I was thinking of loading some of these up for my young grandson to practice with, and to try for a deer this year.
The bullets are FB, and SP.
Are these bullets sturdy enough for whitetails, or are they designed for fast expansion on varmit size creatures?
Thanks
avery

I have found those bullets to be accurate, but too soft for springbok and would not like to try them on bigger animals like whitetails.

Why not just use something like the 100 gr. Hornady spire point with just the starting loads? Or, let him practice with the lighter bullet but sight the rifle in with the heavier bullet just before the season. Five will get you ten he probably won't notice the difference in recoil, even loaded to full power.
I never notice the report of the rifle or the recoil when shooting at game. I'm too busy trying to get the bullet in the right place tp worry about anything else.
Paul B.

I was trying to find a use for these bullets other than target.
I had 100 of the 85gr and 200 of the 100gr Sierra's given to me.
I have some of the good Hornadys I can load up for the hunt.
Thanks guys
avery

that bullet is the ultimate destruction/accuracy bullet for varmits. i'm afraid it would just blow up on the surface of a deer.

It ought to make an impression on a porkypine or 'possum then!

quote:

Originally posted by avery53:
I was thinking of loading some of these up for my young grandson to practice with, ...

Hey Avery, That portion of your post is an excellent idea. They are generally quite accurate in the 243Wins I've shot them in.

But, I've never used one on a Deer, so I can not comment about them for that use. Have used the 85gr Partition and a couple of other Partition weights which work on Deer. However, if you choose to use an 85gr Partition for Hunting, I'd strongly encourage you to use a SAFE Max Load and have him shoot at the Near-Side shoulder so the Bullet is headed through it and into the Off-Side shoulder.

The discussions on the Board about using Reduced Loads to actually Hunt with are completely Full-of-Beans, especially in small calibers with light weight Bullets.

You should be able to tell how well he responds to a SAFE Max Load with the 85gr Sierras. If he can't handle that low amount of Recoil, then he needs to practice more or wait another year.

It is great to take the young'uns Hunting. Kind of rejuvinates the old Hunting spirit in ourselves as well.

Best of luck to you and your Grandson.

Sierra lists that bullet as a "Varminter"....that tells me all I need to know.

quote:

Sierra lists that bullet as a "Varminter"....that tells me all I need to know.

+1 On the other hand, the 85 gr HPBT Gameking gets kickass reviews for use on deer and pigs on the midwayusa.com site. I will be using them this year in my .243 because they seem to be much more accurate than 100 grain loads. Haven't shot anything with them yet though.

Here's a link to the Midway page that has reviews of them.

LWD

LWD: I know a lot of guys swear buy the 85gr HPBT.

But FWIW, here is a quote from Sierra Manual #4:

"Sierra HPBT GameKing bullets for big game are available in 257, 277, 284 and 308 diameters. We also produce 224 diameter 55gr, 243 diameter 85gr and 257 diameter 90gr HPBT's which , despite their GameKing nomenclature, are intended for varminting."


Also got an email from a Sierra tech in response to my question about that bullet. He said he had taken a lot of deer with it but recommended that you "stay out of the shoulders and put it behind the shoulder".

quote:

We also produce 224 diameter 55gr, 243 diameter 85gr and 257 diameter 90gr HPBT's which , despite their GameKing nomenclature, are intended for varminting."

Ooops. Didn't see that. Maybe that's my sign to do something else with that gun. I've had it 6 years and never hunted with it. Got over 300 rounds down the tube looking for the "perfect" load......

LWD

Gidday Guys,

My hunting partner uses Sierra 85gr HPBTs on deer and pigs. I am not impressed with the performance of them. They don't hold together and blow up.

He has been very careful about placement of the shot and has yet to lose a beastie but only because I manage to bang a 120gr coreloct from the 260 into them.

He only takes broadside shots behind the shoulder and even then needs a backup occasionally. No doubt the animals would have died but not necessarily recovered.

A 90gr Speer would have been a better option in that weight range. Can't tell him that though.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

olarmy....Interesting post...it contradicts what's on their website. "Within their caliber and for their weight our toughest varmint and hunting rifle bullets are hollow points. By "toughest" we mean that Sierra hollow point GameKing rifle bullets expand less and penetrate more than their lead and plastic tip counterparts, the Spitzers. That is the opposite of pistol bullets. It is also the opposite of what everyone except those who use them would think of our hollow point GameKing rifle bullets. Still, it is true of each Sierra hollow point from the little .224 40 grain HP through the 165 grain 30 caliber HPBT.


While our flat base hollow points are tough varmint bullets that can put down coyotes, our hollow point boat tails (except for the 55 gr. .224 bullet) are excellent medium and big game bullets capable of antelope, deer, black bear, moose, and elk." http://www.sierrabullets.com/i...lume=7&issue=4#tough

For what it is worth: I have an aquaintence who has killed many, many Mule deer over many years and 17 Elk that I know of with the 243 and the Sierra 85 Grain HPBT bullet. I have personally cleaned, carried, cut up into the freezer, elk that he broke both shoulders on with the thing. All the while I carried my .338 and told him he was nuts. He just kept getting it done. I know of one elk that he hit too far back and could not bring it to bag after 10 or so miles following in mountains but to my knowlege, he never lost a second one with that rifle. His wife has the gun now and the last year I hunted Elk in CO, she put down a very big 5x5 at about 300 yards with one shot to the neck. Dead right there. Truth is strange some times.
dmw

And here I am wondering if the little 6x47 pushing the 85 grain HPBT at 2833fps will be sufficient for whitetails at modest ranges with proper shot placement. I am not a fan of the 6's for deer! Varmint bullets they are and you could call deer varmints seeing as how there are so many of them. Just thinking of maybe taking a walk with the little lightweight Model 7 in 6x47 and if a deer is in the sight picture, if it would be doable. Not questioning if a 6 diameter bullet is doable or not for a lethal, humane dispatch(a 17grain VMAX from a 17HMR is lethal in that little dimple at the base of their neck in back!!) but more just asking about the performance at reduced velocity of the Sierra 85 grain SPBT. Y'all sound off! Charlie (GHD)

The 85gr Sierra is a good bullet but I prefer the 85gr Speer BT.

quote:

I am not a fan of the 6's for deer!

That there are so many better choices is probably why I haven't used my .243 on a game animal in 6 years of having it. Several 6.5 choices shoot much heavier, higher sectional density bullets with minimal additional recoil. My .30-06 inspires in me much more confidence than this .243 for several reasons. I have a mental block to having the .243 in my hands when a larger trophy deer appears. Of course, in north central Texas, that deer wouldn't weigh much over 150 pounds.......

Maybe I just need to sell the thing and quit worrying.

LWD

LWD, All you need is a rifle chambered in GOD'S CHOSEN CALIBER, "25-06"!! Problems solved!! 117 grain Sierra SPBT ahead of 49.0 grains of IMR 4350 or 53.1 grains of H4831sc and problems solved! You can easily change the projectiles to the 120 grain Hornady HP with splendid results. Work up to these loads carefully! The 49.0 grain IMR 4350 load needs no careful workup! If it will not shoot in your 25-06 with acceptable accuracy, you own a derelict 25-06!! For a few laughs and giggles! GHD (PS: That 25-06 load with IMR 4350 has stood the test of time and a dump-truck full of whitetail deer.......and it was a big dumptruck.............as in the biggest EUCLID they ever made!!)

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
And here I am wondering if the little 6x47 pushing the 85 grain HPBT at 2833fps will be sufficient for whitetails at modest ranges with proper shot placement. I am not a fan of the 6's for deer! Varmint bullets they are and you could call deer varmints seeing as how there are so many of them. Just thinking of maybe taking a walk with the little lightweight Model 7 in 6x47 and if a deer is in the sight picture, if it would be doable. Not questioning if a 6 diameter bullet is doable or not for a lethal, humane dispatch(a 17grain VMAX from a 17HMR is lethal in that little dimple at the base of their neck in back!!) but more just asking about the performance at reduced velocity of the Sierra 85 grain SPBT. Y'all sound off! Charlie (GHD)

GHD: My three sons started deer hunting with a 6X47 using the (now discontinued) 75gr X bullet and the 85gr Partition. worked great as a starter gun under controlled circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:

quote:

We also produce 224 diameter 55gr, 243 diameter 85gr and 257 diameter 90gr HPBT's which , despite their GameKing nomenclature, are intended for varminting."

Ooops. Didn't see that. Maybe that's my sign to do something else with that gun. I've had it 6 years and never hunted with it. Got over 300 rounds down the tube looking for the "perfect" load......

LWD

How about the Barnes TSX bullet is 85gr, probably do the deed. FS

My son took several whitetail - including a 10 pointer - his first season using a 100 gr NPT at ~2800, or essentially 250 Savage performance. He practiced all summer with 100 gr Remington Corelokt at the same speed. I'd start the boy with the 85s at starting load speeds, then work into the 100s with starting loads. If you supervise your grandson so that he waits for nice broadside or slightly quartering away shot I wouldn't hesitate to use the 100 gr Sierras on whitetails, even with starting loads. Thank you for getting another hunter off to a good start!

quote:

Originally posted by avery53:
I was thinking of loading some of these up for my young grandson to practice with, and to try for a deer this year.
The bullets are FB, and SP.
Are these bullets sturdy enough for whitetails, or are they designed for fast expansion on varmit size creatures?
Thanks
avery

I had a Rem 788 in 243 with the issue scope I loaded my own ammo using IMR 4895 & a nosler 100gr spitzer put shot after shot in a 100 yard target in a clover leaf pattern in the bull.My son shot a columbian blacktail with the 243.

quote:

How about the Barnes TSX bullet is 85gr, probably do the deed.

Couldn't get them to shoot in my gun. Need to play with the seating depth some more but no published charge weight with three different powders even came close to shooting acceptably.

LWD