.257 115 vld hunting bullet for deer???

HNDLDR

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Billings MT
I know it's been beat to death but what is everyone's thoughts one the Bergers for deer. Should I switch or stick with the Noslers? To be more specific the 110 Accubond.
 
I think either one is gonna work for you if you put it in the right spot. I have killed a mule deer and an antelope with the 115 Berger and both dropped in their tracks. All other deer that I have killed was with the 100 gr TSX and they all dropped as well.
 
I have used the Berger 115 VLD for deer and it is effective. Never had a deer that could hold it for long! As for the 110 gn NAB, I never used it on deer but did try a box once through the .25-06 Sendero I used to own. I was never impressed with the accuracy but I probably didn't give it enough time.
Another bullet you may want to look at is the Barnes. I tried the TSX a few years ago in the same rifle and a 100gn TSX will penetrate from Arshole to appetite. I can only imagine the TTSX or LRX is more of a good thing.
I have since gone to the 6.5-284Norma and use the 140gn A-Max and wow. Never had so many one shot kills in a season. Every deer I shot with this combo never took another step, although with the 115gn Berger they all did that "death run" thing (anywhere from 25-75yds). Either way they get to ride in the back of the truck :) JohnnyK.
 
I shoot nothing but accubonds thru all my rifles .243-.257.264.277.284.308.323

Love'm and won't be changing any time soon.

Elk.....Deer....Lope's....Yote's....DRT.
 
I've never used the .257 NAB on deer. I've killed a few with the 7mm NAB and was happy. I had one bad experience on a little black tail with the TSX when they first came out and I haven't use Barnes since. I realize one bad experience does not a bad bullet make. The TTSX shows potential accuracy wise in this rifle maybe I should give Barnes another chance. Basically I'm looking to get the high number of DRT kills that I've come to expect from the 25-06. My prior experience with the cartridge was in my teenage years with plain old cup and core factory loads.
 
I've never used the .257 NAB on deer. I've killed a few with the 7mm NAB and was happy. I had one bad experience on a little black tail with the TSX when they first came out and I haven't use Barnes since. I realize one bad experience does not a bad bullet make. The TTSX shows potential accuracy wise in this rifle maybe I should give Barnes another chance. Basically I'm looking to get the high number of DRT kills that I've come to expect from the 25-06. My prior experience with the cartridge was in my teenage years with plain old cup and core factory loads.

217 Sierria ProHunters are another good choice. Should provide the same results you had back in those teenage years.

The 110 Accubond is usually very accurate in most rifles, that has a lot to do with their popularity.
 
Four of us built five 257 Weatherby chambered rifles a few years back. All of us used the Berger 115 VLD on quite a few animals. We had Dave Kiff's input when we had the reamer made. All five rifles shot excellent groups with RL-25 with bullets .070" to .100"jump to lands. All rifles have 3 groove liljas.

Here is the list to date on the 27 animals taken with these rifles:


My 257: 6 Coues wt longest shot 525 yds other yardages: 250, 350, 385, 400 and 400
Antelope at 560 yds

Dan's 257: 4 mule deer (everything in CO)
6 elk (bull and cow)

Allen's 257 5 coues wt 419yds,412yds,328yds and 276yds.

Tim's 257: 5 coues unknown (to me) distances except last year's at 237 yds

Quite a few of the deer dropped to the shot without even twitch. My 525 yd shot entered the coues just behind the shoulder and EXITED through the elbow of offside shoulder. We feel this bullet is an excellent performer.
 
I used to use NAB's exclusively in all my rifles, until I discovered Bergers. They shot better, grouped better, just all-around better bullets.

And after shooting 2 deer with them, I was hooked. Now I use Bergers exclusively for targets and hunting.

I use their .257 115 VLD's in my .257 Wby and .25-06 AI. They are excellent bullets. I have not had the chance to shoot a deer with them yet, as my .25-06 AI wasn't built until after this past deer season. I'm sure I'll use it this year on a few.
 
If you want to spend all that money for the newest wiz-bang on the block go ahead but if you want to save a lot of money and fooling around trying to get the new wiz-bang bullet to shoot good just get you some 117 gr Sierras. Work up to 52 grs H4831, CCI BR2, Rem case and load them 20 thousands off the lands. If that don't shoot work up to 49 grs IMR 4350, CCI 250 primer, Rem case. I have killed a whole lot of deer as a control hunter for 15 years with these loads in 25-06s and most drop in their tracks and those that don't are usually inside 50 yards from where they were shot.
 
HNDLDR, when I was ready to load my .257 Wby I could not find the 115 Berger anywhere so I went with the Accubond. Accubonds shot sub MOA but only well out to 300 yds. Finally found the Bergers and they are much more accurate out to 500 yds which is as far as I feel I need to shoot. Can't match AzHunter's stats but I am happy. Have never had a pass through with the 115 VLD and wound area like mush and very dead animals. Many elk with the 210 VLD Berger and never more than 15 yds travel. Good luck
 
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