Berger target vs hunting bullets?

[Lonewolf74]

For the 30 caliber guy's. I know there's a lot of you using the 215 gr hybrid and I want to ask how is the bullets performance on game?

How do they perform at closer range from 100-300 yrds?

What is the main difference between the target and hunting bullets?

Would you be willing to use the 200.20x hybrid for hunting?

I'm asking because I really want to experiment with 190-200 gr bergers for my 300 win mag and the target bullets look to be more what I'm looking for but I won't use them if they might not perform well on game

Any experience and opinions welcome

Thanks

 

[Dosh]

74, tons of posts on the performance of the Berger Hybrids on game here on this forum. I'd urge you to try the 215 Hybrid first, it may save $ buying several different bullets. They're lights out with H1000.

 

[Lonewolf74]

Thanks Dosh...after having a convo with Broz I am gonna go with the 215 hybrids. My main concern was my 10 twist barrel wouldn't stabilize them, and I'm at 800' asl which if I understand right makes it worse. But I'm gonna give em a shot

 

[dmj]

My son and I used them for the first time this year on an elk hunt. We were both lucky enough to get our elk. The rifles were a 300 win mag the other a 300 wsm. One elk shot at 75 yards the other at 455 yards. Neither elk moved even one step. lots of people with a lot more experience on here, but that was ours. This was using the 215 Berger's.

 

[Dosh]

Thanks Dosh...after having a convo with Broz I am gonna go with the 215 hybrids. My main concern was my 10 twist barrel wouldn't stabilize them, and I'm at 800' asl which if I understand right makes it worse. But I'm gonna give em a shot

74, I'm at 1100', the 215's shoot great out of the 1:10 barrel in 30/378, 300Win mag and 300Wby. The H1000 has proven temp stable here in the Az desert. We just resight when we reach our hunt altitude. Lots of .30cal shooters here are going to the 215 and 230 Berger Hybrids.

 

[Gord0]

Just do as Broz's does and make sure the hollow point is open. If they get plugged or are closed from the factory they aren't going to open very well.

 

[BEEMAN]

The 215 Berger is great on game. I have only shot deer between 500 to 734 yds. None took a step. This is with a 300 Win Mag. Load development took 15 shots. As mentioned start with H1000 and try them at 30 thou off the lands. My gun likes the Federal GM215M primer.

 

[FURMAN]

I will add to the H1000 with 215 Bergers. I will tell you, they ARE seating depth sensitive contradictory to what some say. I have shot them in two 300WMs and a 30 Nosler. I can make some very ugly groups by moving the seating depth .005". I am not done with final load development of the 30 Nosler but it appears it wants them at the lands. My two 300WMs have liked them at the lands.

 

[FEENIX]

For the 30 caliber guy's. I know there's a lot of you using the 215 gr hybrid and I want to ask how is the bullets performance on game?

How do they perform at closer range from 100-300 yrds?

My son shot this MT muley buck DRT at 100 yards with 215 Berger hybrid off my .300 WSM ...

 

[Lonewolf74]

Thanks for all the reply's guy's. Definitely gonna get some 215 hybrids for load development!

 

[aebhunter]

I will add to the H1000 with 215 Bergers. I will tell you, they ARE seating depth sensitive contradictory to what some say. I have shot them in two 300WMs and a 30 Nosler. I can make some very ugly groups by moving the seating depth .005". I am not done with final load development of the 30 Nosler but it appears it wants them at the lands. My two 300WMs have liked them at the lands.

This interests me...I have a go-to load for my .300 win mag and I have experienced just the opposite. I screwed up reloading some bullets one day and loaded a few about 30 thou different than I normally do. They shot just as good. I have also used my particular load in about 4 different guns and it shoots amazing in all of them. I started shooting the 140 g target hybrids in my 6.5 and have found pretty much the same thing. With VLD hunting bullets, I have experienced what you describe, those seem to be ultra sensitive to seating depth. It seems like once I find a sweet spot from a velocity perspective on the hybrid bullets, they just seem to shoot as good as I can from about any reasonable seating depth. I have found they don't seem to shoot as well with the traditional "jam", but still within sub moa tolerances.

 

[FURMAN]

So far three different rifles with 215s and two with 180 hybrids have experienced what I am talking about. I can make the groups go from .2s-.4s(depending on the rifle) to over 2moa with a .005 change. I am glad they are not sensitive to some but I bring it up because Bryan Litz said they were not seating depth sensitive and I took that as gospel. I was pulling my hair out the first time I tried finding a load for them.

 

[brentc]

I agree with Furman. The hybrids can be just as sensitive as any other bullet. That said, most of my Berger hybrid loads end up within +/- .010" from .050" off the lands. The exception is my Lapua that loves them right up close to the lands.

Original 300 WM is .045" off
Current 300 WM is .055" off
7mm is .045 off
338 Edge .045 off
300 RUM .060 off
338 Lapua .001 off