Berger Commercial 77 OTM & 73 Match Review

Berger Commercial Ammunition Breakdown & test

Berger released commercial ammunition not too long ago, and its using nothing but the best components. We tested the following:

Berger 77 OTM

Berger 73 Match

Both use the same bullet you can buy as a component, and both use Lapua Brass with Vihtavuori Powder. The primer is unknown, but its probably a match version of some OEM kind.

Now, other channels/sites have also looked at this commercial box of ammunition, tore it apart, and got different charge weights and judgements. This leads us to believe the charge weight changes on various lots, depending on the lot consistency perhaps, we are not sure.

77 OTM and 73 Match

Primer weighs 3.6 gr

Lapua Match Brass

Brass weighted ~97.5 grains without primer.

77 OTM = 24.1 Gr

73 Match = 25.6 Gr

Case Fill

We used Accurate 2230 to measure case fill. 31.2-31.4 grains fit inside the case

Not much Brass Prep

77 OTM box says 2750 FPS 20" barrel

73 Match box says 2820 FPS 20" barrel

Berger primers 3.6 gr

CCI41 = 3.8 gr

CCI BR4 = 3.7 gr

Federal Gold Medal Match = 3.6 gr

CCI 400 = 3.2 gr

Berger primers look most like CCI, but not at all like Win or Federal Primer weight for Berger is 3.6 Grains

Can we replicate?

We used the exact same weight Lapua brass, and same exact load of what we think is N140. We have almost every kind of SRP but nothing was like what was in the Berger, so we used CCI BR4 primers for our test.

Specs of Berger 77 OTM that came in box:

OAL: 2.244 bullets = 1.026" long

Powder: 24.1 Grains of what we think is N140

Brass: Lapua Match ~97.5 grains each, 31.2-31.4 case fill

Primer: Weighs 3.6 grains

Box muzzle Velocity 20" barrel = 2750 FPS

Specs of Berger 73 Match that came in box:

OAL: 2.254 bullets = .958" long

Powder: 25.6 Grains probably N140

Brass: Lapua Match ~97.5 grains each, 31.2-31.4 case fill

Primer: Weighs 3.6 grains

Box muzzle Velocity 20" barrel = 2820 FPS

Consistency and accurate is better with the reloads that tried to replicate of course, and we think this is for several reasons:

-More precise powder load

-more consistent Brass weights (sorted)

-more consistent Bullet Ogives (sorted)

-way better brass prep, chamfered better, lubed correctly

A lot of groups in the .6" range, and some under half inch.

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The stats

using the best components money can buy, you would expect a good result. And we think N140 is the best powder for heavies, money can buy. Not the best overall for 223 across the range, Benchmark better, but for 77 grain bullets? You cannot beat N140, incredible.

So yes, we replicated it pretty closely, but more consistent and more accurate because its not machine loaded en mass, its precision, 1 at a time, slow....with vastly superior brass prep.

Those 5 shots out of the Shilen 24.1 grains? ES of 2, SD of 1? rounded of course. Other gun liked that load too, so that load? Berger knows what they are doing, its a fine load.

Interesting that the 73 grain load was nearly 100 FPS over what the box said it would be. Very HOT.

you know what is funny about this entire thing?
Go get the BERGER load book, and look what they published as the MAX load using a slightly longer OAL, with same powder and same bullet. Go check it out.