Berger 210 VLD for deer

[Jscrapmetal]

I have a 300 Win Mag and shooting the 210 VLD's. I have shot some hogs with them and they are great well head shot really don't count I guess. My real question is it a good bullet for whitetail deer? Lets say 100 to 250 yards? I shot a buck 2 weeks ago right in the chest I know its not the best shot but I took it. No blood anywhere but I found the deer. Little pin hole in his chest but no blood anywhere. Thought it was weird. Saturday night shot a bigger buck, he takes off running like he is hit so I look for blood nothing. Went back Sunday morning and nothing I hope I missed but starting to question these bullets at this range. Any help would be great. Thanks guys.

 

[MudRunner2005]

That's a pretty hefty bullet for whitetail deer at that short of a distance, but the VLD's do work great on deer. I shoot the 168 VLD's in my lightweight 7mm RemMag for 0-500 yard shots.

 

[Pdvdh]

The 210 VLD will occassionally fail to expand on broadside rib shot game. It's not the most common performance by any means. But it has been known to happen. Inspect your VLD bullets before using them for hunting, and make sure they have an open hole in the tip of the jackets. Some percentage of VLDs will have the jacket material pinched together at the tip, leaving no hollow/hole in the tip of the bullets. Many, including myself, believe these bullets with closed tips are less apt to expand.

Your can insert a pin, a needle, or a slender piece of wire into the tips to ensure they all have a hole in their tips. Some shooters will use a 0.040" to 0.050" diameter drill bit to open a hole in any bullets with closed tips. Some will drill all their tips with the drill bit to help ensure all have the hollow point feature, in the effort to help ensure the bullets will expand upon impact with game animals. I drill every VLD prior to use to minimize the odds I'll shoot one that fails to expand.

If a bullet pencils thru the ribs without expanding, an animal can live and remain quite lively for a good length of time. Some may even survive. Some will later expire, unrecovered.

 

[stomp442]

Aim for bone and you will have much better results.

 

[Greyfox]

I had similar performance on a mule deer, a white tail, and a few antelope. all between 200 and 600 yards. All were heart/lung area shots from my 300WM at 2900FPS. The animals were luckily recovered but bullet performance was poor with little interenal damage except for a hole the size of the bullet.

 

[brentc]

I lost a nice black bear from a 210 that failed to expand at 185 yards. I suspected damage from riding in the magazine. Same story as above, I shot him in the crease behind the shoulder and he ran for the thick cover. I found some blood indicating a hit, but nothing I could trail.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Very surprised to hear the lack of expansion on the 210 VLDs. I have taken many whitetails with the 180 VLDs fired from a 7 WSM. Very predictable performance every time. Most deer dropped to the shot.

A pin hole entrance wound is common (IMO) and if the bullet grenades inside the animal without exiting you will typically get very little blood on the ground. However, most of my 180 VLD's did exit on whitetails.

 

[Jscrapmetal]

Thanks guys. Now the question is what to shoot?

 

[bigngreen]

Buy some 215's, check the tips and rally!! I've seen ONE Berger not open in hundred of kills I've seen with them and it was a 210 on a deer but knowing now what I didn't know then I suspect a damaged or closed tip.