Berger bullets for hunting

[hunter1026]

I have heard mixed reviews on the berger bullets for hunting what are your guys thoughts on them and experience with them

[ScottAdams]

We used Berger bullets in that 6.5 on the buck we killed in unit 27 (http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/44211-unit-27-bucks-updated-storyline/ ) At 600 yards we recovered the bullet from the chest of the buck and the bullet and expanded beautifully, "textbook" mushroom as they say.

[STOMP442]

Never ever had a problem with them. They are the best bullet money can buy as far as im concerned. They have extremely high b.cs that make them ideal for us coues hunters looking to buck the wind on a cross canyon shot. Terminal performance is oustanding and more often than not the animals will drop where they stand.

[Big Browns]

Awesome Bullet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hunter72]

I have seen three deer shot with them all just dropped right where they stood.

[muledeerarea33?]

I use the 105's our of one of my .243's haven't killed a deer with them yet but they've killed coyotes and jack rabbits just fine.

[roninflag]

Hunter- what rifle and cartridge? my experience is they do just great, and are the most accurate bullet also.

[mklong40]

I have recently been considering making the change to the 168 VLD for my 7mm. I started a thread a month or so ago asking for opinions. My concern was meat loss. I have been shooting partitions for about 3 years now, before that the accubond. Im a die hard nosler guy. However, last year my wife made a lethal shot on her buck with the partition and it took backing out and recovering the animal 5 hours later.....not to mention the tracking job was not easy. The buck I shot 2 nights ago was with a partition. I double lunged him on the first shot (full pass through) and had another full pass through in the liver on my follow up shot. I watched the buck go 20 yards and bed down very much alive. I backed out and had to recover him yesterday morning.

 

I know its all a matter of opinion and I am a HUGE believer in the Nosler product. With that said, being a reloader, I am always trying to improve things. I will be developing a load for the VLD for next year starting real soon. Id rather have a little meat loss and save the anxiety of not dropping the animal where he stands.

 

I am also interested in hearing more opinions.

[roninflag]

Mk - what partition were you using in what rifle? i would consider 140 7mm bergers also .

[mklong40]

175gr. They go right through the deer and I'm sure they perform exactly the way they are supposed too. Problem is small entry small exit minimum blood.

[308Nut]

You can have a great experience with the worst of bullets and you can have a horrible experience with the very best of them.

 

As far as bergers, I have limited experience with them as far as killing game with them but what I have seen was promising. At least on smaller big game such as deer, sheep and lope.

[roninflag]

MK- the partitions generally do not shoot small groups as other bullets. for me they have been awesome game bullets. i would use a light bullet . you are at the heavy end. my buddy has a sendero 7stw killed over 40 with the 120 sierra. the ones i would try - first 140 berger , second 140 berger, then in no particular order 140 balistic tip , 140 partiton, 139 hornady btsp

[firstcoueswas80]

I have recently been considering making the change to the 168 VLD for my 7mm. I started a thread a month or so ago asking for opinions. My concern was meat loss. I have been shooting partitions for about 3 years now, before that the accubond. Im a die hard nosler guy. However, last year my wife made a lethal shot on her buck with the partition and it took backing out and recovering the animal 5 hours later.....not to mention the tracking job was not easy. The buck I shot 2 nights ago was with a partition. I double lunged him on the first shot (full pass through) and had another full pass through in the liver on my follow up shot. I watched the buck go 20 yards and bed down very much alive. I backed out and had to recover him yesterday morning.

 

I know its all a matter of opinion and I am a HUGE believer in the Nosler product. With that said, being a reloader, I am always trying to improve things. I will be developing a load for the VLD for next year starting real soon. Id rather have a little meat loss and save the anxiety of not dropping the animal where he stands.

 

I am also interested in hearing more opinions.

Barnes TTSX would have dropped that buck on the spot from the first shot with out a twitch

[firstcoueswas80]

I've only killed one deer with the VLD, but it was a puzzling one. I double lunged him at 572 yards and the deer lived for an estimated 30 minutes. He didn't go anywhere, and was obviously extremely sick but still lived for quite a while. When he died (we watched the entire time, and I was still shooting to anchor), we headed over there and there was absolutely zero blood anywhere (no exit). When we opened him up, it was like somebody made a deer vital and blood margarita. IT poured out. The internal damage was incredible, but, as stated the deer lived for 30 minutes, did't bleed out, and left no blood on the ground to track if he would have made it anywhere.

 

I have sense switched to Barns TTSX and have never had to blood trail a buck. The buck I shot last year took a couple to put him down before I hit him well enough to be fatal, but that was on me, not the bullet.

 

This year I will be using he Accubond in my .257 Weatherby.

[palivs2hnt]

MK...I shoot the Berger 168 VLD out of my 300WSM and love it! Honestly, I see more meat damage at longer ranges than the short range (weird I know). My son shot his coues this year with a 140VLD and dropped him in his tracks at 290 yards with little to no damage to the meat. IMO, a fantastic bullet. I have never lost anything hit in the vitals and most game drop in their tracks with this bullet in my experiences. Good luck!