Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Berger VLD's

I havn't been on the fire for a while but it seems about a year ago that these were a good topic. Was wondering what became of their use in the hunting fields.
The reason it comes up for me is I have a Schultz & Larsen that shoots them quite well. Caliber is a 6.5X55 and it seems to do it's best with the Berger 140 VLD at about 2600 fps. Did anyone use these through the last seasons and how did they do?

Thanks,
Max

Friend just shot his moose with a 300WSM and 168gr VLD's. you can check out this thread https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...owflat/Number/2475961/page/1#Post2475961

65X54,

There is a thread going at the Long Range forum about this very topic. Very informitive and fun.

Max,

I used the Berger VLD .264/130 gr last year in my 6.5-'06 on antelope. The antelope was suitably impressed. I think this bullet hits the game harder than is usual for a cup and core design.

jim

I would agree, heck it should, its an expanding hollowpoint and attempting to dump all its energy into the game.

What I don't get, is how many folks flock to it all of a sudden, maybe since its a berger.... if someone asked if another hollow point should be used...

Jeff

Thanks for all of the replies guys!!
I was just curious as about a year ago the vld seemed all the rage and now not much it seems.
I have to confess to being just another rifle looney. I bought this Schultz last spring to use for informal shooting at steel at 300 to 600 yards. Neat rifle as it was built for some Dane rifle team, has a nice heavy straight grained walnut stock built on a typical captured 98 action. It has real nice iron sights similar to Redfields. Never been drilled for a scope and I am not going to be the one that does it. All of the metal is parkerized. Anyway, it's the first 6.5X55 that I have met that is finicky about it's loads. Usually about anything will shoot pretty good in one.
As an example, it doesn't really care for SMK's. That's a new one on me. It shoots them at best about 1 1/4 at 100 yards. Other bullets such as a 140 grain A-max might shoot 2 inches. I've tried all the usuall suspect powders etc with each, just about gave up but thought about the berger. Well, it just plain shoots as long as I keep the speed down a bit.

rost495, that question about another hollow point is what bothers me. I have seen enough dismall events with others that it makes me a bit nervous.

I guess the main thing here is do I have enough velocity to start out with at about 2600 fps at best?? I would not take a shot over 200 yards, the sights are good but I do not want a screwup on a deer. I could probably use a different rifle but just need to use this one at least once. Some here will probably understand alright....

Thanks,
Max

John B. wrote in his article last year that the Berger VLD holds together for the first 2" of penetration, and then comes apart. He reports a theory that the narrow hollow point and long ogive of the VLD are responsible for that behavior.

jim

Here's a picture of a antelope I shot a few weeks ago. Was a 115 25 Cal. vld launched at 3225. Range was 498 yards.

Holy Shee-ite! That bullet ain't screwin' around!

Is that the entrance hole? If it's an exit, it's the first one I have heard of. My buddy killed his antelope in NM with his 270 WBY and the 140 Berger-bang flop, no exit. Same for another goat with the 300RUM and the 190 VLD. NO EXIT. That is the beauty of these bullets as they don't destroy capes.

It is a exit hole. A good percentage do not exit though. These bullets seem to enter a few inches and then come apart as Mule deer stated.

Last year I didn't have an opportunity to try the Berger bullet on a hunt. This year I did:



They work.

One of the more impresssive exits I've seen. Steaks, ground, and now.....gravy.

Joseph

I had similar performance out of my .280 (140 gr VLD). My son had hit his doe a bit far forward, and just below the spine (not a killing shot). I hit her on the run, through the rear of the liver (technically a gutshot), at 285 yds. That is what my exit looked like.....

Yes, they will exit....

Kaiser Norton

Recent thread about same topic

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...&topic=0&Search=true#Post2502312

You can see the antelope photo that a buddy sent to me. Very similar to the antelope photo shown above in this thread. I haven't used a Berger on game yet, but I bet they shut stuff down quick....

I've only taken one animal since trying the new .284 140 VLDs. It was a Quartering Antelope buck at 150 yards from a 7RM(MV 3180fps). The entrance and exit was small, the hit was high and took out the bottom of the spine.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to try them on a few whitetails before long.

Reloader7RM

Well, I guess I will not be too worried about trying the berger. Really would rather not get quite as impressive an exit as raghorn demonstrated, just an exit would be fine.
I'm still a bit nervous about the results I got using my m1a match rifle once. I was using it's standard fodder (168 smk) and the results were far from exciting.

NICE PICS!!!

And the entrance holes typically are very small.

jim