6mm Berger performance

[ARCOREY]

I've been playing with some 6mm Berger high BC flat base 69 gr. bullets in my 243 Win. Anybody use them on groundhogs and if so how is the terminal performance? I've had great performance out of the 70gr. Noslers out to 500yds, but I'm looking for more accuracy and wind resistance and the slender design of the Bergers looks good for distance, I'm just not sure of the expansion. I'm looking to run these in the 3400 fps range like I do the Noslers. BTW, the Noslers rarely even exit on groundhogs as close as 50 yds some times, which is very important to me to prevent passthroughs .

 

[Steve Blair]

I have used the 80 grain Berger Match Varmint as a coyote load in 6mm Remington at ~3570 fps. The bullet is very accurate and and terminal performance was excellent. The 69 grain looks good and higher velocity would seem to make it a good choice for the wily groundhog.

 

[357Mag]

6mm Berger performance

ARCOREY _

HOWDY -

I did use some Berger 88s on groundhog, with a 6mm wildcat having case cap about 2gr less than .243 WIN.

When shooting Indiana " Soybeanus Digestus " @ distance, I did shoot-through now every now n' again.

Regards,
57Mag

 

[ARCOREY]

Thanks guys, I tried a handfull of the 88's a friend gave me and got a decent grouping out of a moderate load, but was afraid they would over penetrate. The 69's grouped well at max listed with no pressure signs with the listed load at just under 3400 fps on a shorter barrel than I'm running. I'm going to go up in .1g increments and check for pressure signs then chronograph the accurate load. I was averaging 3460's for the Noslers and hoped to be able to run about the same velocity or more with these. Do you guys see any reason why these wouldn't work out to about 600yds?

 

[6BRinNZ]

Hi ARCOREY,

I have just been through this process myself, I have had the luxury of using 55grn V-max at 3270fps from a .223 and now the 88grn High BC FB varmints from Berger in a 6BR, at 2845 fps. I weighed up using the 75grn V-Max in the 6BR as the terminal performance of the 55s in the .223 was impressive.

However as the 6BR was to be used to varmint out to 600yrds I thought I would give the Bergers a turn as the 88s have an awesome BC....I didn't see the point in going with a 69grn berger against say a 75 grn V-max as the 75 v-max would perform very well and its BC was comparable.

I have been pleasantly suprised with the performance of the 88 Bergers, as I was worried they wouldn't open up that well, particularly as my fps is on the low side. I have found that Bergers on bone, even for small mass animals such as our hares, they make pretty decent holes, I personally don't think there is a lot of difference to the V-max.

While the v-max opens better on a soft tissue hit, I went with the Bergers (High BC) as the wind is a significant issue and it becomes academic if I can't hit anything in the first place.

Additionaly I emailed Berger with my queries and ended up getting responses from Walt himself, and I found that Berger had updated their BC information from actual fired testing.

Anyways, the above is just my opinion on the choices I made and what I found actually happened out in varmint land.

Good luck with you testing

 

[MarkS]

ARCOREY,

Berger's are my go to bullets for accuracy. I not know what a rifle will do until I shoot Berger's in it. But I have had problems with Berger's failing to expand and punch thru. My first 6BR I was shooting 68g Berger's at 3300 f/s. with great results on VA groundhogs. Inside 300 yds I would get a golf ball size exit hole and dropped in there tracks. Beyond 300 yds I was getting solids hit with them getting back to the hole. I finely got a kill pasted 300 yds and it just had a pin hole coming out. They were slowing down enough to stop expanding.

I now use 70 gr Sierria Blitzkings for all my varmint hunting. If the BT are working for you stay with them for long range.

I work up a varmint load with the BK and a target load with the Berger's for all my BR's


Mark Schronce

 

[6BRinNZ]

Mark - Yeah fair call on the range, I have only connected at ranges under 300yrds so far. Walt did say that the 88s needed a fair bit of velocity for good terminal performance.

ARCOREY, if you are still undecided then email Berger Bullets they are more than helpful, Walt actually sent me data for suggested loads while I worked out whether or not I was going to stick with the Bergers.

Wayne

 

[fdshuster]

My standard "go-to" bullets when the going gets tough, in 22BR, 6ppc and 6BR.