Published: 2024 | Last updated: June 2026
Introduction
Berger Bullets produces the VLD Target as the competition counterpart to the Berger VLD Hunting – same very-low-drag pure secant ogive profile, but with a meaningfully thicker jacket specifically engineered for competition use. This distinction matters practically: the thicker jacket provides greater structural integrity at high velocities and across extended shot strings typical of competitive shooting, while the thinner J4 hunting jacket is optimized for controlled terminal fragmentation that would not be appropriate in a non-expanding match bullet. Like every other match bullet covered on this site – the Sierra MatchKing, Berger Hybrid Target, Hornady A-Tip Match, and Nosler Custom Competition – the VLD Target is a non-expanding match bullet engineered for accuracy and aerodynamic consistency, and should never be used for hunting. The VLD secant ogive in its match form has a longer history than some competing designs, predating the introduction of the hybrid ogive approach, and represents the established pure-aerodynamics approach to long-range competition bullet design that the hybrid ogive was specifically developed to improve upon in terms of practical load development ease.
The comparison BC figures in the original article require the same correction this series has documented repeatedly. The original cites the Sierra MatchKing at BC 0.301-0.717. This site’s own dedicated MatchKing coverage documents that bullet’s BC range as 0.400-0.700 per Sierra’s primary source data – the lower bound (0.301) is substantially understated. The original also characterizes “Hornady ELD Match” with BC range 0.300-0.697. “ELD Match” appears to be the original article’s label for the Hornady ELD-M covered elsewhere on this site. This site does not have a dedicated ELD-M article with independently verified BC figures to compare against, but the same general caution about secondhand competitor figures applies here.
One positive note: the seating depth guidance in this article (0.010-0.050 inches off the lands) is the correct standard guidance for a VLD secant ogive in a match context, in contrast to the VLD Hunting article which incorrectly applied the Elite Hunter’s broader hybrid-ogive range. This is an accurate, appropriate figure for this bullet. For trajectory context on the cartridges most commonly paired with this bullet, see the 6.5 Creedmoor ballistics guide, 223 Remington ballistics guide, and 300 Winchester Magnum ballistics guide.
Disclaimer: Reloading is an inherently dangerous activity. Always consult current published load data from reputable sources (Berger, Hodgdon, Sierra) before loading any cartridge. Start at the published minimum charge and work up carefully while watching for pressure signs. Never exceed maximum published loads. The information on this page is for educational reference only and does not replace a current reloading manual.
Technical Characteristics
Thicker J4 jacket (versus VLD Hunting): The VLD Target’s J4 jacket is specifically heavier than the hunting variant. In the VLD Hunting’s thin J4 jacket, the thinner material is engineered to peel back during fragmentation on impact. The Target’s thicker jacket does not fragment or expand – it holds the bullet together structurally across high-velocity shots and extended competition strings, maintaining meplat consistency and BC stability across many rounds fired. This is the fundamental, defining difference between the VLD Target and VLD Hunting despite their shared secant ogive geometry.
Pure secant ogive: The VLD (Very Low Drag) profile minimizes drag through a steep secant ogive that does not include the tangent transitional section of more conventional bullet designs. This produces high BCs but, as thoroughly documented in this site’s Berger VLD Hunting article, the pure secant profile is more sensitive to seating depth than either a conventional tangent ogive or the hybrid tangent-secant profile used in the Berger Hybrid Target. The VLD Target’s competition-oriented design assumes a handloader willing to invest in systematic, precise seating depth development to find the specific node where this bullet performs best. This is not a limitation unique to Berger’s design – every high-BC pure secant ogive shares this characteristic to varying degrees. It is simply a known tradeoff that precision rifle competitors learn to work with.
Boat-tail: Standard for reducing base drag, consistent with every long-range match bullet in this site’s comparison series. The combination of the secant ogive nose and the boat-tail base gives the VLD Target its characteristic very-low-drag aerodynamic profile, with drag reduction occurring at both ends of the bullet simultaneously.
Meplat consistency: For a conventional open hollow-point, meplat consistency depends entirely on manufacturing precision since there is no tip component to standardize the nose profile. The VLD Target relies on Berger’s manufacturing quality for this consistency, the same approach used by the MatchKing and Nosler Custom Competition.
Seating depth (0.010-0.050 inches off the lands): Unlike the VLD Hunting article’s incorrect copy of the Elite Hunter’s 0.020-0.120 inch range, this article’s seating depth guidance is correctly specified for a VLD secant ogive. Start at 0.010-0.015 inches off the lands, and test systematically to find the specific accuracy node. This is narrower than what the Hybrid Target provides but typical for a pure secant design.
Ballistics and Performance
G1 BCs from 0.374 to 0.683 per this source’s table span the VLD Target’s documented weight range from 70-grain .224-inch through 210-grain .308-inch. The original article’s stated BC range includes the same maximum (0.683) as the table, which is internally consistent – unlike the VLD Hunting article’s stated range that differed from its own table.
The original article’s characterization that the VLD Target’s BCs “surpass Sierra MatchKing in many weights” requires calibration against the corrected MatchKing figures. This site’s MatchKing coverage documents that bullet’s range as 0.400-0.700. Comparing the VLD Target table values against the MatchKing’s range shows the relationship varies by weight class rather than the VLD Target consistently leading – the heavier .284-inch entries (BC 0.628-0.683) exceed the MatchKing’s upper documented range, while at lighter weights the VLD Target’s BCs are broadly comparable to MatchKing entries at the same caliber.
The 70-grain through 90-grain .224-inch variants (BC 0.374-0.534) span a wide range of PRS and benchrest weights in 223 Remington and 22 Creedmoor. The 90-grain at BC 0.534 is a notably high BC for this caliber and weight, relevant for extended-range PRS stages.
The 95-grain through 115-grain .243-inch (6mm) variants (BC 0.467-0.563) cover 6mm Creedmoor, 6mm GT, and 6mm BR for PRS and benchrest competition, with the 115-grain at BC 0.563 being a genuinely strong figure for extended-range 6mm competition.
The 130-grain and 140-grain .264-inch (6.5mm) variants at BC 0.562 and 0.593 cover 6.5 Creedmoor for F-Class and PRS competition. The 140-grain field test reference (0.3-0.5 MOA at 600 yards with ES/SD under 10 fps from a 1:8 twist barrel) specifically uses this weight, and is consistent with competitive reports across multiple Berger 140-grain 6.5mm loads that handloaders post in forums and match reports. The 140-grain VLD Target at BC 0.593 slightly trails the VLD Hunting’s corresponding 130-grain at 0.562 due to the weight difference, though both fall within a broadly overlapping performance range for this caliber in competition.
The 168-grain and 180-grain .284-inch (7mm) at BC 0.628 and 0.683 are the VLD Target’s highest-BC offerings, intended for 7mm Remington Magnum and 7mm PRC in F-Class Open and ELR competition, where the 180-grain’s BC of 0.683 provides genuinely strong long-range aerodynamic efficiency that exceeds the Hybrid Target’s lower-BC entries at comparable weights, though not the Hybrid Target’s maximum figures for heavier specialty weights.
The 168-grain through 210-grain .308-inch variants (BC 0.507-0.621) cover 300 Winchester Magnum and 308 Winchester for 1,000-yard benchrest and F-Class. As with the VLD Hunting, two different 168-grain entries appear (.284-inch at 0.628 and .308-inch at 0.507), reflecting the diameter-driven BC difference at the same weight class.
Expert Ballistics Table – Berger VLD Target Variants
Data from Berger specifications. BCs are G1. Verify current figures at bergerbullets.com.
| Diameter (inches) | Weight (grains) | BC (G1) | Sectional Density | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .224 | 70 | 0.374 | 0.199 | Benchrest in 223 Remington |
| .224 | 75 | 0.421 | 0.214 | PRS in 223 Remington |
| .224 | 80 | 0.455 | 0.228 | PRS in 22 Creedmoor |
| .224 | 90 | 0.534 | 0.256 | Extended-range PRS in 224 Valkyrie |
| .243 | 95 | 0.467 | 0.230 | PRS in 6mm Creedmoor |
| .243 | 105 | 0.517 | 0.254 | PRS in 6mm Creedmoor |
| .243 | 115 | 0.563 | 0.278 | F-Class in 6mm GT |
| .264 | 130 | 0.562 | 0.266 | F-Class in 6.5 Creedmoor |
| .264 | 140 | 0.593 | 0.287 | F-Class in 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC |
| .284 | 168 | 0.628 | 0.298 | F-Class Open in 7mm Remington Magnum |
| .284 | 180 | 0.683 | 0.319 | ELR competition in 7mm PRC |
| .308 | 168 | 0.507 | 0.253 | 1,000-yard in 308 Winchester |
| .308 | 175 | 0.512 | 0.264 | 1,000-yard in 308 Winchester |
| .308 | 185 | 0.543 | 0.279 | F-Class in 300 Winchester Magnum |
| .308 | 210 | 0.621 | 0.316 | F-Class Open in 300 Winchester Magnum |
Comparison Bullets
The original article compares the VLD Target against the Sierra MatchKing and “Hornady ELD Match” (the ELD-M). As discussed in the introduction, the MatchKing comparison figures require correction.
The Sierra MatchKing is the VLD Target’s closest architectural relative in this comparison: both are conventional hollow-point boat-tail designs with no polymer or aluminum tip, relying entirely on manufacturing precision for meplat consistency. The corrected BC range (0.400-0.700, not 0.301-0.717) shows the two bullets having broadly overlapping BC ranges with the VLD Target holding an advantage at the heavier .284-inch weights where the MatchKing does not extend as far.
The Berger Hybrid Target is the VLD Target’s most direct internal Berger competitor, using the same pure secant profile concept but blending it with a tangent section. This reduces the Hybrid Target’s seating-depth sensitivity compared to the VLD Target, at some cost in maximum BC. The Berger OTM Tactical represents a further Berger option for tactical or law enforcement-oriented precision applications.
The Nosler Custom Competition and Hornady A-Tip Match are additional primary competitors this site covers, the latter using an aluminum tip rather than the VLD Target’s conventional hollow-point approach.
Comparison Table – Premium Long-Range Match Bullets
| Bullet | BC Range | Tip | Seating Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berger VLD Target | 0.374-0.683 | None (hollow point) | High (pure secant) |
| Berger Hybrid Target | 0.524-0.841 | None (hybrid ogive) | Low (hybrid) |
| Sierra MatchKing | 0.400-0.700 | None (hollow point) | Moderate |
| Nosler Custom Competition | 0.220-0.800 | None (hollow point) | Moderate |
| Hornady A-Tip Match | 0.564-0.878 | Aluminum | Moderate |
Applications and Practical Aspects
Benchrest and PRS (.224-inch, 70-90 grains): 223 Remington, 22 Creedmoor, and 224 Valkyrie for close-range benchrest through extended PRS stages. Hodgdon Varget and Hodgdon CFE 223 are standard choices. The 90-grain .224-inch at BC 0.534 is particularly noteworthy for an extended-range PRS stage where the heavier .224-inch weight provides meaningful wind resistance at distances beyond 600 yards. The 22 ARC is a further .224-inch cartridge gaining traction in PRS gas-gun divisions where these heavier VLD Target weights are well-suited.
6mm PRS and F-Class (95-115 grains, .243-inch): 6mm Creedmoor, 6mm GT, and 6mm BR for precision rifle competition. Hodgdon H4350 and Alliant Reloder 16 are standard 6mm competition powder choices. The 6mm caliber’s lower recoil compared to 6.5mm makes it preferred in PRS gas-gun divisions where follow-up spotting matters; the VLD Target 115-grain at BC 0.563 is among the strongest 6mm match options this site has documented. The 6mm Dasher is a further benchrest-derived 6mm cartridge where the VLD Target is commonly used.
6.5mm PRS and F-Class (130-140 grains, .264-inch): 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC at these weights for mainstream competition. Hodgdon H4350 and Alliant Reloder 23 are standard choices. The 6.5×47 Lapua is an additional 6.5mm competition cartridge paired with these weights, popular in F-Class where its case efficiency is valued.
7mm F-Class Open (168-180 grains, .284-inch): 7mm Remington Magnum and 7mm PRC for extended-range F-Class, where the 7mm’s BC advantage is particularly visible in this table’s 0.628-0.683 range. Alliant Reloder 22 and Hodgdon H4831SC are standard choices. The 284 Winchester is a further 7mm F-Class cartridge that pairs well with the 168-180 grain VLD Target weights.
1,000-yard and F-Class (.308-inch, 168-210 grains): 308 Winchester for traditional 1,000-yard matches at the 168-175 grain weights, and 300 Winchester Magnum for the 185-210 grain F-Class Open weights. Hodgdon H4831SC and Alliant Reloder 26 are standard magnum powder choices for the heavier F-Class loads. The 168-grain .308-inch at BC 0.507 and the 175-grain at BC 0.512 are the primary 1,000-yard service rifle and bolt-action match weights, with an extensive accumulated track record in PALMA and similar long-range matches.
Reloading
The VLD Target’s pure secant ogive makes precise seating depth development more important than for most hunting bullets and even many match bullets covered elsewhere on this site.
Primers: CCI BR-4 and Federal GM205M small rifle benchrest primers for .224-inch; CCI BR-2 and Federal GM210M large rifle benchrest primers for larger calibers.
Cases: Premium brass from Lapua, Peterson, or Norma. Case prep essentials and consistent annealing are standard practice for competition use. A quality digital powder scale and dedicated single-stage press are the minimum equipment for reliable seating depth control with the VLD Target’s demanding ogive profile.
Seating depth: Start 0.010-0.015 inches off the lands and test systematically in 0.010-inch increments. The VLD Target’s pure secant ogive requires systematic search for the accuracy node, which typically exists at a narrow, specific depth rather than the broad window the Hybrid Target provides. This is the same process described in this site’s Berger VLD Hunting article, applied here in a match context. For magazine-fed rifles where the practical seating depth is constrained by magazine length to well off the lands, the Hybrid Target’s broader accuracy window is a more practical choice.
Neck tension: 0.002-0.004 inch interference, consistent with standard match bullet practice.
Competition-specific notes: The VLD Target’s thicker jacket compared to the hunting variant means it handles the heat of extended competition strings – rapid sustained fire across multiple stages – better than the thinner hunting jacket would. For handloaders who shoot both competitions and hunting trips with the same caliber, this jacket thickness difference is one reason Berger explicitly offers both variants rather than one universal bullet serving both applications.
Powder Selection by Application:
| Application | Caliber | Bullet Weight | Recommended Powders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benchrest/PRS | 223 Rem | 70-90 gr | Hodgdon Varget, Hodgdon CFE 223, IMR 4064 |
| 6mm competition | 6mm Creedmoor | 95-115 gr | Hodgdon H4350, Alliant Reloder 16, Alliant Reloder 23 |
| 6.5mm competition | 6.5 Creedmoor | 130-140 gr | Hodgdon H4350, Alliant Reloder 23, Alliant Reloder 26 |
| 7mm F-Class | 7mm Rem Mag | 168-180 gr | Alliant Reloder 22, Hodgdon H4831SC, IMR 7828 SSC, Alliant Reloder 25 |
| F-Class Open | 300 Win Mag | 185-210 gr | Hodgdon H4831SC, Alliant Reloder 26, Hodgdon Retumbo, Alliant Reloder 33 |
Reloading Parameters Summary:
| Parameter | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Neck tension | 0.002-0.004 inch interference |
| Seating depth | 0.010-0.050 inch off lands; start close (0.010-0.015) and test systematically |
| Crimp | Not used for precision bolt-action competition |
| Twist rate | 1:9 or faster; 1:8 for most 6.5mm and heavier weights |
| ES target | Under 8-10 fps for competitive accuracy |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does the VLD Target differ from the VLD Hunting, given they share the same secant ogive?
A: The key difference is jacket thickness and expansion behavior. The VLD Hunting uses a thin J4 jacket engineered for controlled terminal fragmentation on game – the jacket is designed to peel back and fragment when it encounters animal tissue. The VLD Target uses a thicker J4 jacket that does not fragment or expand, maintaining bullet integrity through high-velocity shots and extended competition strings. Never substitute a VLD Hunting bullet for a VLD Target in competition work, or vice versa in hunting – these are engineered for fundamentally different terminal behaviors.
Q: The original article cites the Sierra MatchKing at BC 0.301-0.717. Is this accurate?
A: No. This site’s dedicated MatchKing coverage documents 0.400-0.700 per Sierra’s primary source data. The lower bound (0.301) is substantially understated – by nearly 100 BC points. This follows the same cross-source discrepancy pattern documented repeatedly across this series. The MatchKing’s actual BC range shows it broadly overlapping with the VLD Target rather than trailing behind it as the original comparison suggests.
Q: How does the VLD Target compare to the Berger Hybrid Target in terms of accuracy and seating depth?
A: Both are excellent competition bullets, but they require different load development approaches. The Hybrid Target’s blended tangent-secant ogive provides a much wider accuracy band (roughly 0.020-0.120 inches off the lands) that makes finding a good load easier for most handloaders. The VLD Target’s pure secant ogive requires starting closer to the lands (0.010-0.015 inches) and testing more systematically to find the narrow accuracy node. Handloaders who have developed loads with either bullet report excellent accuracy, but the Hybrid Target is generally considered more forgiving for initial load development. The Hybrid Target also typically achieves higher BC at comparable weights.
Q: Is the VLD Target appropriate for use in a bolt-action hunting rifle in addition to competition?
A: No – the VLD Target is a non-expanding match bullet and should not be used for hunting. This site’s coverage of the Berger hunting bullet lineup (VLD Hunting, Elite Hunter, Classic Hunter) covers the appropriate bullets for hunting applications within Berger’s own product family.
Q: The table shows two different 168-grain bullets at very different BCs (0.628 for .284 and 0.507 for .308). Is this a data error?
A: No, this is correct. The same nominal bullet weight at different diameters produces different BCs because BC depends on both weight and diameter – a larger-diameter bullet of the same weight is physically shorter, which affects its aerodynamic profile. The 168-grain 7mm (.284-inch) at BC 0.628 and the 168-grain .308-inch at BC 0.507 are two genuinely different bullets, and the BC difference reflects the 7mm caliber’s known aerodynamic advantage at comparable weights. This was also seen in the VLD Hunting table and is not a data error.
Q: Does the VLD Target require different load development than the Sierra MatchKing?
A: Yes, in the seating depth dimension specifically. The MatchKing’s conventional hollow-point boat-tail design is somewhat less sensitive to jump distance than the VLD Target’s more aggressive secant ogive profile. Both require systematic seating depth testing, but the VLD Target’s pure secant profile demands more precise, narrower testing to find the accuracy node. In practice, many competitive shooters using both bullets report similar final accuracy results once the seating depth is properly dialed in, with the development process taking somewhat more work for the VLD Target given its narrower accuracy window. The MatchKing’s seven decades of accumulated load data also provide a richer starting point for initial load development, while the VLD Target’s data archive, though extensive, is more recent and somewhat narrower in scope.
Conclusion
The Berger VLD Target is a long-established, capable pure-secant-ogive match bullet that provides strong BCs across a broad caliber range, from benchrest .224-inch weights through F-Class Open .308-inch and 7mm offerings. The MatchKing comparison figures in the original article require correction – the MatchKing is more competitive with the VLD Target than the original’s understated BC figures suggest. The positive technical detail worth highlighting explicitly: the thicker jacket genuinely distinguishes this match bullet from its hunting counterpart, a real engineering distinction that has practical implications for both performance and application. For precision rifle competitors comparing between conventional hollow-point options in this category, the Lapua Scenar is an additional bullet worth considering as a further conventional BTHP competitor to the VLD Target and MatchKing, though not yet covered in a dedicated article on this site. The core recommendation remains: if seating depth sensitivity is a practical concern for your rifle and setup, the Hybrid Target’s broader accuracy window is a more forgiving starting point; if you specifically want the VLD secant profile and are prepared to do the more demanding seating depth work, the VLD Target delivers genuinely strong BC performance across this broad weight and caliber range.
Choose the VLD Target if: you want Berger’s pure VLD secant ogive profile in a competition-grade, thick-jacketed form specifically built for match shooting; you are willing to invest in systematic seating depth development to find the accuracy node; or you specifically want the VLD profile’s higher BC potential at heavier weights like the 180-grain .284-inch.
Choose something else if: you want a wider seating depth accuracy band – the Berger Hybrid Target is purpose-built to address the VLD’s seating sensitivity. If you want the deepest accumulated competitive track record, the Sierra MatchKing leads all competitors on production history. If you want a tipped match bullet for higher BC at light-to-moderate weights, the Hornady A-Tip Match or Hornady ELD-M are the relevant alternatives. If you need a bullet for hunting rather than competition, use one of the dedicated Berger hunting bullets from the VLD Hunting or Elite Hunter lines.
Disclaimer: Reloading involves inherent risks. Always use current load data from Berger or other published manuals. This bullet is designed exclusively for target and competition use – do not use it for hunting. The pure secant ogive requires precise seating depth development; start 0.010-0.015 inches off the lands and test systematically. Wear eye protection at all times. The author and myreloading.com are not responsible for injuries or property damage from reloading or shooting handloaded ammunition.
Have you loaded and shot the Berger VLD Target? Leave a comment with your weight, cartridge, seating depth in relation to the lands, powder, charge, and accuracy results. Seating depth findings specifically – at what distance off the lands did you find your accuracy node? – are especially valuable given the VLD secant ogive’s documented sensitivity on that dimension.
Editorial note: Originally published 2024, revised June 2026. The update flagged the original article’s Sierra MatchKing BC comparison (0.301-0.717) as inconsistent with this site’s dedicated MatchKing coverage (0.400-0.700), with the lower bound substantially understated – consistent with the same cross-source discrepancy pattern documented across multiple bullet comparison articles in this series. Confirmed that this article’s seating depth guidance (0.010-0.050 inches) is correctly specified for the VLD secant ogive, in contrast to the VLD Hunting article’s incorrect copy of the Elite Hunter’s broader 0.020-0.120 inch hybrid-ogive range. Documented the jacket thickness distinction between the VLD Target and VLD Hunting as a genuine engineering difference, not merely a naming variation. Added the Berger Hybrid Target and Nosler Custom Competition to the comparison discussion. Added FAQ covering six common questions including direct guidance on the VLD Target versus VLD Hunting jacket difference. Applied full internal linking throughout.
