Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Barnes vs Berger

This subject should light the fire !!! Over my 45 years of reloading I've just about tried them all,bullets that is--but I made the switch to Barnes TSX 130 gr pills in my 264 mag with excellent results.Very small entrance hole and no ugly bowling ball size exit hole.Have read some comments about Barnes not opening up properly but as to date haven't experienced that at all.The TSX seems to do all it's damage internally and exit in one piece.I haven't tried Bergers although I intend to this summer.I'm not questioning Bergers quality or killing power but what about all those loose fragments flying around.Some kill shots I've seen with Bergers look like they were hit with "Varmit Grenades." As always I'm open for the opposite point of view!!!

Stick with the Barnes.

Fleming: If you have tried them all then I need for you to try to relay to me WHAT you perceive to be the problem with Nosler's 264 size bullets!
I have used them and have as yet to find something "I" need done that the Nosler bullets do not do!
PERIOD!
I have a significant legion of Big Game and Medium Game Hunting buddies, friends, relatives, partners and a few professionals also - from time to time they "drift" away from the Nosler line and spend varying amounts of time being sometimes disappointed and sometimes partially satisfied with their results.
BUT - it seems EVERY one of them eventually comes back to the Nosler line!
Case in point - just yesterday I went to the the Bozeman, Montana Gunshow and visited several gunshops in Bozeman and one in Ennis, Montana as well.
Along on this trip was my 68 year old retired gunsmith friend who was searching for 25 caliber Nosler Partition bullets for his beloved 25/06 Rifle.
After several years away from the Nosler Partitions he was now going BACK TO THEM!
This man has Hunted around the world and all over the United States as well and in most every one of his Big Game Rifles he has gotten excellent results with the Nosler line of bullets.
I have seen a lot of game harvested with MANY brands of 6.5mm bullets and have as yet to see a "bowling ball size exit hole".
You do not mention what size (type) game you are Hunting but I highly recommend the splendidly accurate and very flat flying Nosler Ballistic Tips in your 264 Winchester Magnum.
Best of luck to you with whichever you decide on.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

..........................Well! That is what the Berger VLDs are suppose to do; "look like they were hit with varmit grenades" as you state above!! As far as those "loose fragments" flying around? That`s what they do; explode into fragments after a few inches of initial penetration. More likely to fly around inside the animal than outside.

Vs the Barnes, the Berger "hunting" VLDs simply offer a different method, style or killing affect with their wider, very explosive, and far more massive wound channels into the vitals. If you`re into saving varmit hides or pelts, the VLDs may not be for you.

I`ve used 26 30 cal 168 gr "hunting" VLDs on 26 hogs (all one shot), with no more than four of those hogs running 10 yards after impact. So far, I haven`t had any need to track any hog since starting my usage of the VLDs for hogs.

Last Nov, one bull elk harvested using a 190 "hunting" VLD, with one shot through the right shoulder bone @ 328 yards. The bull staggered two to four yards and then,,,,down he went! After the thick right shoulder bone was completely penetrated, the 190 VLD went on to continue its massive destruction, with even some bullet fragments found on the opposite side just below the hide.

Sure! The Barnes will penetrate further, but the VLDs leave far greater, more massive wound channels, and I`ll bet further, a higher percentage of DRT kills with less yardage ran by the game after impact.

As to which bullet? All depends on the affect you wish to have on the game you`re hunting! No more, no less!

Not sure I see any drama here. There is no real mystery in what you're getting with either. Pick your bullet and hunt.

Thanks for the reply.I've shot partitions in my 264 for many moons with absolutely no problems--matter a fact at the present I just finished loading some 30cal.180gr.PPT's for my friend to elk hunt with this fall.I guess the reason for the departure was to try something new and different--don't think there's anything wrong with that.When I first got into this business which was about 1966 the variety of components to choose from was limited.Now after all these years I'm like a kid in a candy store wanting to try everything!!Believe me my friend Noslers have been a huge part of my sport over the years and if God grants me enough time on this earth I'll probably shoot them again!!!! FLEM

As I said in my original post I haven't tried Bergers so I can't speak from any experience but I am anxious to try them on game maybe next year.We all love this sport and probably are on a vast plain of overkill but we still continue to strive for the best--nothing at all wrong with that!!!
Flem