Berger Prep for Terminal Performance

[elkaholic]

What is the typical minimum velocity prior to tumbling that you found with standard (same as factory or factory) hollow point?

With the 230 last year, it was close to Bergers 1800' estimate. With the older VLD, I couldnt get consistent expansion until around 2200-2300 and that was with the ones that were open.
The 230's that I opened to . 055" opened at around 1500'.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

This is a good thread with helpful information. I did not realize so many were checking meplats on Bergers to ensure their performance. Made me think of the meplat uniforming tool that Kevin Cram makes (he is a LRH sponsor gunsmith). https://mcrifles.com/shop?olsPage=products

Thank you for that info.

 

[Huntz]

Sounds like an answer to a nonexistent problem.Between my Son and myself we have killed over 20 head of various game from speed goats to Elk with Berger VLD hunting bullets with no failures.Never weighed or did anything to the bullets.I would rather spend my time shooting then detailing bullets.JMHO,Huntz

 

[bigngreen]

I think it's prudent to make sure the tips are open on the ones shot at game, it takes seconds to check a box of loaded rounds and I just mark them with a sharpie if I don't quite like what I see and those are for shooting only. I do the same for every bullet though, if they have tips in them I inspect the tips to make sure they are tight and not deformed, mono's without tips get the same inspection, I have had some with cutting fluid in them that I had to blow out or damaged tips.

 

[Backcountry sports]

Sounds like an answer to a nonexistent problem.Between my Son and myself we have killed over 20 head of various game from speed goats to Elk with Berger VLD hunting bullets with no failures.Never weighed or did anything to the bullets.I would rather spend my time shooting then detailing bullets.JMHO,Huntz

13 elk 1 mule deer drt all one shot then its harvest the meat all with bergers vld

 

[777guy]

I want to preface this by stating that this is not a thread about whether you like Berger Bullets or not, if you should have to do anything to a purchased bullet to make it function acceptably, or even if you should use them. Its about how to obtain the most reliable terminal performance with Berger bullets.
I have read many things about this and there are some basics like ensuring bullet tips are open, possibly meplat trimming and weight sorting for consistency. Most have recommended a .040 drill bit for the tips on the 215 Hybrid and I have found this also works with the 6mm bullet class. But I seem to remember Elkaholic (?) using a .056 on the 215. I also think Bigngreen talked about a friend having issues with a hunting VLD and having him switch to a target style due to a rough throat.
How do you determine what type you use for hunting and what steps you take to ensure optimum performance? Or is it simply trial and error? Sorry for such a lengthy post, but hoping to get some good info out there for those on the fence about trying them or that don't have the opportunity to take several animals each year to collect empirical data on what may at best be called a hotly debated bullet. Thanks in advance.

Seems silly to buy new bullets & then have to re-build them to function properly .

 

[tooth doc]

I want to preface this by stating that this is not a thread about whether you like Berger Bullets or not, if you should have to do anything to a purchased bullet to make it function acceptably, or even if you should use them. Its about how to obtain the most reliable terminal performance with Berger bullets.
I have read many things about this and there are some basics like ensuring bullet tips are open, possibly meplat trimming and weight sorting for consistency. Most have recommended a .040 drill bit for the tips on the 215 Hybrid and I have found this also works with the 6mm bullet class. But I seem to remember Elkaholic (?) using a .056 on the 215. I also think Bigngreen talked about a friend having issues with a hunting VLD and having him switch to a target style due to a rough throat.
How do you determine what type you use for hunting and what steps you take to ensure optimum performance? Or is it simply trial and error? Sorry for such a lengthy post, but hoping to get some good info out there for those on the fence about trying them or that don't have the opportunity to take several animals each year to collect empirical data on what may at best be called a hotly debated bullet. Thanks in advance.

I have used 168, 180, 195 vld 7mm, never touched them and have not had a single failure on approx 100 animals. No exp with the 30 cals mentioned.

 

[codyadams]

Seems silly to buy new bullets & then have to re-build them to function properly .

First sentence of the original post specifically mentioned that this isn't the topic at hand here.

2nd time this has been mentioned. It helps to read.

 

[slv hunter]

I agree with bigngreen. I try to make sure any ammo I make to use hunting is the best I'm capable of producing and it only takes a couple of minutes to check 20 rounds. Target ammo I don't check.

 

[coop2564]

I use a pin/needle depending on cal. after I load them up and getting ready to store them for hunting. I check each one quickly to make sure its open. That's its.

 

[Black stilts]

Have any of you guys seen or tried this technique?

 

[CONatureBoy]

Encourage folks to watch Barbour Creek's YouTube videos of gel-block tests with Berger bullets. Most expand pretty fast in gel, but one in particular (the 6.5mm 156-grain EOL) travels over a foot into the gel before expanding. I love this bullet's high BC for my 264 Win Mag, so I drill it to 0.0465" and then trim the meplat, so it'll expand faster. I've done the same with Berger 7mm 190-grain target bullets, again because I love the high BC but also want quick expansion for my 280 AI. I did a gel-block test myself; the drilled target bullet started expanding at 1.5". Drilling and trimming take about a minute per bullet. (I've documented my procedure elsewhere. I'm sure you can Google it.) No loss of accuracy, no change in point of impact, negligible loss of BC. Otherwise, I've hunted the Berger 7mm 168-grain VLDH and the .308 210-grain VLDH for years. Everything I shoot with those bullets (elk and mule deer) drops on the first shot, DRT, no drilling or trimming required.

 

[parshal]

I ran my drilled/trimmed 156 EOL over the AB radar two years ago at the Nightforce ELR. The BC variation (SD) was so bad Bryan asked to see the bullets.

 

[AaronSkipDavidson]

The best rework you could do to enhance berger bullet terminal performance is to turn a groove partially through the jacket on the ogive.

Devastating.

Vld style bullets go unstable and tumble inside an animal. Usually breaking off the nose. The scoring ensures this behavior.

Smashing bone also helps, but can't be guaranteed.