6.5 PRC elk round

[TheViking]

I know this topic has been beat to death, but humor me.

Last year I shot two animals (one elk, one deer) with my 6.5 PRC - 156 EOL, both DRT.

Both had massive trauma (as expected with a Berger). The cow elk I shot, I clipped the shoulder and it freakin exploded it and basically lost it all. That bummed me out, but that was 100% on me. The shot was quartering to, I tried to tuck it behind the shoulder and into the ribs but obviously didn't tuck it enough. Again, that was on me, not the bullets fault.

So, I am rethinking Bergers for this year. I listened to @Formidilosus on the EXO podcast yesterday, highly recommend if you haven't listened to it yet.

Admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with Bergers, but damn they shoot great and hammer the piss of animals.

In your experience with Bergers, if you hit them square in the ribs, do you have any meat loss typically? Or was this a one off because I smacked that shoulder?

Since I can concerned about meat loss (to a point, but I get shit happens) would I be better off with something not quite as explosive? Maybe an ELD-M, ELD-X, Sierra Tipped Game King (Game changer)?

Appreciate any input, thank you.

 

[Harvey_NW]

The way I understand it is Bergers typically produce a longer neck length and don't fragment as violently, so I would assume you got that result because of hitting the shoulder. I haven't killed many animals with Bergers, but the small samples I have at short to mid ranges was trapped under offside hide on elk (6 CM - 105 VLD), and full pass through on deer (25 CM - 133 EH).


Last year I used Sierra TGK's in 2 rifles, they performed well but they do have a thicker jacket and hold together pretty well. I got similar results to Bergers, but I plan on switching back to ELD-M's this year and being cognizant of trying not to hit big bone and aiming for windows into vitals.

6.5 PRC - 140TGK, mule deer buck @ 130 yards, impact velocity ~2650, full pass through.


284 Win - 165 TGK, bull elk @ 300 yards and 100 yards, impact velocities ~2366/2622, pass throughs trapped under offside hide. Exits with shoulder removed.

 

[TheViking]

@Harvey_NW thanks for the info!

 

[JGRaider]

168 VLDH, 220lb live weight whitetail buck, impact behind shoulder, impact 150 yds. You can have 'em.......

 

[Harvey_NW]

168 VLDH, 220lb live weight whitetail buck, impact behind shoulder, impact 150 yds. You can have 'em.......

View attachment 726647

I bet that sucker didn't go far..

 

[JGRaider]

About as far as this one, a 7mm 120BT impact at 400yds

 

[JGRaider]

And this one.....big mule deer buck at 225, 6.5mm 130 Accubond

 

[bow_dozer]

I’ve shot a couple elk with 156s. 30+ elk with the 168 7mm. 100-650 years being the shortest/longest. I’ve only had one pencil thru on a cow/calf that slipped thru both sides of the rib cage.
I did learn early on in my Berger life, if you don’t want to pack the front shoulder out, to shoot them in the shoulder lol.
My one complaint with the VLD is there is hardly a blood trail, abet the furthest track job I’ve had being about 50-75 yards. Everything else is DRT or dies within 10 steps. Inside the cavity it looks like a grenade went off.

I’ve shot a couple elk with 147sM and the 220x i believe. Elk died, but I much prefer the way a Berger handles business.

 

[Taudisio]

I’ve had good success with 3 bulls and a handful of deer with the factory 143 eld-x. They are running right at mv 3000fps from my barrel. Haven’t lost one yet . 2 of the bulls hit the spine. Other one broke both shoulders and stuck in the offside hide. 220-260 yard shots on all of them. Didn’t lose too much meat from the shoulders. One posted below with the bullet.

 

[Weldor]

168 VLDH, 220lb live weight whitetail buck, impact behind shoulder, impact 150 yds. You can have 'em.......

View attachment 726647

Yeap.

 

[Weldor]

That's why I just use 140 sp flat base. I hate destroying meat, work to hard to get a tag. I shot a Axis doe in the ribs last year with a 6mm CM eld-x, destroyed the off shoulder. Decided to go back to 100 gr. sp . JMHO

 

[JGRaider]

Good choice, as axis is top of the heap as far as wild game goes. I like a 6.5 130 AB when going for meat.....

 

[hdc77]

I have shot a pile of deer with a 6.5 SAUM and 156s, all DRT between 100-350 yards, hit behind the ribs, no explosion, no more meat loss than an ELDM or X. I am pushing them right at 3000 fps. I have another load with 143 eldx but bergers shoot so good I have a hard time changing them.