Berger vld hunting vs vld target

[WesternHunter93]

Anyone know the difference in the two as far as jacket thickness goes and if the targets are good to use on game up to elk? Will be a 180 grain in a 28 nosler 1 in 8.4 twist going roughly 3100 fps, anyone have any experience with the 180 target vlds on game?

 

[TagEater]

Following

 

[Pippitt11]

There are several posts regarding the Berger hybrid target vs vld...most would say the hybrid targets do great on big game. Some people clean out the tips while others run them without cleaning. The Berger 215 and 195 are probably the most popular of those.

 

[TagEater]

There are several posts regarding the Berger hybrid target vs vld...most would say the hybrid targets do great on big game. Some people clean out the tips while others run them without cleaning. The Berger 215 and 195 are probably the most popular of those.

Not the hybrid targets!

 

[WesternHunter93]

There are several posts regarding the Berger hybrid target vs vld...most would say the hybrid targets do great on big game. Some people clean out the tips while others run them without cleaning. The Berger 215 and 195 are probably the most popular of those.

Agreed and have done a ton of reading on the hybrids. I’m curious on the vld targets


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[huntnful]

I loaded both the VLD H and the VLD T in my 28 nosler. However I only killed with the VLD H's. They killed well, but I didn't like their explosiveness and lack of penetration. 15" penetration at the most. No shrapnel ever even made it to the offside should on a buck I shot at 630 yards. But they crushed deer.

I then loaded up the VLD T's. Thinking that with the thicker the jacket they would penetrate a little deeper because they hopefully hold together just a little bit better. They shot amazing and the tips were definitely the most consistent of any of the berger line that I loaded. I ended up switching to hammer bullets before the season though and never killed with the VLD T's. But if I got another 28, i'd probably start with the VLD T's and try to kill some coyotes or or pigs or something before season to see how they expanded. They were definitely the most accurate and most consistently formed of the two though.

 

[WesternHunter93]

I loaded both the VLD H and the VLD T in my 28 nosler. However I only killed with the VLD H's. They killed well, but I didn't like their explosiveness and lack of penetration. 15" penetration at the most. No shrapnel ever even made it to the offside should on a buck I shot at 630 yards. But they crushed deer.

I then loaded up the VLD T's. Thinking that with the thicker the jacket they would penetrate a little deeper because they hopefully hold together just a little bit better. They shot amazing and the tips were definitely the most consistent of any of the berger line that I loaded. I ended up switching to hammer bullets before the season though and never killed with the VLD T's. But if I got another 28, i'd probably start with the VLD T's and try to kill some coyotes or or pigs or something before season to see how they expanded. They were definitely the most accurate and most consistently formed of the two though.

Great info here. My thoughts were the same on the vld T in thoughts to jacket thickness and more penetration.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hereinaz]

I loaded both the VLD H and the VLD T in my 28 nosler. However I only killed with the VLD H's. They killed well, but I didn't like their explosiveness and lack of penetration. 15" penetration at the most. No shrapnel ever even made it to the offside should on a buck I shot at 630 yards. But they crushed deer.

I then loaded up the VLD T's. Thinking that with the thicker the jacket they would penetrate a little deeper because they hopefully hold together just a little bit better. They shot amazing and the tips were definitely the most consistent of any of the berger line that I loaded. I ended up switching to hammer bullets before the season though and never killed with the VLD T's. But if I got another 28, i'd probably start with the VLD T's and try to kill some coyotes or or pigs or something before season to see how they expanded. They were definitely the most accurate and most consistently formed of the two though.

If the deer were crushed, why do you still want full penetration to the offside? I hear lots of people with that preference, but wonder.

Hammers are definitely the bullet for you if you want penetration.

 

[huntnful]

If the deer were crushed, why do you still want full penetration to the offside? I hear lots of people with that preference, but wonder.

Hammers are definitely the bullet for you if you want penetration.

They were crushed with perfect broadside shot placement no doubt. Extra penetration would definitely be needed for a quartering shot from either direction I think. Or for use on elk. Even if getting an exit isn't the main goal, I'd still like a would channel a little longer than 15" in quite a few scenarios. I'd love to see the terminal performance of the VLD T's for sure!

I shot a buck hard quartering to me in the point of the front shoulder and it came out by his last rib, with the hammers. I liked that lol. But I also liked watching a buck absolutely stoned with a behind the shoulder shot at 600+ yards with the VLD H's.

I basically just like killing things with different bullets to see how they do lol. I'm shooting the 181 Hammers this season out of a 300 Norma Improved at a little over 3300fps. So we'll see how they do!

 

[Harvey_NW]

The basic consensus is you're gonna get a full energy dump, and it's gonna die. From there, you'll just read critiques on terminal performance of a projectile on a dead animal, which I find ironic.

 

[huntnful]

The basic consensus is you're gonna get a full energy dump, and it's gonna die. From there, you'll just read critiques on terminal performance of a projectile on a dead animal, which I find ironic.

Hahaha this is so true. The energy dump is insane to witness and animals simply don't make it far. I really just like testing things, but wouldn't hesitate to use a berger on any once in a lifetime tag. Living in CA made me look into copper a little more and I found the hammers to be crazy accurate and easy to load for, as well as good terminal performance. Shitty BC's though.

 

[CanyonHunter]

I’ve heard from quite a few people just to keep impact velocity above 1800 FPS with the targets. I have vld targets also and was going to post a similar thread until I saw this.

 

[WesternHunter93]

@Broz any experience with the above? I also have been able to get my hands on the target hybrids in 180 grain .284 which gives me all 3 berger offerings at that weight which is what I want to shoot in my 28N. I know very well of your preference to the 30 calls with larger bullets and am very respecting of it however this is what I’m wanting to do and I know you have some 28 nosler experience.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’ve heard from quite a few people just to keep impact velocity above 1800 FPS with the targets. I have vld targets also and was going to post a similar thread until I saw this.

Upset is very erratic with the VLD targets and OTM’s below about 2,050fps. At 1,800 only around one in five will upset to any appreciable degree.

 

[Broz]

@Broz any experience with the above? I also have been able to get my hands on the target hybrids in 180 grain .284 which gives me all 3 berger offerings at that weight which is what I want to shoot in my 28N. I know very well of your preference to the 30 calls with larger bullets and am very respecting of it however this is what I’m wanting to do and I know you have some 28 nosler experience.

Targets have a slightly thicker jacket than the H VLD's. They will hold together slightly better with higher velocity impacts on game on the closer shots. This will result in them having a higher low velocity expansion threshold. If you are set to hunt with a 7, go for it, but I would keep impacts above 1850 ~ 1900 fps

 

[slowelk]

Upset is very erratic with the VLD targets and OTM’s below about 2,050fps. At 1,800 only around one in five will upset to any appreciable degree.

Does this apply to the holy grail 215gr Hybrid OTMs too? You've posted at least a handful of kills with the 130gr OTMs at distances that I would assume are under 2k, but not sure in all cases. Assuming you've had access to the VLDs at the time of choosing the OTMs, why pick the OTM?

 

[chicoredneck]

I’ve killed a lot of game with the 105gr hybrid target bullets. The expansion has always been sufficient and looks like a typical hunting VLD.

 

[huntnful]

Does this apply to the holy grail 215gr Hybrid OTMs too? You've posted at least a handful of kills with the 130gr OTMs at distances that I would assume are under 2k, but not sure in all cases. Assuming you've had access to the VLDs at the time of choosing the OTMs, why pick the OTM?

The 215 isn't and OTM. It's a hybrid target. I also don't believe the 130's are OTM's either.

 

[slowelk]

The 215 isn't and OTM. It's a hybrid target. I also don't believe the 130's are OTM's either.

I think you're right about the 215s. The 130s are listed as a "Hybrid OTM". So my question for @Formidilosus about the 130s still stands.

 

[huntnful]

I think you're right about the 215s. The 130s are listed as a "Hybrid OTM". So my question for @Formidilosus about the 130s still stands.

Gotcha! I definitely wasn't sure on the 130's. Thanks!