Quilly

since Murphy70 has brought this up and since i have really have very little experience on harvesting deer with rifle bullets ( mostly shotgun ). i thought that the sierra gameking's help up alittle better on deer and bear?
even on that "shooting times" article that rick jamison did on how bullets perform. they seemed to open up quickly and seemed to drive deeper than ballistic tips. i also thought they are a " premuim bullet ".
do they hold together on deer? or do they just fall apart? especially on shots that are under 40yds? the reason why i picked these is cause i was getting the very besy groups i ever got in a rifle.
would like some info on this bullet.

stubblejumper

Quilly-Reread the shooting times tests.The sierra bullets penetrated less than any other bullets and left a smaller wound channel than the ballistic tip or sst at 3000 fps.At 2000fps they performed about the same.Since you are shooting at close range the higher velocity would be closer to yourconditions.No sierra is by any means premium bullet.

eldeguello

Sierra Gamekings are not a premium bullet, just a standard jacketed design. They may be a little too frangible for moose and elk, not to mention big grizzlies or brownies unless you only take plain broadside shots, but in my experience, when driven at muzzle velocities in the 2400-2900 FPS range, they are plenty tough enough for even really big deer. I have used them satisfactorily on mulies up to 300 pounds live weight. However, at extended ranges, after they slow down, they tend to just go through without much, if any, expansion. Nosler Partition Jacket bullets, however, hold together at ANY velocity, and still expand reliably at long range even after they slow down a lot!! I have found that, generally, I can work up a load with Sierras and load my HUNTING ammo with the same powder charge using Nosler Partitions. I use the Sierra loads for zeroing and practice, and carry the Nosler loads when hunting. The two types USUALLY (but not always!!) shoot to the same point of impact out to 300 yards or so. (You have to test to see if this is true in your guns.) Sierra has a well-deserved reputation for making very accurate bullets!!

Keep yore powder dry!!

thndrchiken

Some have said that the Sierra's have a thicker jacket that don't expand well, therfore leaving narrower channels. They work, dead is dead. I personally like Hornady better now, but I would still hunt with Sierras.

Portage

I have used 165 grain Sierra Gamekings on 7 Maine deer, including a 234 pound 8 pointer and a 175 pound 10. They are no where near as accurate in my Sako as plain jane 150 grain core-lokts but they have killed every deer I shot at. Actually not one of them even twitched after being shot. The last deer I shot was about 20 feet away and the exit wound was impressive to say the least.

That being said, I have had just as good luck with the core-lokts and will be going back to them this year.

skeeter 7MM

I used to be a Sierra Gameking shooter, but than switched to ballistic Tips for deer. I think either bullet will perform well on deer sized animals, as long as it's put in the right spot. Just my guns grouped much better with Nosler Ballistic Tips. Our bucks aren't little, many tip the scale on the hoof at the 200 plus range. The ballistic tip puts the spins on them in a right hurry, as does Seirra's.

I don't see any problems, just shoot what your gun likes best and works for the situation your in. I pick the boatails variety, b/c they work best for my hunting situation and just widdled it down to what shot best out of my guns.

Quilly

they shoot 1.080" at 100yds. i tried partitions but they never grouped under 3" for me.

mauser06

i loaded up some 165 gr hpbts on 3006 for myslef...my friend took a doe with them....not a big wound channel...but another hpbt i shoot a doe with didnt have them but the deer flipped in the air sideways and never moved....and i couldnt find the entrance and the exit was a finger sized hole...but the insides were devestated....i plan to use them this year....my shots are under 50 yds usually also....im sure i will post on how they did here or on the deer board if i get to take a shot...october 26th look for a post i hope! i will be out in search of a doe during a youth season...i gota sight them in yet and make sure my mauser likes em....the mauser seems to like anything i put in it though...

Portage

Quilly,

If they shoot that well in your 06 then I'd use them. They'll kill any deer or bear that walks in Maine. My father uses the 130 gr. BTSP out of a 270 and has killed a dump truck load of deer from 10 feet to 100 yards and never had a problem. Biggest deer he killed was 255 dressed. Boom, flop.

I'll tell you the only reason I'm switching back is I can't justify the $23 per box I'm paying here in northern Maine when I get a 1 hole 3 shot group at 100 yards with $9 Core-lokts. I wish they were more accurate as I'd use them.

Quilly

well i like taking shots at deer at all angles. i like neck shots and shots at deer coming head on. that is one reason why i did not go for the ballistc tips cause of overall penetration.

stubblejumper....

i can't find the article but if i remmeber the sierra's were not the gameking's. maybe being a sierra spitzer would call the gameking under that catagory.

portage....

one of my hunting buddies took a 8 pointer that looked almost like mine but was taken in 98. he uses a rem 7400 in 30-06sprg using 165gr. rem core-lokt's. the entrance was the size of the bullet and the exit was the size of a quarter because it hit a rib on the way out.
i was never a fan of core-lokt's but use them for breaking in a gun and for practice.