Berger 115gr vld leathality?

[RangerBrad]

I will soon be building a profile for my 25-06 for a BDC turret. I would love to build this on a hand load with superformance powder and the berger 115gr vld because of extended range of 1000 fps according to the ballistics calculator. However I saw some reviews on midwayusa website and a recent response to a thread concerning that bullet on this site that, there have been problems with the bullet not preforming as advertised ( i.e. solid hits on deer and other game with what appeared to be little or no effect, such as the animals acting as if they wern't hit at all and simply walking off to be found dead later with what appeared to be pass throughs as if the animal had been shot with an arrow). Have any of yal experienced something like this or have ideas? Like I said, I really would like the ballistics but lethality is a must. Thank's in advance for yal's response. Brad

 

[Len Backus]

I have killed antelope very dead at 450 and 625 yards. Very satisfied.

 

[RangerBrad]

Thank's Len, That means alot comming from you. Do you know how some of these issues could of came about? Thank's, Brad

 

[Nape.270]

This is a deer I shot last year.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f84/my-little-luck-charm-63749/

 

[Len Backus]

Brad, I really don't know but after all these years of reading a gazillion threads like this I just don't have much interest in caring about the bullet performance minutia that is out there.

So many of the threads are about the fact that even though the deer is dead, it bullet didn't do EXACTLY what the shooter wanted while killing the deer.

Shoot the Berger and kill stuff.

 

[RangerBrad]

Len, appreciate it. Done. Nape.270 is the concensus that it would be best if the bullet would of hit bone(shoulder)? In the past I've always hit behind the shoulder(with great effect) but, from what I'm learning about long range I should be going for high shoulder shots anyway. Thank's, Brad

 

[deerhunterjj]

I have been using the bergers for a couple years now. I used the 115 hunting vlds last year in my 257weatherby. I have been more then happy with the way the bullet has preformed. I have taken 5 mature whitetails so far with the 115vld. 3 i watched go down very quickly and 2 they went maybe 75yards. All were good placed shoots. and all had very heavy blood trails. Shoots ranged from 100yrds to 450 yrds. All but one was 300 and longer. Im very pleased with the berger vlds and i will not be switching anytime soon. Give them a try and i think you will be more then happy with them.

 

[orch]

good to hear all the good reports on the 115gr VLD!

I have been wondering the same thing about them since i started working up my load for the 25-06ai...

so far i have been really impressed with the accuracy at long range with them (been getting consistent 1/2 MOA Groups @ 1000 yards!) .....

but have also read some reviews saying they weren't performing very well on game...

but from what you guys are reporting i don't think i will bother wasting time on working up a "back up" hunting load for it....

orch

 

[Len Backus]

read some reviews saying they weren't performing very well on game...

Someone says that about EVERY bullet made. gun)

 

[liltank]

Someone says that about EVERY bullet made. gun)

Hey Len... you almost hit Ben. You might want to be careful. Looks like you need to come up an inch!

Tank

 

[6.5shaggy]

All you guys have pretty much covered it, but here's my 2 bits. I shoot pretty much only hogs here in Texas, and I have seen bullets from my .458 Win Mag fail (stupid reloading choice by me); but in .25-06, 6.5-284, and .284 Win I have never had a Berger not perform as designed and advertised. From 30 to 856 yards I have never had a known failure, I have had some get back up and run off for various reasons, but no obvious failures such I have seen with Barnes tsx, Hdy AMax, or Matchkings in my paticular loadings. Internal damage on all recovered animals has been 4-6 inches penetration followed by a cone of increasing carnage ending at 12-16 inches or exit with vast leaking of fluid and/or tissue.

 

[tnshooter111]

I needed something to staple my nosler target to the other day and all I had was a old box made of 1/2 inch OSB. I was trying to test a load at 300 yds with my sendero 25-06 with berger 115 vld hunting bullets. After I shot a 4 shot group I checked my target and was very pleased with the results. In the hill be behind the target I found 2 bullets laying on top of the ground and though yall might enjoy the pictures.

 

[scenarshooter]

I've used that bullet in several 25/06's and .257 Weatherby's on deer and antelope with great results...

I've also killed some large black bears with my 6XC and 115gr VLD's as well. Just drive it straight!

 

[rscott5028]

I needed something to staple my nosler target to the other day and all I had was a old box made of 1/2 inch OSB. I was trying to test a load at 300 yds with my sendero 25-06 with berger 115 vld hunting bullets. After I shot a 4 shot group I checked my target and was very pleased with the results. In the hill be behind the target I found 2 bullets laying on top of the ground and though yall might enjoy the pictures.

tnshooter111,

Interesting ...although I'm not sure that OSB and a hillside would be my first choice for testing terminal ballistics on game animals.

How did this affect your opinion of the 115 Bergers for hunting?

What did the Noslers look like and how did the damage to your OSB and hillside compare?

-- richard