Comparing the Berger 210 VLD to the 215 Hybrid

[trebark]

Originally Posted by shooterpunk2

HavE you guys found that the 230's will open up better on game than the 210's? I'm developing a load for the 210 right now but am thinking about switching to the 215 or 230 on my 300 win mag.

Lets keep this thread on the subject at hand which is the 215 vs 210.

that said though, you can find Broz write-up of the 230 here:

Berger 230 and 300 OTM Hybrid terminal results

[scsims]

Any updates, I'm buiding a 300 WM and am very interested in the 215 hybrid performance and velocity out of a 28" tube?

[Tumbleweed]

Originally Posted by scsims

Any updates, I'm buiding a 300 WM and am very interested in the 215 hybrid performance and velocity out of a 28" tube?

I have been using these in my RUM for a while. Mine is a Rem 700 semi custom with a #5 27" lilja on it. The rifle has in the neighborhood of 1,300 rounds through it. Previously I was using NC brass with 92.0 grains of H1000 which produced 3140 fps with very low ES. Accuracy was good, inside 1 MOA at 1000 yards. I recently switched back to Rem brass to get away from the soft Nosler stuff. I prepped the virgin brass including neck turning. While re-adjusting my powder charge for the new brass I hit a dandy accuracy node at 94.0 grains of H1000. At 100 yards typically 2 will be in the same hole and the third will be touching the other two. Berger's have never shot this well in this rifle at close range, it always seemed to take a few hundred yards to settle in and get that .5 MOA I was after. Anyway, now I am running 3,185 fps with less than 10fps ES and accuracy is much better and inside .5 MOA vertical spread even to 1200 yards. The LR velocity and energy numbers with this bullet are phenominal, I am really looking forward to experiencing their performance in the upcoming hunts. I hope this helps you.

[elkaholic]

I have been shooting the 215's in my 30/375 S.I. and I can honestly say that they are as accurate as anything I have ever shot and are far less finicky than the old VLD's. I have also done some expansion testing recently and do not like what I am finding for really long range. You need around 2200' to get them to expand at all, and that is in water which is harder on bullets than flesh (yes that's correct)! If you drill the tip out with a .055" bit, you can drop the velocity down another 200'. What I am not liking is they blow the tip off at the lead core and the meplat rarely expands. Check out my pics on "long range bullet minimum expansion"........Rich
p.s. I'm not saying they wouldn't work in something like a RUM out to maybe 800 yards, but I would be pretty skeptical after that; especially if you didn't hit the shoulder.......Rich

[Broz]

Originally Posted by elkaholic

what I am finding for really long range. You need around 2200' to get them to expand at all, and that is in water which is harder on bullets than flesh (yes that's correct)! Rich

Rich I am having a hard time with this. What testing have you done to support this. Not arguing your point as I have not tested this. But I am interested in seeing the test results.

Thanks
Jeff

[bigngreen]

Here's a link Jeff. Long range bullet minimal expansion

[elkaholic]

Originally Posted by Broz

Rich I am having a hard time with this. What testing have you done to support this. Not arguing your point as I have not tested this. But I am interested in seeing the test results.

Thanks
Jeff

Hi Jeff.....there are pics on the thread I posted a couple of days ago. To be honest, I was a little bummed because I REALLY like the bullet! I repeated the test several times, and other than an error the first day, came up with the same result. I have found water to be as good as anything to test how low a bullet will expand, so that is what I used. When I could find all the pieces, the tips were consistently blown off down to the lead core (about .4") See pics. The thread is " long range bullet minimum expansion"...Rich