Hi Folks,
I know that there has been quite a firestorm of controversy about using the Sierra Matchking bullet for hunting applications and this has me wondering if anybody has used the Berger bullets on game.

In my experience with Bergers I have found them easy to load and extremely accurate in every gun I have tested them in. The .30 caliber 165 grain at 3,100 fps out of a .300 Winchester will do awe-inspiring things to groundhogs. It seems to me that the Berger would be equally effective on deer and antelope sized critters, especially at long (300yds +) range.

What do you all think?

Thanks for the input,

Good Shooting,

HBB

Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Are ya' trying to start a fight or sumpin'?

Nope, no desire for conflict. Just input (preferably logical) and field reports from use on game.

HBB

Bergers have a fairly thin jacket.If your impact velocitys are below 2500fps.The work well....

My hunting and shooting partner call and talked to Walt Berger a few years back and asked him that same question. He said no problem on deer or similar animals. We've been using the .30cal 210gr VLD for 4 years now and have killed deer from 200 to 433 yards. Loaded in 26 and 27" barreled .300Win Mags. Velocity at the muzzle was around 2850. They leave HUGE exit holes so be prepared to lose some meat.

We recovered ONE Berger in all this time, I'd have to check the books, but I'd say it's been 15 or so deer shot. The bullet entered the neck/chest area and was found in the rear ham.

WHY?

Why not?

Because we have scores of HUNTING bullets available to us these days.............

Here we go........

But see, you're happy and I'm happy. Can't that be good enough?

But it's just wrong, don't you see?

No, I don't see. I guess I never will.

George, taking the Barney approach?

At the very least (unlike the MK) the man who knows the most about them said they were OK for light game use.

Still though, do they anything better than the Interbond or Partition other than a slight edge in accuracy?

Gabe

I've never shot the Interbond, but have used the Nosler Accubond. The Bergers are quite a bit more accurate than the Partitions. The Accubond is close enough that, having shot up my supply of Arizona Berger's(the California ones are inconsistent), I will be using them from now on.

Do they do anything better? No. ANY 200gr bullet driven through the vitals of the typical 125lb. Pa. deer will do the job. I just prefered to use the most accurate load.

We hunt on a small (90acre) piece of land that is 85% fields. It's field shooting or nothing. The past 8 years the majority of my deer have been shot at 275 to 325 yards. The gun and load I used to use would produce 1/3 MOA. 1 inch groups at 300 yards. I have a sturdy table to shoot from, bipod and sand bag. We have shot deer at 433 yards, just behind and to the right of our 425 yard target.

Geo,
If you are happy, I am happy.

If you like them, use them.

Okay, I guess I'm happy for you too. I won't be truly happy until someone explains to me why bullets are more accurate in Arizona than in California. I don't like the sound of that.

Thanks, I hope they do have it all straightened out. Happy days are here again.

When I first started stalking a commercial loader made up 50 rounds of 308win 130gr at 2,450fps for me. I had told him I was shooting small deer in small woods and really didn't want 150gr at 2,900fps.

I shot 8 muntjac and 1 roe, recovering one bullet from a muntjac shot front on. All animals died as expected.

After 12 months I ran out. By this time I had taken up loading so I asked him what bullet it was and where I could get it. He told me it was a Berger match bullet. For reasons my UK friends will understand I told him he should have known better and went and got some speer 150gr soft points.