What is your preferred big game bullet?
- Thread starter wilkup
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wilkup
Well-Known Member
I feel everyones love of the Berger VLDs but after my most recent experience with a VLD I'm hesitant to use these in this role.
I was using a 6.5mm 150gr bullet with the J4 jacket which is also used by Berger while bear hunting. I shot the bear at ~40yd 10 minutes before last light. The bear made it 40-50' from where I hit him but the brush was so thick I decided it was wiser to come back at first light and recover him. My dad and I went out the next morning but couldn't find him or even any sign he'd been shot and after searching over 4 hours decided I must've missed or the bullet had blown up on brush on the way in. I found him, rather smelled him, 10 days later while hunting the same area. After surveying the poor guy I saw my shot had busted both shoulders and shredded his vitals!
Now, on one hand I'm amazed at the violence this round imparted on the poor bear, but on the other, I'm concerned by the lack of blood trail offered which is why I'm considering other options. The extremly high BC the VLDs offer is hard to pass up, but I feel I'm ethically and morally obligated to provide quick humane kills as well as harvest these amazing animals I have the priveledge to hunt.
Has anyone else had this type of experience with VLDs?
I was using a 6.5mm 150gr bullet with the J4 jacket which is also used by Berger while bear hunting. I shot the bear at ~40yd 10 minutes before last light. The bear made it 40-50' from where I hit him but the brush was so thick I decided it was wiser to come back at first light and recover him. My dad and I went out the next morning but couldn't find him or even any sign he'd been shot and after searching over 4 hours decided I must've missed or the bullet had blown up on brush on the way in. I found him, rather smelled him, 10 days later while hunting the same area. After surveying the poor guy I saw my shot had busted both shoulders and shredded his vitals!
Now, on one hand I'm amazed at the violence this round imparted on the poor bear, but on the other, I'm concerned by the lack of blood trail offered which is why I'm considering other options. The extremly high BC the VLDs offer is hard to pass up, but I feel I'm ethically and morally obligated to provide quick humane kills as well as harvest these amazing animals I have the priveledge to hunt.
Has anyone else had this type of experience with VLDs?
Last edited:
stomp442
Well-Known Member
Sounds like it was plenty quick and humane if he only went 50 feet. I think your biggest problem was shooting him at last light. Sounds like the bullet worked great.
I didn't vote since I haven't gotten to use on game yet but I just worked up the 145gr LRX for my 7mm-08 Tikka (~22" barrel) accuracy node was 2700fps. Tad slower than I wanted but accuracy over velocity! Besides it'll still be moving ~2250fps with 1650ftlb at 300yds (5500' altitude). I sent a 5-shot out to 200yds a couple weeks ago that was 2.63" with a called flyer (3rd shot) and 1.25" without it.
My hunts start in a couple weeks so we'll hopefully see how they do on game.
****, my 06' might be out of action for the season (Busted optics, no money to replace them right now). Might have to resort to the mini-30 or an AR for Mule Doe this season =/
Wonder what offerings they have in 5.45...
Wonder what offerings they have in 5.45...
