Hi,

does anybody has any reloading data for the Sierra ProHunter bullets 180grs in .30-06 loaded with Vitavhouri N160!
Maybe somebody owns the Sierra Reloading Manual!

How does the bullets perform on game! Are they harder than the Gamekings?

Thanks

Regards David

In my experience they are softer than the GameKing.

But at '06 velocity I wouldn't think that would be a problem if you are talking heavier bullets, say 165 or 180 grain.

I have a Vihtavuori manual from about 10 years ago which gives a load of 57.6 gr of N160 with a 180 gr Speer spitzer giving 2603 fps. Being as these are of similar construction I would take this as a reasonable guide. They list this as being at 49,300 psi/CIP which is not one of the higher pressures they list but I would still back this of by about 3 grns & work up from there. Their latest manual (available as a PDF from Lapua ) does not list a similar bullet in this weight but does list a slightly heavier charge with a 190 gr Sierra boat tail. Take it from there.
Steve

N-160 From 45.8 grains to 58.5 grains
Winchester WLR Primer

David, what will you be hunting with the Pro Hunters?

Personaly, I would not recomend Sierra bullets on anything larger than deer and gave up on them all together myself after some wierd, unexpected results.

Thank you guys so far!

Well Steve, i live in Germany and hunt roedeer, reddeer (redstag) and european Boar!
What were your unexpected results?

David

David,

I've used Sierra 165 - 180 grain .308" bullets in both the Game King & Pro Hunter variations on Wild Boar, Red, Fallow & Roe Deer without ever having an "unexpected result" - but then again, Shit Happens & Life's Uncertain.

Currently I'm using the .308", 165 gr. Game King HPBT with 60.0 grains of VV N-160. An excellent load for both accuray and terminal performance on the aforementioned spectrum of Game. VV N-160 has given me excellent results with many different bullets in the .30/06 Sprg. - Barnes, Nosler, Hornady & Sierra.

As for the Sierra 180 grain Pro Hunter 180 grainers I'd back off to about 55.0 and work your way up in .5 grain increments.

The usual caveats apply.

Hi,

i would like to load the Pro Hunter bullets because they should be harder than the Gamekings. I used the Gamekings already and they grouped very well!

What about the Pro Hunters! Are those bullets also very accurate?
The last bullets i loaded were the Hornday SSTs! Never got them group better than 1 1/4 inches at 110 yards or 100 meters!

David, I guess I should clarify that by "deer" I meant, more specificly 200 pound deer.

I started reloading in 1999. I remember wanting a tougher bullet for my 300 WinMag because the 150 grain factory CoreLokt ammo I was using was to hard on meat but did exit most of the time on deer. The man I bought my reloading equipment from gave me a box of 180 grain ProHunters. I shot a total of three deer with these bullets, one twice. All shots were broadside, behind the shoulder at 100 yards or less. None of the bullets exited.

I've also given the 140 grain GameKings a try in a 7-08 Winchester Ftwt. Shot two deer with them without an exit. Again, both broadside allthough one was slightly quartering away but the bullet was stopped by the offside shoulder bone. I used some of these loads the following year on groundhogs and they were devistating!

Even though they killed every deer I shot with them quickly, my conclusion was that they were to soft and sooner or later, if I kept hunting with them, that would be a problem.

quote:

As for the Sierra 180 grain Pro Hunter 180 grainers I'd back off to about 55.0 and work your way up in .5 grain increments.

David,

I prefer the Game Kings over the Pro Hunter - simply because I've more experience with them.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of Sierra's SKU's is that the Pro-Hunters are Flat Based bullets and the Game Kings Boat Tails. I don't want to get into a duscussion of the merits of either bullet shape but again other then the afrementioned Flat Base/Boat Tail my understanding the bullets are the same.

Your's also paralells my experience with the Hornady SST's - couldn't get them to shoot good groups from my Blaser R93 and I think 200 of them downrange is a right objective trial/attempt.

On the other hand; the Hornady 180 grain Round Noses are probably one of the most accurate bullets I've ever loaded in the .30/06 Sprg. and their effect on Wild Boar is every bit as good as "Premium" bullets.

Thank you Steve for sharing your experince!

@gerry Sprichst du deutsch? Okay we keep on posting in english so everybody can read!

Well, i had very good results with Sierra Gameking Factory Ammo loaded by PMC and Sellier&Bellot! These were 180grainers

I was also thinking about the Hornady RN! Do you mean Interlocks? But i thought that , if the SST won´t group the other Hornday bullets won´t group also! Maybe because of the materials.

My staple .30-06 loads happen to use the mentioned components (Pls, use this info at your own discretion):

- 165 GK (boat tail) / N 160 / 60.5 (groups 5 in .62 MOA);

- 180 Pro Hunter (flat base, pointed) / N 160 / 56.5 (5 in .69) ;

-180 Pro Hunter (flat base, round nose) / N 160 / 56.5 (5 in .49).

Rifle used is a Sauer 202. I use these same bullets in several calibers for most of my hunting. The Pro-Hunter is harder and stays better together, though I'm completely satisfied with both types, Also, let's not forget the GKHP if you want a lighter, harder, magnum type bullet.

Hi,

the Gameking HollowPoint ist harder? I thought that it opens even quicker than the SP

David,

Ja ich kann Deutsch.

Trust André; we've batted this baseball around a hundred times - his Sauer 202 & my Blaser R93 are on a Mind Meld.

Go with the .308" Hornady 180 RN or the Sierra 165 GK HPBT - either with a well put together load of VV N-160 will make your rifle look like a Super Zapper and put meat in the Freezer.

Don't spend too much time on the range unless you want to - assemble the loads and go hunting!

havnt seen a good kill with game kings out of the 308, however prohunters out of the 303 have never failed.

Hi,
just orderd 100 Sierra Pro-Hunter bullets! 180gr SBT!
Gonna load with N160! 5 with 52,5grs, 5 with 56,5grs! How should be the C.O.L!

I had problems with the Hornady SSTs in 180grs never got better groups than 1 1/4" with 5 on 110yards! Anybody the same experiences with the SSTs?

Regards David