Going Midwest this fall for whitetail. Want to take my 260 AI currently using 140 vld getting 3075 1/2" Moa. Ran in to two boxes of the 135 classic hunters and wanted to pick up and try while available. Want to be able to handle from 100-600 yards. Any input on either of these for my velocity of how well they performed as a hunting bullet?
6.5 Berger 140 vld or 135 classic Hunter for Deer
- Thread starter mike33
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Agree with Coop2564.
cjl2010
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My wife killed a bull couple years ago at 600+ with 140 at 2830. We've killed a pile of deer with that same load. I wouldn't have any concerns.
ReconFister
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140 vld will work great as well as hornady 140 eldms. Yes, match elds have always worked great on whitetail for me out to 434 yards is my longest kill shot
Idaho Lefty
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In my grandson's, 6.5 PRC, we're using, 140 gr. Berger, Elite Hunters @ 3,085 FPS as, SUB 1/2 MOA, accuracy, "area" for, HIS Proof Barreled, Rifle.
In, the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 143 gr. ELD-X's, can be used on, Big Game at, ANY reasonable Range from up CLOSE to,.. 500+ Yards.
My 23 y/o, grandson shot THRU 3 Deer from .225 to 496 yds with, the 143 gr.- X's in, His 6.5 PRC @ 3,100 FPS but after, seeing the DRT, Performance of, BERGER 140's in My .270 WSM on Elk, he wants to try, the 140 gr., Elite's, THIS Year.
In, the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 143 gr. ELD-X's, can be used on, Big Game at, ANY reasonable Range from up CLOSE to,.. 500+ Yards.
My 23 y/o, grandson shot THRU 3 Deer from .225 to 496 yds with, the 143 gr.- X's in, His 6.5 PRC @ 3,100 FPS but after, seeing the DRT, Performance of, BERGER 140's in My .270 WSM on Elk, he wants to try, the 140 gr., Elite's, THIS Year.
Idaho Lefty
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EITHER of those 2 Bullet's, would, "Work",.. Fine !
Shoot some SLOW Fire, 10 shot, 200 Yard, Group's ( to Find, "Best Load" ) .. THEN, "Verify Drop's" out to, 600 yards.
Keep Barrel "Cool" and,.. "Cold Bore",.. Test for, repeatable, POI
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THE SHADOW
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I have used the 135 classic in my PRC and very impressed. Longest shot with them deer at 840 yards, they work great from 300 to 600 yards. It was also very easy to work up a load. Also in my creedmoor have shot a couple of hundred hogs and over 100 deer with them out to 450 yards. They are so accurate that I haven't tried anything else in either of these guns.
Either will suck the life outta any deer to 600 and if you already have a 30 second load with the 140 VLD, save the load development components and throat wear.
As others noted, both will work per your intended purpose. There is no need to complicate it unnecessarily.
The_Whitetail_kid
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Both the 135 and 140 Bergers will work great for your intended use. I've killed quite a few deer with various Berger bullets and never had an issue. Shot two this last season with the 140 one was DRT other made it maybe 20 yards
Prairie Sasquatch
Well-Known Member
I shoot the 140 HVLD out of my 6.5-284 at 3019 fps. I've shot 6 whitetail bucks with them from 90 to just over 300 yards and not one took a step. They also kill coyotes too.
I'm glad I ran into this posting, as I was about to also inquire about 135 Classic Hunter for deer. I've been shooting them in my 6.5 CM and have been greatly impressed with how well they group. Was curious about actual terminal performance results as they are my first choice for an upcoming mule dear hunt in northern Arizona. Thanks!
