Berger 180 VLDH, another impressive performance

[doverpack12]

OP you are in an excellent velocity window with the 7-300 WSM at 2650 muzzle to facilitate good bullet performance. Berger or Hornady would both perform well.

I’ve had the opposite experience with Berger 7mm 180 VLDH (hunting orange box). STW at 3050 fps would fail to penetrate on a hard impact or make it to vitals on quartering away shots on elk. Through the ribs and you could stick your fist in the exit with hide still on. More dense impact/angling and you are either losing that animal or requiring ideal location/angle follow up shots.

I’m convinced the 7mm Bergers are not made as hardy as the 190-215 range 30 cal Bergers.

Again 2650 is an ideal velocity window, even under 2800-2850 performance is likely similar. Much faster and one is looking for problems.

That is my experience on (3-4) animals. I know the limits and use a tougher bullet for higher velocity shots or less than ideal shot angles

 

[Jordan Smith]

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.

Thanks for elaborating on your experiences. What would you say is your sample size of ELDM kills?

My experience has been the opposite. The VLDH tends to penetrate well for a few inches, but rarely drives deep. The ELDM (and the A-Max before) opens immediately upon contact, but tends to expand more moderately and penetrate more deeply than the VLD. Mainly talking about elk, moose, and large MD and WT here, but also BH sheep, PH, and black bear.

Again, that's what my hunting partners and I have seen after a few dozen kills with AM and ELDM bullets.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

OP you are in an excellent velocity window with the 7-300 WSM at 2650 muzzle to facilitate good bullet performance. Berger or Hornady would both perform well.

I’ve had the opposite experience with Berger 7mm 180 VLDH (hunting orange box). STW at 3050 fps would fail to penetrate on a hard impact or make it to vitals on quartering away shots on elk. Through the ribs and you could stick your fist in the exit with hide still on. More dense impact/angling and you are either losing that animal or requiring ideal location/angle follow up shots.

I’m convinced the 7mm Bergers are not made as hardy as the 190-215 range 30 cal Bergers.

Again 2650 is an ideal velocity window, even under 2800-2850 performance is likely similar. Much faster and one is looking for problems.

That is my experience on (3-4) animals. I know the limits and use a tougher bullet for higher velocity shots or less than ideal shot angles

I'm sure there's a point where too much velocity would cause more rapid expansion but I've done the same thing with a 115 vldh through the center shoulder bone on a buck close range at 2950 MV.

Slower ELDM impacts have blown apart on me.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Thanks for elaborating on your experiences. What would you say is your sample size of ELDM kills?

Probably 15 deer and elk
Like I said they kill well but make a mess without perfect placement

 

[NevadaMike]

I had almost the identical results on a rag horn last year with a 7 PRC at 200 yards. He spun in a circle one time and went down. Your description is almost identical to mine. No heart to salvage and a little led and copper on the off side. Shoulder was powder. Congrats!! Yours is bigger than mine.

 

[Jordan Smith]

Probably 15 deer and elk
Like I said they kill well but make a mess without perfect placement

I’ve crushed lots of bone with them and haven’t seen much of a mess. Moderate wound channels and exit wounds, typically.