Federal 185gr Berger hybrid hunter on moose?

My understanding of these bullets is that they are fine for deer and antelope at long range, but for Mooses there are many better choices.
 
Thanks guys!
pretty much what i was thinking.
i ordered a box, but also 180gt TSX, and 200gr terminal ascent.
will keep the Bergers for deer if they are really accurate in my gun
 
I never use them, never hears good things about them regarding hunting applications, especially not on big bodied animals!
I’m sure thy would do just fine if you can garantie a no bones hit, but on a moose the bones are pretty big even the ribs so I wouldn’t use them! Stay with the proven bullets, nosler partition and the good bonded bullets like the Norma oryx, nosler accubond, or monos like the TTSX, but that is just me!
 
Hunting ammo and rifle choices aren't that hard ; you almost have to go to extremes to get into trouble. A middle of the road approach takes care of most of it.

You don't want to use the softest bullet on the biggest game, the hardest on the smallest, the smallest caliber on the biggest game (or perhaps the biggest on the smallest), and the lightest and heaviest bullets can equally be viewed with suspicion. Anytime you get the extreme edge of a range of anything you should question what you are doing that requires it.

The 185 is a lightening killer on deer sized game, but I've never had one exit yet. I'm trying to think of one that I found much of anything left on deer, which is definitely hinting toward pushing it on moose.

The Berger is on the extreme soft end of the spectrum, and the moose (at least in North America) is on the big end of the spectrum for animal size. Classic mismatch; but on a broad-side shot through the ribs you'd probably get away with it anyway. Thing is; why push the limits?
 
Dogleg said:
Hunting ammo and rifle choices aren't that hard ; you almost have to go to extremes to get into trouble. A middle of the road approach takes care of most of it.

You don't want to use the softest bullet on the biggest game, the hardest on the smallest, the smallest caliber on the biggest game (or perhaps the biggest on the smallest), and the lightest and heaviest bullets can equally be viewed with suspicion. Anytime you get the extreme edge of a range of anything you should question what you are doing that requires it.

The 185 is a lightening killer on deer sized game, but I've never had one exit yet. I'm trying to think of one that I found much of anything left on deer, which is definitely hinting toward pushing it on moose.

The Berger is on the extreme soft end of the spectrum, and the moose (at least in North America) is on the big end of the spectrum for animal size. Classic mismatch; but on a broad-side shot through the ribs you'd probably get away with it anyway. Thing is; why push the limits?
Click to expand...

X2 I'm with Dogleg on this one. Bergers tend to be accurate, but there are many better "hunting" bullets out there. Dave.
 
The Hybrid bullet seems to work just fine, much better than their frangible bullets. That said, moose are easy to kill. The 270 and 130 grain soft points have killed many big moose so the 185s should do quite well.
 
From Berger's site. They're not wrong, it's just that old suitability for purpose thing.

Berger’s Classic Hybrid Hunter projectiles are built with same industry-leading Hybrid ogive as our Hybrid Target bullets, the #1 choice of nearly every competitive long range shooting discipline. The Classic Hybrid Hunter produces exceptional accuracy and field results when loaded to traditional SAAMI and CIP specifications. This unique construction enables hunters to experience Berger’s world-renowned target-grade accuracy out of a magazine fed or factory rifle. Our Classic Hybrid Hunter bullets also incorporate a slightly thinner J4 Precision hunting jacket, which allows the projectile to penetrate 2″ to 3″ before rapidly expanding.

Upon expansion, the projectile sheds most of its weight producing extreme hydrostatic shock and a massive wound cavity in the vital area. Berger Classic Hybrid Hunter Bullets dump their energy where it is most effective – inside the animal. Animals drop quickly, with most immediately going into shock after such trauma. An ethical kill is our #1 performance goal and is demanded by our customers.
 
I subscribe to the adage: Use a bullet that will get to the vitals from any sane angle.

This means those frangible bullets fail to make the cut, since they disintegrate too
easily to penetrate through heavy bone and muscle to reach the vitals when an angled
shot is offered.

Those Bergers and ELD-Xs are great "practice" bullets, but when I am hunting Elk or
Moose, I will have a quality bullet up the spout, not a "bomb" that may not penetrate.
Dave.
 
Eagleye said:
I subscribe to the adage: Use a bullet that will get to the vitals from any sane angle.

This means those frangible bullets fail to make the cut, since they disintegrate too
easily to penetrate through heavy bone and muscle to reach the vitals when an angled
shot is offered.

Those Bergers and ELD-Xs are great "practice" bullets, but when I am hunting Elk or
Moose, I will have a quality bullet up the spout, not a "bomb" that may not penetrate.
Dave.
Click to expand...

Eagleye is never wrong....

Use a bullet that works when everything goes wrong, not a bullet that only works when everything goes perfectly.
 
I wouldn't use Berger hunting bullets on anything over deer/antelope - I've had great accuracy from them but they *DO* come apart fairly enthusiastically. For high velocity cartridges or heavier game, I will stick with bonded core (Interbonds and Accubonds), partition-style (Noslers or Swift A-frame), or all-copper bullets (GMX, TTSX/LRX).

If you are limited to factory ammo and want high BC and retained energy, Federal Terminal Ascent is bad ass. So is Trophy Bonded Tip. Or anything from Barnes.
 
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