Using the Berger 156 EOL with R26 in my 26" barreled 6.5x284's I have been able to generate velocity in the 3000-3025FPS range with excellent accuracy and ES at safe pressures. IMO, the engineers did a great job with the bullet design given I didn't expect to get much over 2950FPS. I suppose the relatively short bearing surface has much to do with the results. From a ballistic standpoint, drops and wind drift is not materially different from a 140hr Berger HVLD driven at 3050FPS using R26 and delivering comparable accuracy and ES to the 156EOL. The major benefit of the 156 is terminal energy and penetration(sectional density). Given this bullet has expansion characteristics comparable to the 140HVLD, the 156 buys you and additional 15-20% greater energy at any given range and, in my case, get me an increase of 1000FPE normally capped out at 1000 yards, extended an additional 200 yards. I personally didn't pursue the Hornady 147 ELDM because the improvement didn't seem significant enough, best case, falling between the 140 and 156. IMO.
