Consensus on 156 Berger’s?

[Weldor]

Just got done checking data at 925 yards. Wind was RIPPING.

Just curious, What's your COAL? I'm thinking about loading some but need to watch my mag length.

 

[huntnful]

Just curious, What's your COAL? I'm thinking about loading some but need to watch my mag length.

I’m at 3.310” right now with the 156

 

[6.5x284]

3 bulls and 3 or 4 deer with the 156 for me. Bulls were 350, 380, and 550. Deer have all been sub 100. All died awesome killing wise but I didn’t perform a necropsy on them, just quartered or boned out. I think both 300 yard bulls had pass throughs, the 550 I don’t think did but he was bedded and bullet was under far shoulder hide on the hillside side of the elk.

This summer I may play with some 147 ELDM just to compare velocity and see what’s the attest to 600 in my gun where most my hunting is within.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[huntnful]

3 bulls and 3 or 4 deer with the 156 for me. Bulls were 350, 380, and 550. Deer have all been sub 100. All died awesome killing wise but I didn’t perform a necropsy on them, just quartered or boned out. I think both 300 yard bulls had pass throughs, the 550 I don’t think did but he was bedded and bullet was under far shoulder hide on the hillside side of the elk.

This summer I may play with some 147 ELDM just to compare velocity and see what’s the attest to 600 in my gun where most my hunting is within.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Appreciate that info!

 

[Flyjunky]

A couple of elk and bears ranging from 275 to 648, all one shot kills. The one bear did a flip, spun in circles biting at the wound and died in about a 15 seconds. Good destruction on everything.

We make it a habit to check all tips from the 156, 215’s, and 245’s.

 

[huntnful]

A couple of elk and bears ranging from 275 to 648, all one shot kills. The one bear did a flip, spun in circles biting at the wound and died in about a 15 seconds. Good destruction on everything.

We make it a habit to check all tips from the 156, 215’s, and 245’s.

Thank you! Was just out yesterday shooting a buddy’s brand new 6.5-7 with 156’s. 3100 fps with H1000 no problem in a 26”. Easy accuracy as well. Really looking forward to spending more time behind the cartridge and bullets

 

[justin davis]

Only experience with the 156’s so far. 50 yard shot. Hard quartering away shot. Absolute destruction. Oryx only went 20 yards and was done.

 

[Quandary]

I have used them on one Whitetail hunt. About 200 yards double lunged. Blew lung matter out the exit hole with a bucket of bucket on the trail. Ran about 75 yards, Whitetails are amazing. Should have taken pictures of the inside but the lungs and heart were vaporized.

 

[huntnful]

My 6.5-7 with 156 Berger’s at 3050fps was used to kill 2 aoudad. 513 & 464 yards. Both DRT with excellent terminal performance. Photos are the exit sides.

 

[loadsandlattes]

My man!

 

[Quandary]

I was Aoudad hunting in January. Shot mine at 479 with a 160LRX out of a 22" 7PRC going 3050 at the muzzle. Based on the terminal performance I am pretty sure the 156 out of a 6.5PRC would have been a better choice. I never used a Barnes before. Admittedly dead is dead but I think I will stick with the 140 or 156 in the 6.5PRC, 180 VLDH in the 7PRC and the 215 hybrid or 200 CEB in the 300PRC in the future.

 

[huntnful]

I was Aoudad hunting in January. Shot mine at 479 with a 160LRX out of a 22" 7PRC going 3050 at the muzzle. Based on the terminal performance I am pretty sure the 156 out of a 6.5PRC would have been a better choice. I never used a Barnes before. Admittedly dead is dead but I think I will stick with the 140 or 156 in the 6.5PRC, 180 VLDH in the 7PRC and the 215 hybrid or 200 CEB in the 300PRC in the future.

I agree with you there. I would absolutely without a doubt take a 6.5 lead bullet over any mono on the market shot out of any cartridge. Monos are just lack luster. They kill for sure. But the mini grenade of a fragmenting lead bullet is just superior

 

[WyOwen]

I have used the 156 a bit and have never been disappointed with its performance. I have two 6.5 prc’s a 24” & 18” detailed below


-6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 3030fps @muzzle following were all with this setup

-cow elk 1038yards - impact velocity 1986, blew up onside scapula bone - minimal meat loss. Cow stood up on hind legs and fell over backwards .Found jacket and lead in offside armpit

-Doe antelope 770 yards- impact velocity 2231, broadside in the shoulder, took 1-2 steps. Jacket fragments found throughout.

-cow elk 625yards - impact velocity 2375, behind shoulder quartering away. Wobbled stepped around in a circle. Gutless, no bullet recovered

- cow elk 727yards - impact velocity 2271, behind the shoulder broadside, went 50 yards and laid down - dead. Gutless, no bullet recovered.

-cow elk 189 yards quartering away steep angle shooting down, impact was lower than I would have liked. Took out bottom 1/3 of onside lung. Cow traveled 100 yards. Unable to make a follow up shot due to terrain.

-cow elk 453 yards - impact velocity 2980- broadside, behind the shoulder, stumbled in a circle and fell over.



--6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 18” barrel 2909 @muzzle following were all with this setup- this was my first year hunting with this rifle

- bull elk 739 yards, quartering away impact velocity 2187, dropped see video

- cow elk 584 yards broadside behind shoulder, cow went 20 yards see photos with with bullet from off side. Bullet held together more than I have experienced before.. still came apart and did massive internal damage.

 

[huntnful]

I have used the 156 a bit and have never been disappointed with its performance. I have two 6.5 prc’s a 24” & 18” detailed below


-6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 3030fps @muzzle following were all with this setup

-cow elk 1038yards - impact velocity 1986, blew up onside scapula bone - minimal meat loss. Cow stood up on hind legs and fell over backwards .Found jacket and lead in offside armpitView attachment 859793

-Doe antelope 770 yards- impact velocity 2231, broadside in the shoulder, took 1-2 steps. Jacket fragments found throughout.

-cow elk 625yards - impact velocity 2375, behind shoulder quartering away. Wobbled stepped around in a circle. Gutless, no bullet recovered

- cow elk 727yards - impact velocity 2271, behind the shoulder broadside, went 50 yards and laid down - dead. Gutless, no bullet recovered.

-cow elk 189 yards quartering away steep angle shooting down, impact was lower than I would have liked. Took out bottom 1/3 of onside lung. Cow traveled 100 yards. Unable to make a follow up shot due to terrain.

-cow elk 453 yards - impact velocity 2980- broadside, behind the shoulder, stumbled in a circle and fell over.



--6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 18” barrel 2909 @muzzle following were all with this setup- this was my first year hunting with this rifle

- bull elk 739 yards, quartering away impact velocity 2187, dropped see video

- cow elk 584 yards broadside behind shoulder, cow went 20 yards see photos with with bullet from off side.

View attachment 859796View attachment 859797

Great info and details! Thank you!

Taking the 6.5-7 in for a longer steel barrel. Should be easy over 3100 with the 156 out of a 25.5” barrel

 

[BAKPAKR]

Great info and details! Thank you!

Taking the 6.5-7 in for a longer steel barrel. Should be easy over 3100 with the 156 out of a 25.5” barrel

View attachment 859802

What brand and contour is the steel barrel? Do you have a weight on it?

 

[huntnful]

What brand and contour is the steel barrel? Do you have a weight on it?

It’s a kreiger rem varmint. It is currently 25 3/16” and weighs 4lbs 5oz as it sits.

 

[justin davis]

I have used the 156 a bit and have never been disappointed with its performance. I have two 6.5 prc’s a 24” & 18” detailed below


-6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 3030fps @muzzle following were all with this setup

-cow elk 1038yards - impact velocity 1986, blew up onside scapula bone - minimal meat loss. Cow stood up on hind legs and fell over backwards .Found jacket and lead in offside armpitView attachment 859793

-Doe antelope 770 yards- impact velocity 2231, broadside in the shoulder, took 1-2 steps. Jacket fragments found throughout.

-cow elk 625yards - impact velocity 2375, behind shoulder quartering away. Wobbled stepped around in a circle. Gutless, no bullet recovered

- cow elk 727yards - impact velocity 2271, behind the shoulder broadside, went 50 yards and laid down - dead. Gutless, no bullet recovered.

-cow elk 189 yards quartering away steep angle shooting down, impact was lower than I would have liked. Took out bottom 1/3 of onside lung. Cow traveled 100 yards. Unable to make a follow up shot due to terrain.

-cow elk 453 yards - impact velocity 2980- broadside, behind the shoulder, stumbled in a circle and fell over.



--6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 18” barrel 2909 @muzzle following were all with this setup- this was my first year hunting with this rifle

- bull elk 739 yards, quartering away impact velocity 2187, dropped see video

- cow elk 584 yards broadside behind shoulder, cow went 20 yards see photos with with bullet from off side. Bullet held together more than I have experienced before.. still came apart and did massive internal damage.

View attachment 859796View attachment 859797

Dang seems like that bullet is going quick for 18” barrel. My 24” tikka is pushing the 156 at 2930

 

[WyOwen]

Yea it is.. powder, charge weight, seating depth, brass, DA, & the barrel- Are all factors.

I’m pushing this as hard as I can , it’s a hunting rifle only so I don’t care about brass life or barrel.

LA, 7.5twist, 59.6gr retumbo, lapua brass, mag primer, 3.24coal.

*With Adg brass I lost 17fps . Keeping everything else the same *

rifles are like people.. some just aren’t as fast as others.

 

[loadsandlattes]

I have used the 156 a bit and have never been disappointed with its performance. I have two 6.5 prc’s a 24” & 18” detailed below


-6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 3030fps @muzzle following were all with this setup

-cow elk 1038yards - impact velocity 1986, blew up onside scapula bone - minimal meat loss. Cow stood up on hind legs and fell over backwards .Found jacket and lead in offside armpitView attachment 859793

-Doe antelope 770 yards- impact velocity 2231, broadside in the shoulder, took 1-2 steps. Jacket fragments found throughout.

-cow elk 625yards - impact velocity 2375, behind shoulder quartering away. Wobbled stepped around in a circle. Gutless, no bullet recovered

- cow elk 727yards - impact velocity 2271, behind the shoulder broadside, went 50 yards and laid down - dead. Gutless, no bullet recovered.

-cow elk 189 yards quartering away steep angle shooting down, impact was lower than I would have liked. Took out bottom 1/3 of onside lung. Cow traveled 100 yards. Unable to make a follow up shot due to terrain.

-cow elk 453 yards - impact velocity 2980- broadside, behind the shoulder, stumbled in a circle and fell over.



--6.5 prc, 156 Berger, 18” barrel 2909 @muzzle following were all with this setup- this was my first year hunting with this rifle

- bull elk 739 yards, quartering away impact velocity 2187, dropped see video

- cow elk 584 yards broadside behind shoulder, cow went 20 yards see photos with with bullet from off side. Bullet held together more than I have experienced before.. still came apart and did massive internal damage.

View attachment 859796View attachment 859797

What a fantastic, informative post. Thank you, sir!