Experiences with Berger VLD hunting bullets

[rebel]

Again guys, thanks for the real world experiences. JRS, I have read Berger's description - apparently they work as advertised. I just don't put faith in advertisements and y'all are here to ask.
I wish all hunters would put the work in ahead of time, as most of you seem to have done. Having a rifle to hunt with that has match level performance is a privilege. I am fortunate to have a few. If I'm lucky enough to harvest a deer with this rig this year, I'll add to the collective my experiences and results.

 

[JRS]

Good luck with your hunt, rebel, and above all, enjoy yourself

 

[Jaybo]

The Berger hunting VLD is a great bullet I've been using them since they came out. I've killed everything from coyote to elk with them and knock on wood I've never lost a animal yet. 70% was Drt. using calibers from 6mm to 338. ranges from 0 to 900 yards. (they work)

 

[Frankr]

They are not "designed" to penetrate anything. They simply work The HVLD is the original Berger Match bullet that was made on the thinner jacket.

Maybe not designed to penetrate but testing has shown they will penetrate 2 to 3 " of what ever they encounter like threw cow bone at 25 yards then start to break apart with some fragmentation creating a massive wound channel. This is kind of not by design just how it worked out..I feel what makes it work so well is the VLD's heavy for caliber and the high sectional density that allows for some bullet left to exit. So poor sectional density,low velocity and maybe too much velocity will cause the bullet to not do it's thing. But in my experience and other's I hunt with they have been among the deadliest bullets we have ever used. Nosler Partions,Hornady Interlocks are up there with the HVLD but most don't carry the way the Berger does. Now the new ELD X bullets may prove to be a Better bullet all around but we have found them to not shoot as well as the Berger's as far as tight groupings go. but we have been able to hit targets to 1,000 yards with them. So 1" to 2" groups at 200 yards with them has proven to be quite good out to 1K. now understand I have the Berger's shoot .300 ish groups at 200 yards. So kind of hard to shoot 1 1/2" and hope that is good enough but trust me you wont miss a game animal with them. I seen one guy with 6K custom rifle at the range and he just could not get the ELD X's to shoot at all and that was what the rifle was built to shoot..He called and they told him to try some Berger's in it..lol.....

 

[CTK]

I think the biggest reason is due to many shots that are taken with those bullets being very long. We don't tend to use partitions or flat base bonded bullets for those type of shots. The match bullets hit where you aim. We all know that's more important than anything. The other thing that is arguable and without a doubt purely opinion is which bullet is best. Everyone has there personal best. That's why so many are made. All have killed exceptionally well and all shoot differently.

I do understand that most, if not all, hunters using Berger's are anticipating a long poke at the target species. I also understand that this distance probably puts the Berger into it's best terminal performance envelope. Certainly BC and bullet quality are important to shot placement. I could be full of it that the Berger is not the best bullet for a long shot on a big/tough critter. Perhaps an Accubond or a Barnes would not provide the needed expansion at over 600y. A Berger would not be my personal first choice for common distances at big/tough game. This said, I have used them for Mule Deer and have killed whitetail with them. Plan to do it some more

 

[rebel]

Good luck with your hunt, rebel, and above all, enjoy yourself

Always. The beans have gotten high quick due to all our rain we have been graced with. Hopefully I'll use one on my favorite ballistic media........groundhog, before the summer is through.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I get it that a fast expanding or fragmenting bullet can kill a bear or moose. What I do not understand is why anyone would choose one for this type game when there are better choices out there.

My reason for using Berger hunting VLDs is that no other bullet compares to their long range accuracy and trajectory. I have never had an issue with Berger bullets penetrating bone and muscle to get to the vitals. I hunted with 180gr Accubond and Partitions for many years in a 300 win Mag. Though I do not have a 30 Cal rifle any longer, the 140gr Berger bullets in my 6.5 and the 250gr in my 338 penetrate just as well if not better before delivering terminal devastation to the vitals.

6mm bullets shouldnt even be in a conversation about hunting elk, moose, and large bears. I've seen elk and bears eat a lot of large 30 and 338 caliber lead before going down and a 6mm 105gr bullet cannot deliver enough energy or sectional density to reliably and consistently penetrate heavy bone and muscle at a less than desirable shot angle.

That being said, the OP "rebel" stated that he will be shooting relatively short ranges so I think any good hunting bullet will work just fine for deer. But when a person needs to stretch out to 400-500 yards or more, there's no other bullet I would recommend more for hunting than Berger. They drive hard right through any bone and muscle then leave the vitals looking like a wet sloppy Joe

 

[284winner]

Again guys, thanks for the real world experiences. JRS, I have read Berger's description - apparently they work as advertised. I just don't put faith in advertisements and y'all are here to ask.
I wish all hunters would put the work in ahead of time, as most of you seem to have done. Having a rifle to hunt with that has match level performance is a privilege. I am fortunate to have a few. If I'm lucky enough to harvest a deer with this rig this year, I'll add to the collective my experiences and results.

Send out your results and experience. You'll love the Berger's regardless of how much or little damage it does. The end result will be a tag hanging on an antler. Good luck.

 

[long40shot]

I did shoot a doe in the head at 80yds with a 185 hvld out of my 300wm. It died.

 

[agr516]

I have had very good results with the 10 Hybrid out of a 243ai. I started short and am working my way out to longer ranges on white tails. All results have been very impressive. I think you will be just fine with the 105HVLD.

 

[Sniper338]

Heres the 6BR and 105gr berger vlds. Hope I answered the question.

 

[rebel]

Heres the 6BR and 105gr berger vlds. Hope I answered the question.View attachment 1016275

Worth a 1000 words.

 

[jim_k]

I love the Berger VLD's. However, I have had two 6.5mm bullets pencil through deer that were later recovered, and was able to verify that there was no expansion. One bullet was a 140 gr hunting VLD from a 6.5x55 SM at 120 yards, and the other was a 130 gr hunting VLD from same rifle at 20 yards, through the chest just above the heart, and just behind the front shoulder, exiting just behind the far shoulder. Those were the only animals I shot with Berger hunting VLD's. I also shot many (can't remember how many) with the .30 cal Berger 155 or 168 hunting VLD. All but one of these were devastating, just what you would want. I mean, there was some devastating damage. The last one I shot was 85 yards, with a .308 Win 155 gr hunting VLD. The shot should have been just behind the shoulder on a full broadside shot. Very minimal blood the first 100 yards, then found a pool of blood where the doe had briefly bedded. Some tissue was present, likely lung. Everything on the ground was red - no stomach or intestinal contents suspected. Blood trail went 1/2 mi., and went into an impassable area. The animal was not found. I switched to standard soft-point bullets, and the next two animals I shot were recovered, but despite good killing effect, there was absolutely no blood trail, even on the one which was a complete pass-through. The other one was a slight quartering-to, and the bullet was recovered under the hide just forward of the off-side hind leg. I kept the bullet, because it was a perfect example of classic bullet expansion. I have spoken with two professional guides, both of whom have seen more animals shot by more different bullets than just about any two other guides there are. They both want to see hunters bring soft-point lead-tipped bullets to the hunt, and shoot no farther than they can hit what they aim at. That's all I know.

 

[Kenneth66]

Not 6mm , but Berger VLD hunting bullet never the less . 175 gr 30-06 at about twenty five yd so . That wound is the entry wound , quartered toward me . As you can see in the picture before skinning , showed nothing but a dark spot . No exit wound , no blood trail , deer was strong willed , ran about 100 yds at break neck speed . Couldn't believe there wasn't an exit wound that close , lungs was pulverized to mush , I mean soupy mush , some heart damage , that deer absorbed all that shock and still ran 100 yds .

 

[Kenneth66]

Same bullet , same gun , these two where about to fight first one was shot at about 180 yds , second about 140 yds the second one ran toward me after dropping the first . Through the shoulder on both deer neither exited , but made a mess inside , one DRT , the other ran about twenty yds . Have shot a couple others and none of those ran more than 40-50 yds , don't remember the specifics , but it has been a working bullet for me . Accuracy has been great .

 

[K redden]

I have shot 6 white tails with a 105 HVLD out of my 6XC at 3,150 FPS MV. two at 200 yards, fell in their tracks.
One at 500 yards fell in it's tracks. Another one 410 yards fell in it's tracks. One at 420 Yards fell in it's tracks. One at 40 yards ran 30 40 feet. My buddy shot one with my XC at 500 Yards in the guts it went about 50 yards. My buddy's girl friend shot one at 610 Yards with a 105 HVLD out of his 243 3,000 FPS MV and it went around 20 feet. I have shot a few with a 6.5 140 and a 270 150 HVLD's ..same results. But I feel the 3,150 FPS is a good killing speed..Maybe not up close but the further you go he speed helps. So with the 6BR you will want to limit your range to where the bullet falls below 2,000 FPS..SO they say and I think there is some truth in that from what I have seen.
All of mine had exited even at 500 yards and did not do any more damage than any other expanding bullet.
My buddy's girl friends shot at 610 did not exit and did very little damage,enough to get the job done but maybe on the too slow side of working well.

I get the same results with my 8 twist dasher. Monster mule deer bucks at 400yds fall in there tracks. No meat loss

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

215gr of Hybrid awesomeness

 

[boltfluter]

215gr of Hybrid awesomeness

That's a beauty. Congrats.

Pau

www.boltfluting.com

 

[msinc]

Deer are tough. Whitetails are hard to put down and/or they have one heck of a will to live. I have lived in shotgun only country just about all my life and you would think a slug of lead the size of your thumb would easily put anything in the dirt, but I have spent many hours tracking what seemed like a good hit on deer shot by me and friends. I mean, how bad can the shot placement be when you find half a rib laying on the ground???
I really thought when I went to rifle country that my problems dropping deer would be over...but it was not. What I found was that so called "explosive" bullets didn't necessarily drop them right there. Most of the deer I shot with ballistic tip type bullets ran about 100 yards or so and I saw massive tissue damage. To the point that you wonder how he made it two steps, let alone 100 yards.
I have said it before, in Alaska the gun of choice for bear protection is a 12 gauge slug.....I say you are betting on the wrong team. This year I am using Berger HVLD's and I haven't shot anything but paper with them so far...nobody would be happier if they turned out to be the "DRT" bullet of my dreams.
I am to the point where I could really care less about meat damage...if the entire inside of the black bear is jelly that's okay as long as: A. He drops in his tracks and I don't have to trail him for three days. and B. I can still mount the hide or at least make a rug out of it. As far as whitetails go, I give up...I am ordering a Patriot missile system for them things!!!! maybe string claymore's up in the trees......

 

[JRS]

Deer are tough. Whitetails are hard to put down and/or they have one heck of a will to live. I have lived in shotgun only country just about all my life and you would think a slug of lead the size of your thumb would easily put anything in the dirt, but I have spent many hours tracking what seemed like a good hit on deer shot by me and friends. I mean, how bad can the shot placement be when you find half a rib laying on the ground???
I really thought when I went to rifle country that my problems dropping deer would be over...but it was not. What I found was that so called "explosive" bullets didn't necessarily drop them right there. Most of the deer I shot with ballistic tip type bullets ran about 100 yards or so and I saw massive tissue damage. To the point that you wonder how he made it two steps, let alone 100 yards.
I have said it before, in Alaska the gun of choice for bear protection is a 12 gauge slug.....I say you are betting on the wrong team. This year I am using Berger HVLD's and I haven't shot anything but paper with them so far...nobody would be happier if they turned out to be the "DRT" bullet of my dreams.
I am to the point where I could really care less about meat damage...if the entire inside of the black bear is jelly that's okay as long as: A. He drops in his tracks and I don't have to trail him for three days. and B. I can still mount the hide or at least make a rug out of it. As far as whitetails go, I give up...I am ordering a Patriot missile system for them things!!!! maybe string claymore's up in the trees......

Too many aim too high in the boiler room.