quick advice berger hunting vs target?

[Wheatgerm]

Fall is getting closer and I only have 37 hunting bergers left. I've been looking everywhere and cannot find my bullets for the life of me.... I shoot the .308 210gr hunting vld.
I just found a few boxes of the 210gr match target vld.
Would it be worth my while to grab them for planking and shooting the scope in? Then save my hunting bullets for hunting?
I guess the main concern would be whats the odds of being able to shoot the same load and have accuracy be silimar between the hunting and target?
Any quick advice before the bullets are gone would help alot!

 

[Broz]

I have both in my bullet cabinet. My experience is they will both shoot alike with the same load. If you mix them up I doubt you will know the difference.

Jeff

 

[Wheatgerm]

Thanks Jeff. I was wondering if they would be very similar seeing as the BC weight and overall body shape is the same.
The only difference is the material or thickness in the jacket correct?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thanks Jeff. I was wondering if they would be very similar seeing as the BC weight and overall body shape is the same.
The only difference is the material or thickness in the jacket correct?

Jacket thickness is the only difference. The Target models are thicker, so I don't know what to tell you about using them for hunting...

I haven't been able to get anymore 210 VLD Hunting bullets either, so I bought a couple boxes of the Target models my local store got in. They shoot the same for me. And I say go ahead ahead and get them for range practice, if you can find them...

I Also can't find any 7mm 180 VLD hunting bullets either...Have a bunch of the target models, just no hunting versions.

 

[Wheatgerm]

Jacket thickness is the only difference. The Target models are thicker, so I don't know what to tell you about using them for hunting...

I haven't been able to get anymore 210 VLD Hunting bullets either, so I bought a couple boxes of the Target models my local store got in. They shoot the same for me. And I say go ahead ahead and get them for range practice, if you can find them...

I Also can't find any 7mm 180 VLD hunting bullets either...Have a bunch of the target models, just no hunting versions.

My plan (if they fly the same) was to use the target bullets for zeroing the scope and checking my turrets match up with my ballistic calculator down range, then keep my 37 hunting bullets for this fall.. If it comes down to it I supposed I could use the target loads for hunting and just hold on the spine. But this is not the plan and I highly doubt I'll go threw all 37 ofmy hunting loads if i can use the target vld's to get the scope dialed in lol
Last week my local gun store had 2 boxes of the 7mm 180's in hunting loads >.< I have no use for them so I didn't buy them

But its good to hear the target vld's are flying the same for you and jeff thar makes me feel confident in my "plan" hah

 

[MudRunner2005]

Does your local store ship? If so, shoot me a PM with their info so I can get those 2 boxes of 7mm 180 VLD hunting bullets headed my way....If you don't mind? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wheatgerm]

Does your local store ship? If so, shoot me a PM with their info so I can get those 2 boxes of 7mm 180 VLD hunting bullets headed my way....If you don't mind? It would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry man. It was last week they are long gone >.<

 

[AZShooter]

After reading Jeff's hunting stories the from last year I wouldn't worry about shooting the target versions on big game!

I will be hunting with a couple of target hybrids this year and have confidence they will work fine. 180 7mms and the 230 30 cal.

To quote Jeff:



Re: hunting verus target VLDs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hunt with both almost every year. I have never seen any Berger open on impact, they are designed to penetrate in 3 to 5" and then start the expansion. This is what they both do. In some cases depending on velocity and what "target bullet" we are talking, I have seen the Targets even work better. For instance the 215 Hybrid in 30 cal. We have used them extensively and every single animal had a nice .308 entrance and destroyed vitals. This was a total of 19 big game animals last season. After 500 to 600 yards the expansion was less and we got exits of the 1 1/4" size on all that exited. That included an antelope at 1285 yards. I hunted for years with the 210 Hunting VLD before trying the 215. I will not be changing back.

Jeff

 

[Wheatgerm]

AZ,
Are you referring to the normal target vld's that have always been around or the target hybrid? To my understanding the hybrid does great. But the old school original target vld can be hit or miss on big game??. From the way ive interpreted it is the target vld and the matchking have the same story with hunting. Some people love and swear by these bullets and will always hunt with them. Some say its not ethical because the bullets are "match" lol

 

[AZShooter]

I have read here somewhere that some hunters are successful using the target VLDs for hunting big game. IIRC I also read that it ruins less meat and at least one guy preferred it. Hope a few target VLD users chime in.

From what I have read the target vs hunting whether it is a VLD or Hybrid are very similar in their designs. The target versions have thicker bearing surfaces but the noses on all styles are thinner and much the same.

I PM'ed Brian Litz several years ago regarding the differences between VLD hunting and target VLD bullets. It was nice of him to take the time to write this:

"As far as using them for hunting, I can't tell you how they'll work because we havent' tested them. I can tell you that the thick jackets of the target bullets are only ~0.003" to 0.004" thicker per side than the standard thickness (hunting) jackets. This extra thickness exists up thru the bearing surface, then tapers to the same thickness (same as standard) at the jacket mouth. In other words, the thickness of the jacket in the ogive of the target bullets is very similar to that of the standard hunting jackets. From this information, one may speculate that they will perform similar to the standard hunting jackets on impact, however, not having tested the target bullets for expansion at all, it would not be responsible for us to say how they behave. They were designed as target bullets to overcome problems with extensive and abusive target shooting. If you do any tests along these lines, we're very interested in the results."

This thread mentions the use of target VLDs for big game:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/taking-animals-long-range-target-bullets-117452/

There is some information on berger jackets and performance here. I'll admit it is a comparison of a hunting VLD and hybrid target and not a target VLD.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/comparing-berger-210-vld-215-hybrid-88657/index8.html

Perhaps you could section one of the targets and a hunting VLD for your own comparisons.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

AZ,
Are you referring to the normal target vld's that have always been around or the target hybrid? To my understanding the hybrid does great. But the old school original target vld can be hit or miss on big game??. From the way ive interpreted it is the target vld and the matchking have the same story with hunting. Some people love and swear by these bullets and will always hunt with them. Some say its not ethical because the bullets are "match" lol

Broz had great success with the 308 215 hybrids , but... I read a post by one of our other members who tried the 6.5 140 hybrids on deer and reported them to be hit or miss with several no expansion pass throughs. It might be that the larger hybrid bullets expand better because of greater mass, energy and momentum. Don't know for sure just speculating. Haven't read much about 7mm 180 hybrids terminal performance yet.

 

[dk260]

I shoot the 140 gr Berger VLD's through my .260, both hunting and target. I have shot them side by side at 1000 yards and the groups were indistinguishable between the two bullets.


I know Berger states the target bullets have a thicker jacket and all, BUT, here's my question/thought: If they have the same weight, same length, same BC, same shape, how could they possibly have a different thickness in jacket unless lead weighs the same as copper? My opinion is it's marketing hype... Don't get me wrong, I shoot Bergers solely in anything that goes past 300 yards and I love them. Just a question I've always had that has gone unanswered, or more accurately unexplained...

 

[dk260]

Okay, a bit of searching located this article...

History Of The Match Grade Berger Hunting VLD

I get it now!

 

[AZShooter]

dk260,

Thanks for the history link. It fills in a few blanks. I will still use the THICK hybrid bullets for hunting and have no worries as to their performance thanks to Broz extensive reporting.