Has anyone used Berger VLD Hunting bullets for big game for any period of time? If so what have the results been from an accuracy standpoint, quickness of kill and damage to meat? They advertize to be the most lethal hunting bullet out there but the design seems like it may come appart to easily or quickly and damage meat. Thoughts?
Berger Bullets for big game
- Thread starter krshunter
- Start date
The Berger bullets have been found to penetrate 2-3 inches, then come completely unglued causing massive internal damage. You may or may not get an exit with this bullet depending on where you hit you animal. That 2-3 inches happens irrrespective of what you hit on entrance. Punch the front shoulder or through the ribs and you will get 2-3 inches and then massive expansion.
I have taken whitetails with the 115g VLD in .25-06 and have yet to have one take a step. Very good deer bullet.
I have taken whitetails with the 115g VLD in .25-06 and have yet to have one take a step. Very good deer bullet.
Likewise, three mule deer with the 115 gr Berger VLD from my .25-06, and excellent results. Those bullets, placed in the chest, will drop a deer like lightning. Ranges were from 175 - 400 yards on the mulies. They'll go through a buck's shoulder blade, no problem.
Very accurate, flat shooting, and deadly.
Very accurate, flat shooting, and deadly.
Oh yeah, there was considerable meat damage to the shoulder I deliberately hit... No doubt... But I'm not sure it was any more damage than I usually get when targeting the shoulder with a high velocity rifle. That thing often leaves a mess where it hits... The others, through the ribs, didn't cost me much in meat. Not much meat there to ruin anyway. And yes, all three mulies dropped instantly.
A couple of buddies have used bigger, .30 cal/190 - 210 gr Bergers on elk and have been happy with them.
A couple of buddies have used bigger, .30 cal/190 - 210 gr Bergers on elk and have been happy with them.
I shot a whitetail doe at 944yds with a 140gr Berger running out of a 260 Rem at right at 2900fps.
Bullet hit center ribs exit was just on the tip of the scapula , she ran about 4 yds and piled up.
their was good damage on par with 165gr Balistic tip out of a 308 at 200yds , the exit hole was about the size of silver dollar and their was some jacket fragments in the off side shoulder.
Bullet hit center ribs exit was just on the tip of the scapula , she ran about 4 yds and piled up.
their was good damage on par with 165gr Balistic tip out of a 308 at 200yds , the exit hole was about the size of silver dollar and their was some jacket fragments in the off side shoulder.
I have only shot one deer with the .308 155 VLD from my 30X47 HBR at 2650 fps. Bullet was placed center of the front shoulder broad side to me at 111 yards. The deer took off like it was shot out of a cannon into a huge very thick cut over. When I got to the spot the deer was shot there was blood and lung tissue in a line on the leaves and bushes for about 5 yards. I am a very experienced tracker of deer that have been shot and run off. I had to get down on my knees and crawl down this little path through the very thick cut over. I found NO BLOOD TRAIL at all, not a single speck. I came up on the deer right at 50 yards from where it was shot. The reason that there was no blood trail was because there was nothing left to pump any blood out. The vitals were soup. They looked like you had put them in a blender on high for a long while. The exit hole in the center of the off side shoulder was the size of a baseball. It astounds me at how an animal can go 50 yards with no heart or lungs.
I've used Bergers almost exclusively (I sneak an A-max in every now and again) for years now in my and all family members' big game rifles. My friends are now making the switch as well as they see how animals react time and time again to the Bergers. It took me a long while to warm up to the idea of hollow point bullets on big game but after what I consider as only good success with Swift Sciroccos, Nosler Accubonds, and a host of other bullets I was ready to try something else. I researched what info I could find, asked questions, watched videos, and have never looked back. The only people I know of that criticize them are those who have yet to try them. I don't like to admit it but I was once part of that group myself. I've taken Bull elk from 75 to 850 yards with VLD's out of a 7mm Rem Mag and a 300 Ultra. I have yet to fire a finishing shot. I have taken and witnessed mule deer kills at all ranges up to 900 yards with VLD's; 95 grainers in a 243 Win, 115 grainers in a 25-06, 130 and 140 grainers in a 6.5 Swede and 6.5-284, 140 grainers in a 270 Win, 140 and 168 grainers in a 7mm Rem Mag, 155 grainers in a 308 win, and 168 and 185 grainers in a 300 RUM. I don't want to sound like I'm rambling but I've also watched my nephew drop a cow moose from 265 yards with a single shot from his 270 Win, again with a 140 VLD. All I will say is that I have never used such a devastating bullet in all my years hunting. They may ruin a bit of meat at close ranges but if an animal gets away you lost a whole lot more than just what the bullet destroyed. Just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.
I dont deer hunt anymore...Im disabled at the best time of life ...but still able to enjoy target shooting....anyhow...I load lots of ammo for freinds and family...and have lots of shooting/hunting friends here in the hills...and many of them are using Berger bullets and never a complaint...and the deer and bear dont hav much to say either...they are usually dead right there!!!......Roger
Mudcat
Gold $$ Contributor
11 deer over the last several years, not one has taken a step after being hit with either a 95VLD 6mm out of a 243 or a 185vld out of a 300win mag. Unreal killing power, but you are going to trash some meat if you hit them in the shoulders. I either shoot them in the neck/head, or lungs. Either way, effective. Shots from 50 yards to 500 yards (off bipod in a huge field, ranged, dialed in, etc...not some wacky offhand guessing shot).
Trying the 140vlds in some 6.5Creedmoor this year. They are running 2930fps, so I suspect they are going to be very effective.
John
Trying the 140vlds in some 6.5Creedmoor this year. They are running 2930fps, so I suspect they are going to be very effective.
John
Had a 6.5X47 Lapua built last year and so far have shot two Pa whitetails at less than 100yds and one S.D. antelope 8 days ago, at 545yds. with 130 Berger VLD hunting bullets. All expired where they stood. This caliber and load combination is fast becoming my favorite.
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I shot a big hog last year with a 7wsm at 250 yards and the result was amazing. Picked him off his feet and he landed in a creek bed dead. Went through the front plate that was about an inch thick and completely scrambled the lungs and heart. Looked like the blender comment from before.
My brother shot a blacktail last week at about 30 yards, a little overkill, 300 win mag 190 gr VLD at 2980. Entered right behind the shoulder and broke one rib on entry, same scrambled lungs as before, one broken rib on exit. The funny thing is the damage was not as bad as I expected. Small entry with not much blood shot around the broken rib, exit hole about the size of a golf ball with not too much blood shot meat. Over all performance very impressive.
I have always used accubonds and wanted the better ballistics of the Bergers but was worried about meat damage but it seems almost better than the other bullets. The other benefit is man do they drop stuff.
My brother shot a blacktail last week at about 30 yards, a little overkill, 300 win mag 190 gr VLD at 2980. Entered right behind the shoulder and broke one rib on entry, same scrambled lungs as before, one broken rib on exit. The funny thing is the damage was not as bad as I expected. Small entry with not much blood shot around the broken rib, exit hole about the size of a golf ball with not too much blood shot meat. Over all performance very impressive.
I have always used accubonds and wanted the better ballistics of the Bergers but was worried about meat damage but it seems almost better than the other bullets. The other benefit is man do they drop stuff.
DCRYDER
Silver $$ Contributor
The 168's group very good in my 280AI and at 2960 fps are dead on out to 500 yards with my BDC reticle (600 circle is really 640). But I am still skeptical on game performance. I'm gun shy because I lost a good buck last year with a 270wsm and 130gr SSTs. Quartering toward me at 200 yards i'm guessing i did not get enough penetration. I really want to use the vld's but something tells me to use the Barnes TSX's.
When they claim 2-3" of penetration before expansion, it scares my that on a broadside lungshot it may not expand at all.
This thread is starting to make me lean towards trying them.I'm only hunting whitetails in eastern KY.
Decisions, decisions.
When they claim 2-3" of penetration before expansion, it scares my that on a broadside lungshot it may not expand at all.
This thread is starting to make me lean towards trying them.I'm only hunting whitetails in eastern KY.
Decisions, decisions.
"When they claim 2-3" of penetration before expansion, it scares my that on a broadside lungshot it may not expand at all."
From what I've seen, they expand violently once they get into the chest cavity of the deer. Expansion simply shouldn't be a problem. I've nailed three mule deer with them and had an instant drop in each case, 175, 230 & 400 yards. Used the 115 Berger VLD from my .25-06 Rem 700.
Guy
From what I've seen, they expand violently once they get into the chest cavity of the deer. Expansion simply shouldn't be a problem. I've nailed three mule deer with them and had an instant drop in each case, 175, 230 & 400 yards. Used the 115 Berger VLD from my .25-06 Rem 700.
Guy
I have used the 6mm 105 vld hunting bullest with several great kills from 30 to 500 yds. I was amazed at how tough the 30 cal 210 vld are. I shot a whitetail doe at 50 yds with a 30-378. The muzzle velocity was around 3200. The bullet held up and completed passed through and seemed to hold together. I buddy took my rifle elk hunting this year and kill a bull at 250 with the same combo. One shot was all it took.
Just wanted to chime in one more time as our mule deer hunt just ended here in Utah. Three bucks fell to Bergers this year. The first was my wife's at just over 250 yards shot with a 130 VLD from a 6.5 Swede, he dropped where he stood. My son's was a bit farther off, (some might not believe me but I have no reason to lie as I'm not here to impress anyone nor do I know anyone personally) he dropped his buck at an impressive 723 yards with a single shot from my 300 Ultra firing a 168 VLD! My own buck was taken with the same combo at 468 yards. My buck was the first animal that I've shot or saw shot with a Berger that didn't drop in his tracks. The shot struck just behind the shoulder blade and exited the off side shoulder leaving a golf ball sized hole. The buck ran 40-50 yards leaving a two foot wide carpet of blood before stopping and rearing over backwards. I was amazed that the animal ran anywhere after removing the mush that remained inside his chest cavity, no heart or lungs in any sort of solid form remained. Anyways, just thought I'd say BERGERS did it again!
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Preacher
Gold $$ Contributor
I just killed a nice 80+ Wyoming Antelope with a 115 Berger VLD out of my 25-284 16" XP-100 at a bit over 300 yards and made a mess inside and broke the off shoulder and kept right on going, he went a total of 10 foot and flipped over.
The previous day I had been shooting PD's with it and was not impressed at all with the lack of damage it was doing.. but the damage on the Antelope made me stop worrying, and I plan on using it for deer here in a few weeks with no more worrying at all about what it will do.....
The previous day I had been shooting PD's with it and was not impressed at all with the lack of damage it was doing.. but the damage on the Antelope made me stop worrying, and I plan on using it for deer here in a few weeks with no more worrying at all about what it will do.....
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