Berger bullet failures?

The bullet that White used to such effect, was the only one that the .30/06 was available with at the time, military ball 150 gr FMJ with a muzzle velocity of 2700 fps. According to his carefully recorded observations, this was a dandy game bullet. If anyone spoke today of using military ball ammunition on big game, they'd be tared and feathered, and unkind rumors would be spread concerning their lineage to canines.

IIRC, Peter Capstick advocated the use of solids on all game, not just pachyderms, and kept Kynoch solids in his 470 Evans double rifle which he so famously wrote about. In one article he described the effect of a solid hitting and displacing bone, causing further damage. I reckon Capstick was a fabulous shot with decades of experience and could probably use a shoulder as an aiming point on thin skinned game for the collateral damage effect. He also used a proven cartridge with a large cross section and 5000 ft-lbs muzzle energy. I believe the ballistic performance of the 470 NE was the design objective for Winchester in the development of the 458.

For myself, I have used Hornady SP and Nosler ballistic tip bullets for deer hunting and Partitions for elk/moose with good results in many years of hunting. I am disinclined to take very long shots, which for me is anything much beyond 6-8 inches holdover of point blank range, about 375 yards give or take with what I shoot (270, 300 Win Mag). Most animals I have killed have been 100 - 200 yards distant. A good friend of mine experimented with mono metal bullets for a few years and had indifferent results. From what I've seen i can't justify the use of a thin skinned bullet such as the Berger for my hunting style.
 
I think I will stick with the good ol partitions ... their design is still one of the best. the top opens quick, but its still penetrates really well. They may be ugly and not the slipperiest bullet, but they flat out work. I think if I can get them to shoot in the 28 nosler at around 3200 fps, I will have a solid winner.
 
I think I will stick with the good ol partitions ... their design is still one of the best. the top opens quick, but its still penetrates really well. They may be ugly and not the slipperiest bullet, but they flat out work. I think if I can get them to shoot in the 28 nosler at around 3200 fps, I will have a solid winner.

Good choice, Mason!! :) Dave.
 
I think I will stick with the good ol partitions ... their design is still one of the best. the top opens quick, but its still penetrates really well. They may be ugly and not the slipperiest bullet, but they flat out work. I think if I can get them to shoot in the 28 nosler at around 3200 fps, I will have a solid winner.

You can receive the best of both worlds with the 160 gr. Nosler Accubond. I don't call myself a long shot hunter, however I'm prepared just in case. The 150 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip "was" my choice, "now" 140 gr. Nosler Accubond is my choice, and I'm just in the infancy of load development. I shoot the 7mm Rem. Mag., not the bigger boomers.
 
A friend of mine shot a mule deer with a 168 gr berger. It looked like someone dumped a bottle of Goldschlager inside with all the bullet jacket pieces in it
 
Ha ha, reminded me of an old buddy. First time we went hunting together and he pulls an assorment of bullets out of his pocket, all different grains, brands, and shapes. He tells me they are for all different situations, long range, big animal, small animal and bush busters were the round nose. He said all with a straight face, I didnt know what to say.

Hahaha!! Awesome...always be prepared for all situations, lol.

I did have good luck with .284 154grn SST's and Interbonds having pretty much identical POI from my 7mmRM when I had it, but I used the SST's for target shooting and the Interbonds for hunting, rather than both for different hunting applications (though that likely would have worked if used appropriately), and I still sighted in with the Interbonds each time before hunting just because I liked having that recent validation that POA/POI remained the same. Pretty sure that is more the exception than the rule though.
 
I came to this thread doing some search (sorry to revive an old one)...
Thought it is interesting that my fear of Berger bullet failure has always been that the bullet will not open enough - quite opposite to what I read in this thread...
In the interest of full disclosure, my son and I have been shooting 185 gr OTM Juggernauts out of 308 win (not the hunting VLDs) until recently.
we have allways had a pass thru with a minimal to modest expansion/fragmentation on about a dozen whitetails, a few mullies and 2 black bears - all of them recovered, but most needed another shot. the shots were ~50-350 metres. One of the shots my son made on a mullie buck was a lucky heart shot from behind...��
My son started shooting 185 gr hunting VLDs and had a 2 whitetails drop where they stood with chess shots and no exits - super spectacular...
I would say that there is quite a difference between the tactical and hunting versions (and I speak of 185 gr bullet here from my experience).
 
I didn't read every page in this thread. But did read enough posts that guys who have NEVER used Bergers say they don't recommend them. Every animal I have killed in the last 8 years has been with a Berger. 140 gr 7mm, 130 gr 6.5, 215 gr 30 cal, 168 gr 7mm. Has every result been perfect? NO. But show me a bullet that works perfect every time. The 140 gr 7mm was used out of tree stands and had some shots as close as 30 yds on deer out of a WSM. It was explosive and never a exit but insides were jello. The 6.5 cal 130 VLD hunter out of my 6.5X47 was used in Texas last year and accounted for 7 whitetail. Perfect performance on every animal. shots were between 100 and 320 yds and had a exit every time. The 215 Berger needs no introduction if you read much on these forums. This is by far the most impressive bullet I have used. I did have one tumble on a bull elk last year at 625 yds. Hit him low right in the elbow joint/base of brisket. This is a VERY big bone. Bullet shed 60% of it's nose front section, destroyed the elbow bone and brisket and was found on the offside hide. From the wound channel I'd say after hitting the bone it tumbled to the offside. The hole in the brisket actually opened up into the chest cavity and the lungs were all black and bruised. With a different bullet I think I may of lost that bull. So I guess in my long winded post I'd say I have never had a Berger failure from 30 yds, out to as far as 734 yds and every range in between.
 
…. But show me a bullet that works perfect every time....

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Load your mag with bergers but put a AB or partition on top/in chamber. If you come across a loooong shot, cycle it out on the ground and chamber a berger.

Really good idea...

Even at 500 yards Berger's are still explosive with 7 mags.

I still like Berger and will continue to use...

Got drawn for Antelope this year .....@ 536 yards with Berger 168 VLD. 1 shot. DRT did not take a step....just folded up.
 
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Use Accubond or AB LR.

There is a reason Why the long range crowd uses Berger's and ELD-x etc. There accurate at long range.

You cannot do this with Partition.


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