bullet preformance

[bullet]

I have been digging through my notes over the last two weeks and here is some info from the last 30yrs of shooting 30 cal bullets out of 30-06, 300Win Mag, and 300Wby. Now this only represents my bullet results over the last 30yrs because I did not record every kill but I did record around 70% of them.

The following are shoots taken on coyote, deer, hog, elk and black bear. I do not have the time or desire to break down which one was used on the above animals the most or the least. Maybe that could be for another day. Now the Sierria Game King HPBT was used over these 30yrs 54% more than the closet competing bullet which was the Nosler Ballistic Tip. So it holding a 98% one shot kill rate is significant in this list. But so is the one shot kill rate of the Nosler Ballistic Tip which was used more than the rest except for the Sierra Game King HPBT. I have used other bullets makes and weights on game but do not have recorded notes on kills.


One shot Kills from 40yds out to 618yds
1. Sierra Game King 165gr HPBT 98% of shots taken
2. Nosler AccuBond 165gr 97% of shots taken
3. Nosler Ballistic Tip 165gr 94% of shots taken
4. Nosler AccuBond 180gr 94% of shots taken
4. Speer 130gr Hollow Point 93% of shots taken (Was never used on hog, elk or black bear)

Most accurate on a consistent bases over the 30yrs. of reloading.
1. Sierra Game King 165gr HPBT (to be fair I have shot this one more)
2. Nosler Ballistic Tip 165gr
3. Nosler AccuBond 180gr
4. Sierra Game King 180gr

Most accurate bullet ever shot by me
1. Sierra 130gr Match King out of a 7mmSTW

Most stable bullet for all velocities in all the above game concerning terminal ballistics was the 180gr AccuBond.


Just some interesting stuff but very far from being complete or exhaustive and since I am not doing research for a Ph.D. this is just a very, very general sample and no conclusions are to be drawn from this nor am I trying to draw any.

 

[7 STW]

Thats pretty cool bullet..Those Sierra's are no surprize they have always shot well for me in multiple cartridge's..Just don't like them for anything but targets..Have had their GameKing pancake on me before.

Actually have a box of Berger 190gr 30 cals that I've haven't tried..

First bullet I ever loaded was a 150gr 7mm Nosler Partition..

 

[FOTIS]

Good on you man. I keep records like the above also.

 

[Guy Miner]

Thanks! Good stuff there - and I'm not really surprised by the results.

That HPBT Gameking is a bit of a sleeper - many people don't even consider it when selecting bullets - but dang - it does a fine job. Nothing wrong with a ballistic tip either.

Regards, Guy

 

[7 STW]

Never used the HPBT..But the 7mm 160gr Spitzer was pretty soft...imo

 

[bullet]

Never used the HPBT..But the 7mm 160gr Spitzer was pretty soft...imo

The 160 spitzer is softer than the 165gr HPBT. Sierra makes the 165gr HPBT tougher than any of their other Game King bullets. The reason I know is that I was getting clean pass through shots with it on deer hog and black bear. So I tested it on an 8" thick laminated beam from a construction sight and shot it at 25yds at 3250fps out of my 300Wby and it past through the beam and 75yds down range we dug the bullet out of the clay and it had just over 48% of it's weight left. So I called Sierra and ask why this Game King preformed like this and the other spitzers and soft point boatails did not hold up as well. They said it is their toughest Game King bullet they make. It surely is and I have dropped the game to substantiate exactly that fact. The AccuBond is much tougher but I have found that it is not as accurate on a consistent bases from group to group but it is an outstanding bullet when it comes to terminal ballistics.

 

[FOTIS]

I see what you're saying. I agree with everything you have written thus far.


But I gotta ask......

My question to you is this...... Though not exactly relative..........
Why is Sierra the only major bullet company that is in total denial about making a premium bullet?

Last time I talked to them they declared "we already make a premium bullet!! We call it the Gameking!"

I inquired as to the jacket core separation issues involved, and they stated, "you need to be further away from the game before the bullet works at the pre-determined velocity"


Well fellas, after this I initiated the saying """""Sierra Stalk""""

This is the art of spotting game but moving away from them.... because shooting them at normal ranges will default in bullet failure.

 

[bullet]

I see what you're saying. I agree with everything you have written thus far.


But I gotta ask......

My question to you is this...... Though not exactly relative..........
Why is Sierra the only major bullet company that is in total denial about making a premium bullet?

Last time I talked to them they declared "we already make a premium bullet!! We call it the Gameking!"

I inquired as to the jacket core separation issues involved, and they stated, "you need to be further away from the game before the bullet works at the pre-determined velocity"


Well fellas, after this I initiated the saying """""Sierra Stalk""""

This is the art of spotting game but moving away from them.... because shooting them at normal ranges will default in bullet failure.

I am not a defender of Sierra nor can I speak for them and I surely don't know why that was said to you by someone at Sierra. Why they do not make a bonded bullet. I will only make a few guesses. 1. Accuracy 2. Cost 3. They still sell a whole lot of bullets to hunters 4. I really don't know.

This I do know and that is I have killed big game and some dangerous big game up close, at medium range and at extreme range with the 165gr Game King Hollow Point off and on over 30yrs of hunting and it has been an outstanding killer. On top of that I have not lost a single animal I have shot with one over this period of time and of course that has to do a lot with shot placement but also the performance of the bullet. Then you add the accuracy and the unexpected consistent down range flight of the bullet at extreme distance and it still delivers.

Once again I don't know why they don't build a bonded bullet or a solid bullet but one thing I do know for sure is that it has acted like a premium bullet. Maybe that is why they think it is one, I know I do.

 

[FOTIS]

I can respect that..............

 

[7 STW]

Always wondered why Sierra has never brought out a bonded or a solid core bullet...They are certainly behind the time's in that reguard..

 

[bullet]

Always wondered why Sierra has never brought out a bonded or a solid core bullet...They are certainly behind the time's in that reguard..

Well the bonded bullet has been out way back when Speer first made bonded bullets, and solids are not anything new either so lets understand that means they have been behind the times for over 40yrs. Barnes gave up a great original line of bullets just for the solid and I still think they have made a mistake. I like the Partition for what it does in a simple way over a lot of the newer bullets. From what I understand Sierra bullets are still selling like hot cakes in a lot of places in the United States especially overseas.

One thing for sure, the other bullet companies ought to pray that Sierra doesn't make a different line of bullets, because if they do it will be made to very exacting standards and they won't put it on the market if it can not keep up in accuracy with the rest of their stuff. Seems they are happy to fill the special place they do in the market and are not willing to lay out the capital it would take to make a whole new line of bullets.

In the market of today that could put them under and don't be surprised if you see production of the new stuff by other companies slowed down, dropped or the company actually close their doors and if Obama is elected what I just mentioned will be a reality.

So these companies that have laid out a lot of capital on new bullet designs, equipment and the likes and had to borrow the money to do so or some of the money to do so will actually be in trouble. The shooter will slow down on buying bullets because money will be tight, regulations will increase and all this development to produce these supposed super duper bullets (that hunters did without for many years yet still killed game the same game we kill today) will cause some companies to possibly shut their doors or sell.

To answer your question, I guess there are some parts of the market that Sierra is not interested in entering into such as bonded, solids, and combinations of these very tough bullets for all situations on dangerous game for example. It is what it is!!!!

 

[7 STW]

Good post bullet and I do agree with ya..If Sierra brought out a new line a lot of companies would be losing business no doubt..What I meant by solid I should of said lead free bullet instead....Like the E Tip TSX ect.

 

[FOTIS]

Hey:


I just like variety. The more the better.

Premiums I have used and use
TSX
TTSX
ACCUBONDS
PARTITIONS
SWIFT
SCIROCCO
INTERBOND
GS CUSTOM---ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER
BARNES X
And many more

 

[bullet]

Hey:


I just like variety. The more the better.

Premiums I have used and use
TSX
TTSX
ACCUBONDS
PARTITIONS
SWIFT
SCIROCCO
INTERBOND
GS CUSTOM---ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER
BARNES X
And many more

Yes, I like varity and the only ones I have not tried of the above are the Interbond, GS Custom and Barnes X.

I am going to make a prediction and I hope I am wrong. But here are the companies that will slow down production in the coming difficult times a head in the market and government intervention and not in the order I have them.

Speer
Nosler
Barnes

Here are the companies that I believe could close their doors if just a few things fall into place.

Swift
GS Custom
Lapua
All if not most of the specialty companies which some have already bit the dust in the last year.

Here are the companies that I believe will make it out the other side of this thing.

Nosler
Sierra
Barnes
Hornady

Those positioned to make it out the other side with only a few product adjustments

Sierra
Hornady
Nosler

Now I am sure like calling anything in a market place like todays that I could be wet on all of the above but then again I might be right or close to right. Anyway you look at it things will be changing and bullet companies had better tighten their belts because supply and demand will drive this thing along with regulations by the government, and banks will not be as willing to gamble as much or be as loose on lending. If you are a bullet company you had better have some capital on hand (cash, savings).

Infact if you are a bullet company you might want to reconsider spending on development at the moment and let this thing settle so you can assure yourselves that you will be a viable company in three years or so.

 

[FOTIS]

Hard times are ahead....for sure.

 

[bullet]

Hard times are ahead....for sure.

Yes, and I hope that I am totally off on any prediction of any company failing, but if a company let it's younger members talk it into spending capital on new stuff because new stuff is perceived as better or borrowed a lot of money to keep up with the Jones in the last year are so for new development because new is better they just might have to bite a bullet and still loose a leg in the process and maybe die as a company.

Just to make it some bullet companies will have to lay some employees off just to have money to function. I sure hope this is not the case because I really like the variety of bullets to choose from even though I think a lot of this new development was not necessary.

There is a lot of flash and glitter out there in the bullet world and it makes you wonder how did we kill any game 30 - 40 years ago without all of this new technology??????

I sure hope my favorite companies do well and that the sport of shooting and hunting continue in the American tradition that is the reason for all of the development in the first place. Without the USA most of the world would not be enjoying all to the aspects of innovation that has happened over the last sixty years.

 

[7 STW]

Hey:


I just like variety. The more the better.

Premiums I have used and use
TSX
TTSX
ACCUBONDS
PARTITIONS
SWIFT
SCIROCCO
INTERBOND
GS CUSTOM---ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER
BARNES X
And many more

Good lead POP.The Winchester Power Point is pretty under-rated these days too...Good bullet that one from Winny.

 

[FOTIS]

it is actually a great bullet as far as the non premies go.

 

[7 STW]

I agree 100%

 

[blacktailhunter]

I really don't think Sierra cares to invest in a true "premium" bullet. Since most hunters are shooting deer, their soft fragile bullets with a history of fine accuracy will work for most of the reloading public who use their bullets. Even if the hunting segment were to be dropped, Sierra would still keep the doors open with their "match" lineup.

I have killed a few animals with the GameKing without issues, but I do prefer a bullet that has a thicker tapered jacket and have not used Sierra for a while. Once you cross section a Sierra, you will see why they are known to be fragile and accurate. They are quite soft and have a thin jacket with very little, if any, taper towards the base.

I have zero issues with people who shoot Seirra bullets. Yes, that HPBT is one tough bullet, but it is of different construction than other Sierra bullets. I just do not consider them "premium" in any way. It will be just a matter of time, along with some political agenda, before Sierra's hunting days are over.