Anybody used any of these for hunting? I received a box of .30 caliber 168 grain VLD's to test for a club I belong to. According to Berger, they are a hunting bullet. Design says target to me(long profile with boattail, and small hollow point). Anyway, I will try to find a load and try them out on Pronghorns in Sept.. Any information from someone who has tried them would be appreciated.

They work great on thin skinned game. Expansion is tremendous.

I know their 185 grain LTB, when loaded in the 30-06, will take apart 'yotes that Singer himself couldn't put back together.

I think it really depends on how you plan to use them and in what. I havn't tested them myself, but they seem soft. Fine for long range or standard velocity.

There was a video clip on a thread here from "Best in the West" or something like that. They use Bergers supposedly. I've heard that they work much like the Honady Interlock but in a VLD configuration.

I'd be interested in seeing them tested. Nate

P.S. late find link mentioned on Berger's web page

quote:

Originally posted by joe25/06:
Anybody used any of these for hunting? I received a box of .30 caliber 168 grain VLD's to test for a club I belong to. According to Berger, they are a hunting bullet. Design says target to me(long profile with boattail, and small hollow point). Anyway, I will try to find a load and try them out on Pronghorns in Sept.. Any information from someone who has tried them would be appreciated.

Hey Joe, fellow NAHC member here. I'm in the same test as you, BUT I got the 7mm 168 VLD bullets. I have some loaded in a Browning synthetic stalker, 7-08. Problems with the scope have detoured the load work-up test.

I have the same concerns as you as to the feasability of using them for hunting. I would think they would perform about the same as a sierra matchking as far as expansion/penetration. I'm NOT concerned they would pencil through without expanding.

I'm going to limit my tests to accuracy both at 100 yds, AND 600 yds. I'm a firm believer in the Hornady interbond for hunting use.

They are a match bullet not a game bullet. Unless coyotes or prairie dogs are on the agenda.

Well here's some results. The groups are a little hard to see but as the powder charges increased the groups got tighter AND the extreme spread came down. The 37.0 grain varget load showed the best groups shape and size, it was also the lowest extreme spread. It measures out at .665, the 5 shot average velocity was 2333 with a 10.7 extreme spread. This Browning A-bolt has an 18" bbl, with it's boss it LOOKS like a 22 incher. So the low velocity was to be expected. I used federal gold medal primers and rp 7-08 cases. Case prep included primer pocket uniforming and flash hole deburring







Next step is to load some more of the 37.0 grain loads, maybe mess with the boss to see if it might tighten the groups. Then a trip to the 200 yd range, then 600!

I posted this over on THR, got the attention of Eric Stecker, who works at/is related to the Berger family, he's Walt's grand son in-law.

He cleared up some of my missconceptions, bad info that I posted on my original post there.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=214417

It's good to see some input from those in the industry! I hope to keep the dialog open with Eric.

I also recieved an e-mail from the NAHC club stating that they had recieved some of the test forms back from some of the testers that had only tryed the bullets in relation to target work.

The e-mail said that Berger was really more interested in how the bullets worked when taking game. The e-mail said if we wanted to submit the form for target results, that was fine, but they would accept another report later this year IF we hunted with them.