Is Sierra stuck in the sands of time?

[super-7]

I know a few guys that only use Sierra , and they have for years. I use them in varmint bullets, and sometimes for load development if I can't get good groups with Sierra s I know something else is up. They have a good manual and I think they believe in there product, they seem to sell alot.
Dr. Mike and Gerry I can't beleive you guys have a hard time getting Sierra bullets there are tons around here. I think P&D has every bullet Sierra makes in stock.
Now this may be a dumb question but what is the difference in a. Double drawn jacket as compared to whatever every other company does?

 

[300WSM]

They are stuck in the sand...cool way of putting it.

They are still living off a reputation from many upon many days ago. I can assure that sales numbers have diminished over the years, but believe me when I tell you that they are still making some bullets to be loaded in factory offerings from the big three, they just might not have Sierra's name tied with it.

Another thing they have done...or I should say HAVEN'T done is change any of the marketing scheme in any capacity. For goodness sake the art work they are using is still the same stuff they used a long time ago. Seriously, one can't tell if a box of Sierra bullets was bought yesterday or 20 years ago.

 

[FOTIS]

no doubt This is the only change I know of. Old and new boxes

 

[wvchevy3]

Sierra makes a great product and i have taken many a deer with them.That said , I would also like to see them expand alittle and catch up to the times. Just because you make a great product you can't sit on your heels otherwise you will be history. All great products of the past that are still around have evolved.I would hate to see Sierra go the way of the VHS tape,it would be a great loss to the industry.Lee

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Matchkings are still the most accurate bullet I've ever shot.

I've never had anything get away after being hit by a Gameking either.

 

[gerry]

Super-7 thanks for the info about P&D, I do check them out from time to time but never for components. Good to know.

 

[Guy Miner]

I think that up and down the firing line of NRA highpower target shooters, mostly you'll still find Sierra bullets in use. Why? They work, and work well for that.

I'd also guess that certain iconic bullets, like the .30 cal, 168 gr Matchking, are incredibly popular. I've seen SWAT sniper classes where every student-officer attending the class was shooting Federal Gold Medal .308 ammo loaded with Sierra bullets. And every one of their rifles shot well. The .30 cal 168 & 175. The .22 cal 55, 69 & 77 gr bullets, and the 80 grainer. Those are cranked out by the zillion, and they work real well across the board.

I used to wonder why Sierra didn't offer a Partition, or a bonded bullet, but anymore I think it's simply because they don't need to do so. It would be interesting to see what the production/sales figures are, but they're likely a closely guarded industry secret. Sierra is still making a fine bullet, and not wearing themselves out chasing every latest fad.

FWIW, Guy

 

[Oldtrader3]

When I started reloading 50 years ago, Sierra and Speer were the reloading manuals to have. I shot Speer Hot Core bullets in every rifle above .243 that I had. I also shot Sierra in my .22-250, .222 Mag and .243 for varmit because they had a reptuation for accuracy at that time. Gradually, I switched over the Ballistic Tip bullets as they became more available because they were more accurate in the smaller calbers. I also had switched to Partitions in the mid-1960's for all game bullets, .257 Roberts and higher caliber.

ATK does not seem to care much about the reloader. I use Federal primers and some Federal ammunition but I don't buy much ammunition any more. Speer makes decent bullets but their technology is still in the 1960's.

Hornady has done much more innovation in bullet design and in ammo to attract business then Speer or Sierra has. I use Hornady pistol bullets in several calibers and buy Critical Defense handgun (Hornady) ammo because the plastic tipped bullet is a good innovative design. Hornady seem to have kept up better with handloaders and shooters than TDK has. Hornady has also controlled their prices better than Federal has.

 

[PJGunner]

"Now that said, I don't understand them avoiding the lead-free circus or not building what the customer wants to buy (currently, bonded or reinforced bullets of some design)"

I read somewhere on another site where someone called Sierra and asked that very question. I can't remember their exact response but it had to do with the expense among other things of doing the R&D pn making a monometal bullet and the fact that they were doing all they could to keep up with demand for what that were making.
I've used mostly Sierra bullets for more years than I care to count. I still have boxes of bullets with the Southern California address on the box. :shock: Most of the deer I've killed in 60 years hunting were taken with the Sierra bullet. Started with the 150 gr. spitzer flat base (They were not called Pro-Hunters back then) and later the 180 gr. Pro-Hunters after not liking the sometimes massive meat destruction from the lighter bullets.
Why the preference for Sierra? Way back then when I lived in San Francisco, Sierra bullets were running a dollar less than Speer or Hornady, probably due to cheaper shipping from Santa Fe Springs than Idaho and Nebraska. of the others. They worked so I stuck with them. These days I shoot a little of everything from the Sierra c&c to the Barnes TSX monometal.
I guess though, when push comes to shove, most of my hunting is for deer and I see no need for a pricey premium bullet to take a deer.
Paul B.

 

[.300winmag]

I've wondered the same thing about Sierra for a while now, and have no explanation other than they are more worried about filling orders for the government who don't require bonded bullets than they are about us average guys and our 'premium' bullets.

I think Sierra makes a very accurate bullet, however, I will not use the GameKings on anything bigger than a mule deer. I shot a cow elk at a touch over 300 yards three times in the shoulder with a 180 GK and all three bullets failed to penetrate into the vitals, I eventually finished it off with a neck shot. I contacted Sierra and discussed the results with one of their technicians. He said the impact velocity was too high and causing the failure. I then told him I was shooting a .308 Winchester with a MV of 2,750 fps and he really couldn't offer an answer as to why the bullets had failed. I've since switched to Barnes TSX in my .308 for elk and been very happy with their accuracy, precision and terminal performance.

I still shoot thousands of Sierra's though, mostly MatchKings, but for deer in the orchards around the house, I've found their 165 grain Hallow Point GameKing to be ideal.

 

[big rifle man]

I've used Sierra bullets for more years than I care to remember and have yet to lose an animal. The last Elk I shot with my .338RUM was hit with a 225 grain Pro hunter and the Elk went nowhere but straight down. The retained weight was 184 grains. I've shot a lot of deer with both the 165 grain and 180 grain Gameking and have yet to lose an animal. Mind you, I think partitions are great and they work extremely well out of my .338 but I have no complaints about the prohunter or gameking line of bullets. Sierra did in fact add another building for increased production purposes and they are running three shifts so I don't think the their profit has decreased. Their thoughts in regards to an all copper bullet was summed up by one of their techinicians when he mentioned to me that they don't feel its needed at this time. No one elses bullet compares with a matchking and thats why you see what bullet wins most of the competitions.

 

[SJB358]

I have used a few of the Sierra's bullet's and while they aren't PT's, they have killed everything I've shot.

I used the 85 grain GK in a 243, 125 Pro Hunter in a 308 and the 225 GK in the 358. All have worked on deer and been accurate. I don't use them for heavier than deer, as I use PT's or AB's.

I do like their pistol bullets though. They seem to be plenty accurate and tougher than most think of a Sierra.

 

[Vince]

IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT.

For Sierra that may very well be their business philosophy.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Ain't America great! We all have choices and most can find what they want in the market place. This allows: different strokes for different folks, which is the way it should be! I am all Nosler, except for a few choices in Hornady for my handguns but we all get to choose our own.

My bullet drawer looks like a Nosler label board!

 

[FOTIS]

I do use their pistol bullets.

 

[HTDUCK]

First cup and core separation I had was out of a 308 with a 150 Gameking on a 100 lb whitetail doe.
Quartering away shot at about 65 yards and I hit the last rib. It killed the deer but it ran almost 1/4 of a mile.
Haven't shot them at game in years, never again will. The bullet is the cheapest part of any hunt, I'll stick with Noslers for filling tags.

Like someone else said, I get a rifle I can't get to shoot with BTs as a last result I will try a Sierra Gameking before bailing out.

I do like their Matchkings for target shooting but am giving the Nosler CCs a whirl in my 308 and 22-250.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Nosler is much more customer focused in thir responses to requests for bullet designs. For example: the high ballistic coefficient, Ballistic Tip bullets that will soon be on the market. I do not believe that any other bullet company is as responsive to customer desires as Nosler is.

 

[Wincheringen]

I'm perfectly happy with them stuck in the sand. Nosler gets all my attention when it comes to hunting big game. Custom comps are just as accurate as MKs at half the price (or less). I do use a few Sierra bullets and they are great varmint bullets.

 

[AzDak42]

I never complain about variety or having a healthy competition amongst the companies I buy products from. A good marketplace is good for the consumer.

I'm not sure I'd buy their hunting bullets, because with almost their entire hunting line, Nosler now makes a far superior product. That said, you can bet that when Nosler was building their CC line, the standard they were trying to exceed was that set by the MK HPBT. As match bullets go, I've rarely found as much consistency as I have with their match kings. They win a lot of matches and are very good at what they do.

I think though that the times they are a changing. The CC is now the equal, but not as accepted yet. The AMAX is a damn fine bullet as well. Give it another decade and I see Sierra moving from the principle to just one of the three or four good options.

 

[FOTIS]

I have used only one sierra on big game.

From a BLR 358 225 gameking at 225 yards on antelope. Worked well but the again antelope do not need much killing.