Berger match vs. target grade VLD's
- Thread starter Gene
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emn83
Well-Known Member
All their bullets are match grade...the only difference is between match grade hunting and match grade target
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Jacket thickness
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Berger seems to be diluting their character with too many terms & choices IMO. Eventually it will be easier to just pay for bullets we can understand..
Far as I can tell (today) in 22cal Berger has:
90 gr Match BT Long Range Target
90 gr Match VLD Target
'Match', 'Long Range', and 'Target' are meaningless.
Now a bullet is either of the VLD standard (from bill Davis), or it isn't a VLD.
So the 'BT Target' isn't a VLD.
It likely holds a tangent ogive. If it was hybrid, I'd think it would be named so.
As far as jacket thickness, who knows anymore?
Maybe hunting bullets have thinner jackets than target?
But this would be just opposite of making sense, given that hunters are more likely to blow up bullets with brute force combinations, than target shooters who focus more on accuracy.
Anyway, I would think they'd peel back the merchandising a bit and designate their line with more important information, like 'HJ' if it's heavy jacket.
90gr BT HJ
90gr VLD
Far as I can tell (today) in 22cal Berger has:
90 gr Match BT Long Range Target
90 gr Match VLD Target
'Match', 'Long Range', and 'Target' are meaningless.
Now a bullet is either of the VLD standard (from bill Davis), or it isn't a VLD.
So the 'BT Target' isn't a VLD.
It likely holds a tangent ogive. If it was hybrid, I'd think it would be named so.
As far as jacket thickness, who knows anymore?
Maybe hunting bullets have thinner jackets than target?
But this would be just opposite of making sense, given that hunters are more likely to blow up bullets with brute force combinations, than target shooters who focus more on accuracy.
Anyway, I would think they'd peel back the merchandising a bit and designate their line with more important information, like 'HJ' if it's heavy jacket.
90gr BT HJ
90gr VLD
wbm
Well-Known Member
The Berger 90g Match BT Long Range Target tends to be more length of seating tolerant (as it relates to accuracy) than the VLD and has a BC of .512. They would be a good choice in barrels where throat length is long and prohibits seating on or near the lands.
The 90g Match VLD Target tends to be a bit more "finicky" about length of seating and has a higher BC of .551. This is a great choice in a bullet if you can get it on or near the lands.
Why not try both?
The 90g Match VLD Target tends to be a bit more "finicky" about length of seating and has a higher BC of .551. This is a great choice in a bullet if you can get it on or near the lands.
Why not try both?
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
"Anyway, I would think they'd peel back the merchandising a bit and designate their line with more important information, like 'HJ' if it's heavy jacket."
Actually, when Berger started making match bullets with thicker jackets they just called them "thick". The stock number had such a designation at the time. Many shooters eventually realized that the regular match bullets (not the thick version) gave excellent terminal performance on the game they were hunting. The "thick" version does not expand in soft skin game animals in a way that Berger would recommend for that purpose.
Hunting bullets (thin version) now come in the orange box and are the original target bullets. Target bullets are the (newer) thick version and come in the original yellow box. Some regular shooters of Berger bullets claim that they virtually shoot the same, however, terminal performance on game is much different.
Actually, when Berger started making match bullets with thicker jackets they just called them "thick". The stock number had such a designation at the time. Many shooters eventually realized that the regular match bullets (not the thick version) gave excellent terminal performance on the game they were hunting. The "thick" version does not expand in soft skin game animals in a way that Berger would recommend for that purpose.
Hunting bullets (thin version) now come in the orange box and are the original target bullets. Target bullets are the (newer) thick version and come in the original yellow box. Some regular shooters of Berger bullets claim that they virtually shoot the same, however, terminal performance on game is much different.
wbm
Well-Known Member
I think at one time they listed their non VLD bullets as Length Tolerant Bullets
"LTB" .
"LTB" .
The reason I posted this question is because I have in front of me, two boxes of Berger .224, 90 grain bullets, both VLD's.
One is called "Target VLD match grade, part no. 22423. It appears this bullet is in current production.
Second is called simply Match Grade VLD, part no. 224090V. I can't find it on their site, and my guess is that it was replaced by 22423. Just wondered if there was some difference in the two. Thanks to all.
One is called "Target VLD match grade, part no. 22423. It appears this bullet is in current production.
Second is called simply Match Grade VLD, part no. 224090V. I can't find it on their site, and my guess is that it was replaced by 22423. Just wondered if there was some difference in the two. Thanks to all.
barnesuser28
Well-Known Member
I say section one of each and measure jacket thickness.
Kevin Thomas
Well-Known Member
Gene,
the difference between them is purely in the jacket thickness, nothing more. The original bullets were made with fairly thin jackets, and they occassionally experienced some bullet failures in flight during competitions. To correct this, they aded their "Target" line, which are exactly the same bullets, but made with a very slightly heavier jacket. Intended for competitive shooting, they won't give the same explosive performance as the "Hunting" bullets, which still utilize the original, thinner jackets.
Hope that helps.
the difference between them is purely in the jacket thickness, nothing more. The original bullets were made with fairly thin jackets, and they occassionally experienced some bullet failures in flight during competitions. To correct this, they aded their "Target" line, which are exactly the same bullets, but made with a very slightly heavier jacket. Intended for competitive shooting, they won't give the same explosive performance as the "Hunting" bullets, which still utilize the original, thinner jackets.
Hope that helps.
Kevin Thomas
Well-Known Member
Gene,
I was actually still working for Berger when this change took place, so yes, I'm quite familiar with the differences. Give Eric and the crew there credit; they took the time (and laid out the expense) to really find out what the cause of the problem was, and then correct it. Good folks, good product, and sorry for the confusion here.
I was actually still working for Berger when this change took place, so yes, I'm quite familiar with the differences. Give Eric and the crew there credit; they took the time (and laid out the expense) to really find out what the cause of the problem was, and then correct it. Good folks, good product, and sorry for the confusion here.
