Berger Hybrids Hunter-Anybody have experience shooting Berger Hybrid Hunter for elk.

[sloper230]

I have a 300 Win Mag and am looking for a good bullet (180-200 gr) to go elk hunting. Probably won't shoot beyond 350 yrds.

 

[137buck]

Shot my bull this year using those bullets from my 7MM mag, shot him a little over 450 yards, one shot and he was done.

 

[Twtxga]

Not elk, but 185 gr hybrid hunters out of a 300 win performed as well on a large Addax at 445 yards and Red stag at 250 yards in West Texas this year

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

12 elk with 215gr Berger Hybrid Targets out of a 300WM.
Longest blood trail was MAYBE 100yds on a 12+ year old bull that was moving through the burn when shot.

 

[TraderMike]

Bull elk at 350 yds using Federal Premium factory ammo with 185 Hybrid Hunter bullets. Perfectly broadside, put it right in the pocket so nothing but ribs to go through. Bullet exited and bull dropped on the spot. The chest cavity had that "washing machine" slosh as we were breaking him down so I assume internal damage was significant.
300 WSM and this ammo/bullet shot nicely out of my T3 keeping 3 shot groups well under an inch out to 300 yards at the range.

The exit wound was impressive. It has me wondering what the result would have been if I had a quartering-to shot and needed to make it through some heavier meat and bone. (I may never find out as I am reloading again and using a mono)

 

[rootacres]

This is a 300 win mag with 185gr Berger Classic Hunters in action. We took two bulls on this trip with Bergers. Both were classic hunters. This shot was ~150yds the other was at ~325yds (185gr 30 cal / 168gr 7mm). These bullets work great with slightly lower impact velocities. On close shots there wasn't anything left of the bullet. Huge wound cavity with no exit hole.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

No qualms about using Berger’s.

My 300 WM shooting 190 grain Bergers has taken a Dall sheep, grizzly bear, mountain goat, Midwest whitetail buck, two Midwest whitetail does, two big black bear boars (13.5’ between them), and some coyotes and jackrabbits.

Worked well so far from about 10 yards to pushing 700 yards.

 

[35WhelenAI]

sloper230, choose a bullet with some integrity to hold together and penetrate if you want take something besides the idyllic and idealistic broadside shot.

This post below is right on the money, control expansion or mono's are the way to go within the range you are shooting at. I read it more times than not with respect to high ballistic coefficient yet frangible bullets, that shots are broadside and large exit holes at "normal" hunting ranges. Nothing wrong with that. Put a quartering elk in the picture and it may not be a proper result for a great animal. With your parameters, IMO, the Hybrid hunters aren't going to give you anything that a mono or controlled expansion won't do better.

Bull elk at 350 yds using Federal Premium factory ammo with 185 Hybrid Hunter bullets. Perfectly broadside, put it right in the pocket so nothing but ribs to go through. Bullet exited and bull dropped on the spot. The chest cavity had that "washing machine" slosh as we were breaking him down so I assume internal damage was significant.
300 WSM and this ammo/bullet shot nicely out of my T3 keeping 3 shot groups well under an inch out to 300 yards at the range.

The exit wound was impressive. It has me wondering what the result would have been if I had a quartering-to shot and needed to make it through some heavier meat and bone. (I may never find out as I am reloading again and using a mono)

 

[kkp005]

Following.. the 223 elk, bear thread really opened my eyes and converted me to shooting animals with a 223 and tipped matchkings. The furthest I ever had an animal run was a perfectly placed shot behind the shoulder on a deer with a 270wsm Accubond. Bullet zipped right through with minimal damage..

I would have total confidence in shooting an elk with a heavy Berger

 

[WRO]

sloper230, choose a bullet with some integrity to hold together and penetrate if you want take something besides the idyllic and idealistic broadside shot.

This post below is right on the money, control expansion or mono's are the way to go within the range you are shooting at. I read it more times than not with respect to high ballistic coefficient yet frangible bullets, that shots are broadside and large exit holes at "normal" hunting ranges. Nothing wrong with that. Put a quartering elk in the picture and it may not be a proper result for a great animal. With your parameters, IMO, the Hybrid hunters aren't going to give you anything that a mono or controlled expansion won't do better.

I've done it with 147 and 225 eldms, quartering on, away, through shoulder bones, through plevis's.

All the same result, drt or damn close.



Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[BRTreedogs]

sloper230, choose a bullet with some integrity to hold together and penetrate if you want take something besides the idyllic and idealistic broadside shot.

This post below is right on the money, control expansion or mono's are the way to go within the range you are shooting at. I read it more times than not with respect to high ballistic coefficient yet frangible bullets, that shots are broadside and large exit holes at "normal" hunting ranges. Nothing wrong with that. Put a quartering elk in the picture and it may not be a proper result for a great animal. With your parameters, IMO, the Hybrid hunters aren't going to give you anything that a mono or controlled expansion won't do better.

So it is all just speculation on your part? You have never personally shot an animal with a frangible bullet and seen failure first hand?

 

[35WhelenAI]

So it is all just speculation on your part? You have never personally shot an animal with a frangible bullet and seen failure first hand?

With respect, to clarify, I stated "may not be the proper result" and "IMO". There is nothing stating firsthand an unfortunate outcome on my part. I personally avoid frangible bullets. So no, no personal experience with one coming apart on a broadside shot and doubting how it would perform on something besides a broadside shot like I've read in threads on this forum. What I shared is based on what others have said from their experience and my experience staying away from that type of bullet. With some users doubting or questioning the outcome on something besides a broadside shot, and my experience of not having a question using controlled expansion bullets or monos at the distance is the OP (he didn't post this in the long range forum) is going to shoot, makes it reasonable to recommend one over the other.

 

[35WhelenAI]

I've done it with 147 and 225 eldms, quartering on, away, through shoulder bones, through plevis's.

All the same result, drt or damn close.



Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing that information, what were the distances?

 

[BRTreedogs]

With respect, to clarify, I stated "may not be the proper result" and "IMO". There is nothing stating firsthand an unfortunate outcome on my part. I personally avoid frangible bullets. So no, no personal experience with one coming apart on a broadside shot and doubting how it would perform on something besides a broadside shot like I've read in threads on this forum. What I shared is based on what others have said from their experience and my experience staying away from that type of bullet. With some users doubting or questioning the outcome on something besides a broadside shot, and my experience of not having a question using controlled expansion bullets or monos at the distance is the OP (he didn't post this in the long range forum) is going to shoot, makes it reasonable to recommend one over the other.

I'm not saying that your advice to use a more traditional bullet at the ranges the op stated may typically give him more favorable results.

But your first paragraph in that reply stated "in a nutshell" that shots must be broadside to be favorable with a frangible bullet.

Maybe the typical frangible bullet user waits for a broadside because the distance is longer and they want more kill zone exposued?
And it has nothing to do with a belief the bullet will not reach vital organs.

Also Correct every bullet design has strengths and weaknesses, but implying a bullet is a poor choice based on what you read is just spreading rumors.

Stating the facts you've seen with bullets you have used i believe is a much better way to lead people to a choice.

I may make my choices based on what I've read but I reserve my advice to things I have only seen and used first hand.
I'm not saying your rite or wrong, I just think things get twisted for good and bad when second hand accounts get re told and you don't have any possible way to know the details.

 

[crossone]

No experience with the hybrid hunters but have witnessed many times the effectiveness of the 215 Hybrid Target on elk. I do not hold with the opinion that the elk must be perfectly broadside. I'm confident that the 30 cal 215 hybrids and (even though this is second hand knowledge from a buddy that has stacked up many elk with them , 3 just this past year) 210 hunting VLDs, as well as the 7mm 168 and 180 VLDs will smash through elk shoulders and are suitable for any shot into the front of an elk. Elk shoulders are not a problem for them.

One interesting note is that when I started getting into long range shooting, my only steel target was a piece of 3/8" mild steel. I shot it many times with my 7mm magnums but learned to only use it out beyond 300 or 400 yards because I would shoot through it. When I started shooting the 168 VLDs I had to increase that range because this dang target bullet, which some folks allege is too thin and would undoubtedly blowup and not achieve sufficient penetration would blow holes right through the 3/8 inch steel at 400 yards. No other bullet I tried would do that. Not the bonded 150 sciroccos or 160 acccubonds, they would splatter on the target and just leave a dent.

Some Berger bullets might blowup at short ranges, when velocities are high (except for the 215 Hybrid target, those things are awesome). That's not just Bergers but many bullets, which are manufactured and sold as hunting bullets, can have this same problem. The early Nosler ballistic tips were famous for blowing up and not penetrating, 30 cal 180 gr Sierra Gamekings out of a 300 Winchester can blowup and not petetrate as well. Hornady's ELDxs are definitely super soft and could do the same thing (I've not heard of them doing so but fear it's a real possibility) and the first Nosler Accubonds would occasionally blow up as well, earing them the moniker Accubombs, although they corrected the issues and they seem to be very reliable for the past 10 years or more. On the other hand, the .338 cal 215 Sierra Gameking has a reputation for being so hard that unless you smash it through and big bone, it won't mushroom and behaves like an FMJ. Leaving a. 338 diameter wound through the both sides of the animal.

I guess the point I'm driving at, is that many of the Bergers are really good and dependable elk bullets when used appropriately and not all big game hunting bullets do what they're supposed to do every time either. Pick the right bullet for the right cartridge for the chosen game at expected distances. That's the best we can do and by learning about what each bullet does best we can make more informed, and hopefully, wiser choices.

All that being said, if I were looking for a 300 Winchester elk bullet for a maximum range of 350 yards, I would probably choose a 180 or 200 gr Nosler Partition. In my opinion, the Nosler Partition is the single best big game bullet on impact. The reason that I don't use them anymore is the BCs suck and the lead points get smashed, so they're not great for long 500+ yards shots.

My 2 cents.

 

[Super tag]

I use the Berger bullets because they shoot the best in my 7- and they are effective, I took a bull at 515 yards through the front shoulder with a 180 gr Hybrid and recovered the slug which was approximately 60%, when I caped him. Full penetration, DRT- no issues.

 

[Zappaman]

Partition... at any hunting range IF they shoot good out of the gun (sub MOA). That is the "trick" though

 

[35WhelenAI]

I'm not saying that your advice to use a more traditional bullet at the ranges the op stated may typically give him more favorable results.

But your first paragraph in that reply stated "in a nutshell" that shots must be broadside to be favorable with a frangible bullet.

Maybe the typical frangible bullet user waits for a broadside because the distance is longer and they want more kill zone exposued?
And it has nothing to do with a belief the bullet will not reach vital organs.

Also Correct every bullet design has strengths and weaknesses, but implying a bullet is a poor choice based on what you read is just spreading rumors.

Stating the facts you've seen with bullets you have used i believe is a much better way to lead people to a choice.

I may make my choices based on what I've read but I reserve my advice to things I have only seen and used first hand.
I'm not saying your rite or wrong, I just think things get twisted for good and bad when second hand accounts get re told and you don't have any possible way to know the details.

I'm with you on most of what you said, there's no question second hand details even if they are very detailed accounts, may be missing something. I won't question the intention of folks posting up the results here in the forum, I think there's a brotherhood within hunting and the bulk of it can be considered as reliable information. I take what you are posting as an honest assessment, and I do the same for other accounts.

I've been fortunate to harvest quite a few animals. Pronghorn, deer and elk. I have seen
many first hand kills in the field in addition to my dozen+ elk, many deer (muleys and whitetails) and couple handful of pronghorn. There's an easy/obvious line to draw for me between regular cup and core bullets/long range more frangible bullets in comparison to controlled expansion bullets.

If shooting at 350 yds, the frangible bullets that perform well at extended long range (on broadside shots I might add, I don't know hunters that would take a quartering shot on an elk with most cartridges at 700 yards) don't have an advantage at 350 or even to 400 yds. It's not 'til really long range that ballistic coefficient comes into play and that is where the realm of bullets that can expand excessively at shorter range take over.

I'm taking this in the context of this is not the long range forum and it's stated 350 yd is the outer limit of what the OP will shoot at.

Again, with respect, I can say from my experience, controlled expansion and mono bullets will serve the OP at his stated range in all circumstances better than the more frangible long range bullets.

For the Partition, it's a hard one to beat at the range the OP is talking about. With the number of animals I have seen harvested with the Partition, it led to a lot of on-side meat damage if it wasn't just between the ribs. Therefore I have migrated to the monos as I hunt similar ranges as the OP.

I know a lot of folks would be surprised how a 200 grain TTSX out of a 35 Whelen AI started at 2925 FPS out of a 25" bbl or 180 grain Barnes XBT from a 300 Win Mag opens up on an average size mule deer with a straight broadside presentation, and how well it exits a quartering on or quartering away elk at distances from 100 yards to 350 yds, based on experience. I never wonder or debate in my mind whether the bullet is up for a task of any of those shots. I don't think that can be said for what folks say about the more frangible long-range bullets.

 

[Djacker]

2 elk taken this year with 180 berger hybrids out of my 7 saum. 324 yards and 986 yards. Both bang flops. Avoid the shoulder and your good to go.

 

[HOT ROD]

We have shot numerous elk with Berger bullets hybrids and otm and only one has made it out of site and that was just over the crest of a hill... Not one was shot over 100 yards they have a been in the timber