217 berger

[J2shooter]

I was unable to get ahold of Near today. I did talk to Murphy, I wish I had know before about him a long time ago. Sportsmans Warehouse had the Warne 20moa on the shelf local so I grabbed it due to availability and the height will work a little better with my Seekins rings. If some reason I need to switch rails the Murphy will be next. My goal is to have it it and the rings bedded and back on the range Sunday morning.

I was going to ask you if you planned on bedding the rail…Sounds like you’re good to go there and I agree you should bed it. I use high strength JB of course with no release agent so it’s glued down essentially.

I’m sure you’ve seen the video Broz put together. Theres also a lot of good information over on the Murphy website as well.

 

[Maverick021485]

I was going to ask you if you planned on bedding the rail…Sounds like you’re good to go there and I agree you should bed it. I use high strength JB of course with no release agent so it’s glued down essentially.

I’m sure you’ve seen the video Broz put together. Theres also a lot of good information over on the Murphy website as well.

I have JB clear high strength 5 min epoxy on hand I was going to use. I was actually really impressed that Murphy offers a bedding kit on the rail page.

@Broz video is where i learned how to bed rails. And @FURMAN video is taught me how to bed stocks. (Come to think of it, I wish LRO did more how to videos lol.) I really enjoy the load development videos honestly.

 

[Maverick021485]

Got the Warne rail picked up and bedded tonight after work. I had to short the very front screw slightly with a file because it was bottoming out on the barrel threads. Check the rail for straightness a few different times and it's perfectly straight along the top. There's also a good portion of meat from the bottom of the screw heads to the bottom side of the rail at each hole. I can't see any reason this rail would fail like the EGW has done on @Broz.

Tomorrow morning I'll clean the screws, torque it all down and then bed the rings.

Also, the rear front screw on the talley ring base came loose even with blue loctite

 

[FURMAN]

We really need to get this thread back on topic.

 

[Ladd]

Just finished loading rounds for the Gunwerks Nexus 300 PRC with 217 gr Berger Elite Hunters for black bear starting next Sunday in Canada.

Hope to record it all with a review video of the 217’s performance. Maybe a little something for the Gunwerks Nexus topped with the Revic Radikl RS25b.

I have it programmed and set to zero angle for the 217 gr Berger EH. Now it is simply range the target, dial the turret to the measured distance and squeeze.

 

[Spreedizzle]

Just finished loading rounds for the Gunwerks Nexus 300 PRC with 217 gr Berger Elite Hunters for black bear starting next Sunday in Canada.

Hope to record it all with a review video of the 217’s performance. Maybe a little something for the Gunwerks Nexus topped with the Revic Radikl RS25b.

I have it programmed and set to zero angle for the 217 gr Berger EH. Now it is simply range the target, dial the turret to the measured distance and squeeze.

Good luck and looking forward to hearing on this as I’ll be hand loading for my Endex as well.

 

[Ladd]

I took my first bear of the trip tonight with the 217 gr Berger. I figured the lighting was better than the larger bear last night, so I pulled the trigger.

 

[Ladd]

The bear went 30 yards total and about 5 yards into the bush. Zero blood trail, not even a spot.

We’ll see tomorrow when they skin the bear but I think I hit it a little back but still a double lung, they say. Not much of an exit.

 

[Ladd]

I am curious to see the bullets performance. I was surprised the Berger 217 gr Elite Hunter did not drop the bear in its tracks but when I reviewed the video I could tell it was a little back. We’ll see tomorrow, hard to see it tonight.

I can say, if this hit was marginal, the 217 gr Berger, 30 cal, did its job. 30 yards from where I shot it to where it played dead is a good thing in my book.

I’m debating about giving the bullet another shot on a bear and gather more impact and performance data rather than going with my .45-70 at close range. I’ll think on that tonight and make the decision tomorrow.

Yes, I made sure the tips were open.

 

[duramax]

I am curious to see the bullets performance. I was surprised the Berger 217 gr Elite Hunter did not drop the bear in its tracks but when I reviewed the video I could tell it was a little back. We’ll see tomorrow, hard to see it tonight.

I can say, if this hit was marginal, the 217 gr Berger, 30 cal, did its job. 30 yards from where I shot it to where it played dead is a good thing in my book.

I’m debating about giving the bullet another shot on a bear and gather more impact and performance data rather than going with my .45-70 at close range. I’ll think on that tonight and make the decision tomorrow.

Yes, I made sure the tips were open.

Congratulations! Looks like a nice coat on that bruin.

 

[Ladd]

Congratulations! Looks like a nice coat on that bruin.

Thanks.

 

[Ladd]

The bigger one from the night before was rubbed on his right side. He came out at 10:07 and I was very tempted until he turned. He was over 300 lbs but the rub made me hold off.

I watched him until dark and passed. The pictures make him look bigger than he really was and the light was part of why I shot the one last night to get it on video.

Still, my bear is probably just over 225 lbs. We have two over 300 lbs in our group and no sittings of a 400 lb bear yet. 5 days left to go, I’ll be pretty picky from here on out with a second tag in my pocket.

 

[RBanta66]

Awesome near Ladd, can't wait to hear your final thoughts on the 217.

 

[Ladd]

The consensus is the shot was marginal but still effective obviously with it being a 30 cal.

The first pic is the entry hole. The second is the exit. The exit could be a pass thru or it could be a fragment. You can push your index finger in and it feels mushy. Could be the placement too.

 

[Ladd]

I shot my second bear at 32 yards with a 300 gr .45-70 bullet. A large 300 lb sow had been at the bate the night before and she came in the next day. No cubs in the area and from the trail cam pics, as dry sow that likely saw a boar kill her cubs some time prior and she never came back in heat.

The 300 gr .45 cal bullet was a pass through at that range doing the same amount of damage as the 217 gr. Berger EH. The bear went just about as far after the shot as the first bear and there was no blood from this one either. In fact, not a single one of the 13 bears taken in camp last week bled as much as the bear I shot last time, with the 160 gr Cutting Edge Single Feed Lazer with exception of two taken with a bow this year.

I will say this about the 217 gr Berger. More data is needed. I'm not a fan of the 195 gr Berger EH from its performance last year on seven animals in So. Africa so I would like more data on the 217 gr Berger EH.

 

[Maverick021485]

I shot my second bear at 32 yards with a 300 gr .45-70 bullet. A large 300 lb sow had been at the bate the night before and she came in the next day. No cubs in the area and from the trail cam pics, as dry sow that likely saw a boar kill her cubs some time prior and she never came back in heat.

The 300 gr .45 cal bullet was a pass through at that range doing the same amount of damage as the 217 gr. Berger EH. The bear went just about as far after the shot as the first bear and there was no blood from this one either. In fact, not a single one of the 13 bears taken in camp last week bled as much as the bear I shot last time, with the 160 gr Cutting Edge Single Feed Lazer with exception of two taken with a bow this year.

I will say this about the 217 gr Berger. More data is needed. I'm not a fan of the 195 gr Berger EH from its performance last year on seven animals in So. Africa so I would like more data on the 217 gr Berger EH.

View attachment 25725

View attachment 25726

Do you have any vidoe available of either of the shots? Also do you have any pics of the bullet fragments?

 

[Ladd]

Do you have any vidoe available of either of the shots? Also do you have any pics of the bullet fragments?

I have video of both. No bullet fragments recovered.

Bear #1

Bear #2

 

[Gord0]

I switched from ADG to Peterson brass after I lost almost 50% of the primer pockets on the first firing(it was a bad batch). Ever since I switched to Peterson brass from ADG I can't get the accuracy back. The ES's have been single digits across multiple different grain charges with N570 and H1000, but the best accuracy I've been able to get is .650" 3 shots @100yd with H1000 and virgin brass. Shooting 3120s-3150(it's 30N.+P). I haven't been to get anything .75" or under with fired Peterson brass, even with backing the loads down away from pressure in .5 increments.

i was able to shoot sub ½" consistently in the low 3100s with ADG the brass and 85gr H1000. I'm sure the pressure difference due to case volume difference effected the node. Idk what else to do, try a different powder? N565, Retumbo? Try 215s or go back to ADG and hope the next batch is better than the last?

To keep this thread on track you should start your own on the problem you are having. I'm sure there will be plenty that chime in.

 

[scottrod338]

I started one and maverick is aware of it

 

[Ladd]

Trying to close out part 2 of the Berger 217 gr. EH review. Didn’t shoot this morning.

I’m ready for the pack out with my new packwheel.

 

[FURMAN]

Too small for you?

 

[Ladd]

FYI. We have spike only tags. Saw a spike on private at 1300 yards.

 

[Ladd]

Too small for you?

Yes, but I would probably shoot the first bull if I drew this area. This area was once a great draw hunt.

Here is what it used to produce. Dave’s bull 24 years ago. We knew the prior owners of the private land which didn’t hurt.

 

[Ladd]

In case you’re asking yourselves, why the hell is Ladd hunting spike elk?

The answer shouldn’t surprise you.

The only 2026 tags I drew this year are archery antelope in Idaho, which I messed up and applied for the wrong weapon so I turned it in. Two doe deer tags and one doe antelope tag in Wyoming.

I talked Chris and Milo into this hunt, which is first come first served tags. Why? for 1) fun, 2) get out and do something and 3) hope to test the 217 gr Berger on an elk.

We are here with what seams like all of Utah looking for a spike.

I have a cow below me right now at 715 yards but is she alone? There is a 2-pt and spike on private, will they come this way? These are questions I am willing to answer this evening.

My Gunwerks Nexus wants the trigger pulled so badly. The 217s in the DBM are also growing anxious. Me? This beats work, office, airports, meetings, deadlines and chores.

Stay thirsty my friends.

 

[Ladd]

Here’s a 5pt with a bunch of cows. My BR12 says 1801 yards. Oops. Check that. A 6 pt is walking out.

false alarm. Another 5 pt.