Berger bullets.

[JustinC]

Who shoots berger bullets? What do you think? If you use them state what cal and what you load is.

[Cowtown guy]

I am shooting 168 VLD's out of my 7 Rem mag. I am not getting the velocity they say I should get with IMR 4831 but it groups at about .7 MOA. I'll take it considering my rifle is far from new or tricked out. Best group so far is just under 3" at 400 yards. Haven't shot them farther yet.

[straight]

The best my experience with Berger - 120gr BT in 6.5x55. Shot a few nice 0.2-0.3" groops (3 rnds). 46.4gr of IMR-4350 in Norma case, primer - CCI250, COL - 3.03. Vel - 2930fps from 24" barrel.
Used 130gr VLD for hunting this year. They are grooping OK, but at slower speed.

[JohnB]

I'm liking them. Sako M995 300WM 175gr/74gr RL22. Going to try the 190 gr (orange box) out as I had trouble getting the 175's. I'm also shooting them out of my 270AI (140gr)and my 22-250 (52gr).

[JustinC]

I shoot a 7mm rum 168grain vlds with 88.5grains of retumbo. I shoot a one hole with 3 shot @ 100 and just over 1.5" @300yards. I watched bergers shot fom this gun drop 4 deer in there tracks and a cow elk same thing. The distace on the deer was 50-400yards and the elk was 425. I was blown away when the elk just dropped like someone hit it over the head with a sledge hammer.I am sold on them for big game. I have not shot any in my varmit gun as of yet.Will keep you guys posted on how that goes.

[TangoKilo]

I shoot a 6.5mm 130Gr berger VLD in my 6.5 X 47 Lapua!

I load 37Gr of Rl-15 in Lapua cases, CCI 450 primer.

Took several deer this year with the berger. All are currently still dead!

[bingo1010]

shoot 180 bergers out of my 280 ai, right at 3000fps...out of a 28" barrel. under 1/2 moa out to 1000yards.

[JustinC]

Originally Posted by bingo1010

shoot 180 bergers out of my 280 ai, right at 3000fps...out of a 28" barrel. under 1/2 moa out to 1000yards.

Thanks for your reply but this is not what I was looking for. If you shoot them and you think they suck post that.Dont post to be cool.

[bingo1010]

wasn't posting to be cool....take a pill buddy!! just posting to let you know that they are accurate out to 1000yards...relax a little justin.

[JustinC]

Originally Posted by bingo1010

wasn't posting to be cool....take a pill buddy!! just posting to let you know that they are accurate out to 1000yards...relax a little justin.

Sorry I thought you were giving me a bad time.

[bingo1010]

no harm intended, i use them for target shooting only. personally i wouldn't use them for hunting as i believe a bullet should remain intact for maximum performance, not go to pieces as the bergers are designed to do. of course there are lots that use them for hunting and that is their choice, just a matter of opinion. later

[tackleberry]

Justin C,

Doesn't sound like you need anyones opinion with groups like that! I would say they are working as good as anyone could expect.

I have heard that the Bergers are as individual in performance as the gun you shoot them in. They don't seem to be better in any specific caliber. Seating depth or jump can be finicky, and my experience with my 243 is that i can't get them to group at all even after several different loads, jump distances and powders, but i have certainly not tried all combinations yet.

For my tactical 300, i have found that they grouped similar to what you are saying your 7mm was shooting with them and that was the first load i tried with that caliber. Probably lucky but, i had been shooting Hornady A-max 208gr prior to that and the berger are definitely shooting better than my finely tuned Hornady load.

It is really weird how different bullets shoot better out of one gun and not another, even if it is the same caliber. I guess it just goes to show that you have to try several different loads and bullets for each gun. There are no good generalizations that can really be made.......I have heard the same from other forum postings on the Berger as well.

[JustinC]

Originally Posted by tackleberry

Justin C,

Doesn't sound like you need anyones opinion with groups like that! I would say they are working as good as anyone could expect.

I have heard that the Bergers are as individual in performance as the gun you shoot them in. They don't seem to be better in any specific caliber. Seating depth or jump can be finicky, and my experience with my 243 is that i can't get them to group at all even after several different loads, jump distances and powders, but i have certainly not tried all combinations yet.

For my tactical 300, i have found that they grouped similar to what you are saying your 7mm was shooting with them and that was the first load i tried with that caliber. Probably lucky but, i had been shooting Hornady A-max 208gr prior to that and the berger are definitely shooting better than my finely tuned Hornady load.

It is really weird how different bullets shoot better out of one gun and not another, even if it is the same caliber. I guess it just goes to show that you have to try several different loads and bullets for each gun. There are no good generalizations that can really be made.......I have heard the same from other forum postings on the Berger as well.

As for advice I am good on my 7mm. I was just wondering wht fellow outdoorsmen found with these bullets. Whatgrain vld were you shooting out of your 243? I think the max you can shoot is 90 grains unless you have a bet twist rate than 9

[DennyV]

210gr Berger VLD's out of my .300RUM 87gr RE22 COAL3.625 very accurate and consistant. Buck wind like a bastard and group like a dream!

[trda]

I tried to shot over 90gr out of my .243 and it would not shoot as you already said. I shoot them out of my 7mm also and they shoot very well. 65gr of H4831 SC, 168gr VLD

[tackleberry]

I think it was 90gr out of that 243. Will have to check though. Nice to know im not the only one that had an issue with that in the 243.

[wwbirds]

Tackleberry I had exactly the same problem with my .243 but I am sure they were 95-100 grain. My son wanted to use my new .243 for deer last fall so because I didn't have time to sight it in with new scope I loaded 5 bullets from 3 manufacturers as well as the Bergers for him to try saying "don't touch the scope adjustments I just want to see group so we know what to load for deer".
I came home that night and asked to see the 4 targets I had prepared for each bullet group and 3 manufacturers were almost identical results grouping high and a little left of centre. The Bergers did not even hit the paper!
Seems seating depth is much more critical than hornady nosler etc.

I am sure I can get them to group with a little more work up but I found it strange they would be so much different than the other 3. Might have been the twist rate or the velocity for I have been told by several loyal users that they push maximum velocity and seat these slightly longer bulllets deeper than "conventional bullets" for great accuacy. My twist rates tend to be slower than most common US manufactured rifles so I lean to lighter bullets and slower velocities by about 200 fps lower than max for my best groups in hornady and nosler loads.

[ashtree]

Shot the 52 gr rebated boat tails out of my 22-250 rem 700 for ages and when I did my part the best three shot group was .27 of an inch. I'll definitely be trying the in my new T3 in 338WM this year.

[gunner72]

I've seen my cousin shoot shoot pie plates at 900 yards with 168 gr in his 300 WSM so there accurate.(good enough for me anyway).I also seen him shoot a skunk with the same set up at about 150 and it never left an exit hole. As far as i'm conserned a bullet with that much energy that stays in the animal is leaveing all its energy in that animal. I think thats more important than a pass threw on a well placed shot. I think there awesome and when i run out of Accubonds for my 300win mag that's what i'll be shooting next!

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by gunner72

I've seen my cousin shoot shoot pie plates at 900 yards with 168 gr in his 300 WSM so there accurate.(good enough for me anyway).I also seen him shoot a skunk with the same set up at about 150 and it never left an exit hole. As far as i'm conserned a bullet with that much energy that stays in the animal is leaveing all its energy in that animal. I think thats more important than a pass threw on a well placed shot. I think there awesome and when i run out of Accubonds for my 300win mag that's what i'll be shooting next!

Braver than I for looking for an exit on a skunk.

[gunner72]

Well truth be told we used a stick and just rolled him around lol.

[jaybull]

Originally Posted by bingo1010

shoot 180 bergers out of my 280 ai, right at 3000fps...out of a 28" barrel. under 1/2 moa out to 1000yards.

You can shoot under a 1/2 '' out to 1000yards? Or do you mean 1/2 moa at 100yards? Or 5'' at 1000yards? Not being a d$ck just don't understand. If you can do any of this thats amazing! I wish i could.

[Ormachek]

Originally Posted by jaybull

You can shoot under a 1/2 '' out to 1000yards? Or do you mean 1/2 moa at 100yards? Or 5'' at 1000yards? Not being a d$ck just don't understand. If you can do any of this thats amazing! I wish i could.

MOA is a measure of angle(1/60th of a degree) roughly equal to an inch at 100yards, because it is a measure of angle, the measurement increases as range increases. so 1/2 MOA is equal to 1/2" at 100yards, 1"at 200 yards, 1 1/2" at 300 yards etc. So half MOA would be roughly 5" at 1000yards....or damn good shooting.

[wwbirds]

I would be more than just a little concerned about a 168 grain bullet from a 30 cal that lacked the penetration to pass through a thin skinned animal like a skunk.

[bingo1010]

Originally Posted by jaybull

You can shoot under a 1/2 '' out to 1000yards? Or do you mean 1/2 moa at 100yards? Or 5'' at 1000yards? Not being a d$ck just don't understand. If you can do any of this thats amazing! I wish i could.

as above...1/2 moa at 1000yards or basically 5". under good conditions of course.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by bingo1010

as above...1/2 moa at 1000yards or basically 5". under good conditions of course.

bingo, that is what I got from your first statement. Good shooting for sure; the best I have done is 3" group at 500 yards with the bergers.

[jaybull]

5'' at 1000 yards is nuts. I have a few loads that will group .5 moa @ 100 but never shot farther than 600 yards. And i'm grouping on average 5 moa at 600 yards. lol. Oh well just goes to show ya its a lot to do with the shooter eh. And hear i thought i was good.lol. Most of my shooting is done from bipod, no sandbag in rear, prone from the ground. Same as i would if shooting that far hunting. Anyhow good shooting man.

[bingo1010]

i shoot off the ground with a bipod also, but the gun is far from stock...action work, different barrel, jewel trigger, 32x scope and lots of practice

[Tundra Monkey]

Originally Posted by gunner72

I also seen him shoot a skunk with the same set up at about 150 and it never left an exit hole. As far as i'm conserned a bullet with that much energy that stays in the animal is leaveing all its energy in that animal. I think thats more important than a pass threw on a well placed shot.

I would not touch these bullets if this is truly the case.

tm

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by gunner72

I've seen my cousin shoot shoot pie plates at 900 yards with 168 gr in his 300 WSM so there accurate.(good enough for me anyway).I also seen him shoot a skunk with the same set up at about 150 and it never left an exit hole. As far as i'm conserned a bullet with that much energy that stays in the animal is leaveing all its energy in that animal. I think thats more important than a pass threw on a well placed shot. I think there awesome and when i run out of Accubonds for my 300win mag that's what i'll be shooting next!

Wow! A 168gr bullet from a .300 never exited a skunk? I would think that was either an anomoly or quite bad.

Personaly I like to have exits, unless you hunt very open country. I can think of a couple of examples where it has been quite tough to locate an animal in thick bush that ran after a decent shot with no exit, and effectively no blood to follow. In one case I searched for at least 20 mins to find a warthog that had no exit wound. I shot it quartering away with a mild loaded 165gr Hornady in a .30-06. The bullet found its mark, hitting the heart, it mushroomed very nicely and then stopped under the skin - no blood trail at all. It ran about 100yrds into thick riverine bush and vanished.

If the expanded bullet destroys the heart/aorta or lungs its done its job and can exit, leaving a bigger blood trail to follow, if that is necessary. If the vitals are destroyed, any extra energy transmission is only a small bonus, not major factor in killing ability.

This is just my personal preference...