Berger Bullets 4 Hunting

[cohunt]

Thanks for all the suggestions and help--but you all now have me confused as to which bullet to start with since it seems you all are having good results with the 168vld, 168ch, 175 elite, and 180 hybrid

Yes the energy of the calculated 168vldh and 180H seem to be very close--the 168 wins for drop, but the 180 wins for wind.--punching numbers for the 175elite seems its at a little disadvantage over both of the others due to its heavier weigh over the 168 and lower bc of the 180 with a longer bearing lenght, its still darn close though and accuracy is gonna win this guy over, as if it's not accurate enough then I can't put it where it needs to go.

the 180 has a short bearing length which I like as it might allow pushing it a bit faster for its weight--I also like the hybrid ogive feature of the 180 and 175 for helping in seating length/accuracy potential. My mag allows loading to 3.373" ish, and I hit lands on my 162 eld-x load @ 3.400"---with that info, anyone have a "best bullet" suggestion on which one to start with? guess it depends on which ones are in stock too.

 

[elkaholic]

I know that the 175 elite and 180 hybrid have a considerably longer coal to the lands than a 180 vld, if that helps?

 

[cohunt]

I know that the 175 elite and 180 hybrid have a considerably longer coal to the lands than a 180 vld, if that helps?

yup--168 vldh is .771" nose with .417" bearing length, 175 elite is .801 nose with .478 bearing, 180 vld is .772 nose with .491 bearing, and 180H is .852 nose with .430 bearing

the 2 vld's basicly have the same nose profile and all of the additional weight of the 180vld is in the middle bearing length so I don't see the 180 vld as being the best optionas I think the 180 hybrid could be driven faster and might be more accurate due to the hybrid ogive. The 175 elite has a slightly shorter nose than the 180 h and boat tails are about the same but its bearing length is about 50 tho longer than the 180H and 60 thou longer than the 168vld so it may not be able to be pushed as fast.

but see, there I go again--I now have too much info and I'm over analyzing this too much.I need sample packs, I know "bullet proof samples" are no longer selling sample packs --has anyone heard of "sub-moa shooting"? they have some samples in stock

 

[beefdip]

Well I sure didn't go into the numbers as you do. I bought a 7mm RM, picked 3 different bullets and one of them happened to be Berger EH, 175 gr. With some RL26 it is the most accurate bullet I have ever shot. I haven't killed anything yet but so I cannot speak for that. I run an older Savage 112 BVSS-S with a 26" barrel. It pushes out the rounds at 2985 fps (0.020" off the lands) and I am always 0.6 moa at the worst (as long as I do my part, which may or may happen). Tried and tested out to 1000 meters.

 

[isergio]

I have been hunting with the Berger 168 VLD Hunting in a 308WIN and never again. The VLD Hunting behaves like a needle at every speed: does not kill just sews. Is this your experience too?

 

[jasent]

I have never had a problem getting bergers to shoot well in any of my rifles. Never had a bad experience with them on game. Have always worked as they should for me and my rifles. The only bullets I use.
I have not used any of the bullets in the cal you listed. If you can't get the vlds to shoot try the elite hunters before giving up

 

[isergio]

Thanks jasent. I use also the Hornady SST and this bullet works very well in the game, with big hole in the exit side.

 

[dirthead1]

I shot my one and only bull elk last December with a 7mm Rem Mag and 180 Berger Hybrids at 2940 fps. The bull was only 120 yards, and I shot him in the crease just behind the shoulder. He staggered a bit and went down. His heart and lungs were totally destroyed. The bullet did not exit. It actually appeared to barely make it to the far side of the rib cage. I would guess that at a bit farther range and less entrance velocity, it would not have expanded so violently and would have penetrated more, but honestly the bullet did it's job.

I would not hesitate to use that load again for elk, deer, or anything else in N America.

As a side note, vlds have always been very finicky in relation to seating depth (at least for me). I prefer the hybrid design, as it's much less touchy in that regard.

 

[elkaholic]

My cousin shot a bull with my 7SS with the same 180 hybrid at 611 yards at a mv of 3000'. The bullet entered the chest a little high but exited the front of the off shoulder centered! The bull was alive for hours and we didn't find him until the next morning. We bumped him once the night he shot him probably at least an hour after he was shot. PIN HOLE IN----PIN HOLE OUT!

 

[gillettehunter]

Pinhole performance is not good. I always wonder if the bullets tips were checked to see if they were plugged. Broz put me on to checking that. I always go through all of my Bergers with a small drill bit to check. Some lots have been as high as 1 in 10-12 plugged. That bullet will likely pinhole and not expand. Other lots as low as 4 in a box of 100. So gas so good for my use of them.
Bruce

 

[elkaholic]

Pinhole performance is not good. I always wonder if the bullets tips were checked to see if they were plugged. Broz put me on to checking that. I always go through all of my Bergers with a small drill bit to check. Some lots have been as high as 1 in 10-12 plugged. That bullet will likely pinhole and not expand. Other lots as low as 4 in a box of 100. So gas so good for my use of them.
Bruce

I was telling the op to do just that. When I use Berger's, I run a .040" drill bit through each one.This not only assures that they are open, but thins the mouth of the jacket to a more uniform .010"-.015" thickness which is where it should be.

 

[CA48]

Ive had great results on deer and pigs with the 6.5 140 hvld's from 100 yards to over 1000 And everywhere in between mv of 3170-3250 always have full pass throughs.

I have had good results with the .270 140's hvld with the few deer we have taken with it 100-300 yds mv of 3300. We shot an audad quartering to us at 225 yds that went into the shoulder and exploded in the vitals no exit, the ram ran 20 yds and dropped. But audad are built very tough.

My buddy hunts with the 180 hybrids in his 7rem mag and has had good results on deer and made a cold bore shot on a hog at 1344 yards that had a full pass through with a nice exit hole. The hog ran 15-20 yards and dropped. Impact velocity was right around 1400 fps. Mv 2850

I have harvested a large amount of deer and hogs with the .338 300 gr otm's mv 2830. They are devestaing close and far, at closer ranges I try to hit some bone with deer to help the bullet expand but it may not be necessary.

If I can get a big .30 built by hunting season this year I will see how the 230gr otm's do on game. I have a good feeling they will perform well.

 

[CA48]

Like others have said, I always make sure the tips are opened up and free of debris as well.

 

[cjuve]

I have only had a berger fail to expand once but a 15-20lb coyote pup has little mass to create expansion on a 300 gr bullet.