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Which Berger is Better for Elk (7mm)

PingGong3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2020
Messages
147
Location
Birmingham, AL
Which is better on elk, the 180gr hybrid or 180gr VLD hunter? What's the difference between the 2 on wound channel and performance? Thanks
 
I don't think there's a bit of difference in terminal performance. The core and jacket are the same only difference is the shape.

I do feel like the Hybrids are easier to tune.

EDIT.
Upon inspection of my 180 Hybrids and VLDs I noticed the Hybrid hollow point is noticalbly larger in diameter. IMO, that would mean better low speed performance but possibly more explosive up close. NO real world experience with this just my thoughts.
 
My range is inside 600 yards.

Now the follow-up! 😉 Can any of the shots be at quite close range? Will any and all of the shots be placed broadside behind the shoulder?

My continual concern with many of these type bullets is their generally fragile nature ….in which they provide large but relatively shallow wound channels, killing quite impressively when the bullet is placed into the lungs or a high shoulder shot in a close range, high velocity impact.
This same quality may be quite detrimental if at close range the elk must be taken with a quartering-away shot requiring several feet of penetration or heavy bone is encountered and a lot of penetration is required!

If you are willing/ able to wait for the near perfect shot (I am not) …..they are quite lethal! At the range mentioned, their high bc value is just starting to be highly beneficial…..yet at close range their negatives may be of concern! memtb
 
I don't think there's a bit of difference in terminal performance. The core and jacket are the same only difference is the shape.

I do feel like the Hybrids are easier to tune.

EDIT.
Upon inspection of my 180 Hybrids and VLDs I noticed the Hybrid hollow point is noticalbly larger in diameter. IMO, that would mean better low speed performance but possibly more explosive up close. NO real world experience with this just my thoughts.

Are you sure they both have the same jacket thickness?

My understanding is that the 'hunting' bullets have a thinner jacket than the target jacket,

Extra confusing because Berger makes a .284 version of both;

180VLD Target (pn# 28405)

and a

180VLD Hunting (pn# 28502)
 
Are you sure they both have the same jacket thickness?

My understanding is that the 'hunting' bullets have a thinner jacket than the target jacket,

Extra confusing because Berger makes a .284 version of both;

180VLD Target (pn# 28405)

and a

180VLD Hunting (pn# 28502)
The difference is in the Hollow Point,
Shallow and deep, deep for Hunting.
That's what I was told. The jacket is the same.
 
The difference is in the Hollow Point,
Shallow and deep, deep for Hunting.
That's what I was told. The jacket is the same.
Actually, Berger has stated in the past, the jacket thickness is different. Thinner for the Hunting version, Thicker for the Target version. This was done to combat jacket failure for situations where barrel heat in competition was causing the jackets to fail.
 
🤷‍♂️

Berger lists the 180 hybrid Target with a J4 Target Jacket


They list the VLD hunting with a J4 Hunting jacket

 
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