Berger 180 VLDH, another impressive performance

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Thought I'd post my most recent results with the 180 Berger VLDH on a mature bull yesterday.

I got a quartering forward shot at 300 yards and punched him center shoulder with my 18" 7-300 WSM improved. MV was a modest 2650, he took about 5 steps and tipped over dead.

The bullet penetrated through the bone and devastated the internals, surprisingly a piece of the core made it to the offside.
I've been a Hornady Eldm fan for years, but was unhappy with how they blew up on shoulder shots with limited penetration.

Use the VLDH with confidence
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180, 147, 225, and a 143 eldx all on elk shoulders which required follow up shots.

They definitely kill well, but I like the option of punching through bone if the only opportunity requires it.
Interesting. My hunting partners and I have sent the 108, 147, and 180 through lots of heavy bone without a single blowup. What MVs and impact speeds were causing you problems?
 
Blowing up is why i'm not 100% sold on ELDM and I haven't shot enough animals with teh ELDX but it holds accuracy out to 800. I have to test accuracy/consistency a bit more past 1k
 
What do you mean by “blow up”?

I hear "blow up" and I have flashbacks to using SMKs on deer. don't get me wrong and hear "not effective". SMK will give you bangflops frequently. BUT the SMK sends lead and copper everywhere beyond what would be considered the typical wound channel. highly explosive and splashy. I will need to shoot at least 5 more deer with the eldm before im sold on it.
 
I hear "blow up" and I have flashbacks to using SMKs on deer. don't get me wrong and hear "not effective". SMK will give you bangflops frequently. BUT the SMK sends lead and copper everywhere beyond what would be considered the typical wound channel. highly explosive and splashy. I will need to shoot at least 5 more deer with the eldm before im sold on it.

Thank you. I asked because the vast majority when they hear or say “blow up” are speaking to a surface wound that fails to penetrate deep enough into the chest: ELD-M’s don’t do that.
 
I hear "blow up" and I have flashbacks to using SMKs on deer. don't get me wrong and hear "not effective". SMK will give you bangflops frequently. BUT the SMK sends lead and copper everywhere beyond what would be considered the typical wound channel. highly explosive and splashy. I will need to shoot at least 5 more deer with the eldm before im sold on it.
The ELDM has "Blown up" multiple times on me after hitting shoulders, and completely failed to penetrate to the internals.
One instance with a 225 eldm completely blew the shoulder to bits which anchored the bull but did not even make it through the rib cage. He was alive 40 minutes later and trying to stand up when dispatched

Another situation with a 147 literally was nothing more than a surface wound to the scapula, it required a follow up shot to the lungs to stop that bull.

Again I'm not hating on ELDMs, but they do NOT punch through heavy muscle and bone like a VLDH. This is coming from a guy who's been killing deer and elk with them for over a decade.
 
The ELDM has "Blown up" multiple times on me after hitting shoulders, and completely failed to penetrate to the internals.
One instance with a 225 eldm completely blew the shoulder to bits which anchored the bull but did not even make it through the rib cage. He was alive 40 minutes later and trying to stand up when dispatched

Another situation with a 147 literally was nothing more than a surface wound to the scapula, it required a follow up shot to the lungs to stop that bull.

Again I'm not hating on ELDMs, but they do NOT punch through heavy muscle and bone like a VLDH. This is coming from a guy who's been killing deer and elk with them for over a decade.

Have any pictures of the less than squirrel depth wounds left by those ELD-M’s?
 
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