130/140gr vlds on deer

[Siso]

I was wondering what peoples experiences with a 130/140gr Berger or JLKs have been with deer. I'll be shooting them at .260 speeds. I know the heavier VLD's (7mm/30cal) work great on deer, but was wondering how 6.5mm bullets would perform? How do they do on shoulder shots?

Thanks

 

[Ernie]

Siso,
This year so far I have take a doe antelope and a medium sized Mule deer with the 140 Berger VLD. MV 2725 @ 420 and 600 yards respectively. Did a great job both times.

 

[CapDog]

I shot a pretty large bodied mule deer last year at 400yds with the 130gr VLD out of a 260AI, muzzle velocity was 3000fps. 1/4'ng away it entered just in front of the last rib and found it on the hide of the far shoulder. Deer was DRT. Bullet remained fairly entact except for the tip, looks like it clipped the rib and tumbled through the body cavity.

 

[elkaholic]

That's interesting! I was told that the bergers would open down to 1800 fps. You should have still had at least 2400 fps with that MV? Any other Recovered bullets out there? GOOD POST!......Richlightbulb

 

[CapDog]

Ya, I wasn't disappointed in how the bullet performed. I think it just clipped the front edge of the rib with the ogive area of the bullet, so it just knocked it out of stability. A bullet tumbling still causes a lot of damage. The deer fell like it's bones were stolen. That 260AI has hardly any recoil and the deer seemed to vanish out of my field of few. It did not take one step and I found it down in the thigh high scrub I shot it in.

I have that bullet somewhere and will see if I can get a pic up.

 

[sierra22]

Only shot one red deer with Berger and will stick to my Amax...

6,5x284 and 35 meters. Pinhole in and pinhole out. Difficult to say what damage the bullet would have done as it was a quartering shot and I ripped through the diaphrame and burst the liver.

Whilst it was staggering I gave it a second shot into the armpit and out through the neck - this shot opened up to "golfball size"

Suspect if I only had pricked him through the lungs I would've had a long-distance runner with a very small if any bloodtrail.

On the other hand, Amax has never failed on the 20'ish game I've shot with it.

 

[Siso]

Sierra22,

What rate of twist were you using with the 6.5x284? That is the first time I've heard that a Berger failed.

 

[Bobcape]

I've used the 130gr VLD on several deer and antelope from a .260 AI with good success. All were one shot drops. But I'm changing to the 140gr AMax. Little less picky on seating depth and with RL-17 I can actually get the 140gr going faster than the 130gr.

Bob

 

[sierra22]

Sierra22,

What rate of twist were you using with the 6.5x284? That is the first time I've heard that a Berger failed.

Wouldn't know absolutely, but suspect it's a 1:825 as it is the only twist from this manufacturer... unless rifle owner has changed barrels...

Hopefully a fluke. Would like to use the Berger 130 VLD in my 6,5x47 barrel but more than sceptical with regards to performance on the tiny roe deer (live weight 50lbs)

 

[elkaholic]

I shot a small antelope buck this fall at 400 yds. with a 140 berger vld in my 6.5 Sherman. The bullet entered on the back side of the shoulder and exited center of the off shoulder leaving a baseball sized hole. He dropped in his tracks. MV was 3150'....Rich