Currently figuring whether the HPBT or the SPT is the best choice for small deer, regarding accuracy, penetration, and meat damage.

The Sierra manual recomends both, for small deer and antilope, but I'd be interested in other opinions.

Thanks,
ShooterBob.

I've killed quite a few deer with both. I'd say probably 7 or 8 with each one, and probably about half of them were mature bucks dressing in the 160-170 pound range. I like the spitzers better than the hp's but not much... They seam like the did less damage and held up a little better. I killed one rather large buck with them, the one in particualar was a 200 pound dressed 9 point... He was walking dead after the first shot, but ran towards me about 50 yards and I shot him again at about 150 yards... Personally I like the nosler partitions better, they seam to be much more predicable and shoot just as well.

ShooterBob, the Sierra 85g SPT flat base is like dynamite on any size whitetail. Used it in a Rem 6mm years ago for bean field population control. It was almost always a one shot deal.

You had to anchor them in their tracks and get them out of the field because if you didn’t they would run off and die and the combine would pick up the bones when they harvested the field. It was almost impossible to find them if they ran off in the high beans.

Out of all the bullets I tried in 24 caliber, Sierra 85g Flat Base was always the best for putting them down right there, and I tried them all. You can’t complain when you have hundreds of one shot kills with a bullet.

Thanks for the replies guys; I think I'm favouring the SPT slightly as well. There seems to be a little less damage on exit, and one of my recent hits with a HP seemed to deflect badly on entry and just hit the front of the gut before making a large exit wound. That one may just be bad luck, but I also think the SPT's hold together better. Nice to get a consensus on this though.

Thanks again,

ShooterBob.

I used the 85gr HPBT on this 8 pointer last season. At the shot he went down and flailed about a few seconds, then jumped up and jumped a 4' fence and ran another 30 yds into the brush! Found him 40 yds. from where he was hit!
I dressed him out and couldn't find where the bullet hit him???? I didn't do the butchering, so I still don't know where he was hit. His lungs were colasped, and no exit hole I could find, or the entrance hole either!
Could be majic? That's my only experience with that bullet in a 243 Win HandiRifle.

Shooter, the 85 gr. Sierra SPT is one of my favorite bullets. It is both accurate and deadly. I use it for the hunting loads in two of my three 243's. The other gun uses a 100 gr. Speer Boattail, I found that load before I tried 85 gr. bullets. These are hunting guns, a little trigger and stock work, but that's all. Typical 5-shot groups run 0.5 - 0.7 MOA.

In the last two years, the Sierra 85 gr. Spitzer has accounted for 4 Texas hill country whitetails and 7 feral hogs. The largest hog, a 200 lb. boar, was a near head-on shot at the neck-shoulder junction where the hide is thickest. Dropped in his tracks, love that bullet.

the hpbt is a varmit bullet

HPBT

The funny thing is that Sierra list the SPT as being in their varminter range, and the HPBT as the GameKing range, but say they are both good on game.

OK, now the consensus on the SPT is slipping away with a couple of guys promoting the HPBT!

Reloaderman, he's sure dead, and that's definatly minimal meat damage, nice buck too. I've never handled a Handi-rifle, what are they like if you need a follow up shot?

Hornhunter, that hog kill is a ringing endorsement too and nudges me just in favour of the SPT.

ShooterBob

quote:

Reloaderman, he's sure dead, and that's definatly minimal meat damage, nice buck too. I've never handled a Handi-rifle, what are they like if you need a follow up shot?

To honest I've only shot 2 deer with the HandiRifle, and neither needed a second shot!
Am I THAT good ..... not really. I was reloaded by the time this last one jumped up, but didn't get "on" him in time to shoot again! I've used a 22Rf Sportster ( HandiRifle ) on many jackrabbits and a follow-up shot is almost impossible!
What I like about using a single shot gun is, they really make you place your shots before you let it go. I've got 2 Handi's, a Ruger #3,#1 and 2 single shot 22's and use them for hunting. Ironicly, my 2 target rifles are repeaters!
I think Bill Ruger ( when he introduced the #1 ) said: "you won't faster, but you will shoot better." I've believed that ever since!

I've only used single shot rifles at paper targets, and once shot a fox with a friends custom Martini action. And you're right it does concentrate your mind. The guy that owns the Martini had it made up in 5,6x52 magnum and uses it constently to good effect, but shooting is part of his job and a part he does very well.
I'll start saving for a Dakota model 10, and by the time I can afford it I'll be confident enough to use it!

I use both 85 grain bullets in my Savage 110 in .243Win. and in my rifle the HPBT is a much more accurate bullet, usually grouping in the .6" range (5 at 100yds). Both are excellent killers in the field. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

HPBT just sneaking ahead now.

I went to my local gun shop today to pick up some more bullets and they only had 100g Sierra in stock, so I got some more of those in the SPT and SPTBT. The only 85g .243 they had was the Nosler Partition! Now there's a thought?

ShooterBob.

HPBT over 36.0 grs of IMR 4895 in a Rem 660 with 20" barrel equals lightning kills from fox to med deer.....a hard to beat combo!!

These are both really gerat 6mm bullets. I've killed several deer with both with very decisive results. My 6mm Rem. really likes the 85 spt the best and several .243 's have favored the 85 grain hp. Both seem to take out whitetail like a bolt of lightning , but the spt is a bit more dependable if you must have an exit wound. My 6mm will lounch the 85 spt at 3350 fps. and I almost always get a complete pass through from 25 to 300 yds. Most deer have dropped on the spot and the ones that ran only went 25 - 30yds. After 25 - 30 deer I moved on to other calibers to play with, I still own 1/2 dozen rifles in that calibre. The .243 bore size rifles are such a pleasure to shoot and most can easily be tuned down to .5 to .75 in range with good bullets.

I shoot a Encore 15" Bull Barrel with break. I use the Sierra 100grn SPT Pro Hunter bullet and the Hornady 87grn HPBT. Both shoot under an inch and I use Varget with both.
I can say that I like both for this pistol but I have not shot any deer with the 87grn HPBT. The 100 grn SPT will make them DRT (Dead right there). I'm loading this bullet today and working on my shooting form for a antelope hunt in Sept with this pistol and load. It is running 2850fps from this barrel. I just got a Burris B0Plex scope and hope to take advantage of the flat shooting caliber.
The 87grn HPBT has been used on Coyotes, and Prairie Dogs. You don't want to use them on yotes if you are planning on saving the hide. Makes very large hole on exit.
I will try the 87grn HPBT with this pistol in Doe Season this year. Good luck with your loading.
Mike