I have been shooting 168gr Sierra MK's out of my 300RUM, and have been getting great accuracy. I was wondering how these bullets would perform in a hunting situation on say whitetails and hogs? I was wondering if they would hold up enough to penetrate deep enough to make a good, clean kill? Any info would help.

I would think for thin-skinned game, match bullets would work fine. Our forefathers used all-lead bullets for years to kill all sorts of game, including thick-skinned game such as buffalo. Why not deer and antelope?

But, given today's choices, why not try Nosler BTs? Often, they are as accurate as Sierra match bullets.

Do a search for serria match kings here and you well find a 140 plus pages on one tread with pro and cons.

I am in the pro camp having shot many deer and up to elk with match bullets and they have worked well.

Others here are dead set against using a "match" bullet for hunting.

RemLover,
You are opening Pandora's box with this thread. A very controversial subject to say the least. I'm sure you know that Sierra does not recommend the use of match kings on game. I for one have used them on game for 40+ years and the next one that lets me down will be the first. I use em and I like em. You will get many responses to the contrary and many in support of my position. It's one of those things that you will have to try for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Jim

Hey Rem,

Do a seach for "Sierra MatchKings" on this web site. You'll find a 2 yr 34 page thread where some very experienced shooters discuss their use of SMKs on game at some incredible distances. The thread is long because many shooters with no experience were picking at them. It convinced me to work up and try some 8mm SMKs on deer next season.

Don't think there's a search function here anymore. It is a hot topic on the best of days.

JMO, it you're loading the RUM to full velocity you're going to spoil a whole lot of meat with those bullets unless you're shooting a long ways off. Fella posted a pic here some time back of a doe that was shoulder shot with SMKs and a bit of velocity. Coulda put my fist all the way thru that deer without getting much blood on myself. The SMKs work well in the long range scenario where the velocity has decayed, but their thin jackets aren't going to bode well for up close, especially at the velocities the RUM will give you. I'd probably find another bullet such as the Scirroccos, Accubond or similar bonded construction. They tend to be more than adequate for your rifle in both accuracy and terminal performance.

Yes, speed can be a problem. With the 7 mag, I'll be shooting either Accubonds or Interbonds depending on what shoots better. It only costs about 6 or 7 cents a bullet more, might as well use a little stronger bullet.

Just curious, what kind of distance are talking about shooting? What kind of accuracy requirements do you have? I want the most accurate load I can get, FOR THE APPLICATION INTENDED. If it's punching paper, SMK are fine. If it's taking big game (antelope & up), then I want a game bullet. The diff. in accuracy out to, say 400 yds, may not really be that much depending on your shooting skill level. Everone wants a sub MOA rifle load but if you are only shooting 100yds from a tree stand?
No flames guys, everyone can hunt w/ whatever floats their canoe, but he did ask for opinions. I've tested too many SMK to hunt anything but varmints w/ them.

Thanks for the replies. Most shots are around 250yds, with the occasional long shot out to about 425. The reason im asking is because last year i shot a 215 lb whitetail buck at 375yds with a TSX (the game bullet my rifle seems to prefer most) and the bullet zipped through the buck leaving a very tough tracking job. So i got to thinking, because the MK is a thin jacketed lead bullet, it will expand quickly and do maximum damage to vitals thus having a quick kill and easy recovery. The MK's shoot in the .4's, whats why they peaked my interest for hunting so much.

Forget the match king. At the range distance you posted, a 180 Nosler Btip will do all you ask if you want an accurate bullet.

I also can vouch for a matchking performance on a deer, even at very close range. I loaded some up for a friend in his .06. He poked a Doe at 40-ish yards in the center of her chest and the bullet traveled quite a distance through her. Dropped her too.

It is still an iffy bullet though. Good luck if you happen to smack big shoulder bones.

John Burns is now sponsored by Berger bullets so there's another vote for match bullets on game at long range.

the match bullets are known to kill deer well.....but why???...there's so many better choices out there.

They work better at far longer ranges than you wish to shoot. If you were going for 500+yds then yes, but under that, I find them to be unpredictable. Unless you trim the meplats to uniform the nose and therefore open the hollowpoint, and then they are far more volitile from my breif experience in doing so. this requires more tools and time and money.

Your better off with a light skinned hunting bullet for your ventures. My choice is the nosler balistic tip but others will have differing opinions.

I use them, have no complaints.

match kinds are not hunting bullets. they are not designed to expand. If you wat to punch a clean hole through and through and not ruin the fur they are great. The hollow points in must match bullets are designed to shift weight rearward not for expansion

RemLover, I'd try the 190-200MK in your Rum, these weight bullets are ideal in the "RUM" sized cases, and my not blow-up as much on a shoulder as the light for cartridge 168s. I like to use the heavier MKs and AMAXs on magnums, that way if and when the jacket sheds, you've still got alot of lead coming through your game.
Just for Sh!ts and giggles, line up about 5-6 water filled gallon milk jugs, and shoot the MKs into them,(100yds.) you should get at least 1/3 weight retention, thats what I got from the 150MKs from my 708. The damage done by these bullets are awesome, on the milk jugs, I mean. Jay

Butch, MKs do expand, and very well, thank you.

I think Sierra's plain jane HPBT is a tough bullet -tougher than their BTSP.

My experience is that WHEN they expand they do it violently because it is a very soft lead core. A lot of times the hollow point just collapses and performs like a FMJ.

I received my August edition of Field & Stream yesterday. It contains an article by David Petzal comparing the pros and cons of the following hunting bullets; Barnes, Hornady, Nosler, Remington, Sierra, Swift and Winchester. Although the article concerns itself with factory loads all these bullets are available to handloaders. Drawings are included of spent bulets showing expansion. There is also something called a Ballistic Buffalo for determining penetration. I thought the article was a bit short but well written. It covers some of the things we are concerned with in this topic concerning the use of appropriate bullets. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Since someone asked, I went out & wetpack tested a couple .308/168grSMK:
left bullet-85gr ret.wt.-13" pen.-IV 2700fps+/-
ctr. bullet-90gr ret.wt.-15" pen.-IV 2000fps+/- (bullet nosed down on impact, that's the hollow nose section right)
The bullet on the right is a 165grNBT, 105gr ret.wt.-15 1/2" pen.-IV 2700fps+/-. Now throw those bullets out @ RUM speeds .

Now, I'm not a NBT fan either, but I definetly would not use a SMK on anything but very small deer/antelope where IV would be about 2300-2500fps. That's just too narrow a vel. range for the way I hunt (no tree stand or blind where I know the distance & can wait for a good broadside). But hey, it's the good ole USA, hunt w/ what you want.

Fred, what's the twist of your 308?

One potential problem with reduced velocity penetration tests is that the bullet will be spinning more slowly and be less stable than it would have been if it had been launched at full velocity and slowed in the air on the way to the target. This may have been a contributing factor for the center bullet nosing down and tumbling upon impact instead of penetrating straight and expanding normally. (I'm assuming you didn't actually shoot the wetpack at 500 yds, if you did nevermind. )

I don't mean to criticize you as I know it's a common practice. But I did want to bring up this potential problem with it as it may have influenced your results.

Thanks for posting the results.

Jon yoo are right, I fired a reduced load @ 100yd impact. Still, leaves me w/ little confidence in using a match bullet for hunting. BTW, the bullet path did not show tumbling, it loofed pretty much caliber diameter, the nose was found about 7" in.

I find the SMK much more predictable with a shoulder hit than an organ hit. I have used the 200gr SMK in a 300RUM and at 200yds it penciled through the organ area. BUT, with shoulder shots from 200-500yds, it has whopped em to the dirt.

I have run the 168gr from a 308 and at 250-325yds it was more likely to pencil. I like to push the SMK fast and it seems to hit harder or expand more readily. YMMV, but when they are launched slower, the need a shoulder or neck bone.

I will say that the trimmed meplat bullets are killers no matter what.