Berger VLD Bullets on deer
- Thread starter mylesrom
- Start date
I have had exception results with the VLDs and I am very happy. I am a big bullet per caliber guy so I don't go for the breakneck velocities but rather precision bullet flight. You have to do your homework on what works best for your set up. I am also very happy with accubonds which remain my main hunting bullet...mostly because I have a shelf full of them!
I don't see any point in using target bullets on big game. Any quality bullet designed for big game can be made to shoot with sufficient accuracy for any reasonable range. It makes more sense to me to pick a bullet based on terminal effect, even if it doesn't provide the best accuracy in a given rifle.
Berger has two different VLDs. Hunting, and target. The target bullets have a thicker jacket. They are not pushing their target bullet as a hunting round. If you use the target bullets on game you will get pencil holes in whatever you are shooting at.
Shot my best mule deer with a 210 Berger out of a 300Win. at about 70 yards.
Flipped him off like a light switch. Entered the rear ham and what was left of it lodged in the fur of the shoulder on the opposite side. Utter devastation in between.
Also shot a mid sized white tail buck at 230 yards broadside and a two other smaller ones at short range...Never recovered the bullet from those and all died in their tracks.
Would I use it on Elk?....Nope!
Would I use a Hornady at 300 Win. velocities on elk...Nope!
Would I use a Nosler ballistic tip on Elk...Nope!
That said the 210 Berger will kill any deer that walks.
Anyone that says otherwise has never used one on deer.
Down sides?
Messy...I lost some of the rear ham and some of the opposite shoulder on my big buck. You need to use longer (high sd) bullets to ensure penetration (if you consider that a downside).
Flipped him off like a light switch. Entered the rear ham and what was left of it lodged in the fur of the shoulder on the opposite side. Utter devastation in between.
Also shot a mid sized white tail buck at 230 yards broadside and a two other smaller ones at short range...Never recovered the bullet from those and all died in their tracks.
Would I use it on Elk?....Nope!
Would I use a Hornady at 300 Win. velocities on elk...Nope!
Would I use a Nosler ballistic tip on Elk...Nope!
That said the 210 Berger will kill any deer that walks.
Anyone that says otherwise has never used one on deer.
Down sides?
Messy...I lost some of the rear ham and some of the opposite shoulder on my big buck. You need to use longer (high sd) bullets to ensure penetration (if you consider that a downside).
Jordan Smith
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Not according to those who have actually used the target VLD on game. It's only slightly less explosive than the hunting version...
I love these winter threads.
I used 130gr Berger in my 6.5x47. Deer were shot from 200yds to 540yds. They are all dead except one. That one was weird, but all the dead deer had acceptably moderate entrance and exit wounds and jelly inside. I would shoot elk/moose with the big bullets broadside. I would hesitate with high velocity rounds and the lighter bullets.
I used 130gr Berger in my 6.5x47. Deer were shot from 200yds to 540yds. They are all dead except one. That one was weird, but all the dead deer had acceptably moderate entrance and exit wounds and jelly inside. I would shoot elk/moose with the big bullets broadside. I would hesitate with high velocity rounds and the lighter bullets.
They are an extremely accurate cup and core bullet that should limited to use as such, so don't crank them up to 3300fps and complain when they blow-up on the shoulder of a 1300lb moose. Start them between 2600-3000fps and as the game gets bigger so should the bullets.
If you need me to translate this message through Hooked on Phonics, give me a week; 'tis the season.
Never used Bergers to shoot game, so I don't know abou them first hand. However..There are lots of accurate hunting bullets out there. SOme really accurate long range hunting bullets,too...I don't see the need to experiment on game with target bullets.
- Location
- AB foothills
Sorry X-Fan and Rem338,
When I first read the post I thought Rem338 was being facetious, buy somewhat mocking people who were using Berger bullets. Upon further review it seems that he was actually giving first hand knowledge of his experience,sorry is I didn't understand the context in which he was writing. It was pretty late at night when I read the post so that could also have had something to do with my misunderstanding of the post.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
J
When I first read the post I thought Rem338 was being facetious, buy somewhat mocking people who were using Berger bullets. Upon further review it seems that he was actually giving first hand knowledge of his experience,sorry is I didn't understand the context in which he was writing. It was pretty late at night when I read the post so that could also have had something to do with my misunderstanding of the post.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
J
You too! I hope you find a long box under the tree this year.
Sometimes the eggnog talks louder than the screen.
