Bad Luck With Bergers

[Moe02]

Toddc
The bullets I show are from the elk and as I mentioned earlier I do think that the elk was dead and just didn't know it yet. There was internal damage for sure. I was still suprised there were such tiny exit wound and the amount of shots to put him down. The deer was a totally different story and did not have massive internal damage. I really believe they were "penciling" through.

 

[Joe King]

Toddc
The bullets I show are from the elk and as I mentioned earlier I do think that the elk was dead and just didn't know it yet. There was internal damage for sure. I was still suprised there were such tiny exit wound and the amount of shots to put him down.

Some times you run into an animal that just won't friggin die, I've had a few over the years that still amaze me with how hard they died, had few that it seemed all it would have took was the bullet passing by.

The deer was a totally different story and did not have massive internal damage. I really believe they were "penciling" through.

I wonder if the meplat hadn't gotten damaged somehow and cause to opening to be reduced enough to hinder expansion.

 

[gcamp54]

Sorry you had so much problems. I shot 2 antelope in Wyoming this year using 190 vlds hunting out of my 300wm. One at 575yds and one at 564yds. Both had exit wounds fist size. Berger may like to see one of your loaded rnds.

Gordon

 

[kcebcj]

I took a buck here about four days ago at somewhere 100-150 yards up hill quartering away trotting with 190gr Berger 30-06 2680 fps muzzle. Dropped him like a rock. Impact was just behind the right front shoulder through the chest up into the neck with the bullet lodging against the hide just above the base of the neck. Tore the crap out of him even though it did not catch the shoulder itself.

Weighed the 190gr Berger and the spent bullet weighed 85gr and had a decent mushroom with copper and lead intact at the bottom with the mushroom portion measuring almost half inch.

Took a buck with the same bullet at 470 yards dropping him instantly with a similar wound channel. The velocity would have been around 2050fps at that range...never found the spent bullet as it passed through. Have not taken a elk with the Bergers yet so have no opinion but think they would perform in a deadly fashion. The 200gr Accubonds work well on elk for me and am working on a load using RE17 and if it gets as accurate as the 190 Bergers may switch back???

From my perspective and experiences I don't understand why your having problems but s**t happens. Good luck!

 

[toddc]

I was very dissapointed and will be switching back to accubonds. I will sacrifice some accuracy for 1 shot kills. I feel like its my responsibility to cleanly take an animal with the first shot or dont shoot, and for me these bullets do not do the job I want. Now on paper/metal targets I have been very impressed with the long range accuracy.

You shot them both behind the shoulder. Both were dead with 1 shot. An accubond wouldnt have killed em any deader. Animals fall down when they are in the mood. The only slug I've seen never fail is the big .338 stuff. Shoot enuf and they will all do somethin weird. The deer you shot seems impossible but a bullet will do a lot of weird things at times. Ive never had a pencil thru with that bullet even at stoopid ranges but I wont say it cant happen.
When ya fling lead at an animal anything can occur.
But remember that both the animals were dead as soon as you shot them. Its a medical impossibility that a deer can take a 210 gr 30 cal at 3k thru the boilerroom expanded or not and live. So the bullet did its job it was just a hair slower than you wanted. Next time hit some bone. I like quartering shots myself and always try to paste a shoulder when I can but I dont worry about it too much. An animal shot thru the heart or lungs is dead. Ive killed a bunch of critters with a 22lr. It works.

 

[toddc]

Also consider this: I have shot over 20 frontal shots on mid size whiteys with the combo you have and an edge with smks that removed ALL of their organs. ALL! If you shoot a deer facing you in the brisket the bullet will often blow out the bottom of thier hide and ALL of their insides will fall out. Many of these deer have run over 100 yds with NOTHING in their body. No heart, no lungs no guts. Running like they were fine. The first time it happened I about had a coronary. Thought I miss till my cousin found the gut pile strung out for bout 50 ft.
Wild animals can be blown in half and still run a fair ways.
I shot a fawn with my 338 at 50 yds. Shot her dead on facing me and stuff blew out both sides of her like a prairie dog with a 220 swift. She ran about 80 yards. Literally exploded and still ran.