Testament to Berger Bullets

BigBboy25

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Jun 17, 2009
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Well, my father filled his bear tag saturday night. I wasn't able to join him unfortunately, as I had other engagements; but, I am very happy he got one! From what I've learned from talking to him on the phone, he was in one of our 'honey holes' and spotted a bear 137 yards away about an hour before dark. He lined up on him with my .300 win. mag. and let a 210 grain Berger VLD fly. He heard the hit and knew he hit him well. He waited about a 30 minutes before moving down to where the be a was. He said he searched until it was pitch black but could't find the bear.

He went back to camp and told our life long friend waht happened and they returned in the morning with our friend and family members (Thank God for good friends and family!) From what I was told, our friend found the bear within 15 minutes of being where he was shot. He said he smelled the bear and found faint drag marks. It ended up the bear had ran only ten yards and dove into it's den and expired. Amazing how quickly animals can disappear. I'm a little sour I must say, I had my .300 built four years ago and have yet to draw blood with it. But, my father and brother have filled multiple tags with it! This needs to change. My .300 isn't in the pictures, that's my father's .308 win. He took it with him on the recovery as it is much shorter and lighter for the brush they were in. They also recovered the bullet. The shot was a high shoulder shot, it broke the shoulder, "destroyed four ribs" (as I was told by my buddy, he said they wern't just brikend but destroyed), broke the spine and turned the lungs to soup. I hope to post a full review of the bullet when the information becomes available to me. Looks like it worked just fine though! Close range, high velocity, tough animal and 10 yard expiration distance. . . Don't know how you can complain about that.

I know this isn't long range, but, it was all done using LR components. Rifle and shooter capable to 1,200 yards, Leica RF, Applied Ballistics Software Kestrel 3500 weather station... you name it we were set up for it. The reason I posted this was to mainly a testament to the Berger VLD hunting bullets. I've heard of people being skeptical of these bullets performance at close range and high velocity. But, after this experience and my brothers cow at 150 some yards, I am confident that the Berger's will perform at both long and short range. I have personally watched them work at over 600 yards on three occasions, all three animals dropped in their tracks. I have also seen them drop an elk in it's tracks at 150 yards, Niw, my father reports them punching through lot of bear at 137 yards and the bear only making it ten yards. I am sold on Berger's. I do not have as much experience with the Berger's as Broz, but, I will continue to use Berger's as they have never let me down!
 

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Pics of bullet and wound (not sure if exit or enhance ) Bullet was found on off side shoulder under the skin. AB predicts impact velocity at 2837 and imoactg energy at 3753 ft*lbs. Also, a pic of where the bear was found after brush was cut away.
 

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Amazing animals! Hit that bad and the presence to slide into a hole. Where are you folks located?

my father is located in Palisade, CO, I am currently in Golden, CO. Bear was taken on the Uncompaghre.!

I too find it amazing the bear even made it ten yards!
 
That is a great bear! Congratulations to your dad! I've hunted the Uncompahgre many times and seen a few bears, wished I'd had a tag a time or two.
 
Have been useing Bergers for years. 300WM & 190 gr VLD's. Dropped black bear in its tracks at 200yds. Dropped elk in its tracks at 300yds & deer out to 750yds. I have shot a few hundred coyotes with same from 50yds to 530yds. They cause massive destruction on coyotes out to 400yds but still very lethal further out. I love their performance and see no reason to change.
 
I will post my bear kill video when I get it. Same kind of thing. My bear was dropped with the bullet but didn't die right away, which I hate. I shot him again. High shoulder 1st shot. Congrats on a great bear. I got mine in CO also.
 
That's a very nice bear!! Good write up. I'm not a 30 cal fan but it did a very good job. Nice looking rifle also.
The bear looks like it squared in the 6 1/2' range. Perhaps some can see why I advocate a larger diameter bullet for brown bear.
 
Thanks for sharing your story, I will be using a load I developed over the summer with 210 bergers out of my 30-06AI for Elk season this year in CO. I hope I am able to share the success your father achieved with his bear.
 
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