Bergers at close range?

[WVHILLBILLYJLM]

I have read alot about the performance of Berger bullets as a hunting bullet at long range but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them on deer at close range. I am looking at 50yds to 500yds at 308Win, 7mm RM and 300WM velocities.

Any thoughts and experiences would be appreciated!!

WVHILLBILLYJLM

 

[Buffalobob]

A lot depends on impact velocity.
A lot depends on sectional density. If you have a high sectional density bullet then even though the front gets destroyed upon impact there is still plenty of bullet left to penetrate.
A lot depends upon what the bullet strikes going in. There are big deer and small deer.
A lot depends on what you ask the bullet to do, such as trying to go the long way to get to the chest cavity.

For eastern whitetail deer which are small, you should be fine with 175's in the 308, and perhaps a little more wieght in the 300WM. For the 7mmRM, the 168s will be enough. If you take a bad angled shot within 50 yards you may be sorry because of all the damage that occurs.

For the 7mmRM, I would prefer the 160 Accubond as being a docile bullet at close range. It will expand a moderate amount without really destroying the deer. At 500 yards the accuracy is easily good enough.

 

[Buffalobob]

Here is a picture of the exit wound from a Nosler 160 AB at 50 yards from a 7mm Wby. It broke one shoulder going in and one coming out and not a lot of meat damaged.

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[Cheyenne19]

I shot a whitetail at 80yds with a 210vld at 3000fps out of a 300wm. Shot through the shoulder, the bullet did not exit. It blew a hole through the opposite side of the rib cage, but there were no fragments under the skin. The deer didn't move. I'm convinced that at close range and high velocity they'll do the job. Which, is where most people argue that they'll fail.

 

[eddybo]

I have only seen two whitetails taken by berger bullets all at close range. I shot one at 335 yards with a 7wsm with the 168 vld the deer was quartering to me. It entered right behind the shoulder a little high and exited the ham on the other side. Saw my cousin shoot one with the 168 vld in a 300wm. Shoulder shot at eighty yards. There was a huge exit wound, both shoulders were pretty much pulverized. I think they work pretty well even at short range for deer.

 

[drake4]

I shot 2 whitetails between 50-75yards this fall with the 168 Bergers out of a 280 Ackley. Both animals dropped in their tracks with complete pass throughs. Not a lot of meat damage on either animal.

 

[linksmechanic]

I shot a deer at 20 yards with a berger 7mm 180. Tiny entrance hole huge exit hole. Bang Flop!

 

[Adam Lee]

i have shot two deer this season with 168 bergers out of a 30-06 and 300wsm. the shot with the 30-06 was less that 50 yards bang flop! complete pass tru. the shot with the 300 wsm was at 70 yards bang flop! complete pass tru. i am hooked on bergers