AusVarmint

Do people here use Sierra Match Kings on game or as they are designed for target shooting should I use something else

Fingers crossed I will be going away this Friday.

Jeff

Use a proper hunting bullet mate.

Sure they would hammer a rabbit or a fox but wont work too well on anything else!

Jeff,

I have used 52 HPBT MK's on game and they worked well enough. I did however limit them to head shots.

cheers
Rinso

IM actually thinking of 220 and 168 grain SMKs out of a 308 and 300 Whisper.

Jeff

Definatly get some proper hunting bullets if you are going after something bigger than a fox!

Get some hornady SST's available in 150, 165, 180 and 225 grain for a .308 bore. Personally I would go for the 150 grain pill, but you do have loads for a 168 grain so the 165 might be the go for you.

A mate of mine tried the 168 SMK's out of his 30.06 and found that they were not very succesful unless headshots were taken.

cheers
Rinso

With so many good hunting options avail- why use something not the best for the purpose??

Later
P

ogre6br wrote:With so many good hunting options avail- why use something not the best for the purpose??

Later
P

Fully agree with that. No point using something that may be marginal - and the manufacturers own recommendation is that SMK's not be used for hunting should be warning enough that there are better bullets for hunting.

Jeff8

I know of a bloke who put a long tailed rabbit out of it's misery with a 142gn matchking......It killed like lightning

Bullets kill buy shock and a proper hunting bullet is designed to deliver all the projectiles energy apon the animal in the form of expansion. The 30 cal has a good variety of pills so your sure to find something to suit, most projies have a velocity range recommended by the manufacturer so might pay to check out a web site or two for the whisper projies

KY

Tried them in my .243 Ackley and found them too hard . The Bergers expand much better on thin skinned game .

Jeff8,

I ran out of rounds on a goat cull and ended up using 130SMK's in my 7-08. Not very pretty on running chest shots, able to follow up quickly that time fortunatley but never use them again, made sure i loaded more HUNTING bullets for succesive trips. Probably OK on varmints in the heavier cals (ie a fox with a .30 cal magnum is going to be very dead)

Jeff8
I have used them in my 300 win mag when accuracy was my thing and they kill goats and below with ease I even shot a Sambar Spiker running through a wheat crop years ago with a 168gn matchking and it killed it very dead, in through a rib took the heart and lungs out the otherside through a hole the size of a bread and butter plate. I now use Game kings because they are very accurate and I like them.
If you intend to shoot pigs then I would suggest something better than the Match bullets.
Cheers

Sierra make a note in their info sheets that MatchKings are not to be used for hunting. There are many other projectiles out there specifically designed for doing the job properly (eg. BlitzKing, Ballistic Tip)

A bit un-ethical IMO, I shot a fox with a 55gn FMJ out of my -250 and it passed straight through with a clean kill, the fella who owned the place shot a roo (tagged of course) about 5mins later at 200m, in one side of the chest and out the other, resulting in having to chase it down to finish it.
Never again will I use them on game.

I use 52grn Sierra match and have found them to be the superior projectile in my .223 Ruger at distance of 200yrds.

I wouldn't use one unless you were able to head shoot.

I am yet to find another match grade projectile on comparison for price.