Is Sierra stuck in the sands of time?

[wildgene]

...guess I'm just a curmudgeon. I use a lot of Sierras for load development, they tend to give me a good idea of a rifle's potential, switching bullets usually only requires a little fine tuning. I use the 220gr. 8mm SBT's in the .325 WSM because nothing else available lets it sing out to it's potential & going out & shooting off a box of rounds @ 500-600yd. gongs doesn't send me into sticker shock. I like the performance of the HPBT GameKings, they work just like they're supposed to, no surprises. I pack a few rounds of their 100gr. 7mm & 110gr. .30's in my pocket to ward off grouse attacks. Their new 90gr. .25cal BlitzKing leaves everything else in that category in the dust. Like 'em cause just like the NPT, NAB, GrandSlam, & DeepCurl, I understand 'em, I know what they'll do & what they won't do, & I live w/ it. I like BC, SD, ES, etc., etc., etc. as much as the next, but having witnessed 50yrs. of "results", I worry more about people shooting over priced, over engineered bullets, thinking they'll be a substitute for practice. If you're in the -10% who can make a 90% shot past 600yds. have @ it, if yer not, practice more...

 

[SJB358]

...guess I'm just a curmudgeon. I use a lot of Sierras for load development, they tend to give me a good idea of a rifle's potential, switching bullets usually only requires a little fine tuning. I use the 220gr. 8mm SBT's in the .325 WSM because nothing else available lets it sing out to it's potential & going out & shooting off a box of rounds @ 500-600yd. gongs doesn't send me into sticker shock. I like the performance of the HPBT GameKings, they work just like they're supposed to, no surprises. I pack a few rounds of their 100gr. 7mm & 110gr. .30's in my pocket to ward off grouse attacks. Their new 90gr. .25cal BlitzKing leaves everything else in that category in the dust. Like 'em cause just like the NPT, NAB, GrandSlam, & DeepCurl, I understand 'em, I know what they'll do & what they won't do, & I live w/ it. I like BC, SD, ES, etc., etc., etc. as much as the next, but having witnessed 50yrs. of "results", I worry more about people shooting over priced, over engineered bullets, thinking they'll be a substitute for practice. If you're in the -10% who can make a 90% shot past 600yds. have @ it, if yer not, practice more...

Gene, have you ever ran the 160 grain HPBT in a 7mm Mag? Just wondering as that one has always been referred to as a "hard" bullet that is capable of holding up well to the 7 Mags?

 

[Luv2Hunt]

Their hp bullets in the gameking line are designed to be very tough. Some people avoid them because the hp tip throws them off, but they are definitely a game bullet. They are not designed to disintegrate, but the hp opens up and the heavy base keeps pushing. I am hoping to try the newer 140 grain 7mm bthp. It was designed for 7x57/7-08 type speeds from the base up.

 

[wildgene]

...guess I'm just a curmudgeon. I use a lot of Sierras for load development, they tend to give me a good idea of a rifle's potential, switching bullets usually only requires a little fine tuning. I use the 220gr. 8mm SBT's in the .325 WSM because nothing else available lets it sing out to it's potential & going out & shooting off a box of rounds @ 500-600yd. gongs doesn't send me into sticker shock. I like the performance of the HPBT GameKings, they work just like they're supposed to, no surprises. I pack a few rounds of their 100gr. 7mm & 110gr. .30's in my pocket to ward off grouse attacks. Their new 90gr. .25cal BlitzKing leaves everything else in that category in the dust. Like 'em cause just like the NPT, NAB, GrandSlam, & DeepCurl, I understand 'em, I know what they'll do & what they won't do, & I live w/ it. I like BC, SD, ES, etc., etc., etc. as much as the next, but having witnessed 50yrs. of "results", I worry more about people shooting over priced, over engineered bullets, thinking they'll be a substitute for practice. If you're in the -10% who can make a 90% shot past 600yds. have @ it, if yer not, practice more...

Gene, have you ever ran the 160 grain HPBT in a 7mm Mag? Just wondering as that one has always been referred to as a "hard" bullet that is capable of holding up well to the 7 Mags?

...well, it's recommended for magnums, they shoot nice, open up & penetrate good (on mule deer), the jacket is heavier than a normal GameKing, I haven't recovered any of the 160gr 7mm or 120gr. .25's, all broadside pass thru's, picked up a few outta elk in the front shoulders, avg. about 70% weight retention...

 

[SJB358]

...well, it's recommended for magnums, they shoot nice, open up & penetrate good (on mule deer), the jacket is heavier than a normal GameKing, I haven't recovered any of the 160gr 7mm or 120gr. .25's, all broadside pass thru's, picked up a few outta elk in the front shoulders, avg. about 70% weight retention...

Thanks Gene. Might grab a box of the 160's to try in my old 7mm Rem Mag. It is being sorta fussy with the 175's, so maybe I will try it with this bullet, just to see what the deal is.

 

[DrMike]

Gene, have you ever ran the 160 grain HPBT in a 7mm Mag? Just wondering as that one has always been referred to as a "hard" bullet that is capable of holding up well to the 7 Mags?

...well, it's recommended for magnums, they shoot nice, open up & penetrate good (on mule deer), the jacket is heavier than a normal GameKing, I haven't recovered any of the 160gr 7mm or 120gr. .25's, all broadside pass thru's, picked up a few outta elk in the front shoulders, avg. about 70% weight retention...

The Sierra 160 grain HP shoots very well in my 7WSM. It is a fine bullet that stands up very well at magnum velocities.

 

[SJB358]

Gene, have you ever ran the 160 grain HPBT in a 7mm Mag? Just wondering as that one has always been referred to as a "hard" bullet that is capable of holding up well to the 7 Mags?

...well, it's recommended for magnums, they shoot nice, open up & penetrate good (on mule deer), the jacket is heavier than a normal GameKing, I haven't recovered any of the 160gr 7mm or 120gr. .25's, all broadside pass thru's, picked up a few outta elk in the front shoulders, avg. about 70% weight retention...

The Sierra 160 grain HP shoots very well in my 7WSM. It is a fine bullet that stands up very well at magnum velocities.

Might have to grab a box of them. Mike, what powder are you running with your 7WSM? H1000?

 

[DrMike]

Might have to grab a box of them. Mike, what powder are you running with your 7WSM? H1000?

Seventy-one grains of MagPro or 60 grains of IMR4350. IMR4350 gives me ~100 fps less velocity and unbelievable accuracy. MagPro gives me all the velocity I could ever want and sub-MOA. I've leaned toward the IMR4350 because of the greater accuracy.

 

[SJB358]

Got ya. Thank you Mike. Need to try some of them.

Probably get them to try in the 7mm Rem Mag though. It is giving me some fits with the 175 PT's. Might drop back to the 160's and see what it does. A 160 at 3000 is pretty good stuff..

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have killed a semiload of mule deer at longe ranges (than the .270) with the 7mm Mag and the 160 Partition at 3060 fps. The 60 grain load of IMR 4350 is very accurate.

 

[FOTIS]

I do like their 300 SBT 375 cal. One tough baby!

 

[SJB358]

I do like their 300 SBT 375 cal. One tough baby!

I remember that one.. Their 44 cal 300 grain bullet is another, along with a few others, like the 165 HPBT and apparently the 160 HPBT.. Wonder if their new 140 7mm HPBT is of the same nut?

 

[bullet]

http://ammoguide.com/?article=mhsp68/greenboxes

 

[Oldtrader3]

I believe that I haven't shot a single Sierra bullet, except 85 grain BT's in the .243 Win, for at least 30 years! That is how thoroughly wedded I have been to Nosler all of this time. After all, this IS the Nosler forum? Talk about focused!

 

[tecumseh]

When I first started reloading for my 280 I was using 140gr Gamekings, I killed a couple hogs and deer with them in southeast Georgia and they worked ok. Their match bullets are some of the finest you'll ever find.

I never understood why they never developed bonded bullets too?

 

[bullet]

Well, I love Nosler, Hornady, Swift, Northfork, Berger the original Barnes and Sierra as well as some others - I prefer the eclectic approach, but if I was left with only the choice of any one of these bullet companies I would do just fine unless I hunted and shot competition then I would want to be left with one of these three Sierra, Berger or Nosler. Sierra is doing fine, will do fine and if it ain't broke why fix it. My loyalty is what works best accuracy wise for the rifle I am using and has the weight bullet I want or need to take the game I am using the rifle for, so that is why I use the above assortment of bullets.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I could get through life fine with just Hornady and Nosler. In fact I am getting through life just fine with Hornady ad Nosler!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I have no problem with their business model. They make accurate bullets that work great for target shooting and hunting. Their products are not intended for extreme hunting scenarios but otherwise they are excellent. I have no reservations using them on non-dangerous big game when impact velocities will be under 3k fps. They are the most accurate bullet in almost every gun I load for. Bring enough gun and use appropriate weight bullets and they work great.

Yeah Sierras make a great deer bullet and in certain calibers a great elk bullet. I prefer Nosler's but hinestly if there were no Noslers on the shelf to buy and I needed some loads for hunting season, Hornady and Sierra would be tied for my next choice even over Barnes, Speer, etc. This is because I have used them with success in the past on deer and a few on elk in bigger guns (.30 cal and bigger).

 

[Guest]

I've made no secret of my non-use of sierra bullets. It's not because they're stuck in old technology, either. It's because when I call Sierra, or rather, when I've called them in the past (several times over a couple year period) to ask valid technical questions such as "What is the recommended impact velocity for the XXXgr XXXcal bullet? or What MV range for bullet XXX do you recommend? or At what COL would you start with bullet XXX in the XXX cartridge? I've gotten rudeness, smart alec answers, and general poor customer service. I still don't know what sort of velocities their bullets can withstand, as they apparently don't know themselves. Or at least the rude jerks in customer service don't know, or won't tell. So I no longer shoot sierra bullets. And I won't.

In contrast, I've called Barnes, Browning, CZ, Glock, Hornady, Hodgdon, Nosler, Remington, Savage, Swift, VihtaVouri, Weatherby, Western Powders, and Winchester and gotten politeness, at least. Remington wasn't very helpful, but at least they were polite. Everyone else has gone out of their way to be helpful. So sierra sucks, in my opinion, and I won't use them.

 

[DrMike]

Wow, dubyam. That has not been my experience at all when I phoned Sierra. I found them very helpful, even though on my last call I admitted that I was using another brand of bullet. They were courteous and helpful in the extreme.