Which Berger is Better for Elk (7mm)

[Tidus56]

Hybrid has been far better for me. I have had issues with the VLD coming apart too early on elk and haven't had the same issue with the Hybrid just my thoughts

 

[Phil Rizzo]

What does a hunter do when an animal needs to be dropped on the spot at "close" distance with these bullets?
I've read so many negative comments about "blowing up on the shoulder" it seems like that prime target is risky at best.
heaven forbid a raking shot is all that's possible.

 

[memtb]

What does a hunter do when an animal needs to be dropped on the spot at "close" distance with these bullets?
I've read so many negative comments about "blowing up on the shoulder" it seems like that prime target is risky at best.

Shoot'm in the ear hole!

As I'm generally look'n at a different hole ……I want a very deep penetrating bullet!

I never think about side to side penetration…….I want end to end penetration! memtb

 

[Buttermilk]

What does a hunter do when an animal needs to be dropped on the spot at "close" distance with these bullets?
I've read so many negative comments about "blowing up on the shoulder" it seems like that prime target is risky at best.

I've shot deer as close as 82 yds with a 30 cal 210 VLDH running 3149 fps. Bullet exited mid rib cage after impacting mid rib cage on entrance. Buck dropped at the shot like a sack of taters. This bullet did not come apart based on the exit hole. Insides were trashed and back was broken even with the bullet impacting ~6"-8" lower than the spine.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I can see that happening more consistently on deer sized animals for sure with a 210gr. What do your mature bucks weigh?

 

[Buttermilk]

I can see that happening more consistently on deer sized animals for sure with a 210gr. What do your mature bucks weigh?

Depends… any where from 125 lbs to 200 plus lbs.

The buck I shot was 150-160 lbs.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Depends… any where from 125 lbs to 200 plus lbs.

The buck I shot was 150-160 lbs.

Got a close friend outside of Durant/Bennington and his mature deer are variable also. Like 2 different sub species.
Both are a long way from a bull elk though.

 

[gillettehunter]

I use the 180 VLDH due to the advice of @Broz. He is now mostly over at Long range only. He felt that results were better with the hunting variety. Around 35 animals from my last 3 african safaris have been killed with that bullet. That includes 3 eland. I've wrote about the Livingston eland bull I killed in Zambia. 75 yds and shot on the shoulder per my PH's instructions. I hit him a 2nd time just to make sure but we were fairly sure he was going down without the follow up shot. Only other animal to require more than 1 shot on the 3 safaris was my fault. That eland was close to 2000 lbs. HUGE bull. Biggest taken that year by my PH. Noticeably bigger than my cape buffalo from a few days earlier.
I use a 7 SAUM and run that bullet at 2900 fps. If you want good penetration at close range then keep that bullet under 2950 or 3000 fps. That eland is 3 times the size of a bull elk. Lots bigger than the Shiras moose here in WY. Put it where it belongs and it will do just fine on elk.
Bruce

 

[Petey308]

The hybrid is better overall. The VLD is slightly more secant and thus narrower in the ogive. Being narrower makes it slightly more structurally stronger and a bit more resistant to expansion- or more specifically rapid expansion. For closer range or higher impact velocity shots the VLD can be better. The hybrid is better for longer range shots due to the very slightly thinner jacket and larger cavity due to the slightly more rounded ogive.

So it may depend on certain things. For the type of hunting you described, I think either one would likely work well for you. If you figured it was more likely you'd be engaging over 600 yards I'd definitely recommend the hybrid over the VLD.

Here are some examples of a few different Bergers cut in half. The Classic Hunter is a hybrid. The Jugg is a tangent ogive. The EOLs are a hybrid.

 

[FEENIX]

The hybrid is better overall. The VLD is slightly more secant and thus narrower in the ogive. Being narrower makes it slightly more structurally stronger and a bit more resistant to expansion- or more specifically rapid expansion. For closer range or higher impact velocity shots the VLD can be better. The hybrid is better for longer range shots due to the very slightly thinner jacket and larger cavity due to the slightly more rounded ogive.

So it may depend on certain things. For the type of hunting you described, I think either one would likely work well for you. If you figured it was more likely you'd be engaging over 600 yards I'd definitely recommend the hybrid over the VLD.

Here are some examples of a few different Bergers cut in half. The Classic Hunter is a hybrid. The Jugg is a tangent ogive. The EOLs are a hybrid.

View attachment 487797

Yep! This is one pretty and deadly lineup.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Fwiw

 

[VinceMule]

If you can find any, the 175g Sierra btsp will shoot holes though both elk shoulders, on par with the 175g Partition, I have seen it!

 

[tworr]

Which is better on elk, the 180gr hybrid or 180gr VLD hunter? What's the difference between the 2 on wound channel and performance? Thanks

None of them!!

 

[memtb]

I've shot deer as close as 82 yds with a 30 cal 210 VLDH running 3149 fps. Bullet exited mid rib cage after impacting mid rib cage on entrance. Buck dropped at the shot like a sack of taters. This bullet did not come apart based on the exit hole. Insides were trashed and back was broken even with the bullet impacting ~6"-8" lower than the spine.

A mid rib cage shot on a deer is far different than a "raking" shot on an elk! Plus that "raking" shot may include some large bone structures! memtb