Berger VLD Hunting for Elk - Success??

[snox801]

Things don't change every week. Seems these bullet threads are the worst.
Redundancy gets old, were all here to learn but I dont think pounding a bullet thread into the ground every week it seems. Some things just seem to be left alone is a better option.

So just do what I do when it's been covered more than I care. Just don't read or respond.

 

[berksbowman]

I have used 168 7mm Berger's out of sever Stws with great success.

 

[GSP814]

My Gunwerks RevX likes in 7mm RM likes the 168's also.

 

[Huntnful]

I killed 2 bucks and a caribou with the 180 VLD Hunts. They expand extremely fast. Never got more than 14" of penetration. But they were devastating. But I wouldn't take a quartering to or especially a quartering away shot on an elk.

 

[Darryle]

I posed this question about the 7mm and elk. I had intended to build a 28 Nosler, but I don't need the punishment on my body with the recoil, so I decided that I would load the 168gr and the 180gr VLD-H bullets for any and all game elk size and up.

If the 243, 25'06, 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, PRC and 7mm-08 (there are others) will effectively kill elk within reason and when properly prepared, the 280 Ackley will do it in spades with either of the VLD-H bullets I mentioned.

I can use the money from the 28 Nosler build for more powder, primers, bullets, long range shooting classes/seminars and practice.

I don't necessarily tire of these threads, because there is always a couple of members with solid and differing advice that may have missed the other threads on the subject.

 

[Longtine88]

I posed this question about the 7mm and elk. I had intended to build a 28 Nosler, but I don't need the punishment on my body with the recoil, so I decided that I would load the 168gr and the 180gr VLD-H bullets for any and all game elk size and up.

If the 243, 25'06, 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, PRC and 7mm-08 (there are others) will effectively kill elk within reason and when properly prepared, the 280 Ackley will do it in spades with either of the VLD-H bullets I mentioned.

I can use the money from the 28 Nosler build for more powder, primers, bullets, long range shooting classes/seminars and practice.

I don't necessarily tire of these threads, because there is always a couple of members with solid and differing advice that may have missed the other threads on the subject.

I was shooting another 28 Nosler last night with 195's. I used a 5 port brake. Beast II Ti makes them kick like 243's. So you can take the whooping out it. The huge advantage the 28N has over those calibers it's gonna run away and leave them in shooting flatter. I shot 28 times last night averaging 3,123' with them. My 8 year old can shoot them with that brake. My 18 year old loves shooting it. He shot his first bull with it this year.

The 280 ackley will do a fine job but highly doubt it gets close to the 28 Nosler. I really love the cartridge especially with the Berger bullets.

 

[xsn10s]

I posed this question about the 7mm and elk. I had intended to build a 28 Nosler, but I don't need the punishment on my body with the recoil, so I decided that I would load the 168gr and the 180gr VLD-H bullets for any and all game elk size and up.

If the 243, 25'06, 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, PRC and 7mm-08 (there are others) will effectively kill elk within reason and when properly prepared, the 280 Ackley will do it in spades with either of the VLD-H bullets I mentioned.

I can use the money from the 28 Nosler build for more powder, primers, bullets, long range shooting classes/seminars and practice.

I don't necessarily tire of these threads, because there is always a couple of members with solid and differing advice that may have missed the other threads on the subject.

The are members here that have taken big bulls with their 280 AI's using a myriad of bullets. I have several friends that use 7mm RM for their elk rifles with great success, imo there's significant ballistic overlap there. I want a rifle that I'll stick with for the rest of my life. The reason being all that data one can gain from the long term experience with said rifle, or pistol for that matter. I always questioned the validity of changing a firearm every so often. Seems like a lot of weapons/ cartridge familiarity throw out the window every time there's a change. At 58 yrs old your idea of gathering up components and seeking more training makes great sense. As does your cartridge choices. Just my two cents from the peanut gallery.

 

[snox801]

I killed 2 bucks and a caribou with the 180 VLD Hunts. They expand extremely fast. Never got more than 14" of penetration. But they were devastating. But I wouldn't take a quartering to or especially a quartering away shot on an elk.

This seems to be the best advice I have heard when talking Berger.
It's hard to not like how they drop animals.
But part of what makes them
Magical is what you stated. I think as long range bullets pushing the distance and lower FPS of any given caliber they are probably the best when making sure the tips are cleaned out.
What you have stated is the main reason I don't use or recommend them to newer hunters. I like as much margin as I can get because although I'd like to think I'm always gonna make a great shot I suffer from a real bad affliction called buck fever.

 

[snox801]

The are members here that have taken big bulls with their 280 AI's using a myriad of bullets. I have several friends that use 7mm RM for their elk rifles with great success, imo there's significant ballistic overlap there. I want a rifle that I'll stick with for the rest of my life. The reason being all that data one can gain from the long term experience with said rifle, or pistol for that matter. I always questioned the validity of changing a firearm every so often. Seems like a lot of weapons/ cartridge familiarity throw out the window every time there's a change. At 58 yrs old your idea of gathering up components and seeking more training makes great sense. As does your cartridge choices. Just my two cents from the peanut gallery.

I believe you are into something for sure. As much as I love my new 30 Sherman and it shoots great. When I went to CO this year for deer and elk I brought it as a spare but carried my 6.5 creedmore. I know it well and have all the confidence in knowing it will do the job to 600 yards. It's very comforting knowing you can hit where you want.
I'm sure by next year I'll have that confidence in my 30 but it's a bit to new.

 

[vancewalker007]

I have posted this before. Here you go:
I will start this with a few observations. All bullets are designed with a use in mind. There is no one size fits all in bullets. I have no problems with other bullets. I have taken Barnes TTSX's and Nosler accubonds to Africa. Both have served me well. This last trip I took Bergers. I usually get extremely good accuracy and good results with them. Bergers are often used in longer range hunting and are designed to expand reliably at lower velocities. If you plan to use them I will strongly suggest that you heed the next observations:
1) Use heavy for caliber bullets. I used 180 grainers in my 7mm SAUM. If you use a faster bigger .28 caliber cartridges then use their 195 grainers. In .30 caliber use the 215 grain hybrid. Easy to load and deadly effective on game. In a .26 caliber use the 140's or 156's. Apply the same to other calibers.
2) Always check the points. Bergers are a hollow point design. Occasionally the point will be "clogged or closed". That bullet, if not opened, will act like a solid and pencil through an animal. A small drill bit should be used to make sure they are all open. If closed then use that one for practice or drill it open.
3) Do not expect reliable expansion at over 3000 fps. You are more likely to get over expansion at higher velocities along with poor penetration. My SAUM runs the 180's at 2900 fps. That is about right. My .30 Nosler runs the 215's at 2990. Works well too. I would not run them at 3200 fps and expect reliable close range expansion.
On to the point of this post. 16 animals of assorted sizes were taken with my SAUM and the 180 gr bullet's. They are as follows:
1) Cape eland cow at 469 yards. Hit slightly further back than wanted. Down and dead quickly.
2)Cape eland bull at 511 yds. Heart shot. Dead in less than 20 yds. Pretty impressive.
3)Springbock at 175-200 yds. Broadside shot slightly back and high. Down in its tracks.
4)Duiker spotlighted at maybe 40 yds quartering to me. High shoulder down in his tracks.
5)Vaal Rhebuck at 313 yds. Hit way back top of back. Spine hit. Down in his tracks.
6) Klipspringer at 269 yds. A little far back and high. Down and done in place.
7)Blesbuck cow at 130 yds? Back a little and a little high. Down immediately with no fuss.
8) Bull Livingston eland. Huge animal. 75 yds. First hit was high shoulder. Sraggered him. Went perhaps 75 yds and He appeared to be staggering when I hit him again up high mid body which put him down.
9)Hartebeest cow at 200 yds. Quartering slightly to me. Hit mid way up behind the shoulder. Went 40-50 yds.
10)2nd Hartebeest cow. Broadside at 80-90 yds. Hit behind shoulder. Went 30 yds or so.
11)Hartebeest bull at 150-170 yds quartering to me. Low shoulder into the heart. Went maybe 60 yds.
12) Bushbuck at 200 yds or a little more. Hit a little high behind the shoulder. Went perhaps 30 yds.
Mikes animals as follows:
1)Waterbuck at 150 yds broadside. Hit behind shoulder. Went about 70 yds.
2)Puku at 80-90 yds perhaps. Quartering hard away. Hit in front of hind quarter lining up on far shoulder. Went about 40 yds.
3)Bushbuck at 120 yds. Broadside. Behind shoulder. Went 25 yds.
4)Lechwe at 230 yds. Behind shoulder half way up. Down in its tracks. Kicked twice.
I will add the following NA animals for additional consideration:
A) 6.5-06 w/ 140 grain bullet. Bighorn ram at 100 yds. Broadside. Hit back too far. Got liver. Went perhaps 100 yds.
B) 180 in the SAUM. Antelope at 130 yds. A little high behind shoulder. Down in his tracks.
C)180 in SAUM Whitetail doe. 75 yds facing me. Down in her tracks.
D) 180 in SAUM WT buck. 300 yds. 1 shot in leg and one mid body. Went perhaps 30 yds.
E) 215 gr in .30 Nosler. Bull moose at just over 100 yds. Quartering to me. In front of shoulder. Went less than 20 yds.
F) 6.5 SS w/ 156 gr. Whitetail buck at 20 yds. Quartering away. High behind shoulder. Down in his tracks.
G) 6.5 w/ 156 gr Pronghorn buck. Broadside. Hit slightly low behind shoulder. Went 25 yds.
H) 6.5 w/ 156 gr. Pronghorn doe at 325 yds. Behind shoulder a touch high. Down in her tracks.
Notice that I needed more than 1 shot on a wt buck that I screwed up on and the Livingston eland that likely didn't need it.

Remember that an eland bull is huge. My Livingston bull was bigger than my cape buffalo taken on that hunt. Likely over 1800 lbs. The cape eland bull was over 1200 lbs. Used properly Berger's are deadly. I'm running the hunting VLD's. Its reputed that the target VLD's have a slightly thicker jacked. I haven't needed it.......
Bruce

I killed a cape eland with 2, Berger 6.5mm 156 EOLs back in August. People really don't understand how big they are. I didn't until I was touching one. The key to killing quickly and reliably has a lot more to do with bullet placement than anything else. I feel like US hunters tend to shoot too far back and too high generally and then blame the bullet, what ever one it is for failing them. ;-)

 

[southpa]

Seen a pile of large mammals die with well placed shots from VLD-H's. From 100-1200 yards. 140-180 grains. All did what they were supposed to do as long as the shooter did what they were supposed to do. Fine bullets!!

 

[Aoudad 101]

300 win mag 190 vlds 100 yards 3060 fps . Shot 3 times 1st quartering away no penetration bullet came apart. 2nd right behind sholder no bone and bullet also came apart. 3rd one on opposite side high shoulder bullet made to opposite side under skin . Animal died but I am not happy with results.

 

[Darryle]

I have seen the same results with the AccuBond 140gr in the 280 Ackley at less than 300yds. I plan to use the 140gr VLD-H in the 7mm-08 and 280 Ackley, guessing that I will have to be mindful of velocities and yardages and use the 7mm-08 for up to and the 280 Ackley for over. The fun part will be figuring out the over/under yardage.

 

[vancewalker007]

View attachment 323689View attachment 323688
300 win mag 190 vlds 100 yards 3060 fps . Shot 3 times 1st quartering away no penetration bullet came apart. 2nd right behind sholder no bone and bullet also came apart. 3rd one on opposite side high shoulder bullet made to opposite side under skin . Animal died but I am not happy with results.

Well you choose the wrong bullet for that distance. If I was hunting where shots were going to be under 300 yards I would be hunting with a harder bullet. My deer hunting it mainly for Coues deer. We purposely never approach closer than about 300 yards to them, but shots usually end up more in the 400-600 yard area.

If I was hunting where most of my shots were within 300 yards a sturdier bullet would be a better choice. I have shot a Sable at close range with a Berger and it died in its tracks, so I guess your results may vary.