Berger LR bullets?

coop2564

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
1,193
Location
Texas
Five Long-Range Bullets Review | Field & Stream


Didn't want to hi-jack the other thread.

Many, many people use the Berger bullets for long range hunting. This test only shows one bullet so its hard to say this is the normal result and 800yds many would say is right in the wheel house for a 300 win mag. since they say at 300 win mag velocity s you can assume the bullet started at least 2900 lost 1003 to 800yds so at least 1900 at impact. A few years ago I watched a show in New Zealand, they shot several stags and fallow deer at 800 to 1200 yds all using Berger bullets they showed several recovered bullets that looked just like this one. They said it tumbled thru causing more damage than bullets that just barely mushroom at low energy speeds, many dropped in tracks.

So what does the brown screen folks say about this?
How many have recovered bergers bullets from long shots that looked like this or how many have recovered bullets that mushroomed at long range?
Based on this and that show I'm thinking this maybe more likely that not.

4. Berger VLD Hunting, 190-grain

Total Score: 60
During a hunt in New Zealand, my party took almost 50 big-game animals using VLDs. We had no complaints, and some shots were beyond 500 yards. All Berger bullets are known for accuracy. The Hunting Shack offers VLDs in some loaded ammunition; otherwise they are for handloaders.
• Velocity Lost at 800 Yards: 1003 fps • Flight Consistency: 99.995% • 150-Yard Expansion: 0.535 inch (1.74 times original diameter) • 150-Yard Penetration: 18 inches • 800-Yard Expansion: None (1.00 times original diameter) • 800-Yard Penetration: 24 inches
Comments: In the short-range test, penetration was a bit shallow, but the VLD expanded wide and created a wicked wound cavity. Flight consistency was very high. However, the VLD failed to expand at 800 yards and tumbled through the gel.
 
cce.png
 
Five Long-Range Bullets Review | Field & Stream


Didn't want to hi-jack the other thread.

Many, many people use the Berger bullets for long range hunting. This test only shows one bullet so its hard to say this is the normal result and 800yds many would say is right in the wheel house for a 300 win mag. since they say at 300 win mag velocity s you can assume the bullet started at least 2900 lost 1003 to 800yds so at least 1900 at impact. A few years ago I watched a show in New Zealand, they shot several stags and fallow deer at 800 to 1200 yds all using Berger bullets they showed several recovered bullets that looked just like this one. They said it tumbled thru causing more damage than bullets that just barely mushroom at low energy speeds, many dropped in tracks.

So what does the brown screen folks say about this?
How many have recovered bergers bullets from long shots that looked like this or how many have recovered bullets that mushroomed at long range?
Based on this and that show I'm thinking this maybe more likely that not.

4. Berger VLD Hunting, 190-grain

Total Score: 60
During a hunt in New Zealand, my party took almost 50 big-game animals using VLDs. We had no complaints, and some shots were beyond 500 yards. All Berger bullets are known for accuracy. The Hunting Shack offers VLDs in some loaded ammunition; otherwise they are for handloaders.
• Velocity Lost at 800 Yards: 1003 fps • Flight Consistency: 99.995% • 150-Yard Expansion: 0.535 inch (1.74 times original diameter) • 150-Yard Penetration: 18 inches • 800-Yard Expansion: None (1.00 times original diameter) • 800-Yard Penetration: 24 inches
Comments: In the short-range test, penetration was a bit shallow, but the VLD expanded wide and created a wicked wound cavity. Flight consistency was very high. However, the VLD failed to expand at 800 yards and tumbled through the gel.

You will get more disagreement on this forum on Berger bullets than probably anything else posted! The pro people love them and the con people hate them. I guess I am kind of in the middle as I have had some good luck and some bad. That said, if you are truly talking long range, say 800+ yards, my personal opinion is that a tipped bullet like ELDX, ELDM, A-max, etc. will perform better and certainly more consistently. Certain Berger bullets having the same basic design but in different weights or calibers, seem to perform better.
When I use Bergers, and I do occasionally, I always drill out the tip with a .040" bit.........Rich
 
My first response was mainly because this has already been brought up in 2 other threads...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/field-test-five-big-game-bullets-183711/

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/bullet-test-5-top-premium-lr-308-bullets-183785/

But yes, I do shoot Berger. I have had just about every major brand of bullet fail at some point or another...Including Nosler, Hornady, Berger, and Barnes...And I still use Bergers, because despite the 1 failure it still performed flawlessly. They are all man-made and have failures. I also don't think that test was very fair, and quite frankly felt it was blatantly bias towards the ELD-X... Why would you compare a 190 VLD to a 212 ELD-X, when Berger offers much closer comparisons like the 210 VLD and the 215 Hybrid... It was an obvious sandbag for personal bias. If someone is going to do a "professional" test, they should at least be professional about it enough to accept the results, even if their favorite bullet doesn't win, instead of sandbagging the outcome to fit their narrative.

Just my $0.02...
 
and the debate rages on

I say what works for you!
.
personally I use a meplat trimmer on my burger hunters just to open them up just a little.
 
Not bashing the Bergers I use them too. My main question, is this the norm for them at reduced speeds? If so I'm thinking its not that bad of a thing, might even be a better thing than slightly expanding bullets. almost every animal I've seen shot over 800 with them falls in tracks or within 40 yds. A tumbling bullet maybe doing more damage than that bullet that looked like it worked. When speed gets that low the massive hydraulic shock is not there.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 8 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top