Alaska Moose Hunt Berger 210vld

[ElkSurgeon]

Hey Guys, ThankYou so much for the input. The intel you provided me with is extremely valuable & I appreciate it very much. I don't belong to Social Media & this is the first "forum" I have ever inquired to. Seems to me this is a group of good solid hunters with lots of experience!! You guys are awesome!

 

[ElkSurgeon]

This is not my first time to Alaska. I assisted a moose hunt on the Koyakuk 12 years ago, & killed 2 Sitka Blacktail on Kodiak Island last fall. I grew up hunting in Montana but ALASKA has me hooked! My brother & I can't wait for next year!

 

[IdahoCTD]

Good luck and let us know what bullet you use along with how it performs. I will be up there this fall chasing a bull with my muzzleloader.

 

[stonehands1]

Good luck and let us know what bullet you use along with how it performs. I will be up there this fall chasing a bull with my muzzleloader.

Well now at least you know not to use them *** Berger "target" bullets for your muzzloader trip. Lmao!

 

[IdahoCTD]

Berger doesnt make any bullets I can use in my muzzleloader or I would probably try them. AK rules are .45 cal and up with open sites. My plan is to use either saboted Pittman 325 .402's or the ELR Powerbelts. Smooth sizing is a pain unless you take all your gear along to size the bullets for the temp/weather. We also cant take powder so we have to have our buddy up there buy it and we will have to check our guns up there.

 

[stonehands1]

Berger doesnt make any bullets I can use in my muzzleloader or I would probably try them. AK rules are .45 cal and up with open sites. My plan is to use either saboted Pittman 325 .402's or the ELR Powerbelts. Smooth sizing is a pain unless you take all your gear along to size the bullets for the temp/weather. We also cant take powder so we have to have our buddy up there buy it and we will have to check our guns up there.

Well hopefully Pastor Dave will bless you with some amazing insight on the proper bullets to use in your front stuffer while hunting in Alaska.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'm almost holding my breath in anticipation.

 

[Westernhuntr]

I thought the center of the shoulder was the scapula.
I get annoyed when people try to push their opinion on others. Use what you want to use. The OP asked about using Berger's on a moose and I gave my experience. He didn't ask to hear from those that don't like Berger's but people always feel the need to interject their opinion weather they are asked or not.

There's a leg bone connected to the scapula in the center of the shoulder and it'll tear a Berger or Eld apart, I've seen it 3 times now.

If the OP wants to hear opinions on using Berger's on Moose then I'm thinking there must be some value in sharing our field tested results with said bullets...
Not wanting to hear the bad with the good is like debating yourself.

I'm personally getting tired of guys discrediting those of us who share poor terminal performance with a given bullet because it doesn't jive with their views or perceptions.
What I shared was not an opinion it's factual experience, not a biased statement of what bullet the OP needs to use

 

[IdahoCTD]

The first sentence you quoted was the only one that was directed towards you. The rest was aimed at the guy that gave zero Berger performance input and just said they arent hunting bullets.

But since you want to be confrontational about it....the leg bone below the scapula isnt in the center of the shoulder, its in the lower 1/3 of the body, and if you hit it there it was poor shot placement with a Berger IMO. Honestly that is bad shot placement with any bullet. That bone is on the extreme front end of the vitals when its standing broadside. Your input is valid but if you dont realize a Berger isnt ideal for heavy bone busting then you probably shouldnt be shooting them, especially if you tried it with poor results 3 times. If you shoot animals in the lungs or heart with Bergers, and the tips arent plugged, animals die fairly fast. I shot my biggest bull last year in the hind end as it ran away. It was already hit in the lungs but it was almost dark and I didnt want him to make it to the timber, plus I'm a keep shooting while they are on the feet type of person. It blew the crap out of the femur and dropped the bull. I didnt expect it to make it to the vitals because I know their limitations. It did pretty much what I would expect it to do. I lost a good deal of meat but it stopped him. Sometimes elk shot with Bergers through the lungs will mad dash run for 50-100yds before they die. That is the main reason I prefer Amax's or ELD-M's. The elk I've shot with those havent done that.

I have no problem with people giving input, good or bad, about bullet performance but not using a bullet how it was intended or blaming bad shot placement on a bullet is not really worthwhile input unless all the details are given and people can choose to use it or disregard it. You initially just said you had 3 fail without saying anything about bullet placement. I wouldnt recommend 210 Matrix VLD's. I had 2 pencil hole through 2 cow elk shot in the lungs and a buddy had one only penetrate 4-5" on a 6x6 bull. The follow up shot pencil holed through the lungs. I also wouldnt recommend 162 Amax's driven fast like I already mentioned. On the other hand I've witnessed 45-50 animals shot with Bergers, Amaxs, and ELD-M's in the last 7-8 years and know quite well what to expect from them. Most of those were elk but 2 were moose. My AK moose and the other was a cow shot in ID by my wife using a 6.5x47L with 140 Bergers. I butchered all of them so I got to see what they do internally. There is a very low chance to drive a Berger through the heavy front or hind leg bones to reach the vitals. They will go through thin ribs and the scapula to get there though.

 

[Westernhuntr]

Not trying to be confrontation, we can have a discussion without getting our hackles up...
I didn't say I shot those bulls in the shoulder 3 times, I've seen it, once last year with the 300 EH, again last year with a 225 eldm (buddies bull), and the year before that on a follow up shot on a big 6x6 that was running away (143 ELDX).

Last year I had the two failures with the 215's from my prc, first shot blew apart on the ribs and created a massive surface wound, second shot pencilled through, and I was able to finish the job later with another shot that performed very well.
This was at 680 yards.

As for shoulder shots it doesn't take much to miss a wind call by an moa and put a bullet in that heavy bone, I want people to know what will happen.
I hit that shoulder bone on a bull at 200 yards with a 140 partition a few years ago and it broke through and lodged in the offside scapula

Personally I'm not impressed with any thin jacketed/ non bonded bullets on elk.
Sure they kill but I hate grenading them on usable meat and loading it with lead shrapnel.
I'm using Cutting Edge MTH bullets this year, looking forward to seeing how they perform, BTW they're rated for expansion to 1600 fps Berger's aren't reliable below 1900

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

Elk are big, Alaskan Yukon moose are a lot bigger.
Shot a nice Shiras in Idaho over 900 lbs took the 2nd largest moose form for the mount, 300 wm with 215 bergers double lung went less than 100yds.
RH300UM has it right, I have had run ins with Grizzlys in Alaska and the NWT, those guys are a 100% serious matter!
Any future hunts in this part of the world I will take my 338 RUM.
Steve Bair

I live and have hunted in Alaska for 40 some years and have used a 300 win from 1889 till now and never have had any trouble killing my winter meat or takeing any bears now if you are from the low 48 and are doing a guided hunt yes 338,375H&H would be what I would say you should shoot and bring up

 

[Westernhuntr]

I live and have hunted in Alaska for 40 some years and have used a 300 win from 1889 till now and never have had any trouble killing my winter meat or takeing any bears now if you are from the low 48 and are doing a guided hunt yes 338,375H&H would be what I would say you should shoot and bring up

Wow I'm definitely taking advice from a guy who's been doing it since 1889

 

[ElkSurgeon]

I'm almost holding my breath in anticipation.

Idaho C

 

[ElkSurgeon]

Funny how the "establishment" that's against Berger bullets frequently brings up a charging bear