Berger 30cal 215 and 230 results on elk size game??

[mtmuley]

I was killing elk with a 200 grain Accubond out of the .300 RUM before the Berger craze started. It's deadly at 3200 fps. Now loading Hammers. mtmuley

 

[CUTTER1]

All of the feedback sounds spot on, but I was wondering if you've considered going to a lower weight. I used a 175gn Berger VLD on last year's elk and it was an elk grenade out of my 300WSM and the load was very easy to dial in for excellent accuracy.

I've taken lots of elk thru the years, and time has taught me to hit them hard with heavy bullits and only in the last couple years have I gone to lighter calibers like 28 Nosler (only because of 195EOL) and 300 RUM.
I still prefer a 338 especially for long range! Years ago I took numerous elk with a 270 or 7mm/06imp but IMHO they should be limited to 250-300 yards with premium bullits and good shot placement.
A 300 RUM with 210-230 has more manageable recoil than a 338 using 300gr so as I age it is more attractive but just want to maximize with the best bullits.

 

[trhall]

I've been using 210 VLDs on 3 elk in custom 300 RUM. Worked ok but thinking of moving up to 215 or 230s.
Looking for infield results! Also loads. So far H1000 in ladder tests with 215 & 230 have produced very good accuracy and stellar velocity compared to even the 210.
I appreciate any input you have.

This is an easy one. Just search for the 215 berger thread started by Broz ans you'll find all the data you could possibly want to see.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I've taken lots of elk thru the years, and time has taught me to hit them hard with heavy bullits and only in the last couple years have I gone to lighter calibers like 28 Nosler (only because of 195EOL) and 300 RUM.
I still prefer a 338 especially for long range! Years ago I took numerous elk with a 270 or 7mm/06imp but IMHO they should be limited to 250-300 yards with premium bullits and good shot placement.
A 300 RUM with 210-230 has more manageable recoil than a 338 using 300gr so as I age it is more attractive but just want to maximize with the best bullits.

Excellent feedback because I'm loading for 338WM and 325WSM and 300WSM and getting a feel for what range bullet weights I'd like to use for elk. I have a dandy Barnes TTSX 210gn load for my 338, so that right in there with many of the comments. Personally, for longer ranges I see on my CO hunts, I'd prefer to not go any heavier.

 

[Dosh]

Perhaps check your Berger hunting loads to assure the tips are open for optimal performance. Most of my friends and I have hunted with Bergers for 15 years and with the exception of a couple of very poor shot placements no tracking needed.

 

[CUTTER1]

Excellent feedback because I'm loading for 338WM and 325WSM and 300WSM and getting a feel for what range bullet weights I'd like to use for elk. I have a dandy Barnes TTSX 210gn load for my 338, so that right in there with many of the comments. Personally, for longer ranges I see on my CO hunts, I'd prefer to not go any heavier.

Both my 338 lapua and 338 rum are stellar at 1000 yards with 300 Berger! Working up my new 338 AI with same bullits now. Just need vv570. With at least 4 elk hunts for fall I need to mak some fine tuning progress with those 4 rifles

 

[Trnelson]

I went with the 230 OTM tactical in two of my rigs. Simply because the 215 was not available in the quantity I wanted to buy when I started developing loads for my rifles. I'm not inclined to switch, I'm into the second batch of 1,000 bullets now. The 230 OTM has been stupid easy to work with. As my barrels have aged and worn it still shoots better than 0.5MOA with a very negligible POI change as they have eroded that a small increase in powder corrected.
Three of the guys I shoot regularly with use the 215 Berger. I don't have a single negative thing to say about that bullet. Both bullets are superb on game. There honestly isn't a bad choice to be made here. Both bullets will absolutely handle anything in North America effectively.
My best advise, seriously. Buy a thousand of either bullet and don't look back. You will not regret choosing either one.