Once again, you don't know what you're talking about. A-Maxes and VLD's do not expand in the same way. And any bullet will ruin considerable meat if placed in an animal's "ham."
As far as VLDs and A-MAXs, both are relatively frangible bullets that produce lots of shrapnel. Up to 85% for the VLD, according to Berger. Thanks, but no thanks. I simply haven't found that to be necessary and don't deem it desirable.
While I've driven 140g North Fork and 180g MRX through mulie hams, from opposite directions, neither caused the wastage we saw when my son-in-law destroyed an antelope ham with A-MAX shrapnel.
Most expanding bullets (even TSX's) begin expanding as soon as they hit an animal's hide, and are fully expanded by the time the rear end of the bullet goes through the hide. Berger VLD's don't even begin to expand until they're 2-3 inches into the animal. Then they do indeed expand violently--inside where it counts.
Considering that I've driven TTSX and MRX pull length through mulies and that most animals we've used them on went down at the shot, the fact that tipped X bullets may begin to expand on impact is hardly a negative in my book. More like a plus.
If you don't want to use Bergers, fine. Obviously you firmly believe expensive, deep-penetrating bullets are best for shooting forkhorn mule deer and doe antelope. That's also your privilege. But don't try to convince the thousands of people who like the charactertistics of VLD's that they're wrong when you don't have the slightest bit of experience with VLD's.
One of the great things about the human mind is that they can learn from shared experience and deductive reasoning as well as direct experience. There is no shortage of negative reports about VLD performance, just as not everyone is happy with the performance of tipped X bullets.
Yes, I shoot forkhorn mulies and doe antelope with MRX and TTSX. Don't forget mulie does, elk of both sexes and the occasional coyote and prairie dog. Smaller critters are good practice for the main event, which for me is elk hunting. I've also used North Forks, AccuBond, Grand Slams and cup-and-core bullets. My loads for deer and antelope are, with the sometimes exception of my .257 Roberts, the same as I use for elk. So far I have yet to find them wanting. Both buck and doe antelope hit with a 100g or 168g TTSX have, with only one exception I can think of, dropped immediately or within a few faltering steps, with little or no shrapnel ruining the off-side meat. The exception only made it a 20 yards or so. Works for me.
Yes, I firmly believe deep penetrating bullets are best for me. The tipped X and my favorite, the North Forks have performed great and the added expense, as I've pointed out many times, is negligible when compared to the rest of my hunting costs. My 4x4 buck and cow elk this year cost me a total of two 180g MRX bullets. Whoopee. I load my own so even with the added bullet expense I'm paying less for my ammo than most people who shoot factory ammo. Frankly, a slight additional cost to my ammo doesn't matter a whit. Nor does what bullet I use matter when things go right, as most any bullet will do in such circumstances. What I do care about is performance when things go wrong and more penetration is needed.
