Not Happy With Berger Performance

[Cholla]

I spent all summer working up a load for my Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag and achieved sub-MOA, which makes me happy. I was drawn for mule deer in the unit where I live so I literally walk out my back door and start hunting, which also makes me happy. On the second to last day of the season, a medium mule deer stayed in one spot long enough for me to get a shot at him at 75 yards, so it seemed God was smiling at me. The buck dropped like a ton of bricks in an area that made it easy to drag him back to where I could get a cart to him, so another win!
I became unhappy when I started processing it. The bullet shredded a lung, which is great and I found the base of the bullet against the far side rib cage. But, parts of the bullet angled upward and shredded the center of both backstraps with tiny bits of lead! That is so frustrating! At this point, I want to go to a monolithic bullet made of copper or copper/zinc. I have a year to get things worked up again.

 

[willfrye027]

Thats about what you can expect with a Berger, ELDM/X, or other "long range" bullet. If you want less damage and slower kills, accubond or mono would be a better option.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

High velocity, frangible bullet, predictable outcome.
Which bullet, specifically?

Long range bullet, close range impact.

 

[Ckleeves]

Nothing worse then dropping them like a ton of bricks!

 

[cjl2010]

More people need to realize this and switch to copper. Easier for the rest of us to stock up on Bergers.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

^^^^^^^^
Got any pictures of the bullet fragment?
Most importantly got any pictures of the Mule Deer that the Berger Bullet "DROPPED LIKE A TON OF BRICKS"?
Which Berger Bullet did you use??? I want to go and buy some if we don't have any in stock for our next hunting trip.

 

[Cholla]

168 Grain VLD Hunting.

He's not what I dream about but he was an answer to my prayers.

 

[HuntnPack]

Definitely give a mono a try.
Some good options out there nowadays.
I think you'll see the results your after.

Recently new mono manufactures are
Making advances in both terminal & ballistic performance. These ain't your grandpa's mono's.

 

[carpassasin]

There not all 200 inchers if your happy thats all that matters congrats and GODbless!

 

[VinceMule]

I have never had 140g Nosler ballistic tips fail me in my Rem 7 mags. 65-66g of IMR 4350, rem 9 1/2, seated .003 off the lands, tiny groups, 3200 fps.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

168 Grain VLD Hunting.

He's not what I dream about but he was an answer to my prayers.

View attachment 508078

NICE BUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

There is,.. NO "Perfect" Bullet for ALL,.. Calibers, Ranges, Animals and,.. Velocities,.. SORRY to be, the Bearer of, Bad, News !
Most Berger's, Driven FAST, Kill chit, very QUICKLY ( Scrambles, the insides ) with, good bullet, "Placement" !
Yup, you might have to track down, a Copper Fragment or, two, but RARELY, do you have to,. "Track" the Animal !
It AIN'T,.. a "Perfect" World ! Nice, eating sized,. Buck,.. congrats !

 

[Quicksilver338]

I get that you're expressing your hunt and how you want a bullet to perform differently, but the title is total bait click, which is typical with bergers. Bullet performed flawlessly, but you're looking for something less explosive.

Personally I'd sacrifice some meat if the buck dies within eyesight every time.

 

[Wedgy]

This is all that was left of a 140 hunting VLD fired from a 6.5x284 at 3,020fps and hitting a 170 lb deer in the heart/lungs at just under 600 yards. Jacket was on the off side hide with no exit and it went between ribs on the entrance. I Think it worked as the deer dropped on the spot, although I do like an exit.