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180 Grain Berger Hunting VLD Thin Skin Game

General RE LEE

General RE LEE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
1,412
Location
Middle Tennessee
I found a scary accurate load for my 7mm STW with the 180 grain Berger VLD. My seating depth is kissing the lands so my set up will be a single shot.

My velocity is a mild mannered 2967 FPS and I hunt Tennessee whitetail deer. Anyone care to share feedback on the Hunting VLD on thin skin game?
 
Hammers them. Deer DRT out to 300. Shot them out of a 7 wsm+p around 2900. Shot elk under 300 yards too. Dropped in tracks with behind shoulder shots. As soon as I find some, I'm gonna shoot them out of my new 7 mag at about the same velocity as you.
 
You can also plow right through bone - i go right through the front leg with all of the Bergers I have used on whitetail and none have gone more than 20 yards.
 
I use the same bullet from a 7mm RM at 2,950 fps and it performs beautifully on deer. It was my first setup with Bergers on deer and I have been pleased. My first buck was shot at 125 yards on the point of the shoulder, broadside and he dropped instantly. The bullet did not exit but he was done before hitting the ground.
 
General RE LEE said:
I found a scary accurate load for my 7mm STW with the 180 grain Berger VLD. My seating depth is kissing the lands so my set up will be a single shot.

My velocity is a mild mannered 2967 FPS and I hunt Tennessee whitetail deer. Anyone care to share feedback on the Hunting VLD on thin skin game?
Click to expand...
I also live in Tennessee and my experience with the 155 vld is very good through my rem 700 in 308win all the deer I've shot is DRT I've shot whitetail deer out to about 250 yards so far with no tracking required, I can't remember the exact load but I'm pretty sure they were around 2800 fps give or take a little
 
General RE LEE said:
I found a scary accurate load for my 7mm STW with the 180 grain Berger VLD. My seating depth is kissing the lands so my set up will be a single shot.

My velocity is a mild mannered 2967 FPS and I hunt Tennessee whitetail deer. Anyone care to share feedback on the Hunting VLD on thin skin game?
Click to expand...
If you want better penetration and less explosiveness on deer at closer ranges I'd recommend trying the 180 vld targets or hybrid targets.
I've got some 180 vld targets and would be willing to swap a box or two if you want to try them
 
I took a hard quartering away down angle shot on a mule deer buck with a 180vldh out of a 7saum at 2820fps, 250 yards, blew threw a vertibrae, into vitals, exited behind offside shoulder. We shot 4 bucks and 4 does (100 to 350yds )that year, all with 180vldh or 140vldh, only 1 didn't exit, farthest one made it about 40 yards.

I was impressed with the penetration after that vertebrae impact, probably 20-24". I'm only about 4 deer in with Bergers but witnessed about 10 others. Of course lots of others have had different experiences but Mine have all been positive. No elk yet though, and no heavy bone impacts which im sure would have a different effect.
 
pawater said:
Hammers them. Deer DRT out to 300. Shot them out of a 7 wsm+p around 2900. Shot elk under 300 yards too. Dropped in tracks with behind shoulder shots. As soon as I find some, I'm gonna shoot them out of my new 7 mag at about the same velocity as you.
Click to expand...
Careful.... That word Hammer is patented .... 😆 Sorry Steve. Had to do it. 😉🇺🇸👍🏻
 
My 7mm Rem mag hasn't been shot since 2012 when my son used it last. It's a Ruger Mk.II stainless. Used to be my go to rifle before I got a Rem 700 300 RUM in 2004. My go to load in 7 Rem Mag was a 168 Berger. I'm not sure but think it was 72.O grs. Retumbo. It shot 160 Accubonds good also .
 
Last edited:
I have used the 180 grain Berger's in my 7LRM for the last ten years or so on everything from Coyotes to Bull Elk to 50 pound Mountain Reed Buck in South Africa. I am shooting them at just over 3000FPS. They shoot great and work well. You shouldn't have any problems. Make sure you check the tips on your hunting rounds to make sure they are clean and unobstructed. Good Luck.
 
D08488C6-5224-4991-A7C5-30B09E9158EF.jpeg

Exit on a south texas buck 180 hybrid 3,000 fps @ 240 yards, They are phenomenal. Took 2 bull elk last fall also same bullet. DRT
 
You're talking hunting VLDs, not target VLDs, right? I've used HVLDs on 1 elk, 3 mule deer, and two pronghorn in the last 4 or 5 years. The shots ranged from 75 yards on the elk to 400, 520, 530 on the deer and 300 and 620 yards on the pronghorn. All were one-shot kills except for the deer at 520 that I initially shot through the spine. For whitetail, I think you'll be just fine.
 

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