Terminal performance on game for Berger 7mm 168 VLD...

[Slick8]

I've killed many deer with the berger and few ran more than 30 yards and as said above jellied the insides but no exit. Bullets were 115 6mm-215 30 cal.

I have since stepped up to the 230s and I'm getting consistent exits on animals to 300 pounds (red hind). I've read the 230 has about .003 more jacket making it hold up a little better but still nasty. Two WT bucks in the 180 range and average does ranging from 100 to 610 yards.

Here's a couple of exits I took pictures of including a 100 pound hog shot at 225 yards about 2 hours ago. Also a chunk of lung that came out of a buck.

This is with a muzzle velocity of 2950.

 

[VLD Pilot]

^^^^^^This^^^^^^
I've used the 87gr vld, 168gr vld and 210gr vld on deer and had the exact same results. 'Jello' on the inside, little to no blood-trail and the deer laying within 30 yards (give or take) of where they were shot. No complaints here.

Blood trails aren't a requirement for me when hunting with a rifle. Archery equipment, Yes. When deer are hit where the crosshairs are settled, they die within eye shot of where their hit IME.

 

[LeddSlinger]

I've killed many deer with the berger and few ran more than 30 yards and as said above jellied the insides but no exit. Bullets were 115 6mm-215 30 cal.

I have since stepped up to the 230s and I'm getting consistent exits on animals to 300 pounds (red hind). I've read the 230 has about .003 more jacket making it hold up a little better but still nasty. Two WT bucks in the 180 range and average does ranging from 100 to 610 yards.

Here's a couple of exits I took pictures of including a 100 pound hog shot at 225 yards about 2 hours ago. Also a chunk of lung that came out of a buck.

This is with a muzzle velocity of 2950.

All 3 bucks I killed with the 220gr were complete pass through shots with total carnage internally. Very little meat lost due to bloodshot and damage compared to the 215gr

The 220gr are tipped so they have a smaller hollow point tip. My muzzle velocity is 3175 fps from a 300 Norma Mag Improved, but the impact velocities were much less at 370, 650, and 840. The buck at 370 yards had the smallest entrance hole, was actually really hard to find on the left front shoulder where it entered. Absolutely zero meat damage to that shoulder. Exit was about the size of a golf ball with big chunks of lung blown completely out of the chest cavity. Meat was salvageable after about a 3" diameter circle around the exit hole.

Shots at 650 and 840 had larger entrance holes about the size of a dime. But exit holes were about the same size.

 

[Plinker147]

I've used Berger VLD, Classics, and EH from 50 -550 yds out of 6.5-06 and 280AI I like the EH the best. They seem to penetrate more before fragmenting and I do get exits on deer sized game. Classics seem to fragment the most. VLD have been had more variation as sometimes major fragment and sometimes not much. Never touch the tips on any of them. Currently using 175EH out of 280AI and it punch through a mule deer at 300 yds last week.

 

[Troutslayer2]

Did you clean the tips?

No. At the time it wasn't really common knowledge.

 

[glasser]

I'd never heard anything about cleaning tips until lately. I shot a buck at 520 yds with a 190 gr VLD going 3175. Hit through both lungs he ran about 80 yds after some zigging and zagging. I found him in an alder patch. When I went down to where he was standing, there was a bunch of blood and a few speckles of copper where the bullet exited. It started raining and I followed a drop of blood here and there. It was in big reprod. I was lucky to find him. I never found the bullet however.

 

[LVJ76]

Only have experience with the 168gr Hybrid Hunter out of my 7mm Rem Mag and only one deer. Muzzle velocity of 3,053 and impact velocity of 2,625 at 280 yds, double lung shot with bullet diameter size entry and tennis ball size exit, deer just stood there for a couple of seconds then collapsed. Vitals turned to jello.

I do clean the tips and have found a few to be clogged.

 

[GSP814]

I shot a 6x6 bull elk in Colorado this year at 314 yards in the shoulder semi-broadside. The rifle was a Gunwerks RevX in 7mm RM shooting HSM factory ammo, 168 Berger's at an average speed of 2929 fps. The elk turned and lifted his leg up upon the hit indicating a broken shoulder and hobbled about 10 yards closer. I shot a second time hitting right behind the left shoulder and the elk dropped. No exits on either bullet, top half of heart was gone and the shoulder was busted but didn't look too bad.

I shot a 10 point whitetail in Texas with the same load at 100 yards, hit the shoulders broadside (pulled that shot) breaking both shoulders with no exit. The deer went down on both front shoulders and leg kicked about 40 yards before flipping over. It took about 30 seconds for him to die, I couldn't put another round in him because he fell in front of some trees. The camp butcher didn't tell me anything about the damage but I only got half a deer (the back half quartered). Overall, I'm happy and the Berger's shoot great.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Looks like you were successful. Well done.

This and last year's cow elk were taken with a 30cal 175gn VLD hunting, at 362 and about 130 yards, respectively out of a 300wsm. The 130 yarder hit the shoulder square and I saw the jelly effect on the lungs. This year's cow was hit broadside, cleared front the quarters and went right thru her heart.

 

[Bob Wright]

I hit a small buck with a 168 VLD hunting in a 7RM. 40 yards.
He went about 20 yards. No blood trail. Mid way vertical and behind the crease. Exit was 2" diameter. Inside was destroyed. When I picked him up to move him to a better place to field dress, that when I realized how much performance even that short of distance. Messy crime scene.

 

[Panteradave]

I've killed many deer with the berger and few ran more than 30 yards and as said above jellied the insides but no exit. Bullets were 115 6mm-215 30 cal.

I have since stepped up to the 230s and I'm getting consistent exits on animals to 300 pounds (red hind). I've read the 230 has about .003 more jacket making it hold up a little better but still nasty. Two WT bucks in the 180 range and average does ranging from 100 to 610 yards.

Here's a couple of exits I took pictures of including a 100 pound hog shot at 225 yards about 2 hours ago. Also a chunk of lung that came out of a buck.

This is with a muzzle velocity of 2950.

7 mm rem mag 24" barrel. 168g Berger vld with my load 2936 FPS I have never cleaned the tips.
10 to 200 yards all pass through broad side 2" size hole exit wound 30 yards dead on their feet.
Now elk. Every bull taken is a broad side shot. Even at 100 yards I have never had a pass through with different bullets. I always find every bullet opposite shoulder. Some bullets have a pretty mushroom expansion the Berger vld is just smaller. I shot a bull at 1162 yards and a small lead core of the Berger was left on opposite shoulder. Bull went 22 steps. Lungs were pulverized. Not a everyday occurrence mind you, this day I took the shot. Elk are majestic creations of God. Just trust me that I know my shooting limits and stay within them. Don't want to brag about the shot just give a example of bullet characteristics.

 

[Junkysavage]

I've killed about 15 deer and close to 50 pigs, big and small, since switching to the 168's. I have no complaints. MV 2980 in my 7RM. 50 -711 yards they've done the job. I would say 95% exits. Some large with good blood, some small with little blood but all dead very close to POI

 

[SteveBurton]

I just shot 2 whitetails in PA today with my 6.5 PRC loaded with 144 Berger hybrids. Both deer were DRT. I've never had that happen before but always used other brands of bullets. I shot the buck at 25 yards and the bullet went in his chest, through his guts and out his hind quarter. I didn't get a picture but it was jellied. I shot the doe broadside at 80 yards and this is the exit wound. I've always heard that Berger's don't perform well at close range but I'm happy with both results. Load is traveling 2960 fps at the muzzle. The tips were opened up also.

 

[chindits]

All these reports makes me wonder if this is not really a meat eater round. I try to pack out as much meat as possible including heart, neck meat, flank meat, and complete quarters to include lower shanks. When people say vitals were jelly, does that include the edibles? Are the tenderloins always undamaged? Never care to waste any elk meat, deer aren't that special to me but I wouldn't choose to waste them either.