Comparing the Berger 210 VLD to the 215 Hybrid

[dibbs]

I've very much enjoyed reading "most" of this post, started at page 12 and finished at page 40 this morning="Whew"!!! I may need to rework my M70 300 WM, adding a tapered base, NF scope, & Brake. Currently wears a 10twist pac-nor barrel. A custom build would be nice...not in the cards right now. I do have some 210 Bergers, wish I would have gotten the 215's. Oh well... Unfortunately where I live is...to a degree, hunter rich and game poor.

Jeff a sincere thanks for posting your results, pictures, etc. I look forward to seeing additional results this year.

 

[Tarheelpwr]

Agreed ... I've sifted through MOST of this ... very good info. I'm on the fence with a 300 RUM or 300 win. Which 215s and 230's have you been using to hunt? Are you using the Hybrid Tactical OTMs or the Hybrid Target HPBTs? I thought it was the OTMs, but I only see the target BTHP for the 215. I just want to make sure I'm using the correct bullets.

 

[Broz]

Agreed ... I've sifted through MOST of this ... very good info. I'm on the fence with a 300 RUM or 300 win. Which 215s and 230's have you been using to hunt? Are you using the Hybrid Tactical OTMs or the Hybrid Target HPBTs? I thought it was the OTMs, but I only see the target BTHP for the 215. I just want to make sure I'm using the correct bullets.

Thanks guys , glad you enjoyed the thread.


The 215 Hybrid Target is what I used and the only 215 there is as far as I know. We used the 230 OTM because they came out first and that was what we started with.

Jeff

 

[Tarheelpwr]

Thanks for clarifying. I'll likely go 230 in a RUM to keep velocity down a bit or 215 in a win.

Have you ever tried the 230 target? The extra BCwouldnt hurt. I would imagine th target version of the230 would just as good as the 215.

 

[AZShooter]

One of LRH's members used the 230 target from his 300 RUM in Africa.(see copy of his thread below)
I was so impressed I copied it and put it in my files.

I took a cow elk at 250 yds with this bullet from my 300 RUM muzzle velocity 2975 fps. A friend used the same bullet from his 300 WSM to kill a cow elk at 300 yds muzzle vel 2720. Excellent results on both animals with the bullet exiting leaving 2" dia exit wounds.

Two friends were so impressed by Broz's report and this African post that they switched to the 230 target for their 300 RUMs.

African adventure:

07-28-2014, 04:02 AM
RMHUNTER
Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: SW KANSAS
Posts: 8

230gr berger used in Africa with success
________________________________________
Much debate has been done on using Berger's 230gr hybrid target as a hunting bullet and being a person that likes trying new things I decided to use this bullet on my African plains game safari after all what better place to test a bullet. I loaded the 230 in my 300Rum with 85.5 gr of H1000 at 2830 fps. I chose the 230gr hybrid bullet because it shot so well in my rifle most of the time 3 shots in one hole so I had confidence in it. Next I like Berger's performance on game and with this target bullet having .003 thicker jackets I was hoping on some extra penetration on Africa's thicker skinned game. My first animal was a gemsbok (Oryx) the shot was 150yds broadside I hit dead on right in the middle of the shoulder. The gemsbok jumped ran 100yd and fell dead. Upon inspecting the gemsbok we found that the bullet busted the shoulder entered the ribs making a 2" entrance sending bone and bullet fragments through the lung totally destroying the lungs. I felt that this was a great success especially since so many people told me that a target bullet would just pencil through and my PH was amazed as well. Next animal was a blesbok. The shot was 200yd broadside through the ribs with a 1" entrance 2" exit dead on the spot 100% pleased. Next was my blue wildebeest. He was 175yd behind some thick brush he turned as I shot the bullet entered top of his left hip and headed through a very full stomach then through the liver and lastly demolishing the bottom half of both lungs. Bad shot on my part but the bullet made up for it in penetration remember also that a wildebeest hide is about a ¼ " thick as well. Next was a huge zebra stallion 140yd ¼ toward me. The bullet hit just front of the shoulder he ran 50yd and fell. I was not around the skinning shed when they skinned the zebra but all the skinner said was "no lungs left not at all that's one good bullet." Next was a kudu at 150yd in tall cover I held high over the brush hit the spine sending bone fragment into the top lungs he fell in his tracks. Lastly was my wife's huge blue wildebeest at 200yd ¼ toward the bullet hit in front of the shoulder wiped out lungs and liver he ran 30yd and fell. I know there were no long range shots here but I have used this bullet on an elk at 700yd with the same results. All animals were taken with one shot. In my conclusion this bullet is one of the best hunting bullets out there for high speed 30 cal like the 300RUM, 300Weatherby and the 30-378. This bullet showed excellent penetration (ie.the wildebeest) and showed excellent expansion on small animals (blesbok) and large (wildebeest, zebra).

 

[Broz]

Thanks for clarifying. I'll likely go 230 in a RUM to keep velocity down a bit or 215 in a win.

Have you ever tried the 230 target? The extra BCwouldnt hurt. I would imagine th target version of the230 would just as good as the 215.

I think you are on the right track. No I have not hunted with the 230 Target. But like you see it as a larger version of the 215. That and the other reports I have read would lead me to believe it would be fine for the way I hunt.

Jeff

 

[jonthomps]

This thread is a wealth of info. It would be awesome if berger would make a dedicated 215 or 230gr elite hunter (hint, hint, Berger). I'm looking forward to using a 215 this hunting season!

 

[Broz]

This thread is a wealth of info. It would be awesome if berger would make a dedicated 215 or 230gr elite hunter (hint, hint, Berger). I'm looking forward to using a 215 this hunting season!

Just take a sharpie and write "Premium Killing Bullet" on the box. Works for me, also 22 big game animals so far.

Jeff

 

[jonthomps]

Just take a sharpie and write "Premium Killing Bullet" on the box. Works for me, also 22 big game animals so far.

Jeff

Maybe if I did that people would finally start knocking down animals with them, lol

 

[AEast]

Would this bullet also benifit from a shorter barrel .300wm? Say 22-25", or would a lighter bullet perform better in these lengths?

 

[AZShooter]

I see no reason for them to make an elite hunter, IMO the 215 and 230 target hybrids work perfectly for hunting.

 

[IdahoRecon]

AEast, I have a Savage 110 Tactical (pre accustomed model) in 300 WM. I had the factory barrel cut down from 24 inches to 22 inches and re-crowned by Gemtech then had a JP brake installed. To date I have shot the rifle out to 1500 yards on steel. This is a 1/2 moa gun even at that distance. The load I am using is berger 215 hybrid, federal primer 215, federal brass and H4831sc. Seems to work good.

 

[IdahoRecon]

Meant to say pre-accutrigger model.

 

[AEast]

Thanks, that's encouraging, I have a winchester 70 classic with a 22" tube, I guess I will work up a load and see what I can get out of it with the 215's.