TAM Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Does anyone have any experience/opinions on hunting with Berger Bullets? Good or bad. Thanks! TAM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couestaxi Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Tim - Nice fox! I have a bunch of 190 grain VLD's loaded up over Rel-25 for my 300 RUM. Have not got a chance to get out to shoot them yet. I needed a OCL gauge from Sinclair International along with a Ogive gauge to get the seating depth correct. This does make my 300 RUM a single shot but thats OK as thats all I get anyways! Contact Berger for load data. Have 2 friends that love them in both shooting and hunting situations. The Sinclair Guage is by far the best on the market. http://www.sinclairintl.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAM Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Thanks, I love my fox. I just need to take a better picture. The taxi did a great job with him!!! I'm thinking of having a custom rifle built from the ground up in .300 RUM. The guy that builds the rifle will also get me started on working up some custom loads. I just need to let him know what bullets I'd prefer to shoot. I'm strongly considering the Berger VLD's in 168 grain for my deer round, and perhaps the 210's for my large animal round. I mainly want to know how the bullets perform on animals, since they were originally designed for the bench. Before anyone tells me, I know the gun is over kill for coues and deer sized animals. I am building it so I can have a versitile rifle that would be suitable to also hunt Elk, or to take to Alaska or Africa some day. Thanks! TAM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Tim, I started hunting with them last year as part of my longrange set up. We tested the 168 VLD and several other bullets out of my 300 Wby Mag. The VLD's gave me the best group every time. We shot that gun on both of Huntn coues's daughter's (HC1 & HC2)bulls in December. Amazing results.... both one shot kills.... animals expire within feet of impact. One shot destroyed 6" of spine and the other turned all the vital organs into a protein shake! Very little loss of meat due to bloodshot..... almost none. The spine shot did loose some meat as it made a good size (as advertised) wound channel right infront of the shoulder almost all the damage was between the hide.....no damage to the cape. The Cavity shot entered behind the shoulder and did amazing internal damage but NO external damage..... All of the bullet fragments and all the energy remained in the cavity... I was amazed....never seen anything like it. I am going to try to get the girls to shoot it again on there pig hunts to see how they do on a smaller animal.... I called and talked to the guys that recomend these bullets and shared my exact results..... their reponse was that they performed Exactly as they want and as they advertise..... They don't want 98% bullet retention, but rather 98% bullet desintegration and energy tranfer inside the animal. I was amazed at how little meat was lost with this kind of bullet.... but I have not shot a coues or anything smaller with them yet.... Gino Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Thanks, I love my fox. I just need to take a better picture. The taxi did a great job with him!!! I'm thinking of having a custom rifle built from the ground up in .300 RUM. The guy that builds the rifle will also get me started on working up some custom loads. I just need to let him know what bullets I'd prefer to shoot. I'm strongly considering the Berger VLD's in 168 grain for my deer round, and perhaps the 210's for my large animal round. I mainly want to know how the bullets perform on animals, since they were originally designed for the bench. Before anyone tells me, I know the gun is over kill for coues and deer sized animals. I am building it so I can have a versitile rifle that would be suitable to also hunt Elk, or to take to Alaska or Africa some day. Thanks! TAM IMO..... Tim...... The 168 will do all you need here in the States.... and 300 RUM is not overkill.... it is a consistant flat shooting gun.... Good Luck with it!! However, You will want a solid bullet like a Barnes or Tropy Bonded 180+ grain bullet for the big/thick hided animals of the North (Griz) or of Africa. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Tim.... You know how I feel about them... They rock. I don't know if they will kill anything more dead than other brands but I do think they are very consistent and will hit where you point them. You saw the somewhat crappy shot I put on my Coues deer and that thing DESTROYED the inside of that animal but the hide wasn't mangled. I think they are alot like the Ballistic Tips but you get a few inches of penetration. When I talked to Walt he said the 168's are the way to go.... PS.. I wish I would have taken pictures of Jed's deer, that ballistic tip blew up and but didn't penetrate AT ALL... I don't know if that is the way it was supposed to perform but I wasn't impressed. Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAM Report post Posted February 6, 2008 Thanks guys! I know everyone has different opinions, but my opinion is that when I shoot something I want it to instantly fall over stone dead. I don't want to track if for a hundred yards like a bow kill. I have always purchased hunting bullets with this goal in mind. I want to expend as close to 100% of the bullets energy in the animal. I don't care if there is anything left of the bullet, I'm not looking for a souviner. I've heard that's how Berger's perform and I've heard they are accurate to boot. Is the best of both worlds really possible? Jason, I'm glad you reminded me that you killed your buck with a Berger, I had almost forgotten. I sure did its job!!! I'm really looking hard at the 168's for everything from coues to elk, assuming they fly well. Thanks again, Tim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tim. Not to step on your thread But while we are on this subject. I have been thinking about using Bergers also. Anyone have some input on what weight for my 7Mag project? Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tim. Not to step on your thread But while we are on this subject. I have been thinking about using Bergers also. Anyone have some input on what weight for my 7Mag project? Mike FYI.... Mike..... The guys at Best of the West and John Barnes both use 168 Gr. VLD's in their 7 mags. They Swear by them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tim. Not to step on your thread But while we are on this subject. I have been thinking about using Bergers also. Anyone have some input on what weight for my 7Mag project? Mike FYI.... Mike..... The guys at Best of the West and John Barnes both use 168 Gr. VLD's in their 7 mags. They Swear by them. Buy them Or by them Didn't take you long to steel the avatar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tim, they are target/match bullets. Not hunting bullets. They are not meant to penetrate more than a few inches. Good luck getting a bullet to the vitals on a 1/4'ing away or head on shot. Use a hunting bullet for hunting, and a match bullet for punching paper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzTrapper Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Does anyone have any experience/opinions on hunting with Berger Bullets? Good or bad. Thanks! TAM Good looking Fox one of my favorite animals! I shoot the 168 grain Berger Moly's in my 300 H&H and they work great faster flater shooting than anything else I have tried. I don't think you can go wrong with them. AzTrapper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntn coues Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tam- I saw these bullets it action this year and all I can say is WOW!!! As far as punching paper I imagine they do that as well as they wack the crap out of elk! Broad side or quartering away. I will let you know how they do on my 3 daughters javy's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted February 7, 2008 Tim, they are target/match bullets. Not hunting bullets. Bla Bla Bla...... What box have you been living in..... .... Oh I for got.... You don't read well... my bad... You could buy the BTW video, Casey... I have one I'll sell or Rent to you so you can make an educated judgement.... There are PLENTY of Dead critters to prove that the VLD's are not just for punching paper..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted February 7, 2008 GH... Walt Berger recommends the 168 for all big-game.... I told him that I was using the 175's and he said that they would work but that they would not perform to there max ability on deer size game... I told him that I also wanted to use the load on elk and he said that I would be fine with either the 168 or 175.... I am going to workup a load for the 168.. They are amazing... J- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
