Bergers ????

[MarkA]

If I were doing shoulder shots at the distances mentioned, in a 300 RUM, I would use a 200 gr Accubond.

+1!

 

[300RUM LNGRNGE]

IMO ...With your bullet failure rate, I would go back to what you know works. Accubond does not have a great BC either and is lead core as well.
Just my opinion, but I wouldn't want to "test" other bullets on your next hunt that really offers little to no benefit to what has worked for you.
Accubond BC 200gr .588
Barnes lrx BC 200 Gr .546

Now the accubond LR may be worth a look if you can find any.

190gr bc .640 advertised
210gr bc .730 advertised

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I would also suggest shooting a different bullet for shoulder shots. Something that would hold together better. Maybe a bonded core, or an a-frame/partition style bullet, and definitely heavy for caliber.

I dont think bergers are designed well for hammering through large bones. Ive gotten away with it on smaller animals but as the bones become larger and distance increases it could be enough to keep the bullet out of the vitals.

 

[Lrt307]

The strange thing is I had shot 1/2" steel @ 900 yards 8200' elevation and poked 3 holes thru my 24" blind flange. I can't believe that the 215 would pass thru 1/2" steel @ this distance and not smoke an elks shoulder? I guess its a bit different but seems like if it can poke holes thru steel @ that distance it should have no problem going thru bone no?

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Thats pretty impressive. I probably would have made the same assumption.

 

[Pdvdh]

Maybe pick on a softer elk?

 

[Lrt307]

Haha I guess so.

 

[ramrod79]

Yesterday I was able to test out my 6.5 284 at Long range with 140 Berger I took a 170 class MD at 1031Y 1 shot right in the boiler room passed through making a great entry ,and exit hole the deer went 3 steps ,and did a nose dive . I also have a late season Cow elk tag that I am using the 140 Bergers for ,and I hope they preform this well on the big game as they did on the deer.

 

[barefooter56]

No problem at all. I appreciate the input. I am just frustrated as a hunter and as a marksman for the luck I have personally had. This year tore me up to lose the bull I shot. I havent tried behind the shoulder with a 215. I have an additional cow tag and will give it a try. Thanks everyone for your input just looking for answers????

LrT307,
On our website under the HUNTING tab we have game targets that you can print out and use as references on bullet placement based on what we have found works best with our bullets. They will help along with the good advice on bullet placement given here.

 

[bigngreen]

Hello all who is hunting with Bergers? I have had a real bad experience this season. The 1st was my 300 rum with 215 on a trophy bull @ 673 yds. Front shoulder shot and lost the elk.

The second was my son with his 270 @ 400 yds front shoulder lost the elk.

I have a buddy who his wife and son both had similar results with 6.5.


what bullets are everyone using for long range and hunting? I am looking real hard @ the ELD X from Hornady. I used to use Barnes and they were excellent bullets but started long range hunting and went to Bergers. I like the Berger bullets but not so much for hunting as of yet.. I lost a big bull with my 7mm 180 a few years back and hit a bull and didnt find it till the next day a few years back..... kind of disquisted in Bergers @ this point.gun)

I've helped guys out with getting a wounded elk down on pivots and almost every time it's a shoulder shot elk, I've even had to work to recover my own shoulder shot elk back when I shot Barnes. I've had to take elk on my tag or help guys get their shoulder wounded elk with every bullet imaginable, MOST of the time the shot went forward or high going over the spine and some will be hit low in the shoulder and the bullets will either not penetrate, including Barnes and Accubonds, or they'll turn out of the animal before the vitals. I rarely take a first shot at the shoulder regardless of what I'm shooting but the only thing I'm comfortable with doing it is a larger 338.
I however took a cow last week with a lower shoulder shot at 280 yards with a Berger 140 gr 6.5 bullet, it was the only shot that was going to happen and the bullet destroyed her lower shoulder then passed through her on side lung absolutely shredding it, she made it two steps and she flipped over backwards dead.

 

[338edge]

You guys that are having problems with the berger bullets should watch the beyond belief training videos. I watched them 12 years back and have never looked back. John Burns was one of the original advocates for using the berger bullets for hunting. Between my buddies and myself we have over 60 kills with bergers. Most were one shot drops using the high shoulder shot. All recovered but 1 cow that I lost because I didn't do my part. No fault of the bullet. Look up Broz for how much success he's been having. It comes down to shot placement with the right amount of velocity and energy. I wholeheartedly believe that you guys that are having "problems" with berger bullets is no fault of the bullet but the one pulling the trigger!!! If you all practiced shooting as much as John Burns you wouldn't have any issues. Please practice as much as you can.


Corey

 

[hhack]

I had a similar experience as yours with a 270 wsm shooting the 130 gr berger hunters. Shot a nice muley through the front shoulder, in fresh snow. I tracked it for 300 yards to a place where the blood clotted and he stopped bleeding. Shot was only 100 yards and I had never had anything wounded get away until this happened. The very next day I shot another deer through the front shoulders and the chase was on. He went 4 miles until I caught up to him again and shot him through the lungs. The Hole through the front shoulders was such a pin hole that it didn't even damage meat on either front shoulder and it went through both.

I changed some things after this experience first, was I stopped shooting bergers for hunting, even though they were the most accurate bullets I had shot in my hunting rifle. Second, I don't aim at the front shoulder anymore. I went back to double lung shots. I haven't had a bad experience since.

 

[Pdvdh]

I wholeheartedly believe that you guys that are having "problems" with berger bullets is no fault of the bullet but the one pulling the trigger!!! If you all practiced shooting as much as John Burns you wouldn't have any issues. Please practice as much as you can.
Corey

You've clearly had good experiences, and have formed your opinion based on those experiences. No foul there, but how do you apply your opinion, based on solely positive experiences and those observed on video, to the guys that have had "problems"?

The fact that you haven't had, or seen anyone else have, a "problem" experience shooting a Berger bullet doesn't mean Berger bullets are faultless. The wholeheartedness of your beliefs based solely on your experiences and those observed on the video, doesn't equate to a conclusion that Berger bullets are faultless. Faultless for you based on your experiences, fair enough. Faultless based on others' experiences you've not observed - that's taking it "Beyond Belief".

 

[338edge]

You have a valid point!! Good luck with whatever bullet you choose!!!


Corey