I have just started loading for one of my rifles in 6.5x284. It is a Savage 116 FHVSS with a 24" BBl. I wanted to use some Berger VLD bullets, so I loaded some of their VLD Long Range BT Target bullets PN#26409, as I want to get out to 1000 yards. I used the Stoney Point OAL gauge to measure to the lands. I used Berger’s recommendation to find the best seating depth. They recommend starting at .010 off the lands, then .050 off, and .090 off and finally .130 off.

Well with these bullets seating at .010 off I had approximately 1/32" of bullet bearing surface in the mouth of the case, even with .130 off that made it approximately 5/32" of bullet bearing surface in the mouth of the case. Out of the 72 rounds there were 24 three round groups. My chrony quit working after the fourth round so we were unable to record velocities.

The accuracy was not what I was hoping for, I can shoot 1-MOA 75% of the time and my brother whom was helping shoot can get 1-MOA and better almost 100%, but he was having a bad day. We had approximately 80% of the groups under 1 MOA, but what I'm shooting for like most others is one ragged hole!

Anyway we had very inconsistent grouping, so I couldn't get a read on what seating depth might be favorable. I did notice though that on the cases of the 18 rounds seated at .010 off the lands, there was carbon/smoke stains on the cases, so I think they need to be seated deeper.

Has anyone else run into this issue with their Savage rifles in seating bullets .010 off or closer, and not having proper bearing surface of the bullet seated in the case mouth?
It would be impossible with these bullets for me to seat a bullet jammed into the lands as there wouldn't be enough bullet bearing surface to work with.

I guess with this gun I am going to have to find a load that will be happy with a considerable jump.