Berger Bullet performance question?

antlerrick · Oct 4, 2009

I have just recently started shooting Bergers and my son shot his first elk with one in a 7mm Rem Mag. He was shooting uphill at a broadside bull at about 80 yards, and the bullet hit him in the upper chest area, and glanced off the back bone, and then come back down and the bullet ended up about straight across from the entrance hole. We couldn't find the main bullet, but found about 15 different pieces of the fragmented bullet.
I was told that Berger's held their weight very well after great penetration.
My question is do you think the many fragments were due to hitting the backbone, or is that the way that Bergers perform? I was a little concerned at the amount of pieces I found.
Rick

shootinfool · Oct 5, 2009

any match grade bullet shot at high velocity and impacting at close range will have a tendancy to do this. if it hits solid bone at this range then there is even more chance of it happening as well.

REDDOG · Oct 5, 2009

Rick, that sounds on par per my experience with them.

antlerrick · Oct 5, 2009

So is Berger the bullet that they have built it up to be?
Can I still be confident shooting a 175 grain thru my 300RUM for elk?

REDDOG · Oct 6, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Oct-06-09 AT 11:06AM (MST)[p]I know Berger has a new bullet out labeled a hunting bullet. they supposedly have a thicker jacket.I have not tried them.

I gave up on them in my 30-378, for the reasons you described, I was shooting 190's and 168's, same performance with both. If I were to shoot them in a RUM, I would try the 210 grain.

I am gonna try thy 180's in my 7mm Weatherby, but it may be a while before I have any field experience on game with them.

I have been wary of using them on elk, but lots of guys do with success. I'd still step up in weight. the whole reason a guy would shoot Berger is for BC, so a 175 doesn't gain you anything over much tougher bullets.however, if you have a good load try it out, if you ore confident in your shooting you will have a dead bull regardless. let us know how it goes!

this is all IMO of course! (and what do I know, hell, I shot Barnes...you know the "non_expanding bullet. LOL)

antlerrick · Oct 7, 2009

I have some accubonds that I loaded last year for my son's cow elk and buffalo hunt. Do you think I'd be better off using them on my elk hunt? I would be totally sick if I hit a bull and then lost it...
I've heard so much good about Bergers, but then to see how it fell apart really bothered me..

REDDOG · Oct 7, 2009

Thats your call. Berger isnt any better than 40 year old cup and core's. the only thing they have going for them is BC.

the accubond is a much better big game bullet IMO.

Cahunter805 · Oct 7, 2009

Rick From my understanding of the berger VLD hunting bullet it did exactly what it was designed to do. They are supposed to penetrate 2-3" then fragment into the vitals. For this reason I have chosen to stick with the accubonds. IMO what happens if you make a less than perfect shot. I would want a bullet that still held together not fragments. Its up to you and I know bergers have killed many animals. I just stick with what I am used to!

one_dryboot · Oct 8, 2009

I shoot the 190 bergers out of my 300 win. I shot a bear with is two weeks ago and it did a great job. after it broke the front shoulder it made a mess of the chest cavity. IMO if you make a bad shot with a barnes it is just that, a bad shot with only one hole in and out. with the bergers that bad shot will have alot more wound channels causing more bleeding and a quicker kill.

With the barnes I had an exit hole every time and I spent too much time tracking them even after a good shot.

With the berger I dont need an exit hole because there laying where I shot them.

antlerrick · Oct 9, 2009

My son shot his moose today with the same load I worked up for my elk hunt. His first shot was at about 200 yards and when the bull was hit broadside, it knocked him to the side so hard he couldn't keep his balance. He had to shoot him again as he was trying to drag his self off, and the power from the bullet hitting him slammed him over on his side again. It blew a hole on the offside you could have dang near put a volleyball in. I found one of the bullets and it had mushroomed clear back and over the rear of the bullet. The energy that bullet showed upon impact with that large animals was amazing..

REDDOG · Oct 10, 2009

thats a big hole. if thats what your after, you found your bullet.

REDDOG · Oct 12, 2009

Rick, I wanted to comment on the moose kill. I dont know how many you have seen shot, but it takes about 2 min 15 seconds for them to drop! they arent hard to kill, but it do takem a while to tip over!

similar to your experience,last year a buddy of mine nailed his with a 300 RUM and Barnes MRX's I loaded. first shot dumped him, he got back up and put his nose in a cows butt! next shot hit him square behind the shoulder, I was watching in the spotter and seen the shock ripple throughout his body, and he took a side step from it, but acted like nothing was wrong! third shot spined him and he dumped like the rug pulled out from under him. the first two shots would have killed him, he just didnt know he was dead yet, lol. the bullets all exited, leaving golf ball size exits, except the spine shot, it left a hole about the size of my fist, from pushing all the bone out i suspect.

antlerrick · Oct 13, 2009

REDDOG,
I think you are on to something there. I couldn't believe the amount of lead and pounding that thing was taking and then getting back up.
It WAS over two minutes before he actually gave up..
It is hard to not keep shooting though when they keep trying to get back up...
This is the first moose experience either one of us have had. That is one reason he was worried about shooting one that wasn't too big, but I had looked at it long enough to know different. The body is so dang big that the antlers just don't seem like they have any size whatsoever..
I think that moose was tougher than the buffalo I've seen taken..

GHOSTINTHEWOODS · Oct 14, 2009

My dad shot a bull sunday with a 180 grn vld out of a 7mm ultra at olny 150 yards. I had heard storys of bad performance at close ranges as well. but it was a steep down hill shot it shot through the tops of both shoulders and spine and made one heck of a mess. I also killed a buffalo at close range with them last year I don't think I'll have any doubts about them anymore.

F350 · Dec 11, 2009

Rick,

It sounds like the bullet performed as described. Late expansion reaction! I shot my Bull this year at 125yds and my Muley Buck at 75yds. I shoot a 300WSM with the Berger 210gr hunting VLD. Both animals had tremendous amounts of vital damage. My Buck had a huge exit hole but it was a perfect broadside shot a 75yds. My bull was on the run and the Berger drove in him and blew up in the vital area. Lots of shrapnel. I love the Berger's personally. But shoot what your comfortable with and you will shoot better (not having doubt in the back of your mind).

Prism · Jan 11, 2010

I've been a big fan of accubonds and scirocos the last few years, but I'm getting ready to start reloading some 168gr VLDs for my 7mm. So I can't say that I have any experience with them yet on big game. I have used them in Montana on prarie dogs and have been amazed at their accuracy in windy long shooting conditions.

I don't think they'll be my go to bullet for close shots on big critters like elk, but beyond a couple hundred yards and reaching out there a ways I think they may be the best thing goin. Field tests next fall!