Sierra Match Kings on game?

J

James Whitten

Member
Any one have any experience using the SMK on deer size game?Im thinking of trying the 6.5 140gr. for deer out of my 264 Win Mag.Lots of choices out there but happen to have a box sitting here and was wondering.How well will they expand at 3200 fps muzzle velocity.They are very accurate out of my gun.
 
James Whitten said:
Any one have any experience using the SMK on deer size game?Im thinking of trying the 6.5 140gr. for deer out of my 264 Win Mag.Lots of choices out there but happen to have a box sitting here and was wondering.How well will they expand at 3200 fps muzzle velocity.They are very accurate out of my gun.
Click to expand...


Great choice if you want a point detonating bullet. If you are sure your shots will be at extreme range you might be OK. It would not be my choice.
 
Matchkings tend to be pretty hard bullets, and would be near my last choice for game. Super accuracy isn't needed for most hunting, and there are lots of good, reliable bullets designed to work on game.
 
I've had good success hunting with them in .308 Win., going much slower than 3200 fps of course. Never found much left of one that didn't exit... just fragments and lots of internal damage.

Like any other bullet, terminal performace will depend a lot on how fast it's running when it gets to the target. I've never seen it myself, but I've read others say that SMKs going too fast when they reach target will come completely apart without significant penetration. Too slow, and I'd bet they act just like a solid. At the right speed, they seem pretty effective.
 
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I have killed so many anmials with SMK's I cannot remember how many. The 142 in my 6.5 284 is verry effective also in my Warp 7 (150GR 3390 fps) has never failed.

Here is a feral hog and a dog from earlier this month--killed a couple more but did not take a picture. These 2 were with a 150 SMK. The hog 390 yds and the dog about 125.

Pig1.jpg
Pig2-1.jpg
WhiteDog.jpg
 
Ok I thought the thicker jacket would slow the expansion a little. I have been shooting 139gr Lapuas and they really come apart.I was looking for something that would stay together a little better. Killed lots of game with it so far without a loss but a particular incident this year got me to thinking about not having a blood trail.Keep the comments comming.
 
Boss Hoss,
You shot a dog wearing a blue collar ! What do fluffy's owners think about that ?
James if you have questions regarding Sierra bullet performance on legal "wild" game,call Sierra they have a toll free number and a person on the line with experience and a conscience.
Joel
 
Feral dogs are a problem in alot of places collar or not.Lets not start a argument here.Thanks for the comments.When I talk to the folks at sierra I dont feel like Im talking to experience.Just my opinion.Do the Sierras have a thicker jacket than the J4s?
 
Nader:
I don't want to answer for Boss Hoss. He can do that himself, and there may be more to the story.
But it reminded me.... I shot a dog a couple years ago, a pit bull and something big cross. Easily 75 pounds. I really wish that dog would have been wearing a collar and tags. I'd have liked to know who dumped him in that rural area. Shot him at the edge of a herd of 47 cows. Twelve of them had calved. Ten claves were still alive. Cows and calves belonged to a friend of mine. It sucked. I didn't take pictures, but that's got nothing to do with it.
 
Sierras are thicker than J4s. I've shot 5 deer and 1 elk with the 210 Berger VLD. I'm sticking with it, FWIW.
 
Yeah, you guys are probably right. "FLUFFY" was born wild,wandered into the Dallas Fort Worth area,started turning tricks just outside the pound,came up with enough cash to buy herself a flashy blue collar( it's a "bling" thing) Then started shaking her money maker 125 yards from Boss Hoss's back porch.Well, a man of conscience can only see so much debauchery before he brings the hammer down(or pulls the knife out like "jack the ripper") Yeah, non-conforming suburban animals are a real problem.Good thing you guys are keeping things under control !
 
Dont think that I would shoot a dog with a collar on, much less post the picture....:confused:
 
Glad that got cleared up. I thought Fluffy was a male...

But I'll add this to my sole anecdote: The dog I shot had a live but dying calf in his mouth when I shot him. While I believe in rehabilitation, at least in theory and for some things, I had neither the time nor the money. And his owner was nowhere to be found.
 
210 gr. Bergers...Whew that is a big bullet:D. My thoughts were that the thicker Sierra would stay together a little better than the thinner jacket bullets.I don't want a solid but something that could stay together a little longer.I still have one more month a deer season left to try this:).Keep the comments coming.
P.S. The cattle buisness has a low tolerence for Ferel dogs. I know how expensive that situation can be. Yes I have dogs and cattle myself but they won't make it long killing cattle:mad:
 
killed 3 does last week with 6.5 x 284 with 140 Berger VLD match bullets, one head shot, 2 body slams all 3 DRT(dead right there),, a few years ago I shot 8 deer with 22-250, 52 gr match kings and berger match bullets both 3600+ ft/sec,,, all looked like they were shot with a 300 win mag when you cleaned them,,,,,,,,,,, this year my 22-250 bullet is 55 gr gameking SPT BT smoked one sunday evening 326 yards, got a pass thur behind the shoulder, she ran 30-40 yards, pumping and spurting,,,,,,,,,,,

the wind is my friend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DD
 
Simple----dogs come on our land they get shot period end of story. I have killed many over the years including this one that was chasing a doe and a fawn.

It was a male and the collar had no tags btw and the dog was pretty matted up but that being said it does not matter---if we see them they die. Our GW and both the State and Federal Biologists have advised to get rid of all dogs and hogs and they are by a long shot the largest threat to the indigenous wildlife that exists in our area.

For those who are ignorant of the way dogs act outside of the front yard-----they run both in packs and individually and kill things just to kill them. Have seen it and it is sad---if people value their animals life they will keep Fido on their own property.
 
I used Sierra 168 HPBT Match bullets for 25 years in a 300 win mag. Never lost a deer. People who don't understand shooting free running dogs never had to live with the problem. I carry a pistol in my pocket anytime I go outside just to protect myself from the dogs city folks drop off out in the country. Nothing like going into your barn and being attacked by a pit bull which just had puppies in there. True story. If my dog hadn't been with me to intervene I would have been mauled before I could have shot it. I hate to think what would have happened to a child alone. Another time, five of us came around the corner of the barn (same barn) and were charged by a rotweiler. I shot it at very close range. I mentioned the pit bull incident to the animal shelter folks, they were only concerned about what I had done with the puppies. When I told them I had destroyed them, they recoilled in horror.
 
Feral ex-pets?

I grew up on a farm and had to deal with the same pain-in-butt city mentality. People would drop off cats and dogs all the time. I guess they think the unwanted pet will help out some poor farmer with rodents. The reality is the dogs get shot right away due to the previous mentioned problems.
The cats, on the other hand, prosper to the detriment of the local wildlife such as rabbits and muskrats. Then some damn fool invariably starts feeding them and the population explodes.
I know a crazy woman that kept feeding cats at an abandoned house. She just couldn't figure out what unspayed cats do when they're not eating her into abject poverty. When the house finally got sold it had to be burned to the ground due to feces and literally hundreds of cats met their maker. That was over a year ago and I still have not seen a cottontail within a half mile of the place even though it is prime habitat and the new owner has shot all remaining cats.
 
Why not use Searra Gameking bullets? They seem to be as accurate as the Matchkings and are designed for game. I have used .85 gr. HPBT Gamekings for years in my .243 and have killed 40 plus deer out to 300 yards with them. I can only remember one that did not drop in its tracks and it was a bad hit far back in the hind quarter. It ran about 100 yards until it bled out and dropped.

I have been using Speer .55 gr. Bear Claws in my .220 Swift and killed a large doe at about 285 yards. She was hit through both shoulders. A complete pass through and dropped in her tracks. The muzzle velocity out of the 26" Ruger Target Gray barrel was 3600+ fps. At 100 yds it shoots them in 5 shot 1/2" groups.

They ( Speer .55 gr. Bear Claws ) are very expensive though. About 95 cents each including shipping from Midway USA.

"Aim small miss small", :D

gt40
 
Papapaul,What kind of expansion and penetration did you get when shots were 100yds and less. Game kings are an option.Just using what I have if possible.Keep it coming.
 
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