6.5 Man Bun game changer? 156g Berger EOL

[Dsnow9]

6.5 mm Creedmoor 156 Grain Extreme Outer Limits (EOL) Elite Hunter

Has anyone hunted with this round yet? I have always hunted with the hornady precision hunter 143g but wanted to get a little heavier bullet.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I'm not familiar with that bullet, but I'd think that would be very long for a 6.5CM.

 

[Doublecluck]

Yes I’ve hunted w them, great bullet. Not really a game changer in a 6.5 creed, Better off w a 140-147 in a CM. These bullets really shine in long action mags 6.5x300 wby .26 nosler, etc. anything you gain in bc you lose in velocity. Coal can be a problem. For example.

6.5 cm w 156 @ 2.8 coal



6.5 cm w rl 16 140 elite hunter @ 2.8 coal



if it’s all you can find or got they will kill things fo sho

 

[Dsnow9]

Yes I’ve hunted w them, great bullet. Not really a game changer in a 6.5 creed, Better off w a 140-147 in a CM. These bullets really shine in long action mags 6.5x300 wby .26 nosler, etc. anything you gain in bc you lose in velocity. Coal can be a problem. For example.

6.5 cm w 156 @ 2.8 coal

View attachment 177347

6.5 cm w rl 16 140 elite hunter @ 2.8 coal

View attachment 177348

if it’s all you can find or got they will kill things fo sho

Thanks! I got a few boxes and will definitely fill the need for this year if I can’t get others. I guess I just assumed a bigger bullet would have more energy under say 400. I guess I should have looked that up before. I have a couple boxes of 147 gr hornady precision hunters but not enough to shoot this summer and hunt. I guess time will tell!

 

[Doublecluck]

Thanks! I got a few boxes and will definitely fill the need for this year if I can’t get others. I guess I just assumed a bigger bullet would have more energy under say 400. I guess I should have looked that up before. I have a couple boxes of 143 gr hornady precision hunters but not enough to shoot this summer and hunt. I guess time will tell!

I know some guys out there are running rl26 and getting mid/high 2700’s, I think at that point the 156 would probably take the 140/147’s by a bit but really all in all it’s splitting hairs between those bullets in that caliber. The 156 are designed to be ultra heavy/ultra high bc for caliber longer range hunting bullets. They will perform great at closer ranges, I would keep em off the shoulder especially on bigger game.

 

[MThuntr]

FWIW Berger says that the 156 EOL will be marginally stable using the common 1:8 twist found in most Creedmoors. As mentioned you're probably better off with a lighter bullet for the Creedmoor.

 

[Dsnow9]

FWIW Berger says that the 156 EOL will be marginally stable using the common 1:8 twist found in most Creedmoors. As mentioned you're probably better off with a lighter bullet for the Creedmoor.

I have a 1:7 in a 28” barrel, says I will be stable.

 

[ImBillT]

6.5 mm Creedmoor 156 Grain Extreme Outer Limits (EOL) Elite Hunter

Has anyone hunted with this round yet? I have always hunted with the hornady precision hunter 143g but wanted to get a little heavier bullet.

I’ve hunted with it in a different 6.5. Haven’t shot an elk yet. It held up better than a 140 Elite. The 140 Elite is already enough for elk.

 

[ImBillT]

FWIW Berger says that the 156 EOL will be marginally stable using the common 1:8 twist found in most Creedmoors. As mentioned you're probably better off with a lighter bullet for the Creedmoor.

Totally disagree. I shoot mine in an 8.5” twist. Don’t know what Berger was thinking with that statement. Plug it into the twist calculator, they are just fine.

 

[trailrider121]

156's shoot great out of my saum. No harvest report, but I'm sure they will do fine.

 

[brockel]

After killing a handful of animals with the 156 we went back to the 140vld. On game performance with the 140 was just better in our eyes. The 156 seemed to open a little quicker than the 140 yet didn’t cause much more damage to vitals

 

[Dsnow9]

After killing a handful of animals with the 156 we went back to the 140vld. On game performance with the 140 was just better in our eyes. The 156 seemed to open a little quicker than the 140 yet didn’t cause much more damage to vitals

Any idea on the comparison to 143 gr Hornady precision hunters. That’s what I have been using.

 

[rld46]

I used the 156 in my SAUM on an Elk last October….worked great. Range was only 350 yards or so. Also used them in my PRC and 6.5-284….but haven’t tried them in the CM yet.

 

[dan valasek]

Any idea on the comparison to 143 gr Hornady precision hunters. That’s what I have been using.

I have been shooting them out of my weatherby vanguard for 4 years. have roughly 20 one shot kills with it on PA whitetails.

 

[brockel]

Any idea on the comparison to 143 gr Hornady precision hunters. That’s what I have been using.

I’m not sure how I missed this. I did do some testing on some shoulder bones and water jugs with a 143 eldx but that’s it. It seemed to start to expand faster than the berger. Both would have worked just fine though

 

[Millsworks]

The 156 berger shoots great in my 6.5 PRC with a 1-8" twist.
They run around 2,889 fps average out of the 24".
That's likely just marginally fast enough for good expansion at 5-600 yrds.
Can't see the creed pushing them at 2,700. But I guess it's possible in some barrels. I think the 140 ish bullets are top end in a creed for hunting.

 

[rld46]

The 156 berger shoots great in my 6.5 PRC with a 1-8" twist.
They run around 2,889 fps average out of the 24".
That's likely just marginally fast enough for good expansion at 5-600 yrds.
Can't see the creed pushing them at 2,700. But I guess it's possible in some barrels. I think the 140 ish bullets are top end in a creed for hunting.

Agree with the 140 +/- being about the top end for the CM. I’ve had great luck with the Berger 140 VLD Hunt on Antelope and Hornady 140 ELD-M on Hogs.

 

[ImBillT]

I don’t think a 156gr Berger is too heavy for a CM in terms of terminal performance, but it likely is in terms of trajectory.

 

[Dsnow9]

I don’t think a 156gr Berger is too heavy for a CM in terms of terminal performance, but it likely is in terms of trajectory.

I’m going to shoot them for the first time next weekend. The range goes out to a thousand so should be able to check drop out a long ways. Even though I don’t hunt over 300.

 

[ImBillT]

I’m going to shoot them for the first time next weekend. The range goes out to a thousand so should be able to check drop out a long ways. Even though I don’t hunt over 300.

Well…I shot a 1000yd match, and a handful of deer with 190VLDs in a .308, and they buck wind and kill just fine, but the trajectory is less than desirable for hunting at more than 300yds. I don’t see why a 156 Elite in a 6.5CM would be any worse.