The Berger 156 EOL is done

[bgbuck153]

I have a full custom 6.5 PRC and it shoots every bullet really really good except the 130 sciroccos 2. I loaded up 140 partitions for bear , a light load of 147 ELD-M's for deer for my daughter, and 156's for me. Point of aim for all 3 loads were within 1". She shot a buck with the partitions at 97 yards... high spine so not a great test. Later that day she shot a young doe at 94 yards with the 147's and hit it behind the shoulder and came out half way back the gut. The exit hole was the size of a quarter. Fairly destructive internally.

I shot 3 doe all big mature ones with the 156's going 2952 FPS. One at 100 yards.. slight quartering too I put it behind the shoulder taking out the near side Lung and liver then exiting on the edge of the guts. Lower lung was destroyed and the liver was unrecognizable for a minute till I realized what it was and the exit broke 2 ribs and a 1 1/4" exit hole.
Doe 2 was 342 yards quartering too me.. I put it thru the point of the shoulder completely hammering the shoulder putting a 4"x2" gaping hole into the cavity blowing the near lung and liver to shreds bullets shrapnel was found just inside the hide in front of the hind quarter on the far side as it didn't exit the deer. Massive blood bruise from spine to brisket which sucked but it is what it is.
Doe 3 was 652 yards. Slight quartering too I hit high and back. About mid deer and 4" below top of deer breaking its spine and stopping in front of the hind quarter at the hide. I found no pieces but I didn't really look all that hard. Bullet expanded about 2" on the 2 ribs going in and opposite side was about the same. I wasn't overly impressed with the 652 yard performance as I feel that it should have exited. I guess the spine sucked up a lot of energy.

our rifle season ended yesterday so no more testing.

these pics are of my 342 yard shot.

 

[camotruck]

A resurrection of a two month old post here. Hope no one minds too much. I read every word of the first 4 pages an scanned through page 5 and honestly skipped to the end. I have a 6.5 WSM that, other than the weight, I'm very happy with. A true tack driver. I have load data for it driving 140 gr. EOL.

I'm looking for load data for the 156 Berger in a 6.5 WSM. Retumbo, H1000, IMR7828, and a few others mentioned in the early part of this thread are avalible right now. Kevin Cram (Montour county Rifle) is building the rifle for me on a Terminus action, a Mueller carbon wrapped barrel (7.5 twist), and a Manners carbon fiber stock. The stock may change if I can decide on something that will contain that large contour barrell and have a smaller palm swell or thumb hole. Just looking for a starting point and helpful hints so as not to burn the bbl up getting there. Otherwise I'll just pull data for 150 - 160 grain 270 WSM and go from there.

Thanks to everyone
Camo

 

[sturner]

I've called Berger in the past they always been helpful

 

[Short Case]

A resurrection of a two month old post here. Hope no one minds too much. I read every word of the first 4 pages an scanned through page 5 and honestly skipped to the end. I have a 6.5 WSM that, other than the weight, I'm very happy with. A true tack driver. I have load data for it driving 140 gr. EOL.

I'm looking for load data for the 156 Berger in a 6.5 WSM. Retumbo, H1000, IMR7828, and a few others mentioned in the early part of this thread are avalible right now. Kevin Cram (Montour county Rifle) is building the rifle for me on a Terminus action, a Mueller carbon wrapped barrel (7.5 twist), and a Manners carbon fiber stock. The stock may change if I can decide on something that will contain that large contour barrell and have a smaller palm swell or thumb hole. Just looking for a starting point and helpful hints so as not to burn the bbl up getting there. Otherwise I'll just pull data for 150 - 160 grain 270 WSM and go from there.

Thanks to everyone
Camo

The 6.5/270 WSM has 78 gr. h2o and the 264 win mag has 82 gr.h20, if you go the powder company web site to get load data for the 264 win mag just deduct the 5 gr. and work your loads from there

 

[Short Case]

A resurrection of a two month old post here. Hope no one minds too much. I read every word of the first 4 pages an scanned through page 5 and honestly skipped to the end. I have a 6.5 WSM that, other than the weight, I'm very happy with. A true tack driver. I have load data for it driving 140 gr. EOL.

I'm looking for load data for the 156 Berger in a 6.5 WSM. Retumbo, H1000, IMR7828, and a few others mentioned in the early part of this thread are avalible right now. Kevin Cram (Montour county Rifle) is building the rifle for me on a Terminus action, a Mueller carbon wrapped barrel (7.5 twist), and a Manners carbon fiber stock. The stock may change if I can decide on something that will contain that large contour barrell and have a smaller palm swell or thumb hole. Just looking for a starting point and helpful hints so as not to burn the bbl up getting there. Otherwise I'll just pull data for 150 - 160 grain 270 WSM and go from there.

Thanks to everyone
Camo

The 6.5/270 WSM has 78 gr. h2o and 264 win mag has 84 gr. h2o, just go to the powders
company web site and get load data for the 246 win mag and deduct the 4 gr. and work your
loads from there

 

[VLD Pilot]

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

While I'll have to agree based on the facts, targets and score that Berger's far and away get the nod for competition use and those that use them for paper punching and score. On the other hand not being a competition shooter but rather a hunter and steel shooter at all ranges ELR and mid range shooting, the Hornady ELDs shine in those areas. I can't tell a bit of difference in my ELDs or Berger's once the trigger is pulled. Wouldn't know which bullet was in the chamber on steel plates at 1400 yards or an impact on a deer at 880. To say Bergers outperform Hornadys in the field is just false. I'll give them kudos for there consistency in very precision accuracy on paper but on game, I'd go with Hornady just because they are in fact cheaper and easier to get.

 

[Flattop]

We went to Mexico this January for a coues hunt with a 6.5prc proof loaded with the 156 bergers. Shot two bucks between 700 and 750 yards. Bullets just punched through and didn't expand. One buck took 3 shots to kill it. Very disappointing performance on a big bullet. I know that it could be an an exception. We called berger and discusssed it with them. Just a small sample size of course and there are stories of failures on almost every bullet. But it has created some doubt in mind at this point.

 

[KMG]

We went to Mexico this January for a coues hunt with a 6.5prc proof loaded with the 156 bergers. Shot two bucks between 700 and 750 yards. Bullets just punched through and didn't expand. One buck took 3 shots to kill it. Very disappointing performance on a big bullet. I know that it could be an an exception. We called berger and discusssed it with them. Just a small sample size of course and there are stories of failures on almost every bullet. But it has created some doubt in mind at this point.

What was your impact velocity & energy?

 

[Flattop]

2100-2200fps and 1400 lbs of energy

 

[highdrum]

2100-2200fps and 1400 lbs of energy

Did you ensure tips were clear with a wire drill bit? Sometimes polishing compound will fill the tip and prevent expansion.

 

[Flattop]

no we did not. will have take a look at them

 

[bgbuck153]

I've watched Barbour creek ballistic gel YouTube videos and learned a lot. Once the bullet starts slowing way down it might penetrate 4-6" or more before it starts to expand. In some of the videos it'd be almost thru a whitetail deer let alone a couse deer before it'd start to expand. I've always been a fan of big heavies for BC and energy but watching these videos has me wondering if flower/faster would be better.

 

[bigngreen]

The 156 wrecks elk!!

 

[bgbuck153]

What was the distance/shot angle on the elk bigngreen?