Berger vld

OKTACKDRIVER

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Jan 19, 2010
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14
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OKLAHOMA
How do vlds do at short range targets, i hunt bean fields here in ok and your target might be 75yds or 600yrds i shoot 7mm rm and have always shot nosler 150 bt but the vld looks to be alot better at longer ranges, but can it do the job at close range is my question?
 
I have shot a couple of animals with some 210 vld out of a 30-378. Muzzle velocity around 3200. One was a coyote that was destroyed. The other shot was two whitetail does standing next to one another. The bullet entered the first in the ribs and just behind the shoulder on the second. First deer made it about 20 yards spewing blood everywhere. The second deer ran about 60 yds. The bullet never exited the second deer but, I found a piece of the jacket almost under the far side skin. After that test, I feel certain that the bergers can hold up to a lot more than I first thought. Just my $0.02
 
Well i personally have not had any bad expierences but if you read this thread: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/berger-bullet-failure-short-range-51277/ it talks about it. Now i dont know if they were using the Hunting bullet or target bullet. If you shoot the berger hunting bullets into ballistics gel at 50 yards it goes in 3-4 inches then opens up just as advertised so i belive it works fine. I have switched all of my bullets except 338 over to Berger. They shoot great for me and have not had to track one yet.:D
 
VLD needs to be played with on seating depth to get the best accuracy out of them. Usually close to the lands.

From my experience, 2 out 3 of caliber(light stock rifles- Savage & Browning) was easily moa accurate from 100 yards to 1000 yards. 3rd caliber was getting about 3" wide x 3/4" vertical groups at 100 yards but at extended range starting 300 and up to 1000. It was MOA accurate, the twist must have stabilized it.

So usually yes, VLD shoot well at close range. Every gun/barrel is different.
 
This is my first hand experience with Bergers. The 210 in two of my 30-378's and 300 Win, 190's in my 300 Wby, 115 in my 25-06 and a wildcat 257-300 Wby Mag, 55's in my 22-250.

I will try to keep it brief and to the point.

I have taken the Elk in my avitar, about 10 whitetail deer, 4 or 5 Mule deer, 2 Axis deer, many Antelope, a Black buck antelope, an Aoudad Ram, many coyote.... and many Prairie dogs.

Ranges from 50 yards to close to 900.

I have never tracked one animal. It is my personal belief is, they are great bullets. If I place them well I get DRT with little meat loss... I don't eat ribs.:)

I believe that any bullet, rifle or scope can fail. I also believe that any hunter, rifleman or shooter can fail.

If everyone that has seen the Bergers in action doing a great job posted the results I think it would own the forum. I will not let one very occational bad instance change my mind. The problem is , unless you recover the wouded animal soon, we will never know what went wrong.... Did it hit a twig first??? who knows.

Respectfully...

Jeff
 
I tried some of the Match 115 VLD .257 bullets this year. Close shots at 95 yds broke the front shoulder and entered the chest making a 1" hole and took out part of the heart and was against the hide on the other side. Didn't seem to affect the Antelope but it did turn and go the other way. Second shot on it all I had was a short section of the head and neck and I hit it in the back of the head. Not pretty and about all that held the head on was a small chunk of hide.
 
I believe that any bullet, rifle or scope can fail. I also believe that any hunter, rifleman or shooter can fail.

If everyone that has seen the Bergers in action doing a great job posted the results I think it would own the forum. I will not let one very occational bad instance change my mind. The problem is , unless you recover the wouded animal soon, we will never know what went wrong.... Did it hit a twig first??? who knows.

Respectfully...

Jeff


Very well said
 
THANKS I HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING ABOUT VLD BULLETS ON CLOSE SHOTS, THE J4 JACKET MAYBE TO THIN AT CLOSE RANGE. I WILL JUST STAY WITH NOSLER, THEY SHOOT GREAT ANYWAY I JUST AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR BETTER!!! THANKSgun)
 
I have shot a couple of animals with some 210 vld out of a 30-378. Muzzle velocity around 3200. One was a coyote that was destroyed. The other shot was two whitetail does standing next to one another. The bullet entered the first in the ribs and just behind the shoulder on the second. First deer made it about 20 yards spewing blood everywhere. The second deer ran about 60 yds. The bullet never exited the second deer but, I found a piece of the jacket almost under the far side skin. After that test, I feel certain that the bergers can hold up to a lot more than I first thought. Just my $0.02

Was your rifle a stock Accumark or a custom? What powder did you use?
 
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