Berger 87gr Hunting VLD in 243 Tikka T3 Lite

[imknadian]

I was just wondering if anyone else has experience with these bullets. I loaded a few rounds of the Berger Hunting VLD bullets in 87gr last night using 38gr of Varget. I tossed them together quick just so I could sight in a new scope I put on the rifle. Anyway, they shoot pretty good...about .75" so far. That was just quickly sighting in...it was -27C when I did it so I was doing it pretty quick. ]The rifle I am using is a Tikka T3 Lite .243 with 1:10" twist...topped off with a Burris E1 4.5-14x scope.

Anyway...I'm going to be using the same load for deer and yotes. What experience in loads does anyone have with these bullets? Seating depth? Powder? Primers? Loads?

 

[AlexF]

243 Win is one of my favorite cartridges but it's the minimum cartridge to hunt deer legally in my part of Canada!
6mm bullet are small and my advice is to use only the best hunting bullets for a given game:

For powders, I use Varget for 80gr and below, and H4350 for 85gr and above bullets.

For deer:

• Nolser Partition (90gr, 95gr or 100gr)
• Barnes TSX (85gr)

For varmint:

• Nolser 80gr Ballistic Tip Varmint
• Hornady 75gr or 87gr VMax
• Berger 80gr Varmint (extremely accurate but not as explosive as Ballistic Tip or VMax)

We live in a free country and Berger makes incredibly accurate bulets but I still think that use a controlled expansion bullet on deer is the best thing to do.

Alex

 

[Sask_Hunter]

I'd second the H-4350 for powder. The bergers work ok for deer not the best results from the two deer I shot this past fall. They are easy on fur if you don't hit them around the edges.

 

[imknadian]

I might pick up a box of Barnes X or TSX bullets to have a few on hand for deer. I shoot the Barnes X 130gr in my Tikka 270wsm...it's a very accurate and lethal bullet. I've never lost a deer with them yet. I am sure they would do just as well in a 243. I read that the Berger 87gr Hunting VLD is a very decent bullet for deer also. I just figured having one load that I could use for coyotes and deer would be the best. My 243 is my secondary rifle that I use during deer hunting as my 270wsm reaches out a lot farther with a lot more power.