Hunting Bullets for Reloading

yonderin

yonderin

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Not sure if this is the best forum for the question, it seemed a good place to start as any.

Getting ready to start reloading again after quite a hiatus and looking for some input on bullets. So far I have most considered the good old Partition and Berger VLD Hunting Bullet. I haven't gotten too much into the literature, of course everybody has perfected the mousetrap.

Calibers I'm looking to reload for are .308 and .30-06. I'm inclined to go with 150-165gr for the .308 and 165-180 for the '06.

Hoping some folks with practical experience on modern bullets can get me started down the right road, I'm particularly interested to hear opinions on the Berger as a bullet for elk at any range. However any recommendations are welcome. The longest hunting shot I've taken has been right around 300 yds, most within a couple hundred so the need for extreme range shooting isn't there. But perhaps the VLD can double as a poor man's match bullet.

Thanks.
 
You are only dealing with one caliber, so you only need one bullet. Out of the choices that you mention, I would go with the 165gr Partition for both cartridges.
 
If you are reloading I would try a few of each with a couple of powder choices and see what shoots best. I've had good luck with the 168 grain Bergers for my and my son's 30:06's. Mine likes IMR 4350 and my son's likes IMR 4831. By the way, 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips were a close second. Didn't try Partitions as there were none when I went to pick up some bullets to try but I will be giving them a go for my 6.5x55.
 
I like lead free for anything my kids and I are eating, Barnes TSX get my vote, used it from coyote to dangerous game in Africa. Tough, deep penetrating lead free bullets. Partition for a standby with lead is about as good as a hunting bullet gets. Berger's hunting bullets had a reputation for being fragile and I wouldn't choose them for Elk.
 
For the calibers and shooting distances you are talking about I would most likely go with the Barnes 165 gr TSX for an all round hunting bullet including elk.
 
I am not a fan of the VLD's, but I acknowledge that many like and shoot them... I do like the TSX and TTSX I my small bore, fast calibers, but in the .308 &.30/06 class of bullets, I have taken to shooting SST's on paper and IB's on game... these two bullets have the same shape, BC and IME same POI... this allows a less expensive paper option and then a good bonded hunting bullet. I have long been a Partition fan and shoot them in many calibers... they are never a wrong choice on game... at the distance you are talking about plain old H-SP's will do just fine also... my top .308 caliber powders are H4350, Varget and W760.
 
The Berger isn't my idea of a hunting bullet. They have their place, but IMHO that place is not for use over typical hunting ranges on elk size game. Due to their fragile construction, I can see them being chosen for long range work, where impact velocities are low enough to allow deep penetration before they grenade. For hunting big game under typical Canadian conditions, its hard to fault the Partition, although they seem to cost a fearful price these days; I'm told this isn't supposed to matter if you compare the cost of a single bullet against the cost of a hunt. I would choose the .30 caliber Partition in 180 gr weight, and if I was buying a mono-metal bullet like the TSX I would opt for 165, as the lighter bullet is the same length as the .308/180, and goes faster. Neither would I overlook bullets from Woodleigh, $wift, or Speer's Grand Slam.
 
07blackwater said:
Don't forget accubonds, perform much like a partition and less expensive.

I've been using them for the last 4 years and they work great on moose.
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I like and shoot Accubonds also... but they perform nothing like a Partition... two totally different bullets.
 
Holy ####, I said much like not exactly.

All I meant was they hold together well.

Both have always passed through for me with little meat damage.

And yes I know they are constructed differently but in my experience the end result is pretty much the same. A dead critter with a nice clean hole through it.
 
07blackwater said:
Holy ####, I said much like not exactly.

All I meant was they hold together well.

Both have always passed through for me with little meat damage.

And yes I know they are constructed differently but in my experience the end result is pretty much the same. A dead critter with a nice clean hole through it.
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Well sorry... OP, given this new information... you can use either a Partition or a 500 grain Easton arrow or a Namibian spear... they perform "much alike."


All clean pass through's....
 
Thanks everybody. Got it narrowed down slightly, now to find what bullet/load my rifles like best.

Do appreciate the feedback on Bergers for use on elk. Won't get many chances but nice to have an idea of what performance would be like. Although none of my shots have been over 300, was thinking the VLD might help with wind and range calculation issues.

Thanks again.
 
I like Nosler Accubonds, because for a given bullet weight they have a better BC than a TTSX, TSX or Partition. This helps with wind and carrying energy, they do not have as good of BC as Berger VLD for a given weight, but they perform better than the Berger on game. I find them the perfect middle ground.

One other thing to note is that VLD bullets like the Berger are very sensitive to seating depth. A new reloader may have trouble getting them to shoot very well.
 
I use sst's in my 30-06 for paper and deer as long as you don't hit bone your good. Make a lung hit and they aint getting up. I tried interbonds in a 308 and my 30-06 and can not get them to group after like 2 boxes. I know a few other ppl that can't get them to shoot either.
I started loading partitions and for cheaper bullets regular old interlocks. They will do the truck for a lot less in price and can still afford to practice with them.

I have shot a lot of berbers and they shoot really well. A buddy uses them in his 270 asm and has no problems dropping any deer he sees at ranges out past 400 yards.

cam1936 said:
One other thing to note is that VLD bullets like the Berger are very sensitive to seating depth. A new reloader may have trouble getting them to shoot very well.
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I never had a problem at all. Seated about .020 off the lands and shot really good. Never tried any other depths.
 
Although some like VLD bullets like Bergers, I personally would NEVER hunt with one, I'm just not that good a tracker, and one never knows if you're gonna be shooting at 50 mtrs or 500 mtrs. I want a bullet whose performance is proven at both these distances and everything in between.......for me that is a Nosler Accubond or Partition, Swift A-Frame, or at '06 velocities even a Speer 180 HC or Nosler hunting Ballistic Tip will work flawlessly..........any of the homogenous bullets will work but are overly expensive and not required at '06 velocities.
 
yonderin said:
Do appreciate the feedback on Bergers for use on elk. Won't get many chances but nice to have an idea of what performance would be like. Although none of my shots have been over 300, was thinking the VLD might help with wind and range calculation issues.

Thanks again.
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Simply using a Berger won't do squat for helping you with long distance shooting. Do yourself and the animal a favor and use a bullet with a more solid construction, I've seen some pretty nasty performance from Berger's at closer ranges.
 
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