Comparing the Berger 210 VLD to the 215 Hybrid

[elkaholic]

Yes,as Tumbleweed stated, this is my problem with your results too. We have numerous kills with the 230's from a 300 win (MV 2775) and all the exit pics that I have already posted showed good expansion and excellent DRT kills on large mule deer and bull elk to 891 yards. I expected the 215's to be similar, so this is why I question water results compared to meat.

Jeff

If the .338's have the same thickness of jacket, I would expect better expansion than the same velocity in a .308, but I'm not sure exactly how much?.....

 

[elkaholic]

OK, so what am I missing here? You just stated the bullets work much better in meat. My point is, I don't really feel a water test is a good one. This is why I built the media box and tested the 300 Berger OTM's at 1200 yards. Now with so many kills from the 300 and 230 OTM's, and 100% one shot kill results, I think I want to see the 215's tested in something more comparable to meat than water before I write them off. Water is not an animal and you said yourself that your bullets worked better in meat.

Jeff

I think you misunderstood my point? My bullets hold together better in meat meaning that if this holds true with the Bergers, and they won't expand in water at a given velocity, they won't expand in meat until they reach an even greater velocity. This is where the problem seemed to be in my testing......Rich

 

[Broz]

I will be testing them soon. Then I will know. I just hope they kill like all the other Bergers I have used for years. Time will tell. I feel very confident they will be very accurate. Plus you combine that with the great BC and this will all aid in good placement, and placement is at the top of my list for any long range bullet.

Jeff

 

[barnesuser28]

Hey jeff, i got 10 300 grain OTM bullets that i am going to test for low velocity expansion and i am going to shoot a full power load through a 2"-3" piece of hardwood with about 3" of newspaper infront to represent a shoulder shot at close range to see how much penetration i get. But i must say they look SLICK! I'm interested in seeing your results with the 215 grain hybrid on game.

PS: hoping to do a live test on a whitetail doe tomorrow with the 280 grain LRX in the 300-400 yards range.

 

[Tumbleweed]

OK, so what am I missing here? You just stated the bullets work much better in meat. My point is, I don't really feel a water test is a good one. This is why I built the media box and tested the 300 Berger OTM's at 1200 yards. Now with so many kills from the 300 and 230 OTM's, and 100% one shot kill results, I think I want to see the 215's tested in something more comparable to meat than water before I write them off. Water is not an animal and you said yourself that your bullets worked better in meat.

Jeff

Jeff, looking forward to your 215 hybrid low velocity media box results

 

[elkaholic]

Me too! and I do hope they work well on game because they have the accuracy/b.c. attributes for sure........Rich

 

[Broz]

Jeff, looking forward to your 215 hybrid low velocity media box results

Just finishing up a 8 day elk archery hunt with a friend. My butt is dragging. But I have all the rifles done and gone I needed to get out, so next week I hope to work up my 215 load and chrono it. If all goes well these will be used in our Wy antelope hunt this year. If they will expand is a speed goat they sure will in an elk.

Jeff

 

[elkaholic]

Jeff.......good luck with your hunt!Not many speed goats to test on up here.......Rich

 

[Tumbleweed]

Rich, I had a thought today. Would you be willing to run the same low velocity water test with a 210VLD hunting bullet? Are you set up to do that?

 

[elkaholic]

Rich, I had a thought today. Would you be willing to run the same low velocity water test with a 210VLD hunting bullet? Are you set up to do that?

Sure, I could probably do that......Rich

 

[Tumbleweed]

Sure, I could probably do that......Rich

Thank you Rich! Looking forward to seeing/hearing your results!

 

[elkaholic]

Thank you Rich! Looking forward to seeing/hearing your results!

I don't have any 210 VLD's because I don't use them but if I get my hands on a few, I'll do the test......rich

 

[barnesuser28]

I don't have any 210 VLD's because I don't use them but if I get my hands on a few, I'll do the test......rich

Well Rich if you need any Barnes bullets let me know, chances are i have what you are looking for.gun)

 

[Tumbleweed]

Ok, I took the time this evening to cut apart a 215 Hybrid Target and a 210 VLD hunting bullet in order to compare jacket thickness. I was surprised at how very close the averaged thicknesses were between the two bullets. Of course I discovered the same thing a year ago when I compared the 210 VLD hunting and a 230 Hybrid Target in the same manner. I measured from the base of each jacket up to the ogive in six different places. I measured twice in order to get an average on each measurement for each jacket.

210 VLD Hunting average thickness between all measurements: .0218"

215 Hybrid Target average thickness between all measurements: .024"

That leaves a difference of .0022" between the two.

I did notice that both bullets start out at the base with a .027" thickness. The 210 VLD quickly drops to .023" thick just .125" above the base. It gradually tapers off to .019" into the top part of the ogive.
The 215 also starts at .027" but gradually tapers from the base to the ogive and measures .0205" near the top of the ogive.
Not sure this is usefull to anyone else but it tells me that that jackets are so darned similar I just don't see a performance difference between the two bullets based off of jackets alone. You will notice that the lead core in the 215 does not extend far into the ogive of the bullet like the 210 does. I suppose this could create some differences in performance? Good or Bad? I guess we'll find out very soon

From top to bottom: 215 jacket, 210 jacket, 210 lead core, 215 lead core