Berger 130gr VLD?

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  • 81police
    Warrior
    • Feb 2013
    • 286

    Berger 130gr VLD?

    Has anyone had any hunting experience with this bullet in a Grendel?

    I've used the Barnes 120 TSX with spectacular results over the last few years, but am considering a switch to the Berger VLD. I'm familiar with the VLD, have read up on it quite a bit, but I'd appreciate any input from firsthand users if possible!

    Here's the loaded round I'm weighing...
    Custom AR-15 Rifles, Custom Uppers, Custom Lower, 6.5 Grendel, AR15, AR 15, AR-15, AR15 upper, custom upper, Lilja, DPMS, Precision, Precision Firearms, Precision-firearms, percision firearms, custom upper, custom ar, custom ar15, barrels, rifle barrels, Shilen, CAA, Command Arms, Yankee Hill, Yankee Hill Machine, 204 ruger, .204 ruger, 223 wyld
    John 11:25-26
  • Double Naught Spy
    Chieftain
    • Sep 2013
    • 2560

    #2
    Hey man, I have 100 rounds of Berger VLD-Hunting loaded by Precision Firearms. I will be sighting-in tomorrow and hope to start hunting with them very soon. I will post my results.

    I know you are a TSX fan and get outstanding overpenetration with hogs. I am an SST fan and get a lot of overpenetration and a goodly amount of fragmentation damage. Everything I have found about the VLD is that it is NOT known for overpenetration. It is a fragmenting mount that is designed to come apart quickly after entering the body, purportedly to blast apart the heart and lungs. So it will be interesting to see how it does for my hunting style, not just on small hogs, but large.
    Kill a hog. Save the planet.
    My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

    Comment

    • 81police
      Warrior
      • Feb 2013
      • 286

      #3
      Yes! Please keep me posted on what you find. If possible, a brief analysis of damage done by the bullet. Would you ever consider a broadside, square-on-the-shoulder shot for such a test?

      What you described about the VLD is exactly what I'm looking to switch to. Plus I'm getting low on TSX's and am ready for something entirely different. Thanks!!!!!!
      John 11:25-26

      Comment

      • Drillboss
        Warrior
        • Jan 2015
        • 894

        #4
        I've had good luck with the Berger 140 gr VLD out of a 7mm-08 and the 130 gr for a 270 WSM on whitetail deer. I think we've taken about a half dozen in the last few years and have gotten pretty good exit holes on most if not all, to my recollection. I've got a box on the shelf, but haven't put them together for the Grendel yet.

        Comment

        • Double Naught Spy
          Chieftain
          • Sep 2013
          • 2560

          #5
          When I did my reading/researching on Berger VLD-Hunting, what I discovered is that Berger promotes the accuracy of the round over the actual terminal performance. I am all for outstanding accuracy, but I don't know that I can ever say that the difference in whether I recovered a hog had to do with whether I was shooting 1.5 MOA ammo, 1.0 MOA, or 0.5 MOA ammo. As I usually hunt 200 yards and less distance, the shots pretty much go where I am aiming and so the question isn't ammo accuracy, but where I am actually aiming when the trigger breaks. I have to admit that I have made some very accurate shots that were poorly placed by me. The gun, scope, and ammo performed as expected.

          My hunting style on hogs involved making head shots when I think I can. Secondary target is the neck, particularly when the animal is quartered away and the shot will potentially hit the head through the neck. When I can't make a precise shot on the head (me unsteady, hog moving too much, too much wind, too far, or some combination), then I shoot for boilerroom shots. If the animal is perpendicular to me, I will try to center punch the shoulder area. That gives me the most room for error while still hitting vitals given the apparently less than ideal shooting situation. Sometimes the shot is true and I blow apart the shoulder blade or humerus, but with SST ammo, the vitals still get hit, maybe not as deeply as I would like, but the hog isn't going far, plus it has a broken leg. Otherwise, my goal is a quartered shot that will penetrate to the boilerroom, though less directly. SST ammo will do it. TSX will do it. I don't know if Berger VLD-Hunting will do it or not.

          Maybe the lack of penetration being traded off for hydrostatic shock will be a huge benefit. I don't know. It will be interesting to see if I get for DDRT (dropped dead right there) shoulder shots with Berger VLD-Hunting than with Hornady SST. In my experience, you can't count on that happening with hogs unless you have sufficient physical damage to the CNS which involves direct contact (usually) with Hornady SST ammo. The way Berger VLD-Hunting ammo is shown, the bullet will be dust before it every reaches the spine, so it isn't likely to physically break apart the spine like the SST would do.

          I don't know. I am intrigued by the ammo. Obviously, it should be an accurate bullet and it will have been loaded to exacting standards. I have no doubt that I purchased a quality product. The only issue after that is whether or not the terminal ballistics are going to be good for hog hunting in the field, not just taking perfect stationary shots, but working sounders as part of hog management programs.
          Kill a hog. Save the planet.
          My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

          Comment

          • Drillboss
            Warrior
            • Jan 2015
            • 894

            #6
            00Spy, I've got a few Berger VLD data points to go off of. One doe I shot (I think it was with the 270 WSM) at about 60 yards had a gage size hole drilled through one rib, extensive organ damage, and about a 2" chunk of rib knocked out of the other side. Both ribs on either side of that one were cracked. That bullet should have been moving pretty close to 2900 fps, but still penetrated and knocked a pretty big hole out the other side.

            My wife shot a smallish 8 pt with the 7-08 at about 200 yards and caught him just a few inches forward of perfect. That shot shattered the upper arm bones on both the entrance and exit sides. He ran about 75 yards on two legs and laid down and died. The doe I shot this year with a 123 gr SST from the Grendel went through some shoulder meat and busted out about a 1" chunk of rib on the entrance side and also shattered the exit side upper arm bone. Conclusion: Apparently similar terminal effects at what should have been roughly similar impact velocities.

            Final example was a 12 point buck at the tree line about 175 yards off (scored about 160). I was shaking like a leaf on this shot with the 7-08 and caught him a bit low and back. We found him about 25 yards into the trees. Entrance and exit holes without a lot of organ damage that I could see. Maybe caught his liver??? I'm giving the hydrostatic shock the credit on this one.

            There's obviously not enough data here to base a hunting career on, but hopefully the information helps. YMMV, load some up and see.

            Comment

            • Double Naught Spy
              Chieftain
              • Sep 2013
              • 2560

              #7
              Bigger, heavier, faster, and more powerful rounds against thin skinned target performance sounds good. Hopefully, that will translate to the smaller, lighter, slower, less powerful Grendel rounds against shielded, heavy skinned hogs.
              Kill a hog. Save the planet.
              My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

              Comment

              • kmon
                Chieftain
                • Feb 2015
                • 2095

                #8
                I have had mixed results with the Berger 140VLD bullets from a 6.5-284 starting them at 2900fps on critters. Not many though since on my small sample I have seen almost no expansion if any to not making it into the ribs on an almost broadside shot.

                Bull Elk, little over 200 yards almost broadside clipped meat not bone back side of front leg, bullet did not make it through ribs. Followup shot with a 130gr accubond started at 2950fps about 5 inches from entry of first shot resulted in entrance and exit with both lungs badly damaged and resulting dead elk.

                Boar hog just over 240lbs quartering toward me hit on point of shoulder, went over 150 yards into thick brush found him the next day.

                Sow hog 180lbs quartering away shot through rib back of left lung, front of right lung destroyed leg bone broken on off side jacket in leg bone area little lead in hide on far side 155 yards. DRT

                60lb pig broad side through both lungs ran 80 yards small hole in and out no ribs hit both lungs damaged some with a hole through both.

                Whitetail Doe neck shot 80 yards neck broke and looked like one vertebra and what was left of bullet exited the other side of the neck through a large hole.

                Whitetail doe 180 yards facing me entrance through throat exit out left side starting second to last rib and ended at left ham, could have put a football sideways and not touched skin on the exit. not much knife work to field dress her. She ran over 120 yards through a fence and was still alive 25 minutes later when I found her and dispatched with a handgun. This was the last critter I have shot with the Berger VLDs.

                So some good some bad, will use the rest of those 500 bullets ringing steel, punching paper and busting rocks. Accuracy is very good and BC is high have made 790 yard cold bore shots on 8 inch rocks with that load and rifle which is fun.

                The 75gr Target VLDs have done quite well on hogs up to 150lbs shoulder shooting them from 10 to a little over 300 yards with a 22-243 starting them at 3250fps, exits have been between one and two inches with most DRT from high shoulder shots,

                Have a bunch of Berger 6.5 130gr hybrids that I will be trying some time, just every time I have that combination in the pipe the pigs haven't showed up. Accuracy is very good with this bullet, the best I have found so far in my 2 Grendels but with its thicker jacket I expect it to be more like the 75gr Target VLDs but one of these days will find out.

                Comment

                • am4966
                  Chieftain
                  • Jul 2014
                  • 1036

                  #9
                  I watch the sportsman channel and one of the shows they use the Berger's and they get DRTs and they shoot at long range. Maybe the Berger's need to hit at a slower velocity, just like what the Grendel will do. Compared to the other platforms, but it'll be interesting to see what happens here.
                  12.5" SBR Grendel - Need Barrel
                  Surge - Rugged Suppressor
                  Been a fan of the Grendel from the very beginning and haven't second guessed that choice one time.

                  Aim small, miss small!

                  Comment

                  • Beerswimmer
                    Warrior
                    • Dec 2015
                    • 130

                    #10
                    Whitetail doe 180 yards facing me entrance through throat exit out left side starting second to last rib and ended at left ham, could have put a football sideways and not touched skin on the exit. not much knife work to field dress her. She ran over 120 yards through a fence and was still alive 25 minutes later when I found her and dispatched with a handgun. This was the last critter I have shot with the Berger VLDs.
                    I would never use that bullet ever again if that had happened to me.
                    UT ALII VIVANT !!!

                    Comment

                    • Double Naught Spy
                      Chieftain
                      • Sep 2013
                      • 2560

                      #11
                      Got to do some velocity checking on the Precision Armament Berger 130 VLD-Hunting. Out of my 22" Liberty barrrel, I got 2499 to 2530 fps (4 shot string) and shot a 3/4" group at 100 yards. So the ammo is consistent and performs well.

                      I also shot it out of my 20" Shilen barrel. Did not chrono. It shot within an inch of my SST ammo and so I won't be changing the zero for hunting with the Berger.
                      Kill a hog. Save the planet.
                      My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

                      Comment

                      • Drift
                        Warrior
                        • Nov 2014
                        • 509

                        #12
                        I have used the Berger 130gr Hunting bullet a few times on hogs. And I'll damn it with faint praise. It works well as long as it doesn't hit large heavy bone or a heavy cartilaginous plate. Even then it works well enough...but the bullet doesn't always travel in a straight line after hitting those obstructions.

                        Comment

                        • Double Naught Spy
                          Chieftain
                          • Sep 2013
                          • 2560

                          #13
                          So basically, shoot in the neck or shoot quartered to/away sows? What you are saying is what I feared most.
                          Kill a hog. Save the planet.
                          My videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

                          Comment

                          • kmon
                            Chieftain
                            • Feb 2015
                            • 2095

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Beerswimmer View Post
                            I would never use that bullet ever again if that had happened to me.
                            Since that shot I have only used the 140gr VLD-hunting on rocks, steel and paper.

                            Comment

                            • kmon
                              Chieftain
                              • Feb 2015
                              • 2095

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Double Naught Spy View Post
                              So basically, shoot in the neck or shoot quartered to/away sows? What you are saying is what I feared most.
                              With the slower speeds of the Grendel I would say ribs into lungs or quartered away at the offside shoulder, head or neck and on a big hog not sure I would go neck from what I have seen. But that was with the 140s from a 6.5-284 at 2900+fps. 400 fps slower might get it to behave differently.

                              Comment

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