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Long Range Hunting & Shooting
Energy or bullet diameter most important?
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<blockquote data-quote="Pdvdh" data-source="post: 1235770" data-attributes="member: 4191"><p>I'm currently using Bergers for my long range hunting bullet in three different calibers. I don't use Bergers in any caliber for my close range hunting bullets. </p><p></p><p>I give complete credit to Broz for sharing his experiences with the 215gr Hybrid in the 300 Win Mag for my current use of that bullet for long range hunting. Only shot two animals to date with that bullet, but was happy with their performance.</p><p></p><p>No matter what everyone else experiences and reports, none of those reports are prioritized over my own experiences with any hunting bullet. After my first 5 years of use, the Berger 210 VLD underperformed by either exploding / shrapnelling on impact or the other extreme - failing to expand or tumble - thus passing thru the game like a FMJ and leaving a relatively healthy animal on its feet. And me scratching my head. "Underperform" is in the context of comparison to the bullets I'd used in the prior 40 years, prior to any significant reporting of Berger target style bullets being successfully used for hunting. I've had other Brands of expanding bullets FMJ thru game animals also, but not at the rate of occurrence with my early 210 VLD experiences.</p><p></p><p>I now believe my experiences with non-expansion were related to some of those bullets having the J4 jacket tips pinched solidly shut from the factory bullet forming die. Because since I've ensured the tips on the bullets I shoot at game are open, I haven't experienced a failure of a Berger bullet to expand in game. So for the time being, I believe the non-expansion concern may have been resolved, or at least greatly reduced.</p><p></p><p>However that does nothing to alleviate my other experience and concern - shrapnelling at higher speed impacts resulting in shallow penetration - too shallow to ensure the vitals will be reached on larger game animals. Yeah, I know. Use heavy for caliber bullets when hunting with Berger-style bullets, so that by the time the bullet slows enough within the animal to stop shedding weight - there's still a sufficient bullet mass remaining to ensure adequate penetration. I consider a 210 grain bullet in .308 to be a heavy for caliber bullet. So I load a different bullet for close range use on dangerous or non-dangerous game animals.</p><p></p><p>Berger manufactures a lot of different bullets in a lot of different weights and calibers. Some designs, shapes, and weights in some calibers seem to perform more reliably than others. How do I know which is which? I guinea-pigged it once with the 210 VLD and had some bad experiences. I'll forego the possibility of getting the often repeated and photographed dramatic, Berger dropp'em in their tracks kill, for bullets that my own experiences demonstrate have performed more consistently and reliably at closer ranges. It's the closer range shots that increase the odds I won't be able to wait for the perfect shot angle and profile. And it's the closer range shots that may preserve health and life.</p><p></p><p>I still prefer two different bullets - one selected for short range high velocity impacts and the other selected for long range lower velocity impacts - because I have yet to identify a single bullet Brand and design that can perform both short range and long range performance duties better than either of my two selected bullets perform their single duty.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pdvdh, post: 1235770, member: 4191"] I'm currently using Bergers for my long range hunting bullet in three different calibers. I don't use Bergers in any caliber for my close range hunting bullets. I give complete credit to Broz for sharing his experiences with the 215gr Hybrid in the 300 Win Mag for my current use of that bullet for long range hunting. Only shot two animals to date with that bullet, but was happy with their performance. No matter what everyone else experiences and reports, none of those reports are prioritized over my own experiences with any hunting bullet. After my first 5 years of use, the Berger 210 VLD underperformed by either exploding / shrapnelling on impact or the other extreme - failing to expand or tumble - thus passing thru the game like a FMJ and leaving a relatively healthy animal on its feet. And me scratching my head. "Underperform" is in the context of comparison to the bullets I'd used in the prior 40 years, prior to any significant reporting of Berger target style bullets being successfully used for hunting. I've had other Brands of expanding bullets FMJ thru game animals also, but not at the rate of occurrence with my early 210 VLD experiences. I now believe my experiences with non-expansion were related to some of those bullets having the J4 jacket tips pinched solidly shut from the factory bullet forming die. Because since I've ensured the tips on the bullets I shoot at game are open, I haven't experienced a failure of a Berger bullet to expand in game. So for the time being, I believe the non-expansion concern may have been resolved, or at least greatly reduced. However that does nothing to alleviate my other experience and concern - shrapnelling at higher speed impacts resulting in shallow penetration - too shallow to ensure the vitals will be reached on larger game animals. Yeah, I know. Use heavy for caliber bullets when hunting with Berger-style bullets, so that by the time the bullet slows enough within the animal to stop shedding weight - there's still a sufficient bullet mass remaining to ensure adequate penetration. I consider a 210 grain bullet in .308 to be a heavy for caliber bullet. So I load a different bullet for close range use on dangerous or non-dangerous game animals. Berger manufactures a lot of different bullets in a lot of different weights and calibers. Some designs, shapes, and weights in some calibers seem to perform more reliably than others. How do I know which is which? I guinea-pigged it once with the 210 VLD and had some bad experiences. I'll forego the possibility of getting the often repeated and photographed dramatic, Berger dropp'em in their tracks kill, for bullets that my own experiences demonstrate have performed more consistently and reliably at closer ranges. It's the closer range shots that increase the odds I won't be able to wait for the perfect shot angle and profile. And it's the closer range shots that may preserve health and life. I still prefer two different bullets - one selected for short range high velocity impacts and the other selected for long range lower velocity impacts - because I have yet to identify a single bullet Brand and design that can perform both short range and long range performance duties better than either of my two selected bullets perform their single duty. [/QUOTE]
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