Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Had no idea VLD's acted like this

This past week I took a big 8 point whitetail at 320 yards with my Jarrett 280AI using 168 grain Berger VLD's, as this rifle really shines with this bullet. I've used VLD's here and there for a few years. In each instance prior to this, the VLD's virtually disintegrated after impact with nothing left to find. Not this time. This was a quartering away shot that I slipped the bullet behind the last rib on the left side, with the bullet traversing through the vitals coming to rest under the hide after penetrating the right shoulder. I'm thinking this bullet was convinced it was a Nosler Accubond or something of the sort. It retained right at half its weight and acted for the world like it was bonded.

Five or so years ago I had a similar sized 8 point buck at, again, 320 yards, that I shot with this rifle and the same load, only it was broadside. My shot was dead through the heart in that relatively narrow portion of the lower chest. I am guessing that may have been 6"or so wide at that point? The VLD never exited, only an entrance wound and a heart blown to smithereens. In my case, that is the norm with this bullet.

Both bucks were quite dead but I couldn't get over this VLD's ability to hold together this last time.....sometimes that happens.

That bullet behaves like that for me every time started at 2,820...

Which version of the VLD?

I have used the Berger VLd on one deer and one antelope. The deer was the 6.5, 140gr from a 6.5-06 at 2900fps and the range was 35yds broadside shot . The bullet grenaded, deer died, no surprise.
The next was a 243, 115gr. from a 240 Wby at 3150fps. range was 300 yds. The bullet pencilled through the scapula and grenaded , ded goat.... the interesting part was the lack of bloodshot meat.
And it was really cool to see the bullet punch through bone before expanding, just like Mule Deer has been telling us.... I like these bullets!



Bullet hole by tip of knife...this is the backside of the scapula. This really increased my confidence in the Bergers

Stunt shooters.......

aalf this is a serious topic damnit... no place for this rhetoric.....keep this up and I will have no choice but to report you to Brad Sysop... you been warned..

Not sure who it was, maybe Bob Hagel, said 'no such thing as the perfect bullet, we have physics to thank for that.'

aalf, when you figure out to sneak closer than 800yds on your milk jug then you can opine.....

The 6.5-140’s were extremely accurate in my 264’s. When the bullet hits heart-lungs, they don’t go ten feet.

Hanco, I would expect that.... the punching through bone part is what excited me

Godogs,

One of the "problems" with Bergers (as I have pointed out many times here, and in print, since 2007, when I first got to field-test them extensively) is that they don't act like the conventional idea of expanding bullet performance most hunters have been indoctrinated with for the last several decades--which generally involves weight-retention, penetration, "perfect mushrooms", etc. The fact that they penetrate at least 2-3" before "grenading" is thus often lost on many hunters.

But if the impact velocity is low enough--and the bullet doesn't hit, say, even a rib--Bergers can indeed end up looking like conventional expanding bullets. This tends to happen more at longer ranges. Whether or not it matters is another question.

aalf,

Where;s the "like" button on this damn site?

140 6.5 vld Berger hit onside shoulder of bull elk, came to rest under hide behind opposite shoulder. Impact velocity 2100-2200 fps. These have been my favorite bullets now for going on 10 years.

Careful JB, you'll get put in a timeout........

That the VLD Hunting bullet. Labradar said 2816 fps average at the muzzle.

Aw hell aalf you have rolling on the floor laffin.... well played..

Should have chose my words more carefully....

Ha ha.....you threw that softball right down the middle.....couldn't not swing.....(double negative, I know)

I would expect the same......