6.5 prc hornady 147 match vs Berger 156 EOL

[Formidilosus]

I’d say its superior by about .5mm frontal area(8% more?) and 20 grains mass(14% more?). So yes, I’d say it’s probably ~15% better all else considered equal.

You could go the opposite direction and look at the 240 weatherby. I think folks would agree it’s a lesser elk round than the 6.5 and the 7mm.

None of that shows up in killing animals. Ironically, last year 8 elk were killed with a 6mm last and all 8 died quicker than any we have killed with 30 cal mags with same placement. One of those the 6mm was used to kill an elk at 970 yards that had been wounded with three rounds from a 300 PRC. Does that mean a 6mm is “better” than a 300 mag? No. It means that almost no one has killed and seen enough elk killed with bullets from .22-.338 to see any real difference between them.



As for 6.5’s on elk past 600…. In the last couple of years I have seen or killed myself over 20 elk with 6.5’s past 600 yards. None of them were special- elk were shot in the front half and died as they do with anything else.

 

[General RE LEE]

Smoked this tender yearling at 150 with hand loaded 147 ELD-Ms out of my 6.5 PRC. 2925 FPS pass through and rapid expansion.

 

[CaliforniaMuley209]

I’ve shot 3 big deer with the 156’s going about 2800 fps out of my PRC. Worked great. I’d feel confident using it for elk.

 

[bluetick78]

I've shot and witnessed several elk killed with a 6.5 PRC in recent years. It's always funny to me that many people don't consider it to be an adequate elk cartridge, and always funnier when most of them haven't shot an elk with one. The chart in a previous post shows the 600 yd ballistics of a PRC to be very similar to a 7mm Rem Mag, that should convince most of us. One fact that I feel is overlooked, is the sectional density of 6.5 mm projectiles. Compared to calibers with larger frontal diameters, a 6.5 should, mathematically, penetrate deeper if the same force (energy) is applied to a similarly weighted bullet. Match type bullets don't usually have the structural integrity to penetrate deep on close high-velocity impacts, but at longer ranges they perform very well. The ELD-M and EOL might cause meat damage up close, but the kill will usually be very quick. At longer ranges, they typically kill quicker than tougher bullets that struggle to expand well. Of the elk I've seen killed with the 6.5 PRC, they all died very quickly. Usually less than a few steps after impact. Some were close, some were way out there, but overall I was very happy with how quickly and ethically they died. Most were shot with the Berger 156 EOL, a few with the 147 ELD-M, and 2 with the ELD-x. Find a good load, practice to your pre-determined max range, and then get on to more important things. Rest assured that the 6.5 PRC will have you notching an elk tag (maybe many) if you can do your part.

 

[ScottS_71]

If you are hunting elk, I think I would go with the heavier bullet if your barrel can spin it. My daughter killed a bull last year with the 156 at 700 yards and she killed a buck with the 147s this year at 598. Both did the trick.


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Hey Travis in your experience what kind of jump does the 156 seem to like?

 

[MTmt]

My PH2 rifle in 6.5 PRC has been used on 2 bulls, 5 cows, and 10 or so deer. All were taken using the 143 gr ELDX factory ammo. Very positive experiences so far. Nothing over 400 yards, majority right around 300. All cows and some deer were neck shots so not the same as a bulls shoulder. You certainly get way less expansion with them when neck shooting, but they just drop. At the range, the extreme spread is usually 15-17 fps. That particular rifle likes that factory ammo, and that was really convenient when reloading components were hard to come by. I have 156’s built for load development now that I can find components again. I have not yet had the opportunity to try Berger’s EOL match ammo. I’m excited to see the differences. Just throwing it out there since not everyone has a sweet reloading setup, the time to do it, or the connections to get the powder they want.

 

[Backcountryrealtor17]

I noticed no one had mentioned any bear hunting experience with this round, so I thought I would throw in my 2 cents. I shot a pretty damn big black bear at 575 yards slightly quartering away with the 147 ELDM. Shot devastated the internals and was lodged in the opposite shoulder and found during quartering. As with bears, there was not a ton of blood, and they usually run/tumble no matter what they are hit with and where. He piled up in about 50 or so yards down the mountain. I would have been interested to see what may have been different had that shot been much closer, makes me wonder if that bullet would have fragmented any different and resulted in anything different. With that being said, I would love to experiments with the 156's because it *should* not separate as easily at higher velocities. The ideal shot on a bear has 2 holes since they are known not to bleed much and can get into some thick ass country in the blink of an eye.

 

[Slick8]

The church I attend says elk killing starts at 30 cal but that's just me. I'm actually building a 338 RUM to give a little context.

I'm thinking of a 6.5 PRC to join the safe this year.

The BC's between the 156 and 147 are negligible and too my knowledge they're both killers.

I'd strongly consider the Hybrid line over the EOL's but in this time you also shoot what you can find.

I'd run the numbers in a ballistics calculator. Inside of 1k and certainly inside of 600 you may find favorable numbers in the 144 hybrid or the 140 ELD as an alternative.

 

[sveltri]

I'd strongly consider the Hybrid line over the EOL's but in this time you also shoot what you can find.

Why?

 

[Slick8]

Nothing scientific but I've found the hybrids to be the easiest to tune and have read of more failures from the eol line. Specifically penciling and a lot of that was the 195s.

Again, I'm a huge fan of the hybrids and have shot them in many guns killing deer, hogs a wildebeest in Texas and 3 elk.

 

[Maidenfan539]

Does anyone has any hunting experience with the 153.5 HT in a PRC?

 

[bigbulls]

Does anyone has any hunting experience with the 153.5 HT in a PRC?

TTT

 

[BKM]

why the 143 ELD-X is left out of the ELD-M vs EOL debate. I’m going to try the 156 EOL myself but I’ve had great success on deer with the 143 ELD-X.

I’m curious why the 143 ELD-X is left out of the ELD-M vs EOL debate. I’m going to try the 156 EOL myself but I’ve had great success on deer with the 143 ELD-X.

Can you guess which one is a 147 and which is a 143? I can’t tell but both were recovered from sand behind my target. I was very surprised that there was basically zero difference

 

[chicoredneck]

I’ve shot deer and elk with both bullets. I prefer the 156 Berger myself. I haven’t had any issues with the 147, but they expand immediately on impact and I would be nervous hitting an elk or deer in a joint of the leg at high velocity. I have had no issues with the 156.

 

[fisherman983]

I noticed no one had mentioned any bear hunting experience with this round, so I thought I would throw in my 2 cents. I shot a pretty damn big black bear at 575 yards slightly quartering away with the 147 ELDM. Shot devastated the internals and was lodged in the opposite shoulder and found during quartering. As with bears, there was not a ton of blood, and they usually run/tumble no matter what they are hit with and where. He piled up in about 50 or so yards down the mountain. I would have been interested to see what may have been different had that shot been much closer, makes me wonder if that bullet would have fragmented any different and resulted in anything different. With that being said, I would love to experiments with the 156's because it *should* not separate as easily at higher velocities. The ideal shot on a bear has 2 holes since they are known not to bleed much and can get into some thick ass country in the blink of an eye.

I handload 156s for my prc and it's killed at least 3 bears. Only 1 bear made it 2.5 ish bounds before it stopped. The other 2 didn't go anywhere. 300 yds, 340ish and 500.
The 300 yard shot was the only bear to move. All were shot where they were supposed to be.

It's made several deer die. From as close as 130 yds to 730.

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[justin davis]

Anyone else have input? I’m trying to decide between the 147’s and 156’s in prc.

 

[nmarchr]

Anyone else have input? I’m trying to decide between the 147’s and 156’s in prc.

I shoot 143 precision hunters out of my creedmoor and 156 Bergers out of the PRC. I have not found any issues with either. The only reason I chose the Bergers over the Hornady's for the PRC was because of the accuracy. Especially at longer ranges. Those Bergers are accuracte, and they performed well on the 4 animals we killed with them last year.

 

[swavescatter]

I have both 147’s and 156’s to load.

My opinion is that 156’s will buck the wind a tiny bit better, but require more velocity to reliably open up (2000 vs 1800 fps per Form).

If I didn’t buy 500 156’s impulsively, I probably would never touch them. They seem to want more narrow range of jump compared to ELDs of any flavor.

That said, my Sako S20 will be worked up for 156’s because I can get the velocity I need. 147’s just fly so well and seem to kill so effectively that that’s the only thing my Creedmoor gets. Would never consider Bergers in a milder cartridge for caliber.

My vote is 147’s. Cheaper. Easier to tune. Exceptional BC. Extended terminal range.

 

[Timjohnson11]

Either will do what you need. I went with the 156 given I don't reload and my personal experience is that the Berger factory ammo is far more consistent from a velocity perspective than Hornady's Match or Precision Hunter lines, atleast over the past year or so. Berger factory ammo has shot so well for me and been so consistent across lots. It's a bit more money but you get the added value of Lapua brass which offers some residual value.

 

[Brucebarker024]

Anyone else have input? I’m trying to decide between the 147’s and 156’s in prc.

This is my only and only experience with the 156, my dad shot a buck at 633 this week and the damage from the 156 was impressive. Started it at 2850 from a 6.5x284. I would pick whatever you could get 1k of and be happy.