The barrel very well might have an effect on Berger VLD expansion.
Have used them, or seen them used, in the following rifles/cartridges:
Douglas: .257 Roberts, .264 Winchester Magnum, .30-06.
E.R. Shaw (now just Shaw): 6.5-06
Pre-'64 Model 70 Winchester: .257 Roberts
Lilja: .300 Winchester Magnum
The bullets included the 115 .257, 140 6.5mm, 168 and 185 .308s. Don't know if the barrel on the pre-'64 M70 was original. It was Walt Berger's rifle, and was rebarreled at some point, as he'd had it a long time.
