

Even at mag well length the rounds don’t feed well.

 

[eoperator]

I would love to here more on this. I purchased a new CA ridgeline 300WM and have found a load it really likes .005 off the lands with H1000 norma brass mag primers and berger 215's. In the same boat as the OP, magwell is way short for this load, and I don't want to go to a wyatt's box. I am preparing to work a load up at magwell length tonight for testing tomorrow if I can do it without compressing the load.

.005 off the lands would be way to close for comfort on a hot hunting load for me. Be careful.

 

[CCooper]

Started playing with seating depth more over the weekend. Shot 3 each 3 round groups at 100yds with 75.5gr of H-1000 and Virgin Norma Brass. Loaded 9 rounds at .002 off, .020 off, .040 off, and .060 off. Shot 3 round groups allowing barrel to cool between groups all over a magnetospeed V3. Best velocity, SD, and accuracy were observed at .040 off. Checked feed functions by fully loading mag with all lengths and cycling each one. Feeding eased up for me with the .040 off rounds if I ensured each round is as far back in the magwell as possible when inserted. Not the smoothest cycling action I have, but a push feed isn't anyhow. I can personally live with the function at this length.

 

[tdhanses]

Started playing with seating depth more over the weekend. Shot 3 each 3 round groups at 100yds with 75.5gr of H-1000 and Virgin Norma Brass. Loaded 9 rounds at .002 off, .020 off, .040 off, and .060 off. Shot 3 round groups allowing barrel to cool between groups all over a magnetospeed V3. Best velocity, SD, and accuracy were observed at .040 off. Checked feed functions by fully loading mag with all lengths and cycling each one. Feeding eased up for me with the .040 off rounds if I ensured each round is as far back in the magwell as possible when inserted. Not the smoothest cycling action I have, but a push feed isn't anyhow. I can personally live with the function at this length.

I’ve found the 215’s shoot best for me so far at .045 off, didn’t go further because it wasn’t needed.