# testing of .223 berger and vmax



## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

I figured I would just start a new topic since I plan on putting lots of posts on this one. I found a load for both the 55gr berger varmint match bullets and the 55gr Vmax that shoot very well out of my gun. Now I am working on testing them out on coyotes. So far I have shot one coyote in the neck at about 200 yards with the berger. It was drt with about a 1 inch exit.

I got coyote number 2 today when it was wondering by the yard. it was also close to the 200 yard mark and I shot it with the Vmax. it was hit in the shoulder and Im not positive but I do belive it hit some of the shoulder bone. entrance hole could not be seen but once again I had about a 1 inch exit wound. both of these coyotes were rather small. I shot a skunk today but I didnt feel like getting to close to a stinky skunk so i did not check out the damage.
I will keep posting my results with these bullets this season.
incase you were wondering I am pushing both bullets with 27gr of varget. I dont care about speed but this seems to be the load the shoots best out of my gun.

Here is a picture of coyote #2


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

very nice poe, sounds and looks like you've got a good combo there..........................


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## Jonbnks (Jan 21, 2012)

Very interested in know how both these loads work for you this season. I've had great luck with Varget and I use it in most of my 223 loads now. Most of my loads use 25 grains of Varget, but I only have a 16" barrel on my AR. What bipod do you have on your rifle?


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

thank you I originally tried 26gr of varget but my groups got a little tighter when I bumped it up to 27. Sorry I cant give you a brand on the bipod its been a few years since I bought it. I dont use it all that often as I normally use shooting sticks when Im calling but there has been a few times when I was sure glad that i had it. I use one on both my coyote rifle and my deer rifle. Im hoping that when I start to get some better shots and some bigger dogs I will stop getting exit wounds. If the exit wounds dont stop I may try shooting some 40gr rounds and see if I can get them to shoot. My gun sure likes these 55s though so Im sure hoping I can get it to work. From what I have heared from most people exit wounds are not really comon with the vmax but I shall find out.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

Anxious to follow more of your results!


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

also thought I would add that sorry if I dont have any more results right away but the hides are not prime yet so I wont start hunting coyotes real hard for a bit yet but I will be sure to post more results as soon as I get them.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. on the hunt.


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## Deerhunter 28 (Jan 10, 2012)

Try the 36 grain grenades they won't exit!
Also load them off lands maybe even .050

PSE EVO 57 Lbs.
Blacked out


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

I may try them sometime after I try these for awhile. I like to test on multiple coyotes befor I make a decision. I have a feeling that I will like the vmax


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## bar-d (Feb 3, 2010)

I have several .22 caliber rifles and have always had good performance out of the 50 and 55 grain V-Max. Bergers are out of my price range. They may be a little more accurate, if you believe the advertising, but since I load for moc, for me they are not worth the higher price. Nice shooting poe.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

i love the 50gr bergers in my 22-250. They shoot great and great for saving hides


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

I made it back out for a quick couple stands this morning and ended up with a single and a double. The first coyote was a close shot at about 30 yards with the vmax and the entrance hole was perfect but I think I got a piece of bone that exited with a little smaller that 1 inch hole. Shot was a little to far forward as this dog was running. Coyote number 2 was at about the same range with the 55gr Berger. The coyote was quartering towards me and my bullet caught the front of the shoulder bone. 22cal hole going in with no exit. The third coyote was the 2nd coyote out of the double. I made a bad offhand shot at about 100 yards hitting it high in the leg breaking the leg and ripping a very large hole in the belly of the coyote. I will add pictures when I get to my computer.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

here are pictures of the 3 coyotes I got today. I took pictures of the damage under the skin after I skinned out 2 of them but you couldnts see them good enough so I left those pictures out.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

good shooting poe....looks like your yotes are starting to prime up......


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Yep getting really close should be getting good here in a couple weeks we are starting to get. Little bit of snow now. I didn't expect to get anything today seeing as I was only going out for a quick hunt and it was very windy today so I am very happy with a single and a double.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

a single and a double IS a very good morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Jonbnks (Jan 21, 2012)

3 coyotes in a morning hunt sure makes for a great day. Glad you're tracking how the bullets perform and letting us all see the pics.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

The reason I have been doing this test is because I am sick of the bullet reviews you read in magazines. It seems like every review you read they test how well a bullet will group and they shoot gophers or prairie dogs. I'm a coyote hunter I am looking for a bullet that will kill coyotes and not ruin a pelt. So I'm going to try and kill a bunch of coyotes using different bullets and then post my results so anyone else that is looking for a good coyote bullet can come on here and see how they work for me. So anyone else that is shooting the bullets I am testing please feel free to post your info.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. on the hunt, its great that you're tracking the bullet results, will help out a lot of hunters on here.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Yep that's a hole ! Nice calling and shooting poe !


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Good job and good shooting Poe. Doesnt get any better than that in my book.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Great info with pics. Nice shooting. Thanks for the post.


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## Spearodafish (Nov 11, 2012)

Outstanding thread... I have this same idea in mind since I just bought a 223. Couldn't agree more on fur saving rounds for coyotes & if you stumble on fox or bobcat I'd like to see bullet performance pics on those as well. I'll be checking back on your progress & may help you out on my end too. Thanks!


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

sorry I dont have any pics as I didnt want to get to close because of the smell but I shot 5 skunks yesterday by our ranch. I shot 1 with a 55gr Vmax and the other 4 with the 55gr berger. there may have been exit wounds but I didnt see any major blood spray on the snow so Im guessing they didnt even do much damage on the skunks. All shots were from 30 to 20 yards.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice work poe, It wouldn't hurt to get a pic or two...just jump in real quick and snap them before the scent finds you.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

Great info, as well as pics poe, Thanks for sharing, and congrats on all the success.


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

Keep up the good work poe. R & D at it's finest!


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Nice work poe, It wouldn't hurt to get a pic or two...just jump in real quick and snap them before the scent finds you.


Sorry I would but they are a little to frost covered and im not brushing them off haha. Its crazy how many skunks I have shot this year . I think I have killed more snuks this year than I have seen in the last 10.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm sure your weather this last winter and spring had something to do with it, and the fact that you ar killing the coyotes that would eat them.


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## Jonbnks (Jan 21, 2012)

I've had quite the problem with skunks myself this year. Found myself in a mexican standoff with a skunk while I was trying to get to my deer stand a couple weeks ago. I was really wish for a firearm then because my bow was caught on my backpack. I think I'll pick up a couple of these bullets myself.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Sorry no pic it was to dark when I got home but I got one more today with the Berger. Head shot quartering towards at about 150 yards with no exit. Only blood was coming out of the nose until I got him hung up then started to get some coming out of the entrance hole. I was very happy with the Berger once again.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

[sub]Keep working on the test.[/sub]


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## Dialed_In (Jan 5, 2013)

Good shooting Poe. We all benefit from others experiments. That's why forums are so good.


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## Spearodafish (Nov 11, 2012)

Shot a coyote a couple weeks ago & forgot to post. Shot was about 100 yards quartering away. Punched right through double lungs & prob blew up heart too. Pin hole in & pin hole out with Hornandy V-max 55 grain .223. Very please with results cuz she dropped in her tracks ~8 feet from my call.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

thanks for posting and good shooting.


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## A10hunter (Jan 30, 2013)

Sounds like great hunting all around for you. I am shooting the 55g vmax right now, but am interested in something else if it is better, so I will be checking back on your results. Thanks for the info and pics.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Sorry everyone it has been months since I was on here last but just so you know I think I am going to stick with the 55gr bergers again this winter and I will try and keep posting how they work. So far bergers are the only bullets I have not had splash on a shoulder shot and not exit on 95% of coyotes I have shot. I might try the 52 gr Sierra hp bullets people talk about but my gun sure likes 55 grain bullets. Is there any other 55gr hp bullets that I should maybe try.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Pulling a old thread back out again I'm not shooting either the 55gr vmax or berger this season. I have a few 55gr nosler ballistic tips to use up and then I have some of the 40gr. I also picked up some 60 gr vmax bullets that I loaded up and the grouped fairly well. We shall see how it goes. Oh and as far as the berger vs v max test in the 55s I would sY the berger was the winner for saving hides


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Here is 1 on the stretcher I got this one with a 55gr nosler bt. Quartering towards me a little at about 150 yards. Bullet went in behind the shoulder with no exit. Had hardly any blood even when I hung it up at home to skin


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

That looks real nice, 100 more to go.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Sorry once again I forgot to take a picture befor I skinned the coyote but anyway I had time to go make a quick stand today. 2 min in I had this one walk right up to 30 yards. I hit him broadside and then had a double hang up at about 300 yards. I hit the one but was not able to find it. I seen a total of 4 coyotes on that stand and only went home with 1 but that's the way it goes some days. Very happy with the performance of the 55gr NBT again no exit wound and didn't even hardly see any blood even after hanging in the garage.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. on the yote. Looks really good for an entry wound.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

So I have kind of gotten off topic with this as it's no longer just a berger and vmax test anymore so I'm going to start some more new ones. If anyone wants to keep adding to any of them that would be awsome. Just please say what cal bullet and grain you are shooting them with and how the worked.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Took my wife out with me tonight right befor dark and got one to come in for her. This one was taken with a 50gr berger out of her 22-250 at about 75 yards. She got him a little to far back but we found him laying down after a little over 100 yards and had to finish him off. Bullet did a very good job 22call entry with no exit. There was however lots of blood on the outside of this coyote but that had more to do with where he was hit and not the bullet. Once again happy with the berger


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. to the wife, no white stuff laying around I see.


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

Nope not yet but I'm sure it won't be long


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## poe (Feb 10, 2010)

This was a small coyote that we got tonight again right befor dark. My wife put one in him on the run with one of her 50gr bergers out of her 22-250 but got him in the back hip breaking the leg and blowing out the bottom between his legs. I then put a 53gr vmax out of my .223 in the neck to finish him off. It looks like the bullet went in on a bit of a angel and cut a slice about 1 inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long. And no exit. This was a smaller coyote but this also goes to show you that shot placement is the most important thing when trying to save hides


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. to the wife, running shots are pretty tough.


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