Berger Bullets

[metallica]

any one use Berger Bullets? if so how do you like them?

 

[JCalhoun]

Very accurate but pricey. Also quite picky about the seating depth.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Best with singleshot, the picky seating depth doesn't always work well with magazines.

 

[metallica]

$40 for a box of a 100.... doesnt seem to be too pricey??

 

[metallica]

im shooting a weatherby, so with the freebore seating depth shouldnt matter too much??

 

[JCalhoun]

If you don't think $40/box for bullets is high then feel free to buy them. When I say pricey you have to look at they are usually $10 more than Nosler competition bullets of the same caliber/weight.

They are a small specialty bullet company but have excellent customer service and outstanding product research.

 

[JD338]

Are you looking at the Berger bullets for hunting or target shooting?

JD338

 

[metallica]

For hunting..... The concept of shedding all its energy in the animal sounds interesting, kinda makes sence....

 

[HunterJim]

I used the .264"/130 gr Berger VLD last year on antelope in my 6.5-'06. They really thump animals!

The interesting part for me is the fact that they penetrate about 2" in the animal before expanding. That works really well for antelope, deer and other animals of that size.

I was thinking that a bullet maker could take that VLD shape and use it in a harder bullet such as a monolithic and have a bullet for larger animals. The no initial expansion theory is it is due to the long ogive and very narrow opening. Nosler, got your ears on?

jim

 

[metallica]

They have a video on thier web page showing elk drop like a sack of rocks. Ive heard there hard to get a hold of..

 

[FOTIS]

For hunting..... The concept of shedding all its energy in the animal sounds interesting, kinda makes sence....

Depends what you demand from a bullet. Me? I like exit wounds too much.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I've had ballistic tips "expend all there energy in the critter", but I'm with Pop, I want to see that nice hole out the other side leaking blood, or clockworks.

 

[JD338]

I've had ballistic tips "expend all there energy in the critter", but I'm with Pop, I want to see that nice hole out the other side leaking blood, or clockworks.

I agree. I'm not convinced that these bullets are game bullets.
I want controlled expansion and predictable (as best as we know it) results from a hunting bullet that is used on game.

JD338

 

[J300UM]

I gave the VLD's a lotta thought for my 300 but since I know that I won't make that PERFECT shot every time, I opted to stay with the accubonds. I have a lot more confidence knowing that when I dont make that PERFECT shot on an elk that bullet will still brake everything in it's path and get the jod done. The bullet is the biggest thing I never want to second guess when I'm in the field. Just my own little mental block I suppose.

 

[metallica]

well i think i am going to load some for bear hunting this year. Ill let everyone know how they do. Thats if they shoot well in hte first place.

 

[tjen]

For hunting..... The concept of shedding all its energy in the animal sounds interesting, kinda makes sence....

The amount of its energy a bullet sheads inside a animal has very little to do with how good of wound it makes which directly desides how lethal it is. Some bullets that general don't exit do make lethal DRT kills. Most don't, generaly the best wound is made by bullets that make devistating wounds and also exit. How much energy that exited bullet has left dosen't matter its job is done. Rapid loss of blood pressure (anifilactic shock) is what drops a animal not shot threw the centeral nervse system. And that is usualy best done with a bullet that makes a exit wound for extensive bleeding. Its dening the brain and mucles of oxygen rich blood and that can be instintanous. They drop right there and bleed out right there. And if they can still run you want two holes not one.

 

[tjen]

well i think i am going to load some for bear hunting this year. Ill let everyone know how they do. Thats if they shoot well in hte first place.

How experance of bear hunter are you? This is a very serious question because you absolutly want a exit hole on a bear. Black, brown, you need a very big holes to allow for blood loss they have lost of fat and hair to calog up the wounds. And unless you are very good at finding faint depressions (tracks) in moss you may very well lose a fately hit bear.

Best of luck on your hunt.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Metallica, have you ever seen Dear or antelope with a varmit bullet out of a .223 or .243? Bullet goes in and explodes against the ribcage, leaving a bloodshot mess, but fails to penetrate past the ribs to make it to the heart and lungs? Now add all the fat and fur of a Bear to the equation. HMMM. If I'm ever fortunate enough to hunt he big bears of Alaska my rifle will be .338+ in cal, have the work magnum somplace in the name, and be shooting a bonded bullet.

 

[JD338]

well i think i am going to load some for bear hunting this year. Ill let everyone know how they do. Thats if they shoot well in hte first place.

FWIW, I have taken 3 black bears over bait in thick cedar swamps here in MI. All were taken with PT's breaking shoulders and dropping them on the spot with an exit wound the size of a quarter.
No tracking necessary. :wink:
Calibers were 30-06 w/ 150 gr PT, 35 Whelen w/ 225 gr PT and 338 RUM w/ 210 gr PT.

Good Luck on your bear hunt.

JD338

 

[YoteSmoker]

FYIW, I was looking back through an Oct 05 Handloader magazine and saw Berger was advertising their bullets for both target and varmint use. I know there are several long range hunters who swear by the A-max and MatchKing for deer hunting and even some people have used them on elk. I am speculating Berger is marketing their bullets as big game hunting bullets to this crowd. As for me, I will stick to an AccuBond or Partition for anything bigger than deer and even to include deer in some cases.