Berger *Hybrid* VLD's, 180gr, 7mm, 47% off

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  • Cowboy T

    Active Member
    I just can't believe these clearance sales of late....

    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/833731/berger-hybrid-target-bullets-284-caliber-7mm-284-diameter-180-grain-hollow-point-boat-tail

    This is that new Hybrid VLD, the one with the mostly secant ogive, going to tangent right where the rifling engages the bullet, so it's not just slippery through the air, but (supposedly) easier than the traditional VLD's to tune. We're talkin' $28.28 per box of 100.

    That's 28 cents per bullet. 47% off. I never thought I'd see Bergers priced like this.

    For those of you who have access to a longer range, this bullet's BC is 0.674 (Gen 1). This is a bit of an improvement even over the original VLD (0.659).

    According to MidwayUSA this morning, they've still got quantity 200 of these in stock. I can think of few better ways to bring this month of July to a close.

    Get 'em while they're hot!
     

    Cowboy T

    Active Member
    Just took a look. Hmm...yeah, they did go up, didn't they? Still not bad at 29%, but not quite 47% anymore.

    So, how do I find these prices?

    Here's how. I've learned that MidwayUSA does their weekly clearance markdowns every Friday morning. By about 7:30am EST, they finish their updates. As things don't sell, they get discounted more and more. If I see something I like, I keep an eye on it. Last week, the discount on these bullets was 40% (pretty darn good). But they weren't selling yet. So, what you do is watch the site throughout the week, and if you start seeing "20 left at this price" or something similar, then they're running short, so jump on 'em if it's a good price (it's likely the lowest it'll get before they run out). If, on the other hand, there are still a bunch left come Friday morning, the next round of price cuts get applied, and you're likely to find a sweet deal. That's when you pounce.

    That's how I found the 47% off this morning for these bullets. Same for last week's 48% off of the "regular" VLD's (was 41% the week before that--weren't selling fast enough). But I guess others were watching, too, 'cause when they hit 48%, those went QUICK.

    What this means is that next week, if they're still overstocked on 'em, they should go down to maybe 34%, then 38 or 39%, and so on.
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Why are they not selling? Will they stabilize? I remember years ago 175 gr was the max that was used in 7mm. Maybe that has changed.There must be a reason they aren't selling
     

    Cowboy T

    Active Member
    Yeah, I was wondering that, too. Apparently these 180-grainers need a pretty fast twist rate, at least 1:9". I've also heard that 1:8" can work even better in some rifles. Winchester M70's have a 1:9.5" twist rate. Rem 700's have a 1:9".

    My guess is that most people shooting the really heavier bullets in 7mm may be a bit of a niche group, e. g. the Gunwerks folks. I note that I've not seen the 168gr Bergers anywhere near that deeply discounted. Also, these are the Target edition, which Berger says are not as good for hunting, but people in the field have told me otherwise. They told me they do expand pretty well, not quite so explosively as the Hunting bullets, but that also means less potential for damaged meat.

    Competition from Hornady and now Sierra could also be a factor. Hornady puts out a mighty fine bullet in their A-Max and Match BTHP, and the A-Max is actually rated for hunting (e. g. whitetails). They shoot really well for less than Bergers, and for most people who don't measure wins by 0.01", that may well be good enough (it sure is for me). Regarding Sierra, it turns out they now make a VLD-style 180gr MatchKing with a near-identical BC as Berger's 180 VLD. Sierra and their MatchKings have about as good a reputation as can be had, supposedly shoot as well, and are normally lower priced than the Bergers.

    The final thing that comes to mind is that, increasingly, longer-range shooters are opting for the 6.5mm and even 6mm caliber sizes. Less recoil, and high BC's. Consider that a full-house 7mm RM load shooting a 180gr bullet is likelier to cause "recoil fatigue" during competition. Remember, these aren't the Hunting bullets, but rather the Target bullets, so the competitors buy 'em for that purpose. The deepest discount I've seen 6.5mm Bergers discounted is just over 30%. But they're usually gone before that happens.

    So how come the 30-cal's aren't so deeply discounted?

    Let's talk about those 210 and 215gr 30-cal's. Well, the sexy new .300 RUM, and the good ol' .300 Win Mag, both seem to be feeding the desire for those. Remember, the .300 Win Mag is a "sniper round", since the Army and Marines have used it in this capacity. Same reason why some folks buy a .338 Lapua Magnum. So, you've gotta reload it, right? I'll bet that's why those .30-cal's aren't so deeply discounted.

    This is just speculation as to why they may not have been selling. I don't really know why.

    Whatever the reasons, what does this mean for us 7mm caliber shooters? Great clearance prices, that's what!
     

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