I have  worked up several Berger VLD loads. They shot best when
the velocity was down from max, at about 3350 fps. I got some "warmish"
loads up over 3400 fps where they seemed to "hit a wall" and not go any
faster with more powder. Group size also opened up, so I backed off. 105
grain VLD's shot best around 3150 fps.

One more thing.... I never could get the Berger 115 grain VLD's to 'shoot'
in my rifle. The 1-8 twist just does not seem to do it for them. I never got
a keyhole, but I did see signs that the bullet was not "going to sleep" even
out at 200 yards.

I have used the Cream of Wheat method to fireform (with corn meal,
actually), but prefer to shoot bullets at something. I fireformed 100 of the
Norma cases this spring while shooting at PDs. With the corn meal, I had
several cases retain chunks behind the shoulder and had to dig it out with a
bent paper clip. Cream of Wheat may not do this, but the corn meal sure did!
I tried to find the older, non-instant Cream of Wheat, but could not here in
Texas. The instant types of hot breakfast cereals have a high salt content,
and I don't want that through my barrels.

I have done no annealing, and have not lost a single case during
fireforming. Jim Borden set the headspace about .004" short of SAAMI minimum to ensure an un-fireformed case is held tightly. NOTE: The necked down Norma cases were a VERY tight fit. I had to lean on the bolt to close it for several of the cases. Make very sure you have your locking lugs well
lubricated! I use Moly-Slide paste from Neco.

To neck down the Norma 7x57 brass, I lubed with Imperial Sizing Die Wax and ran 'em through a Redding FL die with the decapping rod removed. Necked back up with the expander mandrel for a K&M neck turner and turned them down (in 3 steps) to .0125" for my .270" neck chamber.

I also have a standard 6mm Rem, with a min SAAMI chamber (.276 neck). I turned another batch of Norma 7x57 brass to .015". Most of these did not clean up all the way around, though some did. Most cleaned up to ~75%. The "some did" means that you could get into a situation where the necks are too thick for some chambers, creating dangerously high pressures. Please be careful if you do not neck turn this brass after you've necked it down to 6mm.

Good shooting!
Henry Bruns

Henry's  6mm AI
Stolle Panda left bolt, left port - Borden stock,
Shilen 8" twist barrel, 12x42 Nightforce scope
All smithing & stock work done by Jim Borden
(switch barrel is a Hart 6PPC, shot with a Leupold BR scope)

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