Berger VLD on short range?

[Riflemanse]

Hi

Since Berger now advertise the VLD bullets as hunting bullets im a little interested to hunt with them since accuracy is very good in my 300wm with the 185gr VLD.
Since the ground im hunting on dont have any places where a long shot can be taken im woundering how the bullets perform on short range, 50m - 200m. And also how they perform on smaller animals as roedeer, will it expand at all or just pirce thru as a FMJ?
I want the animal to drop at the place and I often shoot at the sholder or just behind the sholder.

 

[Broz]

There is some good info here.



http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/berger-210-vld-black-bear-field-report-31392/



Jeff

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[Marine sniper]

I think the main reason to use Bergers is their long accuracy. If I were only shooting 200 meters I would choose another bullet, probably an Accubond.

 

[tjonh2001]

i am a big fan of the berger vld. BUT I HAVE HAD 1 BAD EXPERIANCE WITH THIS BULLET AT SHORT RANGE. i shoot a 7mm wsm built by ssg. i shot a large buck at 150yards that was running broadside. the bullet didnt do what i wanted.it punched a hole and didnt buckle the buck like it should have. i knew that i had made a good shot and the deer was ging to fall. that was until it ran over the next hill. luckily i was able to crawl over the hill and make a finishing shot at 525yards. these bullets put a wooping on the animal IF it is futher that 300 plus. just my thoughts....

thats why this year i am shooting a 6.5x284 loaded with a nosler accubond for any short range shots out to 600yards. i will have my 7mm loaded with 180 bergers, for when i am snipping deer and know that the shot will be over 300 yards.

 

[Riflemanse]

Thanks for answering.

The plan was to maybee use them a little later this fall if I can get to a spot where the range can be longer, and since I did not have any other bullets right now I had to ask.

I just ordered a box of 200gr Sierra Game King SBT and I will use them for the roedeer hunt I think. Since I live in Sweden where match bullets cant be used for hunting I had to find another expanding bullet. Accubond would be my first choise but maybee it should be a little to hard for such small animal as a roedeer at close range.

Any experiences with the 200gr Sierra Game King btw?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

In my opinion, Bergers are not a short range hunting bullet. For shots less than 600 yds I would use a TSX, E-Tip or Accubond.

 

[BMF]

In my opinion, Bergers are not a short range hunting bullet. For shots less than 600 yds I would use a TSX, E-Tip or Accubond.

Hunting mulies just south of you(wy) with a 300 win mag loaded with 168 vld match at about 3100 fps. Not alot of expereinace shooting over 600 yds, seeing I'm from MI. Just wondering what minimum range you would suggest for that load? Also your opinion on why they wont be as effective at shorter ranges than the accubond? I understand that the bullets you mentioned above are for hunting short to mid-range applications because of their controlled expasion ,but I find it hard to believe that the vld's won't perform at that range also. I guess I really don't know, if you or someone could shed some light on me, I'd appreciate it.

 

[wadevb1]

I exchanged some emails with Walt Berger concerning shooting VLD's with my 300WM. Berger advised I should only use the 155 grain for whitetail size animals. He advised the 168's and up may not expand properly even at medium ranges.

 

[Cheyenne19]

I shot a whitetail last year under 100yds with a 210vld running a tad over 3000fps. The shock from the bullet broke the opposite side rib cage. The bullet did not exit and the deer never moved, it just fell over on it's side. IMO they work well at close range.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Hunting mulies just south of you(wy) with a 300 win mag loaded with 168 vld match at about 3100 fps. Not alot of expereinace shooting over 600 yds, seeing I'm from MI. Just wondering what minimum range you would suggest for that load? Also your opinion on why they wont be as effective at shorter ranges than the accubond? I understand that the bullets you mentioned above are for hunting short to mid-range applications because of their controlled expasion ,but I find it hard to believe that the vld's won't perform at that range also. I guess I really don't know, if you or someone could shed some light on me, I'd appreciate it.

You'll find different opinions on this and here is my view. If you go to the Berger site, they describe the expected performance of their bullets. They advertise about 3" pentration followed by shedding 80-90% of bullet wieght. Basically explosive. This can be very effective, but I think it's risky if you make anything other than a lung shot. It's possible that a bullet in the shoulder will explode and not penetrate to vitals. Also, I think they are more damaging to meat. As far as a minumum range? I would probably avoid any range that showed a vel of maybe 2300-2400 fps? Just a guess on my part, bottomline being a velocity that would leave most of the bullet intact. I prefer a tough bullet that stays intact and pentrates flesh and bone, doing a lot of damage and leaving a traumatic wound channel and exit.

Also, a 300WM will get an AB, TSX, E-Tip etc out to about 800-1000yds with performance vel.

Hope that helps

 

[parothead]

Berger bullets

I have shot a couple of Coues deer (very small bodies 100lbs) and a couple elk (450lbs) ranges from 60yds to 200yds. The bullets preformed great. I shoot a 7MM STW 168's and 180's. I.M.O. Bullet placement is still everything no matter what you are shooting.

I am a believer in the bullets long and short yardage.

PH

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I have shot a couple of Coues deer (very small bodies 100lbs) and a couple elk (450lbs) ranges from 60yds to 200yds. The bullets preformed great. I shoot a 7MM STW 168's and 180's. I.M.O. Bullet placement is still everything no matter what you are shooting.

I am a believer in the bullets long and short yardage.

PH

Can you give us any more info and details on your experiences with Bergers? Where did the bullets enter? What did they do? Was there much meat damage?

Bullet placement is very important but so is bullet performance. Sometimes you don't have a lot of flexibility in your shot...you might only get a shoulder shot. There is no way I would shoot a good sized elk or even mulie buck throught the shoulder with a Berger at less than 600 yds... and I wouldn't go much beyond 600 yds for anything other than a lung shot with a berger. But that's just me.

Would you trust a Berger on a shoulder shot?

 

[LRHWAL]

I shot a whitetail last year under 100yds with a 210vld running a tad over 3000fps. The shock from the bullet broke the opposite side rib cage. The bullet did not exit and the deer never moved, it just fell over on it's side. IMO they work well at close range.

Similar to my experiences with 210's around 2800 fps, even on larger game. I hear the arguments about J4 jackets up close, but I've had no problems. All shots either broadside, or from front angles into chest cavity.

 

[drake4]

Shot a nice mule deer buck @ approx. 200yards last year, double shoulder, just destroyed both shoulder blades and dropped him in his tracks.

Shot a mule deer doe at approx. 250 yards, double lung, exit hole, largest blood trail I have ever seen. She only went 25 yards.

Shot 2 whitetail does less than 100 yards both right behind the front shoulder, both were complete pass throughs, both dropped dead in their tracks.

All deer were shot with a .280 Ackley, 168gr bullet.

I'm sold on the Bergers.