Bergers...good as they claim?

[Dust270WSM]

I am planning on buying some bergers and work up a load for my Sako 270WSM and was wondering if the Berger are all they are cracked up to be? The bullet will be used for hunting whitetail in Okla. Our deer size runs from about 80 pound does up to 200 lbs. bucks. And that is on the large size. Usually they are 120 lbs. to 160lbs. I want a bullet that if a deer steps out at 50 yards it will put him or her down but also if the same animal steps out at 600 it will do the same.

I plan on using the 150 grainers so it will buck the wind at longer ranges. It has a 1 in 11 twist.

 

[jimmym40a2]

claim........... Yes

 

[BryanLitz]

Careful,
We recommend a 1:10" twist for the 150's to be stable in all conditions. You might get them to work from a 1:11" in favorable conditions, but I would be nervous about hunting in cold weather with them before you test them in cold weather.

The 140's will be fine from the 1:11" in all conditions.

Good luck,
-Bryan

 

[Dust270WSM]

So you would recommend the 140's not the 150's? Reason I'm asking I have some 150's and I have heard a lot of good stuff about the 150's. It will be used in weather ranging from 50 degrees to 10 degress. Usually its around 35 to 40 degrees.

 

[steve smith]

NO! They are not as good as they claim!

They're better!

 

[flyin lizard]

Go to www.bulletsamples.com and see what he has, you can order small quantitys and try them..
Fast service too..

 

[btm_54]

I found the 270 150gr Bergers to be really good in my (1:10 twist ) 270-08.
do the job without copious meat destruction.
I wish they had a reasonably priced agent downunder so they were more accessible for Aussies.
Regards,
btm_54

 

[BryanLitz]

So you would recommend the 140's not the 150's? Reason I'm asking I have some 150's and I have heard a lot of good stuff about the 150's. It will be used in weather ranging from 50 degrees to 10 degress. Usually its around 35 to 40 degrees.

Dust,
If you may be shooting in temperatures that low, I would definitely advise against the 150's from a 1:11" twist barrel. Unless you're very high above sea level, there's a good chance the bullets will not be stable.

It's not worth taking a chance for 10 grains, the 140's will be a safer choice for all conditions. If you really want to shoot the 150's, I would advise re-barreling to a 1:10" twist.

If you have very many of the 150's in unopened boxes, we can arrange an exchange for 140's if you wish.

-Bryan

 

[bigngreen]

I'm shooting the 140's out of my 270 WSM with 1-11 and they function very well and the speed makes up for loosing a little weight.
I'm hoping to shoot 5 or six deer this year with them, I can shoot whitetails and larger mule deer as far as is reasonable. I'm jacked to see how they work.
If the impact craters on my gong is any indicator they will put the smack down on them. I don't think a deer will be able to tell what smoked them a 140 or a 150.

 

[linksmechanic]

Six years ago I used match kings. I now have 6 different calibers and all are shooting bergers. Now if they could only keep up with demand(hint hint).

 

[grit]

I have been completely pleased with them.

 

[LRHWAL]

I'm not sure who "they" are

I'm very happy with the 210 VLD's in a 300 WM.

Many people warn against use of J-4 jackets up close, but as an extreme example, I shot a wounded Eland bull (shot by another hunter) at probably 10 or 15 yards right on the shoulder and the bullet reached the vitals and he was dead in 30 seconds. If you've ever seen the shoulders on an Eland you will know that this is quite something.

I've shot other fairly large animals as close as around 120 yards too.

No, I don't recommend them for Eland, but I'm saying they should be fine at 50 yards on most game animals as well as further out.

I love them.

That said, if you hunt in areas where bush in dense and you need to try to shoot at the southern end of an animal facing north to reach the vitals, I'd suggest something more strongly constructed. Not that I've tried it at all, so can't say that a VLD failed me.

The VLD design is great for a specific purpose as discussed elsewhere here and also on Berger's website, but I feel that I must be able to place a shot that requires no more than about 6 inches of penetration before being in the chest cavity. That's how I use them and awesome results so far.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Not trying to start a contest here but my experience with the Bergers has not been successful in my competition rifles or in the hunting rifles I have tried them in. That being said there are many who have had good success. They are not the proverbial one stop magic solution IMHO.

 

[bigbuck]

I haven't shot any game with them yet but I can say I'm sold on the 210 grain berger my best group yet is 85.5 grains of retumbo fed 215m primer OAL 3.675, 200 yard 3 shot group measured .318 this was out of a rem 700 factory action not (trued) what about that smiths broughton heavy contour tube BERGER ALL THE WAY