JLK v. Berger

[Derek M.]

I've seen and read about the JLK bullets. How are they for hunting? Specifically: the 7mm 168 and 180, the 6.5mm 140, and the .308 210?

I'd like any experiences you've had, paper and/or game.

And, are their any other bullet makes out there that are of this design that you guys use for game, other than SMK, and Amax?

 

[trueblue]

Derek,
I don't have any experience with JLK on game, but since they offer no real difference in performance over the Berger's, why not just stay with the game proven Berger bullet?

 

[canderson]

I have only shot the 7mm 180 vld's in my f class rifle. They shot almost identical to the berger's as far as point of impact. They grouped just slightly better than the bergers. I believe that I asked the guy at JLK about hunting with them, and I am pretty sure he said they would work similar to a berger. I do not think that tbey are made with a thicker jacket than the berger.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

They are made with the same jackets. According to Eric at Berger the BC of the JLK bullets is higher than the berger.

Did you do a search? There is a thread about this that I started.

 

[BryanLitz]

The JLK VLD's and Berger's Hunting VLD's are made on the same jackets, so they should have similar terminal performance.

The designs are very similar, so they also have very similar BC's, but I wouldn't say that one is better across the board than the other. Here are some examples that I've measured directly:

G7 BC's:
6mm 105 VLD
JLK: .267
Berger: .272
(2% in favor of the Berger)

6.5mm 140 VLD
JLK: .327
Berger: .313
(4% in favor of the JLK)

7mm 180 VLD
JLK: .330
Berger: .337
(2% in favor of the Berger)

Note that the difference between the Berger and JLK is on the same order as lot-to-lot variations in BC from the same bullet maker.

In terms of external and terminal ballistics, the Berger Hunting VLD's and the JLK VLD's are as close as bullets get from different makers.

I don't have enough experience with JLK's to comment on their consistency (precision) compared to the Berger's.

-Bryan