Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Berger Bullets?

This topic has blown through several feet of posts, expanded, and not exited yet ...

180g VLD whistles a merry tune out of a 7 WSM, and critters from 110 to 617 yards did so hate it. My bullet of choice for long range work.

But you're not a real hunter or using a real gun I suspect. I read it on this very thread.

I think my man GregW has hit the nail on the head, yet again. I trust his word because he is a killing machine in those mountains, and he does so modestly. Most here don't know the high quality animals he kills and guides others to. My hat's off to the guy. If he told me I could go to the bank with a 140 VLD something, then that would be all I need to know.

Now, I experiment a lot, an awful lot culling medium sized game, and/or hogs. I can tell you what a guy DOES NOT want to do very often........and that is run a 168gr VLDH at 3050 and shoot a modest sized whietail at 100 yds.........notice impact was BEHIND the shoulder.

Oh I know uncle Johnny, I got to sleep in his game room, thank god I was drunk, thought I was gonna get fuucked by big muley and coues bucks!!! I passed out though. 😂😂😂

Bwahahahaaaahahaaaa!!!!!!!!

🤣🤣🤣

I could hear Javelinas squealing all kinds a shiit!!! Haha

Very lethal, and essential for those that just want to kill, but not eat the animal they have shot! memtb

Another option is the Scenar, more of the same but a slightly heavier jacket. I think people like me who like the hot rod cartridges and shoot at modest ranges don't appreciate them. Folks who run medium cartridges and medium velocities at longer ranges seem to be the ones who like them the most.

Question for those that use Bergers. Will switching to the target version reduce the fragmentation much due to heavier jackets on the target models?

They work for me on deer, elk, antelope, bears... everything from Texas heart shots to bull elk shoulders.

Yep

I use the Target Hybrids in a few rifle and so do a few buddies. They work very well. They may be a little tougher than the Hunting VLD but they still work like a Berger That’s for sure.

Jud, have no fear. As long as you wear synthetic socks, NOTHING is getting around you at night. Gag a maggot.

Clint, I was wondering why you were massaging my feet every night.. 😂😂

I don't think there is much difference in the jacket. The hybrid is less sensitive to seating depth than the regular bergers, and thus easier to get shooting accurately. You don't have to piddle with them much for them to shoot well. As to the scenars, they are a great bullet. My boy shoots them in an old rem. 700 that I got from Pat. ( scenar shooter). He and I have killed a couple big muledeer, the biggest was a 202" buck with a huge body, close to that of a spike bull, as well as a big bull elk, and several wolves. We had had exits on all of them, with one buck being killed at just over 400 yds. I think the Scenar are definitely harder than the bergers.I have not had them fragment like the bergers, and not as much tissue damage. I am not sure if the scenar implodes on itself like the Berger does, or if it opens like a more traditional hollow point. They are a great bullet though.

Berger bullets ? i really like using Berger bullets for target shooting off the bench and in competition,many others people i shoot with like Berger bullets for target too. i have no experience with these Berger bullets for hunting, i still have plenty Nosler partitions and Swift A-Frame bullets which work just fine for me,for deer or antelope i am sure Berger bullets would work just fine .

Bergers are good game bullets, have been shown to perform.

They do tend to be a big expansive, especially when pushed fast. I've seen lots of fragmentation, even multiple exit wounds, chest turned to soup. Someone mentioned that the Scenar with an equally thin jacket, didn't break up as bad. I think Scenars may have a harder lead core. Although I did blow up a WT chest with a 90 gr. Scenar out of a .240 Wby at 3,350 fps. Never again. So, the bullet has to be matched to the velocity for optimal terminal performance.
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When I started working up loads for my then new 26 Nosler, I noticed Berger data for the 140 VLDH was topping out at 3,200 fps. I called a tech, told him I could push their 140's WAY faster than that. He said they didn't recommend shooting that bullet faster than 3,200 fps, said to use the target version which has a heavier jacket. I swapped to mono's for that gun. 120 TTSX and or E-Tip at 3,450 to 3,500 fps do mess up meat, and are accurate.

I'm now gonna try the Berger 156 EOL at around 3K fps in the 26 Nos. Going heavier and slower should make a difference. BTW, I got load data for the 156 EOL from a Berger tech last week. They won't publish it, but will give it out over the phone. I got data for the Creed, Swede, 6.5-284 and 26 Nosler. I wrote it down, plan to take it to the office tomorrow, get the girls to scan it.

I haven't used the 6.5-284 or 26 Nos lately, have been off chasing other projects. BTW, the 156 EOL data for the Creed is a good bit faster than the Swede. I may start Creed data in the Swede (mine is an FN action with Shilen barrel), should be as strong as the 700 and should be able to run at modern pressures. That one could be interesting.

The 156 EOL may change the game for me on Berger hunting bullets. It should be a great LR load. Check out the B.C. on that one...

DF

Guess that's why they make Ford and Chevy trucks...

And, then there's Dodge...

Not saying how I relate certain bullets to certain truck brands...

DF

Lost most of the front end of a doe I shot with a 6x47 lapua at about 60 yards. Was using 105 hybrids. She died very quickly but the meat loss was unacceptable. My experience, limited but it confirmed my fears of using it to hunt. Especially where I hunt in the East for white tails .5 moa isn’t really advantageous to just plain old sub moa.

MM

mitchellmountain,

Out of curiosity, where did you shoot the doe?

I've actually gotten less meat destruction with Bergers than conventional bullets--especially if I shoot game behind the shoulder. Unlike most expanding bullets, they don't started to expand until they penetrate 2-3". Then they really expand, the reason they kill quickly.

Most expanding bullets start to expand as soon as they hit skin, the reason most meat damage occurs around the entrance hole. But with Bergers you often have to part the hair to find the tiny entrance hole. Or at least that has been my experience with dozens of them on game up to elk-size.

I even once tried to get one to "explode" on the shoulder of a 200-pound feral goat I'd just dropped with a lung shot, by standing 8-10 feet away and shooting the big joint. That bullet also didn't started to expand until it went through the joint, but it was a 185-grain .30 started at about 2750 from a .30-06. A lighter bullet at 3000+ might have come apart on the shoulder, but I dunno.

But guess I am also puzzled why anybody would choose a Berger for "woods" shots.