Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Africa plains game using Berger VLD's?

Seriously considering taking my .308win using a Berger VLD 168gr hunting bullet because they shoot so accurate. I also have 150gr MRX that shoot well also, but trying this VLD is tempting.

Any VLD success stories in Africa you know of?

(gemsbuck,kudu,impala,warthog,blesbuck,sasquatch)

My .257 wby shoots VLDs well also, but I opted for somthing stouter. I went with TTSX...

I am not familiar with the Berger Hunting line. Are these a bonded-core bullet? If so, then I might consider them some more, especially since they shoot so accurately for you. If they are a traditional cup-and-core, personally, I'd look at something like the Barnes or Swift or North Forks. Given your trophy list, I'd definitely feel more comfortable using a bullet with tougher construction.

I would probably use these on some of the smaller guys - Springbok, Klipspringer, and Vaal Rhebok. Typically these species are hunted at longer distances and you could take advantage of the VLD's high BC.

+1 on the "go stouter"...


Ingwe

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=55120&highlight=bergers+africa

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=19468&highlight=bergers+africa

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=55375&highlight=bobby+africa

Personally, I would not use Bergers on big game until they design a specific big game bullet, not a target bullet that people try, find it works (kind of), and then the bullet marketing changes. Same goes for Match Kings and Amaxs. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations! There are so many better, stouter bullets out there that I would use first, rather than target bullets that work in the best case scenario (broadside at moderate ranges, not hitting any significant bone).

Don't get hung up on tiny groups for big game hunting. We all want 1/2" groups, but if a Barnes or Partition etc groups in 1.5" or less, the Barnes or Partition trumps the Berger/Matchking/Amax any day in my books for big game.

Man, the bullet is the cheapest part of the whole trip. We shot Barnes TTSX and I won't be hunting with anything else from now on for the game you're describing.

My daughters 140 TSX in the 7MM-08 and the 180 TTSX in the 300 RUM I shot performed just great and were very accurate in both of our rifles.

Considering how much each animal costs, and you own it if you scratch it, and how much time could be lost, if a bullet doesn't perform like it should, in tracking wounded game, I'd recommend getting the best bullet you can find that is proven. Wow what a goofy sentence that is.

The African animals are tough critters and two holes are better than one for tracking wounded. I recovered only two bullets, the rest exited. Bullets barnes tsx

Randy formerly posting as medicman

The African critters being so much tougher than those in the U.S.A. thing is a bit bogus. I have nothing against Barnes bullets and use them for several loads where they work particularly well but in my opinion accuracy and bullet placement trumps about everything else. Thus far I've taken over 20 animals in Africa and nothing I shot escaped despite the fact that I didn't use so called "premium" bullets on any of them. I used such things as Speer cup and core bullets, Hornady muzzle loader bullets and Hornady handgun bullets.

As for Berger bullets; I've used them as well though not in Africa. They work very well. My take with them include 4 Pronghorn Antelope and 3 Whitetail Deer all taken with one shot at ranges up to close to 300 yards in some cases. I shot one of the departing deer in the back of the left rear leg and it still was promptly dispatched so penetration is excellent and that was with a 115 grain Berger VLD out of a 25/06.

I would have NO reservations about using Berger VLD bullets on African plains game.

.............I`m sure that there just may be a few African VLD stories floating around around out there.

Based on my 30 cal 168 gr "hunting" VLD successful experiences on 32 hogs, plus using a 190 gr on one large bull elk, I wouldn`t hesitate at all to try the 190s or the 210s on the largest of African plains game.

Berger will tell you that you will need a minimum impact speed of 1800 fps for the VLD to penetrate thick bone in the case of a shoulder shot.

Vs the 168, I would prefer the 190 or the 210 VLD for the real big boys of the African plains. For medium sized African plains game, I`d bet that the 168 will do extremely well.

+1
Conventional bullets for standard cartridges, with the caveat of heavy for calibre. Premium projectiles for Magnum velocitys.

Why go with a marginal bullet< especially when using a modest round to begin with? you REALLY REALLY want two holes in your critters to make following the inevitable blood trails much easier. Would be a shame to lose a great trophy animal because of a poor choice in bullets, let alone losing precious safari time because it took so long to track an animal whether recovered or not. Makes no sense to me at all. Try the TTSX 165's. If they will shoot into 1.5 inches or less, (I predict they will shoot into less that 1 inch even) load em up and go slay your game. You will not be able to notice the difference in accuracy at African game shooting distances, and you will likely get two nice holes for your critters to bleed from as they run off.

I agree totally, even though I've used Bergers quite a bit with great success, even on some fairly large animals.

In 99% of Africa you'll never shoot at any animal more than 250 yards away. Super-accuracy is irrelevant, because even 1-1/2" accuracy at 100 yards will do just fine--and at even longer distances. I know this because I've shot a number of big game animals at ranges out to 400+ yards with rifles that wouldn't average any better than 1-1/2", and they worked just fine.

Also, in typical African thornbush country you're likely to get shots at animals angling in various ways, and despite how well Berger VLD's work (even on bone) they don't penetrate all that deeply.

To be honest, I'm constantly amazed at the people who somehow believe that 1/2" accuracy is necessary for most big game hunting. It's something to strive for if you plan on shooting over 500 yards, but for most hunting it's totally irrelevant, ranking right alongside barrel break-in, pillar-bedding, 3-18x scopes and other modern "advancements" that are supposedly completely necessary for shooting any kind of big game.

First of all, Berger bullets aren't "marginal" and secondly, you probably will have two holes.

As far as accuracy goes, most of Africa hunting will be at less than 100 yards but occasionally it can be a lot further and accuracy can be of help if you have to send your bullet through a small opening in vegetation.

I've never understood how someone can be satisfied with marginal and "minute of deer" accuracy. I like my guns to be all that they can be.

I have shot 400-pound animals with Berger VLD's and no, you won't "usually" have two holes, even on a broadside shot with heavier bullets.

Even several years ago I was running into African PH's who were complaining that too many Americans were showing up with rifles great for shooting whitetails at 600 yards but lousy for shooting kudu at 60.

Just out of curiosity; what were these great rifles? The several professional hunters I've talked to said Kudu weren't that hard to kill.

Kudu aren't as hard to kill as some other plains game, but they aren't exactly pushovers either. Since a big bull can weigh well over 600 pounds, some penetration is often required when they aren't standing perfectly broadside. I have personally taken one kudu that weighed over 700 pounds.

My experience with VLD's on 400-pound animals is that the odds of getting an exit on broadside shots is about 50-50. This is with 185's from the .30-06 and the .300 Winchester magnum. I have shot a 100-pound feral goat on a rear-quartering shot with the 185 VLD from a .300 Magnum and the bullet did not exit. It entered the rear of the rib cage and didn't make it out of the chest. In fact the goat went arond 150 yards and was still alive when we found it.

Plus, the entrance hole is about like poking the skin with a knitting needle. Without an exit there will be zero blood trail. There wasn't on that goat.

VLD's work great on pretty much broadside shots, and are super accurate. I like them for longer-range shooting in open country, but have found them far from ideal for shorter-range hunting.

The "great" rifles the PH's I know have complained about are typically in the .300 magnum class, with huge scopes way too big for thornbush shooting, and bullets selected for super-accuracy rather than deep penetration.

I shot a 100 pound Coues deer with a 115 VLD from a .257 wby at 570 yards and where was no exit and no bone hit. So, NO Grumulkin you WONT probably have two holes.

Sorry to hear that. Did it die fast and did it matter that you didn't have two holes?

Here is the second hole from a 168 grain Berger VLD shot from a 300 Weatherby Magnum at a lasered 292 yards. The "blood trail" was a red mist on the grass for 6 to 8 feet behind the pronghorn.

A little hard on the meat supply.

Grummy,

Last time I checked, a pronghorn is a tad smaller than an Eland....

No one here is questioning thier suitablility for the task of smacking smallish critters. Especially at long range, but for Africa there are better choices. MUCH better choices.