...the continuing saga...

[Sagebrush Burns]

It finally warmed up enough to shoot some more groups today without shivering too much. Been playing with a load consisting of a Berger 35 HP, 27.0 H335 and CCI450 primer in my new Savage LRPV. The load shoots 5 shot groups under 1/2" if I do my part and I wanted to check out seating depth as my load was fairly short (2.191" oal). Loaded up some series using progressively longer oal (2.209, 2.225, ...) and all of them shot WAY worse. Actually I quit after the first two went 1" and 1"+. I was quite surprised as I understand the Savage is long throated and usually loads shoot better as you get nearer the leade. Since this load is averaging 3/8" for 5 shot groups (5 groups so far) I should not complain, just stay with what is working.

[WrzWaldo]

I'm curious as to why you started with such a short OAL? Hodgdon load data says 2.24".

[Sagebrush Burns]

For my test loads I started with Hornady V-Max bullets and loaded 2.25" oal. I just used the same seating die setting with the Bergers and because they are HPs without the tip they came out shorter.

[jo191145]

Sage

Yah thats pretty short. The last two years or so 35 Bergs ogive seems to have settled down and become consistent.
Previously I had one lot where the ogive was actually under the case neck seated at 2.260.
The newer style is longer but at your short lengths you must be close to burying the ogive in the neck if not already.
Not necessarily a bad thing I guess.

FWIW 2.265 has always been my lucky number, both good and bad luck of course
You might need to adjust the charge with longer lengths. Might just need to keep stretching them. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Silverfox]

Sagebrush Burns-- Your cartridge length seems extremely short to me, but if it is working, then you have to go with it. You might, if you keep seating the bullets closer to the lands, find another sweet spot with a bit longer OAL. I have a Savage 12VLP and my 35 gr. FBHP Berger loaded rounds measure 2.312" to 2.315" from the base of the casing to the tip of the bullet. That's the length I settled on in late summer of 2004 and have used it ever since.

The winter of 2005-2006 I stepped into a badger hole that was covered up by snow and fell on my rifle and scope. I knocked the scope way out of line. After I got it off the rifle, got things lined up and bore sighted the scope again, here's the 100 yard target shot on January 20, 2006. Shot #1 was fired after I had shot several shots at 25 yards to get the scope adjusted a little better than my bore sighting job. I did 3 clicks up and 3 clicks left and shot this nice little 3-shot group.

[Sidewinderwa]

I have been told that there are normally two sweet spots. One just off the lands and one shorter. Some factory rolled rounds are short so that they will fit into all rifles yet can be very accurate.

[WrzWaldo]

There are wayyyyy to many variables for someone to say outright there are normally two sweet spots...