$1,000,000 Question: Bergers for Big Game?

[effendude]

Anyone out there have experience using Berger VLD's for hunting big game(elk, black bear, deer, moose, etc)? I met John Porter from Best of the West this weekend at a wildlife banquet. He is a great guy, and has a wealth of knowledge regarding rifles, cartridges, and what works. John has complete confidence in the VLD's. I bought two of the Huskemaw scopes at the event and really think these guys are onto something great.

I have been toying with the idea of trying Bergers for a while. I just have this mental hurdle to get over using the same bullets for game as I do target shooting. I plan on loading some 190 VLD tonight to try in my 300RUM instead of Barnes 180 MRX for a spot and stalk black bear hunt next month. Please help with your good and bad experiences, if any.
Scott

 

[white121]

In my experience with them, they shoot great hands down but if you happen to miss that high shoulder shot that John Porter is so great at doing and hit them in the standard behind the shoulder that we were all tought growing up be ready for the critter to run a long ways. I really like the nosler accubonds they have high BC arevery accurate and flat out knock game down. the hornady A-max is really building a name for itself in hunting to.

Just my experience

Shaun White

 

[Mudcat]

Dont know about on game other than deer, but on deer, the 6mms and 30s that I have shot have been unbelievably deadly. No deer, not a single one, has walked a step after I have shot them with a VLD, including a large buck I hit in the arse (scope was bad but didnt know it until AFTER I couldnt figure out why a 225yrd chipshot ended up in his hind quarters) and he dropped on the spot as the bullet blew up when it hit bone, smashed his spine and he dropped like a rock. What is strange is that they will sometimes drop but then will try to get up but cant and you will want to follow up up with a quick head shot. I think the bullets blow up and cause so much kinetic energy shoke that it incapacitates them. Other times, I just blows a huge hole out the other side. So if you are meat hunting, avoid shoulder shots!

I use nothing but Bergers in my hunting guns now.

John

 

[steadyrest1]

Go to www.cloudpeakgunworks.com for detailed Berger bullet testamonials.

 

[Klong]

I have used the VLD on 1 deer. Lung shot with 6.5mm 140 gr VLD out of 6.5x284. The deer ran about 30 yards leaving a nice blood trail. The entrance was about the size of a quarter and the exit was about the size of a half dollar. The shot distance was around 165 yards. No complaint here.

 

[Shooter264]

I have shot Bergers exclusively for the last 10 years. I have killed several elk, deer, antelope, and a couple of bears with them. I have never had a critter go further than 50 yards (bear) and most die within 20'. Ranges for have varied from 50 yards to a shade over 900. Have never worried about the high shoulder shot, a nice poke behind the shoulder does the trick every time.

 

[egl52]

I witnessed by brother-in-law shoot a doe with one of Berger's Hunting VLDs high in the shoulder from about 60 yards this past fall. The wound channel was devastating. It's no exaggeration to say that a softball could easily have passed through the exit hole. Like Mudcat said, that sort of thing might not be what meat-hunters are looking for. In my opinion, these bullets are best for long-range shots at broadside animals. If you're looking for end-to-end penetration, look elsewhere. If you're looking to blow a goodly sized hole in whatever you're shooting with the hope of putting it on the ground immediately, and don't mind waiting for a broadside shot, then the VLDs will work great.

 

[TeamRoper]

I too was very sceptical about making the switch to Bergers. After all I was very happy with the bulletts I was using at the time. I also used to be happy with 3/4" to 1" groups. I first switched 1 gun to bergers then after testing them at the range and hunting I now have switched every gun I have to Bergers. Oh by the way my 3/4" to 1" guns are now all 1/4" to 1/2" guns. The most impressive thing is the fact that you have no meat waste due to blood shot meat and my trailing skills are no longer needed.

 

[2506]

I have only shot one deer with a VLD. It was with the .308 155 gr bullet at 2650 fps from my 30X47 HBR at 111 yards. It was a big doe and the shot was broad side and the bullet was placed in the center of the right front shoulder. At the shot the deer did not even flinch but just took off running like it was shot out of a cannon and went about 40 yards and piled up. At the place the deer was standing when shot you could see blood and lung tissue strung out for about 5 yards on the offside. From that point to where the deer was found there was not a drop of blood that could be found. The reason I think no blood was found was there was nothing left to pump the blood out with. The exit hole was so big you probably could have dropped a baseball right through it into the chest cavity. When skinning it out there was nothing in it's chest cavity but mush. Everything looked like it had been run through a food processor running on high for 10 minutes. Both shoulders were toast. I really don't see how that deer even took a step after taking that bullet.

 

[30378]

Without a doubt, the 308 caliber 175gr Berger VLD is a deer killing machine. My experience with them is Bang-Flop.

 

[effendude]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. Keep posting your experiences. I am expecting the first Huskemaw scope to arrive tomorrow. I have been working up a load for a Cooper Phoenix Model 22 in 6.5X284 with the 140 VLDs. Although I can't get above 2850fps before I get pressure, accuracy is great. These spring bears essentially become a large varmint hunt, so I am going to give the 6.5 a try. Meat damage is not a concern, what we pack out goes to the local food shelf. I have enough hides to look like Jeremiah Johnson already, but when the global warming myth is debunked, I'll be ready for the next hard winter....
Scott

 

[M700]

The Berger VLD is a fine bullet for deer sized game for sure! I've taken three mule deer with the 115 gr VLD @ 3200 fps mv from my .25-06 over the past couple of years. They penetrate into the chest cavity easily, even through the shoulder blade, and pretty well destroy the heart, major blood vessels and the lungs on their way through. May or may not get an exit wound, depending.

2008 buck, about 230 yards:

My son with a young buck from about 175 yards. You can see the bulge of the bullet in the skin just behind the shoulder where it lodged. I put it through the other side shoulder blade:

A doe taken at 400 yards:

All three of those deer dropped instantly. Agree with those who state it's not a bullet for extreme penetration, but if you can place the shot in the chest cavity or into the shoulder blade, they work well. A couple of my hunting/shooting buddies like them in heavier calibers for elk as well, but I haven't tried that, preferring to stick with the Nosler Partition or other controlled expansion bullets for heavier game when penetration might be an issue.

Regards, Guy

 

[zcrackshot]

I personally have taken 2 cow elk, and a mule deer buck with VLD's and have witnessed a cow moose and numerous mule deer bucks taken with them by family members. The cow elk were taken with a single shot each with a 168 gr. from a 7 WSM at 255 yrds and 560 yrds. Each one fell upon bullet impact with the closer of the two being shot through the front shoulder broadside which destroyed the vitals and never exited, the second was shot behind the shoulder quartering away and the result was almost identical. The mule deer buck was taken at 330 yards with a 95 gr. from a 243 WSSM. He dropped with a single shot that entered the right side behind the shoulder and exited through the left shoulder, very little meat damage. The cow moose was taken by my nephew with a single shot at 280 yards from a 270 Win. loaded with 140 gr. VLD's. I was a bit skeptical about such a light bullet being used on moose, cow or not but the shot penetrated through the top of her back (as we were above her shooting downhill) and destroyed the entire upper section of her lungs putting her right down, to date one of the most impressive bullet performances I've witnessed. The rest of the mule deer were all taken with a 300 RUM firing 185 gr. VLD's at distances ranging from 350 to 750 yards. Needless to say none of them required more than one shot as an Ultra is a bit overkill for deer sized game, In my humble opinion. I must say that it was difficult to find loads for some of my rifles that shot up to my expectations. When I say that I mean that I expected them to shoot better than other brands as they claim to be and seem to be "match grade". I did find what I was looking for in the Hunting VLD's however! Extremely accurate and deadly hunting bullets. I load Bergers exclusively for all of my hunting rifles and those of my family members and haven't had a single bad experience with them. They may damage meat worse than other bullets at close range but will extend your lethal range considerably with both superior accuracy and long range bullet performance. I can live with a bit of damaged meat as long as the animal dies humanely and isn't lost. If I had to pick just one bullet for every use it would have to be Berger!

 

[queen_stick]

I shot one deer with a 115gr 25 cal VLD, out of a 25-06. I think it was about a 30 yard shot (very close!). It looked like I shot the thing with a canon ball! Going in was nothing, going out... the entire front quarter was missing

 

[squirrelduster]

I recently started shooting Bergers and my first victim was a good size boar hog at 200 yards. I have shot quite a few hogs and usually they trot off a bit. This hog was down hill quartering towards me. I didn't weigh him but would guess him around 275 to 300 pounds. It was in a steep canyon. Front shoulder shot through the big plate they have with no exit.

It picked him completely off his feet and launched him into a creek bed. I couldn't believe what I had seen and when I went to retrieve him there were no drag marks where he had slid down. Looked like he was hit by a bus. Amazing impact. 7 WSM 168gr at 2980.

 

[wapiti25]

My hunting partner shot a bull moose with a 168 vld hunting bullet at 503 yds. one shot one kill, droped in it's tracks. The shot was behind the shoulder thru the ribs. I plan on using the same load bullet in AZ this fall for bull elk.