I do not think anyone is questioning the results that occurred, in fact most on here are saying that is exactly what they would expect to happen with a 250 gr Berger out of a Lapua on a hard angling shot on a heavy animal.
No one that I have read is disputing the facts of what occurred. My only comment is that the results should have been totally expected and a surprise to no one. It seems the only ones that were surprised by the results of this choice in bullet for the job at hand was the OP, the hunter and the guide.
Hopefully next time they load up some Lapua ammo for moose hunting it will be with a stouter bullet intended for use on moose at close range(where the shots occurred).
Clearly not everyone is stating they expected this bullet to perform this way on moose. Some have questioned that this could be one of the few moose ever killed using this bullet. And some experienced, knowledgeable members have expressed their surprise that this 250gr bullet would perform this poorly on this bull moose.
Nevertheless, IF the correct interpretation of the knowledgeable majority is that these thin-jacketed Berger bullets lack stoutness for use on the largest of big game animals at close range, and that no one should ever be surprised at disappointing performance when they use these target-style Berger bullets on close range moose-sized game, then this message is obviously not common knowledge amongst the mass users of these bullets.
Where do they obtain this information? This Thread? Someone provide the references for sources of this information regarding this 'correct' application of the Berger target-style bullets for use on large game at close range.
I'm not surprised by the end result of the use of this Berger bullet on this adult Alaskan bull moose. But I've hunted with rifles for 44 years using many different hunting bullets in various calibers and cartridges, 35 of those years in Alaska where moose are a commonly hunted game animal. My surprise is the presumption that Berger bullet consumers would understand the proper uses of these target-style bullets, relatively recently promoted as hunting bullets, when no bullet application information exists in print. IF it's true that there are commonly encountered hunting circumstances where these target-style bullets should never, ever, be used, then there's good potential for disappointment for newcomers to target-style hunting bullets.
The most knowledgeable users have already provided some guidelines for Berger bullet use. Guidelines that could be put in print without destroying Berger's business. Ammunition manufacturers have done this in the past.
However, notifying consumers that
thin-jacketed, target style, lead core hunting bullets should never be used on close range moose because they're not stout enough? Well, I suppose moose hunters that reload their own ammunition will simply have to read this Thread.
