Berger 208 LRHT on deer

[Orr89rocz]

Got a chance to try these on a deer today. Doe at 576 yrds. 300 wsm pushing them at 2860. Estimated 2150 fps impact.

Held straight up leg almost mid body. Dialed 2.9 mil and hit maybe an inch or two low of aim. Perfect calm no wind so dead on with windage. Broadside feeding.
Entered thru tricep, into chest. Pencil hole in.

Good damage on inside. Maybe not as bad as the 210 vld i have used. Exited thru opposite leg/shoulder bone. Touch bigger than golfball exit but probably because of the bone hit. Basically snapped it in half. Lots of damage around exit side . Not sure how well it came apart but seemed to fragment some. Satisfied with it, even though it ran a good 100-120 yards. Open corn fields so no issue finding it. Didnt check for blood trail but probably some. A lot of internal bleed. Pretty clean on the body. Would have preferred a touch higher hit on high shoulder or just hit the crease behind the shoulder bone for good double lung. If i hadnt hit bone not sure how the exit would have looked? I may stick with the vld hunters but not ruling these out for how good they shoot and satisfactory performance so far

 

[65swede]

Nice report, I've been curious about these on game. They're boringly accurate in my 300win and and I intended to shoot a Colorado Muley buck with them this year. Opted for the 7mag the day I pulled the trigger though, accubonds got it done.

 

[Down South]

Thanks for the report on terminal performance. I've hunted with the hunting VLDs several seasons and had good results. Testing hammer bullets this season.

 

[yukonal]

I may stick with the vld hunters .

Good idea.

 

[wedgy]

The 208 has proved to be excellent on game.

My perfect Wyoming Mountain rifle build thread

Maybe I better change my 30 Nosler to copy this beast. Nice job Cody I know after using it for pronghorn, and mule deer, which is essentially the same kind of hunting I do for elk, I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing. It performs exactly how I imagined!

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[Orr89rocz]

The 208 has proved to be excellent on game.

My perfect Wyoming Mountain rifle build thread

Maybe I better change my 30 Nosler to copy this beast. Nice job Cody I know after using it for pronghorn, and mule deer, which is essentially the same kind of hunting I do for elk, I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing. It performs exactly how I imagined!

www.longrangehunting.com

Yeah bergers do seem to do well. I’d like to get another one, a typical double lung job to see how bullet does in soft tissue no bone. I have a couple vld samples and have been impressed. For thicker game i think they are probably much better as they should penetrate abit more before coming apart with the smaller meplat and i assume slightly thicker target jacket. I do feel confident enough in them so far.

 

[yukonal]

Orr, we've shot everything from 75# springbuck, to 1,800# eland with 180 Hunting VLD's out of a 284. Everything dies in short order. My Eland went exactly 21 yards.

I have caught a couple on off side shoulders. Funny...but they are perfect mushrooms. I've found that that 400 yard range, with my velocity, keeps them together surprisingly well. 300 yards and in, they do the Berger thing, and just turn vitals to mush...with no sign of the bullet.

 

[Orr89rocz]

Orr, we've shot everything from 75# springbuck, to 1,800# eland with 180 Hunting VLD's out of a 284. Everything dies in short order. My Eland went exactly 21 yards.

I have caught a couple on off side shoulders. Funny...but they are perfect mushrooms. I've found that that 400 yard range, with my velocity, keeps them together surprisingly well. 300 yards and in, they do the Berger thing, and just turn vitals to mush...with no sign of the bullet.

Nice. I am putting together a 28 nosler for 180 vld and hybrids. Hope to try it next yr. Will not shoot under 200 yrds lol

 

[effendude]

Orr,

I've used the 230 gr. Hybrid on deer and coyotes. Oh my, it is devastating. Lots of damage, almost always an exit. It literally rips coyotes apart, even at extended ranges. I load the 190 VLD for a friend out of his Win Mag and he bang/flops everything. Perfect bullet for deer sized game IMHO.

Yukonal is a good friend of mine and has been singing the praises of the 284 with the 180 VLD for years. He has a house full of trophies to attest to the effectiveness of the combo. I've done the same with a 284 Shehane and the 180 target hybrid, and on my last trip to South Africa, using the 175 gr. Elite Hunter. (3) Kudu, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbok, Hartebeest and many smaller animals too. Nothing took a step.

I've done the 28 Nosler, using 195 gr. EOL bullets. Shot a couple big Mexican mule deer with it. I couldn't find the bullets and they didn't exit. I've since sold it. My Shehane(s) do an excellent job, with no recoil. I run suppressors on all of them.
Good Luck,
Scott