The Berger 156 EOL is done

[codyadams]

I should be getting some for testing in a 7.5 twist .264 win mag and my .260 AI. Depending on how many they send me, I may test them in a 6.5 cm just for all the guys out there that want to know how they will do. Will have 9 pronghorn, 4 elk and 2 deer to shoot with them, should get some fantastic on game testing.

 

[aushunter1]

Seeing as I am a thrifty person Im wanting to see if there is any real terminal improvement over something that already exists & is a decent price.

So what is the price point on these & why should I go through another set of LD from the VLD hunter if its more $$$??

As it states 'for the Creedmoor' jumping on the over stretched band wagon!

The game I take with what I am shooting now in the 130gr wont know the difference in the BC's

 

[NEMTHunter]

I should be getting some for testing in a 7.5 twist .264 win mag and my .260 AI. Depending on how many they send me, I may test them in a 6.5 cm just for all the guys out there that want to know how they will do. Will have 9 pronghorn, 4 elk and 2 deer to shoot with them, should get some fantastic on game testing.

They have been getting sent out on Boxes of 100. But that my be by request.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

As always Berger is trailing the pack in BC...
Lets hope they perform well on game, I was hoping they'd get the 156 BC in the .7's
Looks like I'll continue killing stuff with the 147's

 

[NEMTHunter]

As always Berger is trailing the pack in BC...
Lets hope they perform well on game, I was hoping they'd get the 156 BC in the .7's
Looks like I'll continue killing stuff with the 147's

What pack? They are right between the SMK and A-tip. That is if the A-tip is what they say.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

What pack? They are right between the SMK and A-tip. That is if the A-tip is what they say.

Pick a caliber and compare it to Hornady:
Berger's BC is always less with a heavier bullet. i.e 195 EOL vs. 180 ELDM, 230 vs 225 ELDM, and now 156 vs 147 ELDM.
Just stating a fact here Brosif, and I'm disappointed that after all these years developing the 156 Berger could't get the BC up a little more..
This is just my observation, sorry if you don't appreciate it.

 

[NEMTHunter]

Pick a caliber and compare it to Hornady:
Berger's BC is always less with a heavier bullet. i.e 195 EOL vs. 180 ELDM, 230 vs 225 ELDM, and now 156 vs 147 ELDM.
Just stating a fact here Brosif, and I'm disappointed that after all these years developing the 156 Berger could't get the BC up a little more..
This is just my observation, sorry if you don't appreciate it.

The last sentence cracked me up.. LOL My question was genuine. I thought I must have missed something.

The 147 ELDM is below the 156 for BC. Berger could have higher BC can come at a price with heavier bullets. As in a faster twist is needed. Also, a tipped bullet (lead core) will always have the advantage over a non tipped bullet for BC. Why? A better formed and smaller meplat. Same thing for the 195 vs 180.

Now the 225 for sure no questions asked has better BC then the Berger 230. But then again the Berger was out for years before the ELDM was. Now the 230SMK has them both beat. LOL

Competition is good among bullet companies. That's what drives them to keep making better products.

I shoot Hornady, Sierra and Berger bullets. So I am not knocking any of them. I like them all.

Berger could have got the BC up more. But then they would have had to make it so you would have needed a faster twist to shoot it. As it sits the bullet will work with factory barreled rifles.

I agree I wish they would have. BUT they will sell more this way. And thats what it comes down to. product moved is money made.

I am glad we have choices as we do.

 

[bigngreen]

Bergers goals are narrower than Hornadys, they have performance benchmarks not related to BC and marketing, they can't make that benchmark with a tipped bullet, no one can as they just won't shoot as accurately. The on game performance has been a massive disappointment with the ELDX and ELDM, all most every guy I personally know, myself included won't run them again for game cause the lower BC Berger way out performed them. The ONLY thing that I like and kept me shooting so many ELD bullet is the price BUT in the end that's not worth it for how they perform. IMO

 

[codyadams]

Bergers goals are narrower than Hornadys, they have performance benchmarks not related to BC and marketing, they can't make that benchmark with a tipped bullet, no one can as they just won't shoot as accurately. The on game performance has been a massive disappointment with the ELDX and ELDM, all most every guy I personally know, myself included won't run them again for game cause the lower BC Berger way out performed them. The ONLY thing that I like and kept me shooting so many ELD bullet is the price BUT in the end that's not worth it for how they perform. IMO

I concur. Going from 140 Bergers to the 147 eld-m, I was extremly underwhelmed in the 13 or so critters I killed with them. I know it wasn't designed as a hunting bullet, but I was hoping it would do better. When observing a couple ballistic gel tests, it essentially followed what I observed. Inconsistency. Even if the 156 has a lower bc than the 147, which according to berger and applied ballistics, it is better, I would still use the berger based on terminal performance.

If you already have a good load with the 140's, it may not be worth the time and load developement. I'll post a ballistics chart here of drop and drift with the 140 elite hunter, 147 eld-m, and the 156 projected bc at velocities from say my .260 AI (similar to a 6.5x284), a 6.5 cm, and a .264 wm, though the differences will be the same because velocity differences will be similar, you will see there isn't a huge gain in trajectory, and while it is a step up from the Berger 140, the trajectory difference isn't necessarily massive. Also there is a difference in energy, though again, not huge. In my .260 AI, 600 yard energy is 1756 ft. lbs with the 140 eh, and at projected velocity with the 156, is 1861 ft. lbs with the EOL.

So is it worth new load developement? That is for the individual to decide. If elk was a main target, the extra sectional density and energy wouldn't hurt. If I was building a new 6.5 hunting rig and I wanted to use Bergers, it would be built around the 156. That is the way I look at it.

 

[L.Sherm]

If I'm after shooting heavier bullets than the 140 for elk in a 6.5 then im stepping up to 30 cal 215.
Hence my 30-28] I've just about got together.

 

[257Tony]

I just don't see that this new bullet will do anything that the 140 vld won't do. With the loss of muzzle velocity, I bet your well past 1000 before the 156 offers any advantage.

 

[L.Sherm]

B.C dont mean squat if it dont fly straight.

 

[greatwhitehntr]

For what it's worth Hornady BC's aren't what they claim if you ask Brian Litz

 

[greatwhitehntr]

He says 147 is a g1 of .617