# Berger Bullets Experience?



## jungle (May 10, 2008)

Any one have any experience with Berger VLD Hunting bullets? I just ordered some on http://www.bulletsamples.com for testing.

I am working up a load for my .243 and I trying wrap my brain around Berger actually advertising a high percentage of bullet weight loss, delayed "shrapnel effect" after few inches of penetration. I understand Berger comes from the "camp" of dumping all bullet energy in the animal.

If these dont work, then it is back to Barnes for me and http://www.huntingnut.com for reloading data.

Well, let me know what you think and kills you have made with your Berger loads.


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## misslebait (Nov 24, 2008)

I load bergers in my 243 but havent shot anything bigger than a coyote with them. the by far group the best out of my gun and are devistation on prairie dogs....


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Just loaded some up for the 204 only taken a jack with it so far. Did a nice job on it too.
I'm hoping to put it on a coyote friday.


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

I think those "beyond belief" Long range hunters use Bergers. Seem to work for them. :?


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

lehi said:


> I think those "beyond belief" Long range hunters use Bergers. Seem to work for them. :?


Ah, Best of the West and their high shoulder shot. They should have never forced John Burns to leave that show.


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## jungle (May 10, 2008)

Al Hansen said:


> lehi said:
> 
> 
> > I think those "beyond belief" Long range hunters use Bergers. Seem to work for them. :?
> ...


Why? What happened?


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

I shoot the 115 gr. VLD out of my 257 wby and I have taken 2 bears and an elk with them without a single problem. Both bears dropped in there tracks and the elk went about 20 yds and tipped over. They all had perfect expantion and all shots pass completely through. They are the best hunting bullet I've used!


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## jungle (May 10, 2008)

muledeer#1 said:


> I shoot the 115 gr. VLD out of my 257 wby and I have taken 2 bears and an elk with them without a single problem. Both bears dropped in there tracks and the elk went about 20 yds and tipped over. They all had perfect expantion and all shots pass completely through. They are the best hunting bullet I've used!


Nice! What powder have you been using?


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

jungle said:


> muledeer#1 said:
> 
> 
> > I shoot the 115 gr. VLD out of my 257 wby and I have taken 2 bears and an elk with them without a single problem. Both bears dropped in there tracks and the elk went about 20 yds and tipped over. They all had perfect expantion and all shots pass completely through. They are the best hunting bullet I've used!
> ...


 I load them up with retumbo.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

muledeer#1 said:


> They all had perfect expantion and all shots pass completely through. They are the best hunting bullet I've used!


How on earth could you know they had perfect expansion if they all pass completely through?

-DallanC


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

DallanC said:


> muledeer#1 said:
> 
> 
> > They all had perfect expantion and all shots pass completely through. They are the best hunting bullet I've used!
> ...


You can tell how a bullet expands by the wound channel! You don't have to recover the bullet.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I shot a deer once, quartering shot. Deer dropped on the spot. When I cleaned it and later skinned it I got a good look at the wound channel. It was incredible, damage like you wouldnt believe, deep penetration, performance just like advertised by the MFG. Ironically when I skinned it later I found the slug resting between the skin and the meat. It hadnt expanded as I had thought, the bullet twisted and deformed upon impact and went through nearly 30" of deer sideways.

Dead is dead, big wound channels are great, its what we want... but its just not always achieved by a picture perfect mushroom. I'm just saying until you recover slugs, theres no way to really know just how they are expanding.


-DallanC


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

On a quartering shot its most likely the bullet hit bone causing a large wound channel no matter how the bullet performed. A lot depends on the tissue the bullet impacts.


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