Anyone shooting 87gr VLD in their 243

I ran some out of my 9" twist 243 when I first got it back from rebuild. They shot great on paper at 100yds for load testing. I was using Lapua brass, CCI 250 primers, and IMR 4064. I was hoping to use them for groundhogs, but they seemed a little tougher than I wanted so I moved on to V-maxes in the same weight. I'd imagine these would punch a deer or antelopes ticket just fine though and hope to run across some farmer wanting me to test them for crop damage
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I just had a first outing with the 87 VLD's in my Tikka T3 Lite a few weekends ago. First group at 37.1 of IMR-4064 painted 3 touching in the bull at 100 yards. This was using Federal gold medal match primers and seating them to 2.795" (long as I felt comfortable going, and conveniently - just exactly as long as my magazine would support!). I went on up from there to about 37.7 with no pressure signs. Fell apart though at 37.3 & .5, but by 37.7 it appeared to be coming back together again (I think). More testing required, but my initial impression with these on ground-hogs wasn't good - at all. Critter died, but he was a runner from about 250 yards out. Might have even gotten 2 shots into him. That's OK though because I was really more intending for these to be used on bigger bean eaters. We shall see... good on paper. Verdict is still very much out with me on real killing power.
 
I am shooting the 87 VLD at 3585 fps,I have only shot one deer with it, at 450 yards there was a small entrance but about 3" exit and it dropped in its tracks.I have shot about 7 coyotes with it between 50-450 yards. 5 instant death, one ran 20 yards,and one was a bad shot I hit him low in guts and he ran away(175 yards off hand).
After shooting barnes tsx for several years and having to shoot almost every animal multiple times before they died. I decided wanted a bullet that would deliver alot of internal damage and drop the animal quickly, so far the 87 VLD seems to be the perfect bullet.
 
Shot up to 38.0 of IMR-4064 w/Fed primers @ 2.795" on Friday night. No signs of pressure, and nothing so far that looks as good as 37.1. So next time out, I plan to go to 38.5 or 6.
 
Ok Ok

Shot 3 Antelope with them last year.

310yds head shot.

400yds hit in the spine, shattered spine and bullet.

550yds went through the tricep then double lung out the other side making a 50 cent piece size exit hole.

MV 3166 out of a .243

Kills prairie dogs too.
 
Originally Posted By: Jerry TracyWhat brand are the 87 VLD's?

VLD is not a brand, it is a design.

VLD comes from "Very Low Drag", and many companies make them.

The VLD design is typified by a long, shallow angle boat-tail, and a longer than usual secant ogive, instead for the normal 6 to 8 radius tangent ogive.

The .243" Hornady 87gr and 105gr bullets are VLD designs, but Hornady does not use the VLD name on any of it's products for business reasons.


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Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Jerry TracyWhat brand are the 87 VLD's?

VLD is not a brand, it is a design.

VLD comes from "Very Low Drag", and many companies make them.

The VLD design is typified by a long, shallow angle boat-tail, and a longer than usual secant ogive, instead for the normal 6 to 8 radius tangent ogive.

The .243" Hornady 87gr and 105gr bullets are VLD designs, but Hornady does not use the VLD name on any of it's products for business reasons.


. Which company has the .243 cal. 87 grain and uses the VLD name on their product?
Catshooter were you thinking this topic was about hornady bullets?
 
Originally Posted By: jlh321Which company has the .243 cal. 87 grain and uses the VLD name on their product?
Catshooter were you thinking this topic was about hornady bullets?

NO... I was thinking it was about "Anyone shooting 87gr VLD in their 243"

That could be any 87gr VLD.
 
ARCOREY or anyone here, can you tell me where you get that fancy group measuring software you show in the pictures of your targets. That looks neat.

Thanks
 
I didn't realize the 87gr Hornady bullets were classified as VLD. I figured the 105 A-max might be. I looked them up online and they showed a BC of .400 for the 87gr. No wonder they shoot so well. Always learning around here.

The Berger site lists theirs as G1 of .412. Considering I paid almost half as much for the V-max over the Bergers and they had better availability, I found them easier to throw at groundhogs.

jshroed, this is where I got the software. Helps keep me honest
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on target
 
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