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Guest
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Anyone ever use these for Hunting?
Don
Don
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,543
- 6,620
They are quite frangible, so I'd be loathe to use them on deer or anything larger. I should imagine they would make quite a "splat!"
I was thinking of trying the new 168 CC in the 7WSM. I think it would make an awesome target bullet to go along with the 160 AB's as my hunting bullets. I agree with the others, I imagine they are fairly soft. I do wonder what makes a Berger a hunting bullet and the other Match bullets any different? Not running out to replace my PT's or AB's, but I do wonder some.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,864
- 6,441
Don, I've used the heck out of Nosler competition bullets for target shooting, informal and in competition. They've done very well.
Personally though, I think Nosler builds such great hunting bullets, I prefer to use them: Ballistic Tips, Accubonds, Partitions, and even the old Solid Base bullets have all done well for me.
Scotty - I have used the Berger VLD bullets on predators and up to good size mule deer. They performed exactly as described by John Barsness. Penetration for a couple of inches (plenty to get through the rib cage or even the shoulder blade) then dramatic expansion & fragmentation resulting in massive tissue destruction and quick death. Barsness opined that one reason for the delayed expansion was the very long, pointed nose of the Berger VLD bullets. He noted that the VLD was one of the very few bullets that did not start expanding instantly, but actually penetrated a couple of inches first. My own experiences with them on three mule deer (yes a small sample, they won't let me shoot more!) show this to be correct - the bullets penetrate, then expand violently.
Will the Nosler do the same? I don't know. I like my Noslers, and have for nearly 40 years. I'll keep the Nosler Competition bullets for target purposes at this point though. BTW - have found that the 165 gr .30 cal Ballistic Tip often matches the Competition bullet or the Sierra Matchkings for accuracy, even at 600 yards.
Regards, Guy
Personally though, I think Nosler builds such great hunting bullets, I prefer to use them: Ballistic Tips, Accubonds, Partitions, and even the old Solid Base bullets have all done well for me.
Scotty - I have used the Berger VLD bullets on predators and up to good size mule deer. They performed exactly as described by John Barsness. Penetration for a couple of inches (plenty to get through the rib cage or even the shoulder blade) then dramatic expansion & fragmentation resulting in massive tissue destruction and quick death. Barsness opined that one reason for the delayed expansion was the very long, pointed nose of the Berger VLD bullets. He noted that the VLD was one of the very few bullets that did not start expanding instantly, but actually penetrated a couple of inches first. My own experiences with them on three mule deer (yes a small sample, they won't let me shoot more!) show this to be correct - the bullets penetrate, then expand violently.
Will the Nosler do the same? I don't know. I like my Noslers, and have for nearly 40 years. I'll keep the Nosler Competition bullets for target purposes at this point though. BTW - have found that the 165 gr .30 cal Ballistic Tip often matches the Competition bullet or the Sierra Matchkings for accuracy, even at 600 yards.
Regards, Guy
Try some and let us know, I have shot deer with the 250 grain 338 matchkings and found they were a bit hard meaning little expansion but that may have more to do with the bigger bullet. maybe I will try some in the 6.5x47 and let you guys know I usually use the bergers but am curious myself. perhaps I should get a match bullet from each of the big bullet makers and do a report "if Scotty is willing to post the pics that is.
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Guest
Guest
Your answers confirmed my gut feeling before sending the question. I did wonder as Scotty posted how they might compare to Bergers.
I have no desire to use the Competitions for Hunting. Nosler offers hunting bullets that will serve any purpose for Hunting I encounter.
Don
I have no desire to use the Competitions for Hunting. Nosler offers hunting bullets that will serve any purpose for Hunting I encounter.
Don
Antelope_Sniper
Handloader
- Jan 25, 2008
- 2,618
- 0
What makes a Berger bullet a hunting bullet?
MARKETING
And a willingness to try something different.
Alot of guys hunt with SMK's, but they use heavy for caliber bullets (to make up for the light construction) limit themselves to broadside shots, and typically take them at longer ranges. There is certainly more then one way to kill an elk.
MARKETING
And a willingness to try something different.
Alot of guys hunt with SMK's, but they use heavy for caliber bullets (to make up for the light construction) limit themselves to broadside shots, and typically take them at longer ranges. There is certainly more then one way to kill an elk.
I use bergers a lot both in match form and hunting I have yet to lose an animal to a Berger amax or a matchking . They work and having the ability to shoot one bullet year round is a huge bonus.
the heavy for caliber bullet is used to retain energy at longer distances. most people shooting these bullets at game are doing so at distance, and most have a firm grasp on there equipment, ballistics and abilities.
the heavy for caliber bullet is used to retain energy at longer distances. most people shooting these bullets at game are doing so at distance, and most have a firm grasp on there equipment, ballistics and abilities.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,864
- 6,441
When I get right down to it, I want the bullet to do three things:
1. Hit the target - so it's got to be accurate.
2. Penetrate into, and hopefully through, the vitals.
3. Expand enough that it creates a wide swath of destruction.
If the bullet does all those things, I don't really care if it's a Partition, an ordinary "cup and core" soft point, a hollow point or whatever. There are a lot of good bullets to choose from. I'm happiest hunting with my Noslers, they give me that comfortable feeling based on long experience with them. But - of course I've hunted with other bullets, and they've all done pretty well. A couple of times I've wondered about their on-game terminal performance, and sometimes I've seen accuracy issues with certain bullet/cartridge/rifle combinations, but by and large, a bullet smacking a deer in the chest is going to take it down.
FWIW, Guy
1. Hit the target - so it's got to be accurate.
2. Penetrate into, and hopefully through, the vitals.
3. Expand enough that it creates a wide swath of destruction.
If the bullet does all those things, I don't really care if it's a Partition, an ordinary "cup and core" soft point, a hollow point or whatever. There are a lot of good bullets to choose from. I'm happiest hunting with my Noslers, they give me that comfortable feeling based on long experience with them. But - of course I've hunted with other bullets, and they've all done pretty well. A couple of times I've wondered about their on-game terminal performance, and sometimes I've seen accuracy issues with certain bullet/cartridge/rifle combinations, but by and large, a bullet smacking a deer in the chest is going to take it down.
FWIW, Guy
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,864
- 6,441
Russ - the custom competitions, or the Bergers?
Guy, The C.C. We just started to use the Bergers for a reduced hunting load from about March of this year. I tried the hunting as well as the target VLD. Because we are shooting in the area of 50 to 110 yards I dont see any differance. I notiiced that the vast majority of shots we get past thru on both Hunting and Target Bergers and we have shot two pigs with one bullet approximately 10 times. Now this is just my observation from our little hunting group. But we do hunt just about every Sunday rain or shine. I use a model 7 in 7mm-08 with 160 Abonds. The other three guys use remington 700 tacs in 308, so they use the 210 VLD Bergers. Its a reduced load using 30 grains of Varget. I can say that we have never recovered a bullet from the skulls of the pigs and recovered only small fragments from a few of the double shot pigs as most of them went thru both. Hope this helps.
Russ
Russ
