156gr Berger EOL Elite Hunter Reviews

[DocTorT]

The mag primers hold up better to higher pressures and I am pushing it fairly hard to get that velocity from a 22" barrel. This load has no heavy bolt lift in my rifle but the primers are confirming I am close to maxing out.

Good to know

I'll load some up and see what kind of #s I get out of mine and will follow up here
Likely will be a few weeks

 

[Bill28]

I was also curious about using the 156 Bergers, so I purchased the Berger 6.5 CM ammunition.
First of all it shot great out of my Savage fv12 with 26" barrel velocity was around 2615 using my labradar with the factory ammo. I have been able to shoot some nice 5 shot groups.

I've also reloaded the Berger 140 vld and it also shoots really nice with a velocity of 2905.

Also I just started to reload the 156 for my Creed and the PRC. Initial loads look promising around 2700 for the CM and looks like 3050 for the PRC.
View attachment 223137View attachment 223138

I just shot a Mule deer doe with my 6.5 PRC, went all the way through double lung. Made a jump few hopes and tipped over. I'm a meat hunter so I always shoot behind the shoulder. Even though the 156 Berger penciled right through the lungs were toast and doe dropped in my scope. I will not hesitate to use my PRC for elk. I also have a 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with the 156's and would use for elk out to about 250 yards, my son will probably use the Creedmoor next year for elk.

 

[Bill28]

The creedmoor is just a 250/3000 Savage loaded to higher pressure with a high Ballistic Co Effecient VLD projectile. I cannot understand how experienced shooters can be conned by the sales hype that promotes these products, I guess ******** baffles Brains.
If you want to shoot elk at these distances use a 270 w or a 30/06 loaded with appropiate BC projectiles. There is a bigger range of 30 cal projectiles than any other & even a 300 WM would not be undergunned for elk at these ranges use enough gun & save your creedmore for shooting prariedogs/ coyotes or targets at that range.
By Comparison sub 30 calibre cartridges are not legal to hunt deer( Sambar) in Southern Australia (Vistoria)
Vaughn G

If you want to shoot elk at far distances use a 28 Nosler.

 

[codyadams]

you guys have info on little chicken/s guns but nothing eles dont know why i resd posts bunch of dumb asses out there w/all there loadds probably cant afford 22shells

This guy gonna get the ban hammer......

 

[xsn10s]

"You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

 

[AudentesFortunaJuvat]

Got a decent stash of these I plan to make the primary bullet for a 6.5SAUM. Wanted something heavier for elk, also love the BC stats, crossing my fingers it shoots well out of this new build! Just had 3/3 DRT on mule deer bucks in Idaho with the 140 Vlds.

 

[BEEMAN]

Codyadams I liked your comparison of the 156 to the 123 AH. But I think your muzzle velocity was conservative on the 123 out of your 260AI. I'm shooting the 124HH Out of a 6.5x47 at 2938 FPS. I'm slowly changing over to different bullets. I've done very well with the Berger's but I rarely shoot over 5-600 yds. So I think the super high BC bullets I've been running aren't the best option for me. But as I said I've got no complaints on the Berger's. The 215 has been especially great.

 

[707FreedomFan]

I'm excited to finish my 6.5CM build and test the 156@400-600 against other more ideal bullets against some gallon jugs or ballistic gel, through some racks of ribs or something ha

 

[codyadams]

Codyadams I liked your comparison of the 156 to the 123 AH. But I think your muzzle velocity was conservative on the 123 out of your 260AI. I'm shooting the 124HH Out of a 6.5x47 at 2938 FPS. I'm slowly changing over to different bullets. I've done very well with the Berger's but I rarely shoot over 5-600 yds. So I think the super high BC bullets I've been running aren't the best option for me. But as I said I've got no complaints on the Berger's. The 215 has been especially great.

Oh ya I know, I just used my .260 AI rifle profile to build the comparison, I run the 156's at 2940 in my .260ai not 2750, I was making a comparison with a creed with easily achievable velocities for both bullets. A 26" creed could probably do a little more with both bullets, but the velocity difference between the two should be similar for comparisons sake.

 

[DocTorT]

Oh ya I know, I just used my .260 AI rifle profile to build the comparison, I run the 156's at 2940 in my .260ai not 2750, I was making a comparison with a creed with easily achievable velocities for both bullets. A 26" creed could probably do a little more with both bullets, but the velocity difference between the two should be similar for comparisons sake.

Between IMR4350 and IMR 4895 which would you start with?
I'm finding sporadic loads

 

[richhymas]

LOL! Physics on earth is not debatable. Think what you want. Mass matters when it is the fragmentation killing. It matters to a less extent with cup and cores like an accubond or aframe. More mass=more fragments(with frangible bullets)= more damage to vitals. It matters even more when you make a less than perfect shot or poor wind call.

Yes, mass matters. It allows for better penetration and more energy down range. Generally increased mass also means increased BC, so slower muzzle velocity but more retained velocity down range so bullet stays in that ideal impact velocity longer.

 

[Tidus56]

If I was using my creedmoor on an elk hunt, I would use a hammer bullet. They hold together as they punch in and then the petals come off as they penetrate and add some damage, especially compared to a Barnes bullet. Like Cody mentioned you could run the absolute hammer pretty fast and it would be perform well on elk.
If you're for sure going 156 I would run RL26 and see how fast you can run the 156 out of your creed. If should be fast enough to work fine.

 

[AudentesFortunaJuvat]

I just took this cow (elk) 2 weeks ago at 200 yds. Hit it beetween the eyes and it went down. I used a 6.5 prc with 156 bergers at 2890 fps.

Went Alaskan style with that head shot, nice job on that meat savings!

 

[yorke-1]

I'd probably go with a bullet in the 140 range from the Creedmoor. It's not the 156 Berger, but I shot the 160 Matrix out of a 30" barreled 6.5x47 Lapua at 2720 fps for a while and that's probably pretty close to what you'd get from a 156 Berger in the 6.5 Creed in a 26" barrel or so.

The load shot very well and was an excellent target load, but the retained velocity past around 500 yards was getting down to a level that made me question how well they'd expand. Lots of the VLDs perform best when there's enough velocity to make them really open up, but not so much that they detonate. I did some unscientific expansion tests that confirmed that they (the 160 Matrix) would expand at 600 yards with the modest muzzle velocity, but not as violently as I would want from that style of bullet. The 160 Matrix is a little different than the 156 Berger but they're similar enough that I think the comparison is worth making.