Berger VLD Hunting 7MM 140 gr

[yukonal]

How is your performance on game?

I have literally killed at least 5 dozen big game animals with 168 and 180's out of my 284. And a couple dozen 150#-250# hogs with my 708, shooting the 140's. Typical VLD Hunting, I've only had two animals ever take a step...and one was an 1800# Eland.

This year my wife and I each shot a mule deer buck, with the 140's, at 250 and 265. On both animals we both got exits, and not the jello vitals like I've been used to seeing for 10 years since using Bergers. The wife's buck was a perfect double lung, didn't hit a rib on either side, and I had a perfect autopsy of the 2 lungs. Berger size hole going in on side lung, and thumb size hole going out the off side lung. Unbelievable blood shooting out 6' on the short death run.

What I'm wondering about is...these bullets did not perform like I'm used to. Not disappointed at all, in fact I love it! They performed like an AccuBomb, or other bonded bullet. But my question is...was this a 140 VLD Hunting thing? I'm sure I had enough velocity to do the jello thing.

What has your experience been with the 140 VLD Hunting bullets? Jello, or pass thru's?

 

[std7mag]

Mine has been PA whitetail.
140 VLD out of Stevens 200 chambered in 7mm-08AI.
2,832fps out of the factory 22" sporter barrel at 50°f.
Shot was 413 yards at 18°f.
Just nicked back of front leg on entry. Bullet sized entry hole.
Blood everywhere!
She managed to turn 180° and made it 20 yards.
No exit hole.
Both lungs & heart (2 pieces) turned to goo.
On skinning out she had 1" fat layer. Found jacket between fat & hide on offside.

Another deer 125ish yards bullet sized entry. Deer just dropped.
No exit. Again, jacket under offside hide.

Daughters buck with 115gr VLD out of 257 Roberts at 70 yards. " I saw the hit, deer just kinda puffed up, went straight legged & fell over.".
Again, no exit hole.

 

[284winner]

Lots of good results with deer kills using the 140 7mm bullets.

 

[yukonal]

Lots of good results with deer kills using the 140 7mm bullets.

By that, do you mean pass thru's, or stay inside and do the Berger thing?

What I'm trying to figure out is, are these 140's an anomaly...and are a little harder or thicker...that mine were pass thru's with little to no explosion, as is typical.

 

[284winner]

By that, do you mean pass thru's, or stay inside and do the Berger thing?

What I'm trying to figure out is, are these 140's an anomaly...and are a little harder or thicker...that mine were pass thru's with little to no explosion, as is typical.

I think speed has alot to do with performance using the 140 from a 7mm magnum rifle. Obviously it can be pushed very fast from that cartridge. Many times not giving optimum bullet performance from that result. I'd say keep impact velocity around 2900 fps or less and it's a good bullet. Beyond that, I've seen some bad results. Less expansion, bullet diameter exits etc. Had that problem with lighter for bore bullets in .270 WSM rifles. Another thing is shot placement which of course is most important. Shoulder hits would be fine but thru ribs many are non-expanding if velocities are too high. Just my experience. Mine have been from 7/08 or 284 cartridges. Both did fine pushed at 3000 fps muzzle velocities.

 

[AckleymanII]

My brother has had good luck out of 7/08's with the 140g vld hunting. They are explosive bullets. My niece shot a really nice buck at 340 yards. She mis-judged the distance and hit the huge buck at the bottom of the brisket on a broadside shot. The bullet was 2" from the bottom of the brisket, and the fragments killed the buck, traveled about 50 yards, heart blown up. If my niece had been shooting a 140g Sierra flat base, the poor bc may shot below the buck or just barely nicked him.

Brother swears that the 140g VLD Hunting kill deer stone dead and shoots the VLD hunting in all calibers. My brother has killed quite a few deer with the 155g VLD Hunting in a 308 with very short freebore. His longest shot on a hog is 560 yards.

 

[std7mag]

My brother has had good luck out of 7/08's with the 140g vld hunting. They are explosive bullets. My niece shot a really nice buck at 340 yards. She mis-judged the distance and hit the huge buck at the bottom of the brisket on a broadside shot. The bullet was 2" from the bottom of the brisket, and the fragments killed the buck, traveled about 50 yards, heart blown up.

Brother swears that the 140g VLD Hunting kill deer stone dead and shoots the VLD hunting in all calibers. My brother has killed quite a few deer with the 155g VLD Hunting in a 308 with very short freebore. His longest shot on a hog is 560 yards.

A question in my mind is whether or not they will blow up on the shoulder..

I am a big fan of the Hornady Interlock bullets and the Speer Hot Core, but the BC stinks.

Yeah, don't hit the shoulder!

If your looking for good expansion AND penetration, look at the Nosler Ballistic Tip.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Using, a .270 WSM with, 140 gr. Classic Hunter Berg's at, 3,185 FPS the Bullet Punched thru, BOTH Shoulder Blades and a LOT of Meat ! The Base was "balled up" in, the far side, Hair, 6-7 Bullet Fragments, were lodged in upper Diaphram area, Lungs were, Jello ! Surprisingly, very little, "Blood Shot" Meat w/a 1.5 " Exit, hole.
The Bull was, a 110 Yard, "Chip shot", kneeling, over Stix, shooting over, the top of, Sage Brush ( only the top 1/2 of, the Bull was, exposed ).
Ka Pow,.. Hooves in Air,.. immediately ! Bought MORE of these and NO plans of, EVER changing !
After shooting my, 3/8 th's inch diameter, Steel Target Frame almost in Half at, 550 Yards, I knew that, these were, very, TOUGH Bullets ! Experience on Elk have since, proved to me that, they are, DRT, "Killer", Bullets.
So, impressed that, I SOLD all, my Deep penetrating, but SLOW Killing,.. AccuBonds !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

By that, do you mean pass thru's, or stay inside and do the Berger thing?

What I'm trying to figure out is, are these 140's an anomaly...and are a little harder or thicker...that mine were pass thru's with little to no explosion, as is typical.

My guess is that, your Bullets might have had, a Bit "thicker", Jacket !
That Bullet is also used, in the FASTER,.. 7 MM Rem Mag's, SAUM, 7 WSM, 7 STW, etc.
Might Call, Berger with, some,.. Questions !
Most Hunting, Berger's, seem to,.."Fragment" and Liquify, the insides without, Exits !
My grandson shot, a 3 x 4 Muley, last Fall with, an 87 Gr. H-VLD .243 Win, at, 268 Yds and insides Jello, NO Exit.
One Hop,.. DRT !

 

[AckleymanII]

Lefty, that is one heck of a bullet you are shooting there, the 140g 270 cal classic hunter.

 

[yukonal]

What is the difference between the classic hunter, and the vld hunting?

 

[AckleymanII]

Classic Hunter is less VLD, meaning the point up on the bullet is of a different shape. The Classic Hunter bullets are usually much more jump tolerant.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Lefty, that is one heck of a bullet you are shooting there, the 140g 270 cal classic hunter.

Yup,. I'm very Happy with, the Performance ! Great Accuracy, Fragments ( Jello, insides ) and seems to Penetrate, Ok ! Classis Hunters, were designed to be, the best BC bullet that, could Fit in, a Regular Magazine at, Sammi COAL.
The Tip's of, the 140 gr. AccuBonds ( former Load, 3,150 FPS ) were Flattening, upon Recoil in my Tikka's Magazine AND, my Arizona Elk , Died, rather SLOWLY with, them ! So, I started Looking for, a BETTER Bullet.
Since, I don't shoot Elk, from, Zip Code to Zip Code ( extremely High BC's, NOT needed ) they work, real FINE !
This Load starts out at, 3,185 FPS and is, STILL going OVER, 2,000 FPS at, 800 Yards ( @ 5,500 Ft Elev. ).
My Max., Big Game, "effective Range" ( Aka, Wind reading, Skills ) is Capped at,.. 700 Yards.

 

[AckleymanII]

I shot elk with regular ballistic tips, no problems. We rode mules and shots were within 150 yards. Those animals were dead on their feet! Cow elk with 243 and 6 Rem with 100g Partitions with no problems.

Put the bullet where it is supposed to go, stuff is not hard to kill, quickly. Quartering shots, to and fro can Leade to an insane tracking job and chase, if you are not using a bullet up to the penetration job. Know your limits.

I saw a hunting partner shoot a big bull from about 400 yards. We were riding mules just below a ridge line, and a bull stood up from his bed, on the adjacent ridge, my mule spotted him. Partners shot was a steep down hill shot, going through the top of the back to get to the heart/lungs. He pulled the shot, and hit about mid ways of the rib cage, half off center from the spine. He shot just behind the diaphragm, and bullet exited the belly pouring blood and guts. At the shot, the mules of course got excited not knowing whether to run off or not, and we were trying not to get trampled or loose our rides. Pard finished him off at 460 yards, and he was shooting a 7 Mag with 140g Nosler partitions. Mules do not like muzzle breaks.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

When, I first bought my .270 WSM Tikka and started looking for "good" Bullets, most Everyone, Recommended AccuBonds and I had read several, "Horror Stories" about, Berger's SO, started with, Accu's !
Lots of, "Mis-conceptions" of Bergers , sadly ! But, they ARE, "Stone Cold",.. DRT killers, IMO !
The "Fragments" EVERYWHERE, Blood Shot Meat, chit, is, B S as, most frag's, stay, in the Diaphram area or, Organs.
I also think that, some People bought, NON Hunting, Target, VLD's or got, the Tip's Plugged, IF having, the Pencil thru, "Problem" !
Anyway, I like the Bergers,.. a LOT !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Yup, the Ballistic Tip's for MY uses, were better than, the AccuBonds,.. AGREE !
They, Mushroom / Frag, a Bit and, Kill,.. WELL !
And I always Liked, the Partitions, too, IF used at, Reasonable Ranges.
People NEED to Test their Bullets, BEFORE Shooting, Big Game !
@ Ackleyman,.. You have, a PHD in Bullet, Performance !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

What is the difference between the classic hunter, and the vld hunting?

Shorter Bullet for a Magazine Length, COAL, with, slightly LESS, BC .
Probably not, too much difference in how they,.. Perform / Kill, tho.
My son uses, the 168 grain H-VLD's with, a stout Load of StaBall 65, Powder in his, 7mm-08 for Elk.
The 150 gr ELD-X performed WELL, on Elk for him, too.

 

[Orr89rocz]

I use 30 cal 210 vld and its been extreme on deer lol. Probably overkill but when shooting long range, rather have the high bc and mass to deal with any wind i may not see.

Some say the hybrids however work well. I hear this with the 215 gr hybrids in 300 mags and even believe the 140 hybrids in the 6.5 stuff works very well, a tad tougher than vld but still frag and damage.

I did try a 185 juggernaut on a deer at 60 yrds with my 300 wsm and it penciled both lungs. Ran 60 yrd and died. Not a drop of blood but lungs were smoked

I got a 7mm-08 i’d like to try them in. 140 gr

 

[drags]

Another good 7mm bullet is 140 gr. is the Sierra 140 gr. BTSP I have seen a few Pa. whitetails shot with these bullets and they were DRT. Another old school bullet is the .270 130 gr. BTSP we used them for Pa. whitetails years ago, the .270 140 gr. Sierra would probably be good also but I don't have any experience with them. With that all being said the last two Pa. bucks I shot were with the 168 gr. Berger hunting VLD with a custom 7mm Mag. at 474 and 615 yards.

 

[WVRJ]

I'm shooting 168 grain Classic Hunters in my 280AI,but haven't been able to find a good enough buck to shoot with them.I used 155 grain in my 308 for white tails and they do very well,usually penetrating a few inches before opening up,and every deer I used them on never took a step.Maybe the OP was getting more penetration without exploding because there may have been a little thicker jacket.I've kept pretty good track of the number of deer I've killed and the Berger hunting bullets have done great.