berger vld or barnesttsx or nosler accubond

[longbomb]

hi everyone,
i just bought a 25-06 rem. tikka t3 and was wondering what bullet i should use for deer hunting. my three choices are 115 gr. berger vld or 100 gr. barnes ttsx or 110gr. nosler accubond. any adive or experience with these bullets would be great. thank you

 

[300 ultra]

Long distance or 300 yards and closer?.

 

[AZShooter]

Three of my friends and myself use the 115 VLD out of our semi custom 257 Weatherbys. 17 animals have been taken in the last four years. Three elk, three mule deer and eleven coues wt. This bullet is an amazing killer. Several animals just dropped and never even twitched. Shots ranged from 150 out to 525 yds.

I realize the 25-06 is not a weatherby but it can still take advantage of the high BC and killing abilities with slower slightly slower velocities. If your rifle will shoot them I'd look no further.

 

[azsugarbear]

IMO, nothing compares to the TSX when it comes to bullet performance and terminal results on game. However, the TSX does not have the higher BC required to buck the wind at longer distances. Since I hunt specifically for the LR shot, I shoot both the VLD and the AB, depending on which rifle we are talking about. Both are very lethal, capable bullets - even at longer ranges. If I knew that all my shots were going to be at 500 yds. and under, I would choose the TSX every time (providing I could get good accuracy with it). But since I look for the longer shot, the VLD & AB give me more margin for error when applying windage to my shots. What very little I give up in terms of bullet performance, I more than make up for in higher BC.

 

[retiredcpo]

we shoot the 100 gr nosler BTs
we also have a 75 gr vmax load only a 4 click change from one loaad to the other
have tried the 85 gr BT and they shot one hole but felt we needed the extra weight
THis spring we will be trying the 115 gr bt the BC is higher than the accubond.
cant rember how many tags we have filled with the 25-06
The bergers shoot real good but the short range perfermance is questionable, the meat damage is extensive. And I do not like the fact you sometimes can not find them spend all that time and money working up a load then you cant get them what the point
Just my 2 cents worth
retiredcpo

 

[sniperjwt]

115 Berger VLD

 

[Outlaw6.0]

As said before, I would base the decision on range, if you are 500 & under, the 100grn TTSX is golden, if over 500 the Berger will take the Gold. The light for caliber Barnes at high velocity has been an awesome performer, however, as stated before the BC of the Barnes doesn't compare to the others, if you are planning to stretch the full range of your 25-06 say 100-800, the list for me would be (although I hate to admit it) Accubond, TTSX, Berger in that order because of the "reported" less than perfect performance of the Bergers at shorter ranges you might encounter..... although the lower velocity potential of the 25-06 compared to the .257 Weatherby might allow you to take the shorter range shots with the heavy for caliber Berger..... decisions, decisions.

Clear as mud?

 

[mcseal2]

My neighbor gets great results with his 110 accubonds started at 3450fps from his 257 weatherby. He is not a long range hunter, but has taken deer from under 100yds out to 300 with no "blowup" from his bullets on the close shots. I helped him load his buck from this year and he took it through both shoulders at 126yds and the bullet exited. It was a big bodied 4.5yr old midwestern buck. I'd not be afraid of this bullet for anything I'd shoot with a 25 cal rifle, and the bergers don't have that much better BC in 25 cal (.410 to .466). The accubonds have been much easier to load to fit a magazine and find good accuracy than the bergers in my experience, bergers are very accurate but more finicky about seating depth.

Bergers work great also on deer, his girlfriend, my girlfriend, and another neighbor took deer with the new 87gr berger from my 243 and none of them went over 20ft after the shot. The accubond opens faster and penetrates farther than the berger. The berger opens slower but expands dramatically with reduced penetration once it opens. I've taken or seen taken 7 deer with the Berger and none went over 20ft after the shot, but all were taken with good broadside shots. I've taken or seen taken 13 head of game elk-deer size with the accubond and some went 50-100yds after the shot. All accubonds recovered were mushroomed perfectly and retained 65% or more of their weight, but most exited.

I've not tried Barnes due to their lower BC.

 

[Old man 257]

I can't get Berger to shoot out of my 257 weatherby with any powder I have tried

 

[azsugarbear]

Chances are, it is a seating depth problem. Weatherby's are noted for having lots of free bore. VLD's like being close to the lands, which means that if you seat the bullet out for enough to get better accuracy, they most likely will not fit into your magazine. You can either try different seating depths and see if that works, or switch over to the Berger 'classic' design that doesn't need to be close to the lands in order to be accurate. Barnes are generally not sensitive to seating depth.

 

[406muley]

I'd use the one that shoots the best. 406muley

 

[406muley]

Since I hunt specifically for the LR shot, I shoot both the VLD and the AB, depending on which rifle we are talking about.

What does this mean? You only shoot at what you think is LR regardless? Just wondering. 406muley

 

[Canhunter35]

You guys were digging in the thread graveyard again

 

[lancetkenyon]

10 year resurrection!!!