6.5mm 140 gr Berger VLD

[GC Hunter]

Anyone had any experience on deer at close range with 6.5mm 140 gr berger VLD hunting bullets?? Being designed mainly for long range just curious on what they will do up close.

 

[264WM]

Anyone had any experience on deer at close range with 6.5mm 140 gr berger VLD hunting bullets?? Being designed mainly for long range just curious on what they will do up close.

What 6.5 are you shooting. What velocity are you shooting? JLK also makes a great VLD in 130gr and 140gr with great BC 0.620 and 0.630 respectively. I am currently experimenting with the 130gr JLK VLD. Also if you want a hard hitting bullet I am experimenting with the Woodleigh 160gr PPSN with a BC of 0.509 and have hit 3108fps with it with a 3 shot average of 3083fps which is very hot for the 160gr bullet in the 264WM. Have not had a chance to use them on game but the 160gr PPSN is used for Moose in Europe. It carries 2025 ft lbs of energy at 400 yards.

 

[GC Hunter]

I'm shooting them out of a .260 rem at 2,800 fps.. Always had good luck with the hornady interlocks. JW how the VLDs would perform

 

[264WM]

I'm shooting them out of a .260 rem at 2,800 fps.. Always had good luck with the hornady interlocks. JW how the VLDs would perform

I have worked the JLK 130 gr VLD up to 3239 fps. and am still working on loads. I have to finish on the 160gr PPSN first to keep the die setting.

 

[Gray R]

I got a doe this past year with a 130 grain vld at about 15 yards and then an 8 at 94 also with the 130 grain vlds. My muzzle velocity was only about 2700 so i don't see why the 140 wouldn't work perfectly at similar speeds

 

[Greyfox]

I have shot several deer with the 140 Berger at various ranges from 50 yards to 1000. Running at 2970FPS in my 6.5x284 the bullet performs very well at the closer ranges giving the same 2-3" exit holes at close snge that I get at the longer ranges with major internal damage. In my experience it's an excellent bullet for deer sized game.

 

[6.5shaggy]

My experiences in my 6.5-284 are identical to Greyfox's.

I shoot mostly hogs, but from 30yds to 825yds so far, they have been flawless, and I have over a 100 kills with them so I feel they are well proven.

 

[GC Hunter]

Thanks for the advice guys! Loaded me up some today to try out.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Tried them for first time this year myself. 6.5-284 running an estimated 2900. With 52.7 grains of H4831SC. Shot a 9 pt at about 80 yards on a steep angle. Bullet exited low, leaving about a 6" hole that his guts fell through. Shot an 8 pt at 200 yards that left about 1" exit hole with massive internal damage. Both deer ran maybe 30-40 yards. Good bullet in my opinion.

 

[Gray R]

Greyfox,

If you don't mind me borrowing the thread briefly what powder and barrel length do you have if I may? I'm shooting 130s now but want to switch to the 140s and I'm tryin to gather as much info as possible before I decide to redo load development. Thanks in advance

 

[Greyfox]

Greyfox,

If you don't mind me borrowing the thread briefly what powder and barrel length do you have if I may? I'm shooting 130s now but want to switch to the 140s and I'm tryin to gather as much info as possible before I decide to redo load development. Thanks in advance

Sure. I use 57.5 gr Retumbo, fed215, and seat the 140's .075" off the lands but this can vary for your chamber. Also, Fed210's can be used, increasing the powder charge by ,5gr, maintaining velocity of 2970 out of my 24-26" barrels.

 

[Gray R]

Ok thank you. I've got a 26 inch barrel so if ic an round up those components I should be able to gt that. Preciate it

 

[GunDoc7]

I'm not sure if you were looking specifically for information on the Berger 140gr. but out of my 6.5-.284 140gr Sierra Gameking loads are performing fantastic for accuracy, and expansion out to 400 yards thus far.

 

[stephenr6565]

I have shot deer and elk with a 6.5-284 with the 140 berger Vld's @ close & long range on deer and elk they seem to work pretty well at all ranges for deer but the ELK I shot @ close range didn't work out very well I was by myself and on the first shot I heard a big smack and I knew I had to of hit it but the elk didn't even act like it was hit it I shot twice more and both were misses and just gave up on shooting after that so i watched it go across the face for about 5 minuntes then all of the sudden it started to spin in a circle and went down i got lucky and got a little shrapnel in the lungs the was really no blood trail from where i shot it and where it died the bullet basically exploded on impact if it hadn't of been on a huge face that takes an elk about 10 minutes to go across i would have never known i even hit it let alone found it but i have had pretty good success with 140 @ long range with cow elk