How come so much love for ELDMs and not as much love for Berger’s ?

Eldms kill fast but they make a huge mess if you hit a shoulder, I'm not using them any more on elk cuz the splashyness I've experienced makes me uncomfortable.
Berger VLDH are awesome and kill about the same with more controlled expansion, just avoid the hybrids or LRHTs they don't always open up enough.

Also ELDM accuracy and consistency is all over the place, I'm always tweaking the BC lower to match drop, and occasional flyers are the norm.
For that reason I'm shooting Bergers in both match rifles even though they cost 30% more..
 
I’m inclined to agree that saving 50% on hunting bullets is false economy.

But if you are just shooting for practice, it makes good sense to me to use the cheaper option. We should all be shooting as much as we can for proficiency, but that doesn’t require match-grade accuracy. If I can get close to the same ballistic performance with a cheap factory load or reload, I am happy to shoot 500 of those a year.


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“Keep on keepin’ on…”
 
I’ve never shot Berger. I don’t know if I have ever seen more than a box or two in stores around me. I’d love to try. Ammoseek shows the 6.5 ammo, on average .25 more per round. It doesn’t even show that there is a 7mm available, anywhere. I tried going to the Berger website (on multiple devices and my computer), and the website won’t come up… no matter what I try. So yeah, I guess I’ll stick with Hornady, although I have no loyalty. If I could find them for a reasonable price, I would love to try them out. By all reports, they are better than Hornady for long range. I fall in the “good enough for my purposes” for ELDX/M. I can hold 10 round 1 MOA groups in my rifles and consistently get first Round hits 600-700 yards.
 
It’s the rokslide way. A vocal few will push something and a pile of people will jump in.

A vocal few will mention their great results based on years of experience. A furious hoard will lambaste them savagely for a few years, talking behind their backs on other forums, only to be proven wrong and pretending they were all in all along.
 
I’ve never shot Berger. I don’t know if I have ever seen more than a box or two in stores around me. I’d love to try. Ammoseek shows the 6.5 ammo, on average .25 more per round. It doesn’t even show that there is a 7mm available, anywhere. I tried going to the Berger website (on multiple devices and my computer), and the website won’t come up… no matter what I try. So yeah, I guess I’ll stick with Hornady, although I have no loyalty. If I could find them for a reasonable price, I would love to try them out. By all reports, they are better than Hornady for long range. I fall in the “good enough for my purposes” for ELDX/M. I can hold 10 round 1 MOA groups in my rifles and consistently get first Round hits 600-700 yards.
Here’s plenty of 7mm offerings in stock:

 
A vocal few will mention their great results based on years of experience. A furious hoard will lambaste them savagely for a few years, talking behind their backs on other forums, only to be proven wrong and pretending they were all in all along.
Ah one of the pile has arrived! Faster than expected.

I don’t think anybody has proven that the berger bullet is not a performer. I’ve had great luck with them. Along with the eldms.
 
Some Bergers kill just fine while others have inconsistent wounds bullet to bullet. In most cases you’ll be fine with VLDHs and EHs if your gun shoots em and you’ve trued up long range impacts.

I’ve been a fairly vocal fan of Xs personally and SSTs before that. Ms normally work great as well, particularly 134s and above in what I’ve seen.
 
Ah one of the pile has arrived! Faster than expected.

I don’t think anybody has proven that the berger bullet is not a performer. I’ve had great luck with them. Along with the eldms.
When did anyone claim they don't perform? This isn't a "Berger Sucks" thread, that would be for monos. This thread is about why someone might pick one good option over another good option. Both are great, and I almost always consider both for each new rifle. In addition to other brands that work.

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When did anyone claim they don't perform? This isn't a "Berger Sucks" thread, that would be for monos. This thread is about why someone might pick one good option over another good option. Both are great, and I almost always consider both for each new rifle. In addition to other brands that work.

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Good point regarding trying both. I do the same. Usually they both shoot but I’ve seen where a rifle likes one over the other. It’s a lot easier than messing with searing depth or powder/primers.

There’s a site out there where the few who have lots of experience have reported their findings or whatever was said… guess what, those guys had a falling out with the owner and now those bullets that were the best out there are no longer… and they’re monos. So don’t be talking smack about monos, some people love them because target bullets aren’t made for hunting!
 
Some Bergers kill just fine while others have inconsistent wounds bullet to bullet. In most cases you’ll be fine with VLDHs and EHs if your gun shoots em and you’ve trued up long range impacts.

I’ve been a fairly vocal fan of Xs personally and SSTs before that. Ms normally work great as well, particularly 134s and above in what I’ve seen.
Have you personally seen issues with hybrids? I haven’t killed enough animals yet to form my own opinion but so far so good.
 
That is the dilemma, they do take longer to upset, so depending on the velocity it won’t be the same as an ELDm or TMK. That is a compelling reason.

They are fine on elk. Plenty of distance to open inside and destroy.

And, they are still fine on deer as well, with the .25 and above in my experience and the group around me.

Also, much of the talk here on Rokslide is smaller caliber, slower velocity, inside 300 yards where most killing takes place.

I would not use Berger out of a .223 rem because the shorter range doesn’t call for the accuracy of a Berger needed inside the 300 yard mark plus I want quicker opening with the smaller bullet.

I won’t switch from Berger for anything that could go past 500.
Iv only ever seen 6.5 bergers on game, but was unimpressed enough that I prefer tmk/eldm. Not to say they didn’t work.

If I had to I’d use bergers again just knowing the neck length will be there.

Bergers are without a doubt a more consistent bullet. My go to long range and match bullet. Really like the hybrid ogive profile bullets as well .
 
Some Bergers kill just fine while others have inconsistent wounds bullet to bullet. In most cases you’ll be fine with VLDHs and EHs if your gun shoots em and you’ve trued up long range impacts.

I’ve been a fairly vocal fan of Xs personally and SSTs before that. Ms normally work great as well, particularly 134s and above in what I’ve seen.
Berger hunting bullets have the thinner jacket. I only use the VLDh in my 7mm and the 133 EH in my 25.

When a bullet is just a little “tougher” you will get more variation than “softer” bullets like the TMK, ELDm and ELDx. I have been impressed with the factory ELDx hunting ammo in many friends rifles and recommend it.

Lots of the complaints for Berger I see are when people use the target hybrids, cause they just shoot amazing. It can depend upon caliber it seems whether people like the target bullets.
 
I’ve shot deer (whitetail) with the 109 hybrids and have had no issues with my 6cm, shot a muley with an eldm and several whitetail with them, also no issues. Well placed shots, personally I’d just go with what shoots good
 
I've killed a number of animals with both ELDMs and Bergers. Both kill very well. As most have noted ELDs upset faster, Bergers are usually more consistent at distance. I'll use either one. I prefer the ELDM/TMK on deer, haven't tried Bergers on Elk yet but might this year.

One thing to watch on the Bergers is the tips. We recovered a deer shot 3 times with Bergers and they all penciled. The tips were contacting the mag under recoil, deforming them enough to prevent upset.
 
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