Im going to be buying a 28 Nosler here this winter and i have never shot Bergers bullets before and was thinking about giving the 180gr VLD's a try. From what i've read and heard is that they are devastating on Elk, but my question is when you hit the animal and the bullets turns to shrapnel do you have that shrapnel everywhere in the meat when you take it to process? I've shot Barnes and Noslers before just looking for more feed back on the Bergers as i may want to give them a try
Berger Bullets
- Thread starter gregt9146
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My 7mm Dakota killed a bunch of elk with the 180 grn berger hunting vld. Most shots were pass thru > Distances from 300 to 700 yrds> Not one elk traveled more than a couple of yards all basically dead on impact. Some shrapnel on a few of the bulls but not bad I just cut it out with the bloodshot meat.
Opps a friend shot a bull with my gun and the berger and hit him in the neck that bull traveled 75 yrds.
Opps a friend shot a bull with my gun and the berger and hit him in the neck that bull traveled 75 yrds.
Cerebral Stalker
Active member
I was asking myself the same thing a few years ago when I got a 7mm Rem. Mag. Decided to go with 168gr VLDs because of their reputation for accuracy. Crazy tight tolerances on these bullets compared to the other bullets on the shelf. Super accurate too. All pass throughs on deer with minimal fragmenting, but not far enough away to let the bullet do it's thing. Then last year on a late season elk hunt the bullet finally had a chance to work at long range. Cow elk at 580 yards dropped like a sack of potatoes with a shot just under the spine in the void area. Bullet penetrated a few inches and then fragmented just like it's designed to do. No exit. All energy dumped into the elk. Meat damage was minimal and not more than one would expect. I won't be changing bullets anytime soon.
This line of reasoning always makes me chuckle. mtmuley
sethkuhl
Well-known member
I shot my biggest bull with bergers. Shot the bull three times behind the should with a 7 mag 168 all three tight group the elk still stood. Fell down before I could load a fourth round. Found bullet shrapnel in the back quarter. all bullets exploded on impact and that was the last time I shot those bullets, sold the 240 I had unloaded to a long range target shooter. He loves them for ringing steel, I was not impressed with my results. I switched to grand slams and will never go back
Doublecluck
Well-known member
Put her thru the ribs in to the lungs and you will be fine, unless your rinella and plan on eating lung lining. stay off the shoulder. Vlds are almost all we run.
I have personally seen only 1 bull shot with a 190 grain Berger vld from my bros 30-06. It was a standing 340ish yard shot quartering towards us. The bullet penetrated only a few inches and disintegrated. And no the bull did not die with that shot.
Had my bro been shooting a normal bullet the bull wouldn't have required being chased down and finished off.
We poked our fingers numerous times on the tiny fragments from the exploding bullet.
My brother will not use them ever again and I will not use them. I've had much better performance from the plain old fashioned Core-Lokt ammo which by the way have never fragmented on us.
Had my bro been shooting a normal bullet the bull wouldn't have required being chased down and finished off.
We poked our fingers numerous times on the tiny fragments from the exploding bullet.
My brother will not use them ever again and I will not use them. I've had much better performance from the plain old fashioned Core-Lokt ammo which by the way have never fragmented on us.
Cerebral Stalker
Active member
Here's some specifics from Berger themselves. They are old but relevant videos.
midwesthunter
Well-known member
Not sure if buying factory or custom, but I would look at the 195 Bergers if you want to stay with them.
midwesthunter
Well-known member
I meant the rifle, some don't have a long enough throat to get the benefits of the bullet.
ImBillT
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Shoot the lungs, not the meat. The nice thing about processing yourself is that you can trim out whatever needs to be. I trim anything remotely bloodshot and I haven’t had any issue. I also have not lost very much meat because they really do get 2-4” deep before blowing up.
AND THEY SHOOT!
Three shot groups at 200yds with 130VLDs and 156 EOL.
AND THEY SHOOT!
Three shot groups at 200yds with 130VLDs and 156 EOL.
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sacountry
Well-known member
"unless your rinella and plan on eating lung lining" ....that was funny
sacountry
Well-known member
Side note....I'm a huge fan of Berger VLDs. Since I don't reload, I have to hunt to find them. HSM does an ok job, not great. I've visually seen inconsistencies with how the bullet is seated in the jacket, but they are readily available in most MT stores. Gunwerks does a great job, but you see that in their price.
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std7mag
Well-known member
I've used the 140gr VLD in my 7mm-08AI on deer. 413 yard shot. Deer went 20 yards. Entry wound, no exit. Blood everywhere!
Did exactly as advertized! Went in about 3 inches & came apart. Both lungs destroyed, heart in 2 pieces and a goo consistancy. Found jacket under offside hide.
Daughter had a 6 point at about 40-50 yards with a 115gr VLD out of my 257 Roberts. She said it's legs went stiff. Body kinda puffed and it fell over dead.
Again, performed just as advertized.
Again, found jacket under offside hide.
Did exactly as advertized! Went in about 3 inches & came apart. Both lungs destroyed, heart in 2 pieces and a goo consistancy. Found jacket under offside hide.
Daughter had a 6 point at about 40-50 yards with a 115gr VLD out of my 257 Roberts. She said it's legs went stiff. Body kinda puffed and it fell over dead.
Again, performed just as advertized.
Again, found jacket under offside hide.
Aussie_hunter_JD
Well-known member
Not a target round but highlights the damage they can do.
Sorry, When i buy it, it will be a Christensen Arms Ridgline
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