As said the classic hunters were I believe designed for magazine challenged round length. They work great in restricted length mags. They also do perform well with less fuss than a vld although I have to admit I have never had a fussy vld. They take a bit longer to find the sweet spot with but never has one let me down accuracy wise. Design wise they are built the same as all berger hunting bullets.
Berger Hunting VLD vs Classic Hunter
- Thread starter long40shot
- Start date
I want no part of a bullet that's going to disintegrate after only penetrating an animal in 12-18 inches. If you don't have the perfect broadside shot you're asking for trouble. I want a bullet that will penetrate a shoulder cleanly powering through muscle and bone and push through vitals and leave a wound channel on both sides of the animal. A Bearclaw mushrooms effectively leaving a large wound channel and can effectively pass through an animal all, but guaranteeing a heavy blood trail if the animal has the ability to run after being hit.
Give me a bullet that's going to retain 90% plus of its original weight, Bearclaws, Swift A Frames and North Fork bullets all pass the test.
Give me a bullet that's going to retain 90% plus of its original weight, Bearclaws, Swift A Frames and North Fork bullets all pass the test.
Well there's plenty of those bullet designs out there...luckily. Not everyone likes the berger and not everyone likes the partition style bullet. I think each has its own purpose. I use both depending on many variables.
That is quite a launch speed. 26 Nosler?
Accubonds did all of above for me with the exception of a blood trail. Usually had to search for the exit hole on a heart/lung shot. Carnage on the inside but tiny hole on exit. This was usually a 140gr 7mm @ +-200y from a 280AI on whitetails.
I just picked up some Barnes triple shock X bullets in 130 grain and the Swift 140 grainers for my 6.5-284. I'm going to do some ladder tests on both to see how each perform. I've heard good things about Reloader 17 so I'm going to see what type of velocity Reloader 17 gives me as well as IMR 4350. Something tells me it's going to be a barrel burner.
I'm also reworking loads for my 7mm Mauser and 270 WSM, I've decide to go with heavier bullets for each rifle. I'd like to get the Mauser to 2,700 fps using 168gr bullets and Reloader 17.
I use 50.5 with RL17 and 140s and it's pretty decent. Was told Ramshot magnum also is very good. Hearing guys using around 51+ of RL17 with 123 Amax and 130 vlds and getting 3200 very easily. Even accurate surprisingly
I have found the 6.5 mm Berger classic Hunter to be equally accurate if not more than the 130 gr VLD Hunting bullet in the 6.5 X 47. Just shot 1.115" 5 shot group at 500 yards few weeks ago. 37.2 gr Varget CCI 450 and 135 seated 0.015" Jam. Same 0.015" jam for 130 gr VLD out of 4 groove 8.5 twist Krieger but slightly hotter charge.
I think it will be a great hunting bullet. I think that I remember the published BC to be higher than the 130 VLD. I just screwed around with it and averaged under 1/2 inch out of a light rifle with one seating depth.
I also found a hot load that was reasonably accurate in my 26" Krieger 1:8.5 twist of 40.4 gr RL 17 and 135 gr Berger Classic Hunter jammed 0.015" going 2940 fps. Shot 5 shot group around 1 3/4" at 500 yards. Don't know how this will perform under cold weather conditions when I intend on using for hunting. May need a little tweaking for cold conditions.
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
I agree with you to a point. Large, heavy muscled, thick skinned critters. But for whitetail, antelope and the like, Bergers are great.
I am going to hunt TN/MS whitetail exclusively with my 6.5x47 this year. I only own 2 centerfire rifles. My other rifle is a 280AI. My shots vary between 40 and 400y. I believe a faster expanding or fragmenting (Berger) will help at reduced velocities. I am gearing up my 8 year old with 120 Ballistic Tips for his 7-08. I have always used a 270 Win. or a 280AI as my primary rifle and have never lost a hit animal. I cleanly missed a couple of doe with the 280 AI last year. Had a gunked up trigger causing hang fires in the cold weather. I probably have a false sense of security with the 280AI. Hoping that I will continue this streak with the 6.5. If I go out West for plains Whitetail or Mule Deer, I will probably leave the 6.5 behind.
I have used the 30 cal 168 classic hunters on elk, deer and antelope. Elk was in some timber about 75 yards out, lung shot and dropped him fast. Deer was 250 yards out, heart shot and dropped. Antelope was a fluke. Was ready for a long shot but stalked within a little over 100 yards, hit lungs, he went 50 yards and dropped. Probably too close for that thin skinned game and that large bullet is my guess to why he went that far.
All said, I have had great and ethical sucess with the classic hunter.
All said, I have had great and ethical sucess with the classic hunter.
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