Fellas,

I have been presented with an unfortunate delimma. A few weeks ago, I broke my left wrist in a snowmobile "crash." This left me with a cast that completely covers my thumb on my left hand.

The other night, I tried doing a little loading for the first time since the "crash." Needless to say, I quickly found out just how important that thumb is! I have long had a great load established for my .22-250...38.0 grs of H380 with a Sierra 53 gr HP Match. It shoots great on paper...that is an aggregate of .678 for 5 at 100. Until now, I really haven't had too much reason to look for a bullet for varmints. But now, I have a short trip planned in a couple weeks for some prairie dogs.

With the intent of trying to find a varmint bullet, I managed to spend a couple hours loading up 3 loads with a VMAX bullet...note I said THREE loads...of three shots each...thats 9 cartridges loaded in a couple hours! I quickly deduced from this "experiment" that handling 22 caliber bullets between the fingernail of the index finger and fingertip of the middle finger was excruciatingly frustrating...nay to the fact that I now had to guide those little bullets into the case mouth all the while operating the lever on the press.

Next comes the "fun" of trying to group those 9 cartridges into 3 three shot groups. Yes, I know a varmint rifle should use five shot groups, but in my current state, I am more than willing to play the three shot game for now. In all honesty, I really didn't expect a lame arm/hand to be too much of a problem at the bench. I was wrong.

So, considering that I am handicapped to a certain extent, I am thinking that a 53 gr. HP Match will be just fine for this short trip. When this damned cast comes off, I can spend a little time finding a good varmint load, but for now, to hell with it!

Now to the question. Do you guys think that I will be OK for a short while shooting prairie dogs with a match bullet? I don't want to back out on the trip, but if anyone out there has done any varminting with a match bullets, your experience will tell me if I should do it or not.

Sorry to be so long winded and thanks for the help.

Hi Trapdoor

Years ago I used Sierra HP match bullets from a .22-250 to shoot groundhogs. Now, these big critters would offer more resistance to get a bullet expanding than little prairie dogs, so you should keep that in mind.

For what it is worth, those bullets worked just fine out to about 300 yards (didn't shoot any further away than that, but I think they might start to act like a solid when their velocity was lower).

The groundhogs shot with the match bullets were not QUITE as gruesome as those shot with SX bullets, but they sure were dead!

jpb

Just last weekend I shot a coyote with a 174 grn matchking from a .303 British, MV around 2440 fps, I wanted to see what all the rave was about. I hit it Through the rear end of the lungs roughly centered verticle wise. The bullet just penciled through with no expansion at all. I tracked the coyote a couple hundred yards and made a bad running shot which luckily broke its leg. I then had to put a round through its head to finish the job.

I wont be using them again. I'll stick with hunting bullets.

Brett

There is a big difference between a light jacketed .224 diameter bullet and a 174 grain target bullet. The jacket on that 174 grain bullet is much thicker than the .224 diameter bullet. Berger makes very fine shooting MEF .224 diameter varmint bullets. The FBHP target bullet has smaller hole in the hollow point than the varmint style bullet, the bullets open on impact faster. The older target bullets had thicker jackets than they do now and you should be Ok with those bullets. The longer range shots might be less effective with complete pass throughs as the bullet slows down.

Thanks for the replies... Hope to hear a bit more.

[ 04-02-2003, 20:52: Message edited by: Trapdoor ]

Trapdoor: I know how accurate the fine Match bullets from Sierra are but the 52 grain and the 53 grain bullets used to be way to hard for safe Varminting! Many years ago I used them for PD's and I would see them pass through Prairie Dogs and ricochet into the distance striking the ground again and again as they travelled WAY past my intended target! I quit using both these bullets many years ago. I also quit Varminting with anyone that uses them. Many people are just not aware when a bullet ricochets! They are so intent on what happened at the target only. Using the match 22 caliber Sierras can only be described as MUCH more dangerous than shooting a normal Varmint style frangible bullet.
I live in Dillon, Montana and only wish I was somewhat closer to you so I could load your ammo for ya! I highly recommend the wonderful (and inexpensive) Sierra 50 gr. Blitz bullets! They are wonderfully accurate and I have never seen or heard one ricochet. Maybe you could use your same powder and primer that you are happy with using the 53 gr. Sierras. Maybe you could hire a kid to handle the bullet placement for you?
I know what you mean on the loss of thumb situation. I just got a brace off of my right thumb and like you say you do not know how much you depend on your thumbs! I tried brushing my teeth with my left hand (I am right handed) and after 45 seconds the impulses from my brain to my off hand just were not going well and I literally nearly poked my eye out with the toothbrush!
If you are forced into using the 53 Sierras then make absolutely sure of you background for about 3 miles past your intended target. The Sierra manual goes way out of their way to not endorse using the 52 and 53 grain bullets for Varmints! They in my experience and the experiences of people I trust are the "hardest" of all the 22 caliber match bullets! Many other match bullets by various makers are much more frangible than the Sierras.
Good luck out there and I hope your hand heals quickly and correctly!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy,

That's what I was afraid of. I suspected they wouldn't work too well; I just wanted to hear for sure from someone who has tried them.

Looks like I might just have to skip this trip... I already attempted to do some load testing with other bullets, but one handed bench shooting is tougher than I thought it would be.

The Doc is checking the wrist out on Fri, but I am not optimistic for good news. He already told me to be prepared for many months with the cast...slow healing bone. Sounds like another 3 1/2 months is likely and possibly much longer. That will pretty much ruin the shootin' for this season.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your real world experience with the bullet.

Years ago I used them on ground squirrels and they were not good at all. I moved up to their 55 HPBT and really liked them. I think they are siera # 1375 or 1390 cant remember for sure. There are lots of good 55's out there now though and 38g will work fine with them.

I like the 50g TNT and the 55g Nosler Ballistic tip. I prefer the 55g in the 22-250, but the TNTs work well and are just as accurate if not more so in my gun. I have some of the Sierra 55g BlitzKings, but haven't tried them on varmints yet. I also like the Sierra 60g HP as an accurate heavier bullet for fast twist 223s.