Berger Load Data & Reloading Guide
Berger Bullets, a renowned name in the realm of precision ammunition, was founded in 1955 by Walt Berger. Over the years, the company has forged a stellar reputation for producing high-quality bullets that meet the exacting demands of precision shooters and reloaders. Known for their attention to detail and commitment to excellence, Berger's comprehensive product range includes bullets that boast exceptional ballistic coefficients, making them a go-to choice for competitive shooters and hunters alike. Their passion for innovation and advancement in bullet design has solidified their standing within the handloading community.
About Berger
For reloaders, Berger's bullets are particularly noteworthy due to their rigorous quality control processes, ensuring each bullet is crafted to precise specifications. This consistency is critical in load development, allowing handloaders to achieve repeatable and reliable performance. Berger provides extensive reloading data backed by thorough testing, which is accessible via both printed manuals and the company's website. This data is indispensable for reloaders seeking to develop loads with optimal performance across various firearms and shooting disciplines.
Berger's bullets are widely celebrated for their precision and accuracy, which is attributed to a manufacturer ethos that prioritizes consistency and quality. Although they do not produce powders or primed ammunition, their singular focus on bullet manufacturing has allowed them to perfect their craft. Within the handloading community, Berger is synonymous with excellence, trusted for their commitment to producing bullets that deliver maximum performance and precision. Their continuous drive for innovation ensures they remain at the forefront of bullet technology, catering to the needs of discerning reloaders worldwide.
Develop your own Berger Load Recipes
Use our ballistics calculator to create precise load recipes with products from this manufacturer.
Start CalculatingBerger Bullet Types
Popular bullet types from this manufacturer – more may be available
Berger - Elite Hunter
The Berger Elite Hunter bullet is designed for long-range hunting with a sleek, hybrid-ogive shape that maximizes ballistic efficiency and accuracy. U...
Berger - Hybrid Target
The Berger Hybrid Target bullet combines a tangent and secant ogive design to maximize ballistic efficiency while maintaining ease of seating. This no...
Berger - Long Range Hybrid Target
The Berger Long Range Hybrid Target bullet is designed for precision shooting and hunting applications. Its unique hybrid design combines a boattail a...
Berger - VLD Hunting
The Berger VLD Hunting bullet is a highly accurate, non-lead-free projectile designed for precision and performance in the field. Featuring a sleek Ve...
Berger - VLD Target
The Berger VLD Target bullet is renowned for its sleek, boat tail design and very low drag (VLD) profile, delivering excellent ballistic performance a...
Standard Load Data — Berger
Select your desired cartridge and bullet weight below to access the corresponding load table. From there, you can choose any listed load recipe and transfer it directly into the ballistics calculator for further refinement, optimization, and precision tuning.
.264 | 156gr | Berger Elite Hunter
6.5 PRC
.224 | 85.5gr | Berger Long Range Hybrid Target
.22 Creedmoor
.243 | 105gr | Berger Hybrid Target
6 mm GT
.284 | 168gr | Berger VLD Hunting
7 mm PRC
.308 | 220gr | Berger Long Range Hybrid Target
.300 Norma Mag.
.264 | 140gr | Berger VLD Hunting
6.5 PRC
.284 | 195gr | Berger Elite Hunter
7 mm PRC
.264 | 140gr | Berger Elite Hunter
6.5 PRC
.284 | 175gr | Berger Elite Hunter
7 mm PRC
.243 | 105gr | Berger VLD Target
6 mm XC
.257 | 133gr | Berger Elite Hunter
.25 Creedmoor
.224 | 80gr | Berger VLD Target
.22 Creedmoor
.284 | 180gr | Berger VLD Hunting
7 mm PRC
.264 | 144gr | Berger Long Range Hybrid Target
6.5 Creedmoor
.264 | 130gr | Berger VLD Hunting
6.5 Creedmoor
.284 | 168gr | Berger VLD Target
7 x 57
.243 | 109gr | Berger Long Range Hybrid Target
6 mm GT
.243 | 109gr | Berger LONG RANGE HYBRID TARGET
6 mm Creedmoor
.204 | 55gr | Berger Varmint
.20 BR
.308 | 230gr | Berger Hybrid Target
.30-06 Spring.
.243 | 105gr | Berger Hybrid Target
6 mm ARC
.264 | 144gr | Berger Long Range Hybrid Target
6.5 PRC
.264 | 140gr | Berger Hybrid Target
6.5 Creedmoor
.308 | 230gr | Berger Hybrid OTM Tactical
.30-06 Spring.
Community Loads — Berger
Sample load data using Berger bullets or powders from our database.
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We have the following 170 Berger Bullets in our Database:
.172 | 25gr | Berger Varmint
.204 | 35gr | Berger FB Varmint
.204 | 40gr | Berger Varmint
.204 | 55gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 30gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 40gr | Berger FB Varmint
.224 | 50gr | Berger Target FB
.224 | 50gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 52gr | Berger Target FB
.224 | 52gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 55gr | Berger FB Varmint
.224 | 55gr | Berger Target FB
.224 | 60gr | Berger FB Varmint
.224 | 60gr | Berger FBHP
.224 | 62gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint
.224 | 69gr | Berger BT Target
.224 | 70gr | Berger LTB
.224 | 70gr | Berger VLD Target
.224 | 73gr | Berger BT Target
.224 | 75gr | Berger VLD Target
.224 | 77gr | Berger LTB
.224 | 77gr | Berger OTM Tactical
.224 | 80.5gr | Berger Fullbore Target
Frequently Asked Questions
Berger offers several bullet designs, each intended for different shooting applications. Hybrid bullets combine tangent and secant ogive profiles to deliver high ballistic coefficients while being relatively forgiving of seating depth, making them a popular choice for precision rifle competitions and long-range target shooting.
VLD (Very Low Drag) bullets feature a long secant ogive that maximizes ballistic coefficient and downrange performance. Because of their geometry, they are generally more sensitive to seating depth and often require more careful load development to achieve their best accuracy.
Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) bullets build on the Hybrid concept with even higher ballistic coefficients and optimized geometry for extreme long-range competition. They are designed to provide excellent aerodynamic performance while remaining easier to tune than traditional VLD bullets.
Elite Hunter bullets use Hybrid geometry combined with a hunting bullet construction that is engineered for reliable expansion across a wide range of impact velocities. They offer the long-range performance expected from Berger while providing terminal performance suitable for hunting.
Classic Hunter bullets feature a tangent ogive that is typically less sensitive to seating depth and feeds well in standard hunting rifles. They are designed for hunters who want straightforward load development and dependable field performance.
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Not automatically. Even when two Berger bullets have the same weight, differences in bullet length, bearing surface, ogive shape and seating depth can change chamber pressure and overall performance. For example, a 140 grain Hybrid, VLD and Elite Hunter are not considered interchangeable for load development.
Whenever possible, use published load data for your exact Berger bullet. If no specific data exists, begin with conservative published starting data for a comparable bullet of the same weight and construction from a reputable source, then work up carefully while watching for pressure signs. Any change in bullet design should be treated as a new load development exercise.
Berger does not recommend a single seating depth for every rifle because chamber dimensions and barrel characteristics vary. Instead, they recommend determining the seating depth your individual rifle prefers through testing.
Hybrid bullets are generally less sensitive to seating depth than VLD bullets and often deliver excellent accuracy with some bullet jump to the rifling. VLD bullets tend to be more sensitive, so Berger recommends performing a seating depth test while keeping the powder charge constant. Once a safe load has been established, adjusting seating depth is often one of the most effective ways to improve accuracy.
CBTO (Cartridge Base to Ogive) measures the distance from the base of a loaded cartridge to a specific point on the bullet’s ogive rather than to the bullet tip. Because bullet tips can vary slightly in length due to manufacturing tolerances, measuring overall cartridge length (COAL) alone does not always provide a consistent indication of how far the bullet sits from the rifling.
By measuring CBTO with a bullet comparator, reloaders can control bullet jump more precisely and reproduce seating depth with greater consistency. This is why Berger places greater emphasis on CBTO during load development, particularly when fine-tuning seating depth for optimum accuracy.