Reading the information provided on the Sierra website...the HPBT Game king is tougher than the regular BTSP game king. Has anyone on here ever recovered one or tested them on Mule Deer/Elk sized game?

With a few 30 caliber rifles in the safe I think these would do good at .308 winchester velocities. I like loading the Sierra bullets due to their accuracy.

I have always had good results with Sierra in various different calibers. The Gameking in particular has always proved its worth, excellent accuracy and a good end result. The BTSP maybe a tad tougher and if it was I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on more resilient animals.
Having sad that it is difficult for most of us sports shooters to conduct exhaustive comparison tests on ballistic gel, soaked telephone books (do they still exist?) or suchlike.
Roll a few up, shoot them to work up a good load and go hunting. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

NO Elk or big Muley, but I did shoot 3 whitetail bucks in N. Carolina a few years ago (we are allowed 5 deer total but no more than 3 bucks on a tag). I used a Browning A Bolt in 300 WSM. Longest shot was 200 yards, the other two were around 100. I dropped all three, no shoulder shots, but in each case the core came apart from the jacket. No pass through on any of the three. I was driving them pretty hot. I don't like Sierra bullets on deer. I still have the jackets and cores from the 3 deer with the Sierra.

I shot a big UP Michigan buck with my 35 Whelen with the 225 gr Sierra SP at 50 yards and the bullet failed to pass thru. I now went to Nosler BT and Accubonds and no core and jacket slipping with them. All pass thru's. They are very accurate and less drop at 300 yards than the Sierra's.

Sierra makes wonderfully accurate varmint bullets. I love their 70 HPBT i 243 and 90g HPBT in 270. I just wish they would bond core to jacket in their Game Kings. If they did that I would leave my beloved Nosler Partitions behind. Still would use A-Frames or TSX's for dangerous game though.

The HPBT version is indeed tougher. I would not hesitate to use it for any deer or elk.

gumfighter: I don't doubt your results at all. But there is a big difference between 308 velocities and 300mag velocities. IME, Sierra GKs work fine at MVs in the 2700-2900 range for deer, and the 30 cal 308 HPGK is indeed tougher than the regular GK.

quote:

Originally posted by SIKA98K:
The BTSP maybe a tad tougher and if it was I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on more resilient animals.

I was thinking the same thing, but here is the info from the Sierra website


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For rifles in 30 caliber, this 165 grain #2140 Hollow Point Boat Tail bullet, which is patterned after the world-famous 168 grain MatchKing bullet, was designed for shooters who desire a hunting version of that famous MatchKing. It is slightly “harder” than its 165 grain Spitzer Boat Tail counterpart and will give superior penetration and good expansion on medium game with excellent accuracy. This is a good medium-weight bullet choice for shooters of 30 caliber magnum rifles who desire a bullet that will not deform at the point.

For handguns chambering 30 caliber cartridges, this 165 grain #2140 bullet is “hard” and will expand in medium to large game only when driven at a muzzle velocity of 2500 fps or more, which is achievable in the 308 Winchester cartridge in the Remington XP-100 handgun or a similar combination. It can, of course, be used for handgun silhouettes or other target purposes.



Thanks everyone for the responses so far

I remember the late Bob Milek used it in 30-06 on a big cow elk he wrote about. He did a few articles on "do it yourself" sporterizing a 1909 Argentine Mauser, complete with the rebarrel job. He also pushed it around 2800+ fps. I have never killed game with them, but have shot a lot of them in 30 & 7mm calibers. Very accurate.

I have had excellent results in their Game King + although not recommended for game,their Match King as well.I used to use the soaked phone books;I don't think they are coming out anymore;much to the pleasure of the ladies at the post office since they always shipped them at Christmas time. I like my Nosler partitions as well as my Hornady Interlocs in 6.5 cal.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
gumfighter: I don't doubt your results at all. But there is a big difference between 308 velocities and 300mag velocities. IME, Sierra GKs work fine at MVs in the 2700-2900 range for deer, and the 30 cal 308 HPGK is indeed tougher than the regular GK.

That's the truth! Why would anyone want to shoot such a light bullet in one of the big 30a is beyond me. They are incredibly good, and accurate at 308win velocities.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
gumfighter: I don't doubt your results at all. But there is a big difference between 308 velocities and 300mag velocities. IME, Sierra GKs work fine at MVs in the 2700-2900 range for deer, and the 30 cal 308 HPGK is indeed tougher than the regular GK.

That's the truth! Why would anyone want to shoot such a light bullet in one of the big 30a is beyond me. They are incredibly good, and accurate at 308win velocities.

That's what I was thinking. On my Ultra mag and SAUM I have partitions and Accubonds but I think the cup&core may do fine when it is chugging along from a .308

Cup and core do very well in the big guns too as long as they used at a velocity they are made for!

I shoot 190 up to 210 in the win mag and they do great, they are made for the velocity of the win mag at their weight. 210 to 230 in the rum.....same thing.

In small bores, under 375, all I use is cup and core, mostly Sierra and berger. There are a lot of animals in my trophy room that don't know they where killed very dead with failing cup and core bullets.

I don't care near as much about recovering bullets as I do about recovering the animals I shoot!

I've shot a couple of antelope with that bullet in a 308Win. They really opened up and did a lot of damage. I wouldn't use it on elk but deer sized and under it would be good to go. Just my opinion based on my loads in a 308 Winchester.

The are two reasons I used the Sierra 165 HPBT GK in my 300 WSM for my deer hunt in NC. One, I had a couple of boxes of the bullets given to me. Two, I called Sierra and asked them specifically about using them in a magnum and they said " They will work great, they can take magnum speed". Again, I am only stating my personal experience with them on a hunt. If I was going hunting for elk with a 308 I would use a premium bullet like a Nosler Partition or a Barnes. You my not get a "perfect" broadside shot at the only elk you see.

Lots of deer have fallen to Gamekings over the last couple centuries I guess..stuck in the right place Im sure they work..We used them a lot at one time growing up..nothing walked off..Deer are easy to kill..but no bullet is poor shot perfect.

We used GI ball 30-06 ammo during WW2, and ammo was unavailable, some of that stuff sold on the black market..We ground the noses to the lead, They didn't perform to perfection to say the seast, but you sure ended up with good tracking skills..You would be surprised what you can do with what you got..I wouldn't hesitate to use and of todays bullets on deer. Sierra, Speer, REm, Fed, and others all good enough.

but Sierra's are not the best game bullet in the world IMO, and Nosler Accubonds are about the same price..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Lots of deer have fallen to Gamekings over the last couple centuries .

Centuries might be stretching it a bit!

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Lots of deer have fallen to Gamekings over the last couple centuries .

Centuries might be stretching it a bit!

But you don't realize how old Ray really is.

The Sierra GK BT is a very good cup and code game bullet at 2700 - 2800 fps.

The 35 cal 225gr GKBT is perfect for the 358 Win at 2400 fps.

Yes the lead is soft and the core separates but the transfer of energy ..... same old debate.

High velocity is what gives this bullet a bad name.

No first hand experience, but I had a good friend back in the 80s that shot on the Army Reserve rifle team. He was a fantastic shot and killed some fine bucks in West Alabama. He was quite fond of pulling the 173 gr FMJ match bullet from 7.62 LC Match loads and seating the 168 HPBT Sierras for hunting. He used them in a 308 M70 and made some fine shots on some really big bucks.

He loaded me a box of them once when I was visiting and pretty much said that if I didn't get a deer using them I needed practice my shooting! I never managed to cross paths with a whitetail while carrying them and ended up using them up checking the rifle's zero. I have no doubt they would have worked just as well for me as they did him!

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Lots of deer have fallen to Gamekings over the last couple centuries .

Centuries might be stretching it a bit!

But you don't realize how old Ray really is.

He may be alluding to the 20th AND 21st Centuries.

Oh it just sounded right!

All I can say is please stop me if I say anything that challenges your assumptions or makes you uncomfortable, I wouldn't want to spoil the real world for you!

I bought a box of them to try out...gonna try imr4350 with the .30/06 and Varget with the .308 winchester. Gathered up a bunch of newspaper so I can try to recover some at the range

Im sure they will work fine on West Texas deer! They did in my youth when Sierras were about the only bullet available for reloading in Marfa and Alpine back then, and the deer are still the same size best I can tell,

You're correct Ray, our whitetail are still around 130lb or so. Rare for us to see a big bodied deer out my way. I've been feeding protein and cotton seed along with the corn and we will see if they start getting bigger.

North of me are Mule Deer and they are 200+. I'm supposed to hunt them this year for a cull (130-150") and they are coming into feeders. I wish picture sharing on here was easier I have some trail camera photos of these deer. Amazing to see how the mule deer will get up to 190+b&c living in cotton fields/salt cedars.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I bought a box of them to try out...gonna try imr4350 with the .30/06 and Varget with the .308 winchester. Gathered up a bunch of newspaper so I can try to recover some at the range

That's going to work just fine, while your at it do some milk jug tests lined up and full of water.
You will probably end up around that 5th or 6th jug (30" to 36" penetration).
Always big fun shooting jugs.

I still much prefer Nosler Accubonds, they are as accurate as Sierras and they have a bonded core and the price is close to the same..They work equally well on deer or elk..The Sierras I used a lot some years ago all killed well enough but recovered bullets were mostly pretty groung up and lead and jacket separated much of the time but under the off side skin..

With the fine bullets available today I don't see why anyone would use an old cup and core, on elk or anything larger than Mule deer, and that's a debate within itself..A cup and core that does continue to impress me is the Hornady Interlock, and the Rem corelokt, but again I choose an Accubond or partition. the fad of today is the Barnes monolithic, and they are a great bullet apparently, I have limited use of them..

I have been using the Sierra 180 gr SPBT in my 06 for over 40 years. I've taken probably 50 deer with it over the years. on broadside shots, I always got a pass through with a grapfruit sized exit hole. Yes, it damaged some meat, but in Pennsylvania back in those days, if you shot a deer and it ran 20 yards, there was a good chance someone else would drop it and claim it, so I opted to accept the damaged meat.

Ray please tell me where I can buy Nosler accubonds for the same price as Sierra GK's. I use more Sierra bullets than most guys and Have never lost an elk or deer because of the bullet. My go too for most calibers.

quote:

Originally posted by Pa.Frank:
I have been using the Sierra 180 gr SPBT in my 06 for over 40 years. I've taken probably 50 deer with it over the years. on broadside shots, I always got a pass through with a grapfruit sized exit hole. Yes, it damaged some meat, but in Pennsylvania back in those days, if you shot a deer and it ran 20 yards, there was a good chance someone else would drop it and claim it, so I opted to accept the damaged meat.

I have been shooting the 165 or 180 grain sierra gameking in 308 and 30-06 for 40 years also. I have taken over 200 whitetail with it and have only had to take 1 second shot on a doe that I tried to drive the bullet from left rear to right front shoulder, it broke up. The deer stood up from a ditch 10 Feet from me. Second shot finished her. These are my go to for deer.

DIS,
TRy Shooters pro shop, they sell Noslers at incredibly low prices, overruns and seconds, and they are as good as any..About half the price of any Sierras or any other bullets for that matter..Thats about all Ive used for years.

Im amazed that no mention is made of the Sierra pro hunter, its a better game bullet than the Game King and more accurate in many guns, in fact most cases, a flat base bullet is normally more accurate than a BTSP, contrary to public opinion..The boat tail is not kind to holding the lead in the core and its only tribute is maintaining velocity at long distance, and that's questionable from a hunting standpoint.

I agree with Ray, the Pro Hunter is a "better" game bullet than the SPBT, and the Hornady Interlock is better yet.

This kind of reminds me of a friend that loads for his Dad's 270. They load 130 gr bullets to over 3100 fps then complain they overexpand when the shoot deer at 75 yards. They were going to try 140 gr bullets.
I told him to try loading those 130's closer to 2800 they would work just fine for those close in deer. They didn't like that Idea. They thought because it could go that fast they should load it that fast.
Like a lot of people they are overobsessed with velocity.
Slow things down a bit you just may find you get better results.
Leo

They need to get a lot older Terry, it takes a long time to try out as many bullets as you have...Its not an overnight or one deer process..but you nailed it..