Those Amazing Bergers

[royinidaho]

Final installment on the bullet performance test.

The 115 gr 25 cal Berger VLDs @ 3066 MV with impact at 100 yds was pretty amazing.

I just got the pics from "Cross" and its a bit more impressive than I thought.

This was the shot through both front legs.
The bullet solidly hit the bone on the near leg but missed the bone on the off side leg.

I'm amazed that it got to the off side leg let alone fully penetrate it.

This pic shows the entrance holes on both legs. Look closely for the 25 cal entrance. The entrance to the off side leg is a bit obvious. It slodly hit the bone on the on side leg.

Complete penetration:

On side exit wound:

We were so pumped but by the little Berger's performance thought we'd really put it to the test for S&Gs

We went for the big joint "knee" in the back leg. Cross was shootin' pretty go so we new it'd be close.

Entrance into the on side leg. Look hard the bullet hole has a bit of a white ring around it.

Note the entrance wound also on the off side leg. Amazing

Exit wound on the on side rear leg: Also note the small exit wound on the offside leg. Amazing again.

Rear leg after 115 berger hit.

 

[edge]

Pretty interesting!

There looks to be a lot of shrapnel in that exit wound, did the bullet hit the blue foam? If so could you tell if the bullet was intact?

Very cool testing indeed

edge.

 

[royinidaho]

Edge,

Sorry, the blue board wasn't wide enough.

The entrance into the off side leg was a bit higher than the exit on the other leg. But geez after having gone through that much bone it's impressive that there was enough of the bullet left to make even a mark on the off side.

Yes there were many pieces of very small shrapnel in the wound. Nice shiny lead. We could find no copper.

 

[edge]

Thanks

It does indeed sound as though the Berger folks are right, in that they penetrate a bit and then grenade. On good shots they sure are impressive in the videos.

edge.

 

[gamedog]

Great post Roy. The more I'm exposed to the Bergers, the more I like them.
They are accurate , high BC rated, effect on game and are cheap to shoot.
What more could you ask for?

 

[eddybo]

I am in love with the 6mm 115gr bergers. They land where they are supposed to land and they do what they are supposed to do when they get there. I got near complete penetration on a heavy for SW MS buck at nearly 500 yds last year using my 243AI. What that bullet did to that bucks internals was impressive. I have been sold ever since. I have also seen what the 168 30 cals do to whitetails at even very close range.....devastation.

That was a great test Roy. Nothing like the real thing to determine performance.

 

[ol mike]

Yuup Roy --cool testing -thanks .

I'm going to have to give them a whirl in my 25-06 ,also they will be my main focus after i get the gun rebarrelled to a 25-06 AI..
Should make a good black bear round -never would have said or thought that without seeing your test data.

Berger darn well should give you a hat and some 'boolits' -Eric at berger -pm Roy and get him some boolits for all this press he's given you guys !!!!!!!!!!

 

[linksmechanic]

Same results I have had with the .308 190's and the 180 7mm's. Everybody says don't shoot them bergers at close range but I beg to differ.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I have killed more hogs that I can remember with the 250gr SMK in 338 out of my different rifles and never had one fail to exit without a sizable hole some as large as a softball.. Still it is where you hit them more than what you hit them with. Have killed truckloads with 55 fmj out of one of my Stoners. Just put it low and behind the shoulder and they go down quickly -- never had one run over 50 yards when hit thru the boiler works.

 

[royinidaho]

Re: Those Amazing Bergers - another data point

I loaded 2 270 Winnies for 2 brothers, neither of which are rocket scientists.

140gr VLDs - 277 cal - 3000 FPS MV.

Target: Fairly large cow elk.

Distance, less than 100 yards.

Hunter 1: Facing head shot between the eyes. He dug the bullet out of the skull but can't find in. Its some place in the garage. Will post pic when he or I find the bullet.

Hunter 2: Sees down elk doing the head shot dance. Figures he needs to finish it. Elk is down so he shoots behind the last rib. Bullet travels through the spine. Distance is less than 100 yds, and note that the elk is down.

The impressive part was that the spine was completly severed. A small fist could be pushed through the hole. Exit hole in the hide was about a 1/2" hole so the bullet must of held together. Also there was no shrapnel specs/flecks in the wound channel.

No camera was available where we were cutting up the carcass. Sorry.