Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Berger 168 gr classic hunter hybrid

I have a friend that says he really likes the Berger in his 300 Ultra Mag and he thinks I should give it a try in my 7mmRM. I am not sure I would gain much over the 160 Accubond and not sure what to expect of the Berger once it gets to the elk. I have heard they shoot little tiny groups but so does the Accubond in my rifle. Anyone have any experience with the Bergers on elk?

I'd stick with your Nosler on elk...no brainier.

Me too...

Buddy and I both killed bulls in New Mexico last fall with 130 grain Berger VLD's. Mine from a 6.5 SAUM, buddy shoots a Creedmoor, worked great, no tracking required, wouldn't worry about a 168 grain pill out of your 7mm.

My 7RM shoots the 180 gr. VLD as well as, if not slightly better than the 168. If one was going with the VLD, the 180 would be an option.

For Elk, I think I'd go Nosler, NAB or NPT, probably 175 gr.

Nosler 7RM data shows the 175 NAB/NPT at almost 3K with RL-22, just a hair under what the 160/168's will do.

My gun prefers RL-25 with heavier bullets. Nosler doesn't show that data.

DF

They kill elk just fine. And shoot itty bitty groups.

Or, take the advice above from all those in elk country.

Bergers only give an advantage at long distances. At short/normal ranges IMO they offer no advantages and in certain situations are a disadvantage.

I thought this was interesting. Watch the second cow elk hunt and watch the end of the video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UbiepGj2KuQ

Dink

Two solid hits,bleeding from the left shoulder,and still able to get up and take off.Not hard to figure what happened there.

Not real impressive.

Yeah, must have been shooting a .223

This is the Fire...

Surely you meant to say .223AI...

DF

That's exactly what my 6X6 bull did after I hit him in the shoulder with a 175 gr ABLR. Some chasing and three more shots and I got him. Bullet turned the shoulder to powder...but thats as far as it went.

Lefty C

I am with the guys who say Part. I have used Accubonds on 8 head of large game.. One animal left me shaking my head.. Partition never have given less than perfect performance..

Have also used Bergers on deer/antelope size big game.. For elk, I would select the Nosler..

And that was at 425 yards. I wonder would have happened at 75 yards?

I used to play with every new wonder bullet that appeared on the market. Now I only shoot Partitions and TTSXs...and much prefer the partition (though I have zero complaints with TTSX).

If you keep using Accubonds, Bergers, etc...they will eventually let you down.

Dink

ABLR's reportedly softer than NAB's, designed to open at lower velocity for LR use.

Maybe they're more volatile at closer range.

Sounds like it.

DF

I took several white tails this year, from 100# does to 240 & 270# bucks (8 & 10 pt) with a 150 gr LRAB out of my 280 AI. Ranges varied from 60 yards to right at 400 yards. Son also used the rifle to take a few does as well. Every deer shot was a bang flop excepting the 220# 8 pt. Out of the dozen deer taken with that rifle, we only got one exit, and recovered not the first bullet out of the remaining 11 deer. If I were blindfolded, I'd swear I was using VLD's....saw the exact same performance. Just an observation, that's all. Yep, I already know that it's designed to be a 400 yard or more bullet.

1 good sized bull through the lungs with the 7WSM and 180 Berger Hunting VLD. He walked 10 yards ad died. Same bullet electrocured 2 Coues deer at 100 yards, if that helps.

The elk was shot at 613 yards and the bullet stuck in the hide on the off side. I'll be using it again. Launch speed 2950 fps.

Damn, that's some serious does from a 7 wsm! My lrm is only slightly faster!

Killed a 370+ bull with the 168 berger out of a 300wsm.Hit it 3 times but never took more then 5 steps from the first shot.I was always told if it is standing keep shooting but stopped when the guide said quit shooting you killed him on the first one!

That's great for you but I really don't care about the 99 times a bullet works. It's the 1 time it doesn't that I worry about.

i have one 7mag that really likes this bullet, .25 moa out to 600 yards very easy, launched at 2925 fps, my son has taken 4 cow elk, 6 mule deer bucks 4 antelope and a bunch of whitetail does, i have taken 2 raghorn bulls and 4 mulie bucks and a hell of a lot of coyotes, 60 yards out to 616 on big game, so far all but one 1 shot kills, 1 cow didnt know she was dead ran about 40 yards tipped over, the elk have had whats left of the bullet under the far side skin, his cow this year 326 or so,shattered both shoulders what was left of the bullet weighed 71 grains, i run a tiny drill bit into all the noses to make sure there open,
i shoot them in that gun because there extremly accurate, my other 7 mag shoots the 160 accubond at 3112 and is a .6 moa gun out to 700 yards, it has also taken alot of game over the years,i dont recover many bullets from deer and antelope, have a couple from elk, the weigh around 100-112 grains for the recovered ones,

i wouldnt even flinch ever if asked to shoot the 168 berger classic at biggame,,,,

I appreciate all of the information on the Berger bullets. Sounds like it is a good option if a person doesn't have a bullet that groups well in their rifle. Since the 160gr Accubond shoot little tiny groups for me and they have performed great for me in several deer and one elk, I think I will stick with them. Berger bullets are very tempting with the high BC and accuracy.

300, That is good stuff you mentioned.. I have used these mostly in my .25-06 and 7mm R. Mag.. This fall's buck antelope was taken with the 7.. But it looked to me like the bullet didn't expand much until it hit the shoulder coming out the off side.. He did run about 100 yards,a guess, which seemed unusual..

97 more and I'll keep you posted ...

+1

100% with ya on the Noslers for Elk !!! .277 .284 .30cal...They just work!!! ScottyO.