A-Tips, terminal performance on big game

[aushunter1]

Berger hunting bullets are NOT match bullet with a different label. To say so show your ignorance.

Wrong!

The original match bullets became the current hunting bullets. I didn't say so i read it on Bergers's web site so maybe they are ignorant about their own products.

History of the Match Grade Berger Hunting VLD

The story of the Berger Hunting VLD is a story of discovery rather than design. The VLD bullet design was created by Ballistician Bill Davis during a project that also involved Dr. Lou Palmisano and Ferris Pindell of PPC fame. Bill’s goal was to produce a bullet design that performed better in...

bergerbullets.com

Absolutely 100%correct!

All they have done is kept their older line of J4 jacketed projectiles & relabeled them as "hunting", changing the jackets on all their "target" line to a thicker jacket.

 

[DJ Fergus]

Like to hear more experiences and data collected from the A-tips on big game. I'd love to use them but can't seem to find much data on them in terms of terminal performance on game. What is the slowest recommended velocity for impact if indeed they are effective on game?

The 156 EOL is another option that will work I know, but I'm looking to eke out the maximum effective range with the 6.5 PRC. 153 A-tips launched anywhere close to 3,000 fps will go a long ways for sure, but I don't want to develop a load that I can't use for anything from woodchucks to elk... (Have been using the 147 ELD-M's)

I've shot 230 atips but haven't taken game with any. There is info online and if you look you will find it. Multiple elk taken with the 230s and they had reliable expansion. No pencil through. They expanded as much or more than 215 Berger's. I did see some pictures of a whitetail taken with 230 atips above 3000 fps mv, very nasty wounds with lots of damage. I don't have any info for terminal performance of the 6.5 cal atips.

 

[Northkill]

Yeah, seems to be a good bit more testing on game with the 30 cal 230's. Hoping to see broader results from the 6.5's this year. Also would love to try the 190's in my 7-LRM... Wish Badlands would make a slightly heavier bullet for the 8 twist 7mm's. Maybe its in the works. Be a long one, but would get us closer to the 180/195 Berger ballistics. Have a contact in with them - waiting on a reply. This is the age of the shooters dream (or nightmare depending on perspective) - so many options! Thanks for the help, you'all.

 

[Scott E Ames]

I have some 135gr. 6.5's loaded and pigs on my game cameras. I will try to explain "no free lunch" to a couple of the larger ones in the next week or so and post some pictures. I saw the pronghorn photos of the 135's effects and I bet they will work just fine. For me they will probably have to have some supernatural powers to justify the price. I haven't shot paper with them but the 140 Berger elite hunters shoot .22 MOA out of my rifle and will likely remain my hunting load. Got the A-Tips to shoot at long range steel and paper to see if they buck sidewinds any better here in windy Oklahoma.

 

[Northkill]

Be glad to hear how you make out with the pigs, and with the long-range steel.

 

[PNWdude67]

I have seen a couple photos of game taken with them posted by George Gardner on his site and IG. We May be using the 153 ATips on a antelope hunt. Depends on what performs best with the new barrel. Will share results.

 

[javman]

And someone forgot to tell Hornady Amax bullets aren't for hunting either! Just saying.

Wrong!


Absolutely 100%correct!

All they have done is kept their older line of J4 jacketed projectiles & relabeled them as "hunting", changing the jackets on all their "target" line to a thicker jacket.

 

[BrentM]

I've seen several posts on the fb page 6.5 PRC with animals taken with the 135. I've only shot a wolf at close range and a yote at 500 with them so far. Both results were very good, pretty fur friendly and seem to be on par with the eldm for terminal.

As far as the desire to shoot the expensive a tip......it's pretty dang high bc for a lighter bullet and that usually means flatter trajectory and less wind drift. For smaller game that is desirable for sure. Many elk have been killed with the 130/140 vld so there is not much of a reason to think the 135 high bc bullet won't be good.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Privi457, Your lack of intelligence is really showing...lol Bergers all started out as target bullets, but dont tell the thousands of game animals that died from them that...As well as the SMKs and Amaxs. Regardless what you say and think, they all kill just fine, if you do your part. Maybe you dont do your part, who knows...

 

[Starlite]

Hornady makes it

And for me there to expensive to bother. I like the Berger hybrid target. It acts similar to the else on deer as long as keep your energy and velocity high. I'm still a fan of the ELD-X and the SSTs for deer.

 

[bigbull]

It amazes me how people are re-branding these so called target bullets as hunting bullets.
I have seen explosive impacts with Berger hunting bullets not penetrating more than a few inches and cratering the animals body with devastating effect, but this is not how a HUNTING bullet is designed to perform.
The animal died, the impact area was a disaster. Controlled expansion is not in this bullets design.
BB

 

[BrentM]

It amazes me how people are re-branding these so called target bullets as hunting bullets.
I have seen explosive impacts with Berger hunting bullets not penetrating more than a few inches and cratering the animals body with devastating effect, but this is not how a HUNTING bullet is designed to perform.
The animal died, the impact area was a disaster. Controlled expansion is not in this bullets design.
BB

Killed several big game animals with Berger 140 vld hunting and had complete pass through on all. I don't shoot the shoulder though. I would if I had to anchor the animal but prefer standard kill zone.

 

[Don Garlow]

In general, Target or Match bullets usually have a heavier jacket than hunting bullets. Hunting bullets being thinner in the front end to promote expansion. Target bullets are made with heavier jackets up front so that they will not "blow up" in flight giving a competitor a miss during the match. With today's modern bullets, blow ups in flight are so rare as to be non existent. The folks from Berger have told me that their Target bullets are heavier jacketed but that all bullets are made to provide match grade accuracy. Hope this helps some.

 

[srogerson]

In general, Target or Match bullets usually have a heavier jacket than hunting bullets. Hunting bullets being thinner in the front end to promote expansion. Target bullets are made with heavier jackets up front so that they will not "blow up" in flight giving a competitor a miss during the match. With today's modern bullets, blow ups in flight are so rare as to be non existent. The folks from Berger have told me that their Target bullets are heavier jacketed but that all bullets are made to provide match grade accuracy. Hope this helps some.

Oddly, I was just reading another thread about 147 ELDMs blowing up. lol

Here is a video.