Berger Long Range Hybrid Target for hunting

BjornF16

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
2,626
Location
Texas
For those who use Berger Target Bullets for hunting (no lectures please), is anyone using the LRHT for hunting?

If so, are you modifying the meplat or using them out of the box?

I found a bunch of 144 gr LRHT in 6.5 at my LGS while shelf checking for my 6.5 RPM
 

brn2hnt

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
394
Location
Treasure Valley, ID
Is that what a 30cal 215 is?

If so, yes. Straight out of the box as long as the nose is clear and not obviously caved in


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
BjornF16

BjornF16

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
2,626
Location
Texas
the .30 cal 215 gr is the Hybrid Target, not Long Range HT.

The LRHT is more pointed.
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
3,745
Location
Weiser, ID
LRHT is a "pointed" bullet and that's definitely not what you want for expansion. Pointed bullets have the hollow point almost completely closed in the name of higher BC.
 
OP
BjornF16

BjornF16

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
2,626
Location
Texas
Ja, I get that pointed is not what you want for hunting.

But is anyone trimming meplat to open the mouth?

I snagged 3 boxes without researching them first. I suppose I could sell or trade them…
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
10,108
For those who use Berger Target Bullets for hunting (no lectures please), is anyone using the LRHT for hunting?

If so, are you modifying the meplat or using them out of the box?

I found a bunch of 144 gr LRHT in 6.5 at my LGS while shelf checking for my 6.5 RPM

You could trim them and they work if they’re opened enough. Otherwise, no those bullets aren’t great in tissue.
 

idahodave

WKR
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
438
Location
Boise, ID
My son dumped a nice antelope at 540 with the new 135 Berger LR hybrid target. I did take a tiny bit to ”clear” the opening prior to shooting.

Sample size of one was great. Punched through with a half-dollar sized exit. Buck staggered about three yards and went down.

dave
 

Tullis94

WKR
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
334
My dad and brother each shot an antelope this weekend with the 190 LRHT. We did clear the meplat with a .025 drill bit which is very minimal. 309 yards and 605 yards. Both performed very well. About a 2" exit hole on both. Here is a picture of one jacket we found under the hide on the exit side.
 

Attachments

  • 1004211229a_HDR.jpg
    1004211229a_HDR.jpg
    254.8 KB · Views: 91
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
1,716
Lance Kenyon has experience with them, he’s not on here but has posted over at LRO and LRH.
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
2,510
I’m shooting the LRHT 135gr .257 in a 25 creedmoor. So far 3 antelope and one mature mule deer buck killed. Distances from 250ish to 495. Performance has been excellent. Only had one exit, and that was a doe antelope at about 350 shot through the ribs. Otherwise they have essentially detonated inside the chest. All shots did contact some shoulder bone/scapula, except the one that exited which was through the ribs. Animals were either DRT or took a couple steps at most. I opened the tips just slightly; will do less opening on the next round as they were pretty explosive. I will continue to kill with these unless I see evidence of poor expansion.
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
2,510
Following up here: ended up with another mule deer from the 25creed in Colorado. Bullets performed well at 630 and 670 yards. Made a bad shot on the first and went through his arm and brisket required a follow up which was liver and single lung. They exited at this distance with a nice golf ball sized exit and good internal damage. Going to be using them again this year in my 25-284 which is going about 200fps faster at 3015fps. So far I feel comfortable with their performance—both mule deer were large mature bucks
 

Pippitt11

FNG
Joined
Jun 18, 2021
Messages
11
Following up here: ended up with another mule deer from the 25creed in Colorado. Bullets performed well at 630 and 670 yards. Made a bad shot on the first and went through his arm and brisket required a follow up which was liver and single lung. They exited at this distance with a nice golf ball sized exit and good internal damage. Going to be using them again this year in my 25-284 which is going about 200fps faster at 3015fps. So far I feel comfortable with their performance—both mule deer were large mature bucks
How much did you open those up? I am building a 7 Mega around the 190 Hybrid and am trying to figure out whether to open them up or not. I have another buddy running the 195 in a 28 Nosler and not opening them up and performance is spectacular.
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
2,510
How much did you open those up? I am building a 7 Mega around the 190 Hybrid and am trying to figure out whether to open them up or not. I have another buddy running the 195 in a 28 Nosler and not opening them up and performance is spectacular.
I pretty much just made sure the tips were completely open down to the lead, and maybe a tiny bit more open but didn’t take off much material at all.
 

Megastink

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Messages
184
Can I resurrect this thread? I was gifted a bucket of 6mm 105gr VLD Target bullets, about 990ct. I'm more of a hunter, not so much a shooter. I was going to try and trade these for some hunting bullets, or maybe sell them and then purchase hunting bullets. After reading this thread, I'm wondering would these bullets be suitable for deer out of my .243 Win?
 

Article 4

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
550
Location
The Great Northwest
You could trim them and they work if they’re opened enough. Otherwise, no those bullets aren’t great in tissue.
I have meplat trimmed and opened them in the 25CM 135 hybrid and I am using 180's vldh's in my wildcat 7-300. Wanted to compare them for myself.

They both perform incredibly well and expand as Berger stated they should - go in 3 or 5 inches and explode like a grenade. I am using a MCR meplat trimmer kit I picked up at M*dw*y
 
Top