Bullet Brands

[SergeantD]

I have been shooting and reloading for a very long time and have shot many different calibers. Nowadays it seems that all the talk is about Berger. Are they really worth all the hype? I feel other bullets have just fallen off the radar. There are way better bullets IMO like Swift, Lapua, Speer, and Norma. What's your opinion?

 

[Jud96]

Berger bullets are some of the most consistent, accurate, high BC bullets, and also have a wide variety of options. They're like custom bullets but widespread on the market. I never use to shoot them and have always just shot Hornady bullets. Mainly because Hornady bullets were cheaper, they had never failed me, and I have always liked their designs and bullet options. I just recently switched to Berger's in my .284 and from the get go they shot awesome. It took me just 15 rounds to find a load with a new powder, new bullet, and relatively new cartridge to me that shot 3/8 MOA and better with extreme spreads under 20. Previous to this, I experimented with the 180gr Hornady ELD for nearly 100 shots until giving up on it.

There's a lot of good bullets out there, but Berger's are just a solid go to for nearly every cartridge. They just shoot and are always consistent. Sierra bullets are also excellent and just as consistent and are starting to bring out some serious long range bullets as of late. I use to think Berger's were all hype until I started paying attention and learned from some very serious shooters and reloaders just how much better they can be than the competition. They also were easy to get shooting in my rifle and I look forward to using them in others.

I do believe there's better options for hunting short ranges under 200 yards and for heavy dangerous game. I would choose a Swift bullet for Grizzlies over a Berger. But I would choose a Berger over a Swift if watching over a field and hunting deer with shots beyond 300 yards. It's important to pick the right bullet for the job. If you just want to test the accuracy potential of your rifle, then shoot a Berger or Sierra. For long range hunting Berger and Hornady are my top picks. For competition shooting, Berger and Sierra are at the top along with a few custom bullet makers. For general hunting at shorter ranges, pick whatever you want or what fits your style. For thick skinned and dangerous game, pick a heavy duty bullet like the Swift, Accubond, Partition, Interbond, etc.

 

[Trnelson]

This ought to get good real quick!

I used to shoot quite a few different bullets years ago. Nosler BT, Sierra Gamekings, matchking Hornady AMAX, ELDX, Interbond, SP, Swift Scirocco, Winchester SP, Remington Core loc. Lapua Scenar. It's become a completely different story in the last ten years. Consistency, or lack there of, has pushed me away from most of the other bullets. Everything I intend to possibly shoot further than 600 has eventually become Berger. Once I try them I just don't see a need to go back to anything else, 6mm, 6.5mm, 30's.
Now the exception to that is my wife. She still shoots 125 and 150 Nosler BT from her 30/06 that she uses for local deer and our trips to TX to shoot feral hogs. They work as advertised, but are not a long range bullet. I was using them in my 30/06 for the same game when she started hunting and she likes the pretty green tips. She shot her first deer and hog with them and every one since, and she is incredibly superstitious, about everything. She limits herself to 350 yards and closer for hunting situations, so they work perfectly well.

 

[Wolf76]

If accuracy is most important, then the Berger bullets should be at/near the top of the list.
They also get it done on animals, so what's left? Cost? They seem fairly priced.
I still use accubonds, BT, SST, and AMAX bullets. Even an occasional Barnes.
Ultimately, your gun decides the best bullet. In my stable, 338 edge/308/300wm/257 bee- these guns all shoot 3/8"-5/8" MOA groups consistently at long distance with Bergers.
This doesn't mean other bullets suck (except eldx bullets), it just means the Bergers are permanent members of the all-star team IMO.

 

[J E Custom]

There is no "Golden Bullet" that will do better in every situation than every other bullet. just one that does best in your barrel for the intended use. Different bullets perform differently under different circumstances and in different barrels. So I recommend finding that bullet and not getting hung up on one bullet. Everyone has there favorite bullet that has served them well and find it hard to try something else. Many times they are missing out for there distance and type of hunting/shooting finding the "Best" bullet.

Many shooters place to much emphasis on BC's and use that as the ultimate choice when there may be better overall performance with another style or brand. building many custom rifles and pistols, using the same reamer and barrel brand, most if not all have been individuals and preferred one bullet over all the others. There have been trends of good performance with one style and brand, but with enough searching, better performance was found using a different bullet.

If you are looking for the ultimate accuracy and performance, I would recommend
Trying different bullets.

J E CUSTOM

 

[memtb]

I'm in full agreement with J E CUSTOM. You can have a chosen bullet for, different environmental conditions, different ranges, different game sizes and structures, different ranges, or you can use one bullet that will "do it all"....maybe not the best for any one specific use.

I just can't envision, carrying multiple bullets, and/or multiple rifles/cartridges for every situation I may encounter on a hunt. Maybe my hunting locations are considerably different than most hunters, but in one day, I can go from timber to wide open spaces, and encounter game from deer, to elk, to bear, to moose. It would be very difficult to have the perfect rifle/cartridge/ bullet, that would be perfect for all of those potential situations. Life is full of compromises!

IMO, choose the rifle/cartridge/bullet that can perform properly on "any" situation you may encounter on your hunt! memtb

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

I feel other bullets have just fallen off the radar. There are way better bullets IMO like Swift, Lapua, Speer, and Norma.

Better in what way?

 

[robert l]

I have been shooting and reloading for a very long time and have shot many different calibers. Nowadays it seems that all the talk is about Berger. Are they really worth all the hype? I feel other bullets have just fallen off the radar. There are way better bullets IMO like Swift, Lapua, Speer, and Norma. What's your opinion?

You forgot hornady. There eld x and there eld match are pretty darn good bullets.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

You forgot hornady. There eld x and there eld match are pretty darn good bullets.

pssst, don't tell that to Wolf76...

 

[robert l]

If accuracy is most important, then the Berger bullets should be at/near the top of the list.
They also get it done on animals, so what's left? Cost? They seem fairly priced.
I still use accubonds, BT, SST, and AMAX bullets. Even an occasional Barnes.
Ultimately, your gun decides the best bullet. In my stable, 338 edge/308/300wm/257 bee- these guns all shoot 3/8"-5/8" MOA groups consistently at long distance with Bergers.
This doesn't mean other bullets suck (except eldx bullets), it just means the Bergers are permanent members of the all-star team IMO.

May i ask if the eldx bullets you are having trouble with are in the 338 edge???

 

[86alaskan]

I don't feel like the other brands have necessarily fallen away. You've got to remember what kind of shooting you're dealing with here. You won't find a blunt lead tip being used for LR hunting. But on the flip side, I sure as hell won't load a berger for the deer hunting I do. The ranges are far too close and I've seen what a normal core-lokt will do to a deer shoulder and surrounding meat at 65yds. I'd hate to see the carnage from a berger at that range. I load for teh task at hand, and that is what should ultimately dictate the right bullet, not just hype and a brand name

On that note..... my deer rifles all eat Hammer hunters and sledge hammers now. The accuracy and performance in the woods is perfect. I'm also not worried about crunching down on a lead fragment in a pile of burger anymore.

 

[robert l]

pssst, don't tell that to Wolf76...

OOOPS to late.

 

[Wolf76]

May i ask if the eldx bullets you are having trouble with are in the 338 edge???

Won't be trying them in the edge. Never got them to shoot in my 308 or 300 (both are very accurate guns with virtually any other bullet, including SST +AMAX). No experience with the eldM, so comments are towards the X line. The inconsistencies in weight and BTO explained the garbage groups I got with extensive load development.
If you like them, more power to you. New eldx boxes won't be on my bench. The remaining bullets are used for fouling my barrel after a deep cleaning. So I guess they good for something.

 

[LVJ76]

This ought to get good real quick!

I was thinking the same thing but it's been a slow thread.