I'm normally a die hard Barnes fan but I thought I'd give the Bergers a try. What's your experience with them on deer? I've read about them having good accuracy. I plan on trying some 308 & 300 WHBY.
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Berger Hunting VLD 155 gr 30 cal
- Thread starter davis211
- Start date
My personal experience with them in the two calibers you have stated was a "MASTER DISASTER" 225 - 300 yard shots placed 3" below hair line, found where the animal took off, no blood, found the animal a week later and the bullet passed through but never opened up while passing through, according to the entrance and exit hole. Only our experience. Great for punching paper, however we save our money and go with the bullets we get results from, "BARNES, TSX AND TIPPED TSX/TTSX BULLETS".
just our experience..
Hope you have a better experience.
just our experience..
Hope you have a better experience.
As long as they are going fast enough on impact they are a hammer.
Just about the opposite of the Barnes terminal ballistics. The Barnes offers rapid but completely controlled expansion and are a terrific bullet for deep penetration in addition to the rapid expansion.
The Bergers will typically penetrate a few inches and then basically detonate creating an extreme wound cavity. DRT is very common. The downside is that if they don't drop, there will be little or no blood trail because the bullet will not exit.
Again, the Berger MUST be at a high enough velocity with a light enough bullet weight to do this. I tried it with a 180 grain Hunting VLD out of a 308 and got the same results as YOTESHOOTER. However, I know of many folks that use a light fast bullet and swear by them.
I would be completely confident with the 155 loaded in your 300 Weatherby Mag. You would probably be good with it in the 308 within 300 yards, but I would test it before using it for hunting.
Just about the opposite of the Barnes terminal ballistics. The Barnes offers rapid but completely controlled expansion and are a terrific bullet for deep penetration in addition to the rapid expansion.
The Bergers will typically penetrate a few inches and then basically detonate creating an extreme wound cavity. DRT is very common. The downside is that if they don't drop, there will be little or no blood trail because the bullet will not exit.
Again, the Berger MUST be at a high enough velocity with a light enough bullet weight to do this. I tried it with a 180 grain Hunting VLD out of a 308 and got the same results as YOTESHOOTER. However, I know of many folks that use a light fast bullet and swear by them.
I would be completely confident with the 155 loaded in your 300 Weatherby Mag. You would probably be good with it in the 308 within 300 yards, but I would test it before using it for hunting.
Load to the lands. Bergers ogive does NOT like to be jumped. The bullet is designed identically to the match bullet but has a thinner jacket. Expansion seems to be hit or miss. When they open its game over. If you want top accuracy with a better shot of opening look up how the amax and matchking open up on game.
I'm second guessing now...y'all might see these in the classifieds- they were a whim purchase last year when I couldn't find TSX. I know how Barnes works, 90% DRT or pouring out of two holes.
thanks for the info guys.
thanks for the info guys.
It has been found that most of the time you can find a second sweat spot for seating depth that will keep the OAL within norms. Just use a low density powder charge so you don't run into compression issues.
Also, just so you know. The Hunting VLD was their original match bullet and people found out it's a great hunting bullet, too. They then made a match bullet with a thicker jacket because some of the shooters that were using very long barrel were having a problem with erosion before it left the barrel. They started calling that one their Match VLD and renamed the original the Hunting VLD.
I have been shooting 168 gr VLDs for a couple years and had exit holes the size of a big orange each time with a 308, and I shoot 190 gr VLDs in a 300 Ultra Mag on some big crop fields and have had the same thing happen, DRT.I do feel they need to be shot as fast your rifle will shoot them and be accurate. pm me if you decide to sell them
