Originally Posted by PaulBarnard
As a handloader who loads to hunt, can anyone tell me why I'd reach for a box of Bergers? Let's just say I am loading for my 6.5 PRC getting ready to hunt Elk and Mule Deer in Colorado. The hunting will be done in areas where there is dark timber and in open areas where a shot of 400 yards may present itself.

On the shelf at Sportsman's Warehouse are 140 grain bullets in Nosler AB @ 68cents/bullet, Nosler BT @38 Nosler Partition80, Sierra BTSP @35, Hornady SST@ 1 and Berger Elite Hunter @45.

Why do I go for the Berger?


If they shoot well for you and you can put your bullets in the kill zone on either animal then you have a winner, just about like all of the others you mentioned Paul. I think we all get pretty wound up what works for others. I'd think if you keep your bullets at the heavier end of the spectrum, where velocity won't be screaming on a close up timber scenario you'll be good to go. I didn't think I'd like how those sorta bullets worked but after using the 139 and 220 Scenar's a bit last year I gotta say I am a fan of them, but again, neither of the bullets were started at screaming speeds but the BC on them held onto FPS well and they were accurate. This year I am trying the 150 Berger in my 270 Winchester and the 212 ELD in my 30-06. So far, both them are really shooting well. Sometimes you just have to kick the tires a little and see what works for you. If you don't have confidence in your set up then just about everything else is pointless.

Semper Fi