Sierra Bullet Question

P

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
OK, not a cast bullet question, sorry.

Trying to help a friend out in the current shortage situation. Normally uses the Sierra 7mm spire tipped, boat-tail 140gr "Game King" bullet. Sierra #1905

That's a known bullet with a proven track record but it is currently unavailable. Can get the same weight Sierra "Game King" bullet with a hollow point (#1912 ? )

OR

The Hornady 139 grain SPBT bullet (nearly identical to the Sierra but with a cannelure and 1 grain less weight)

In terms of weight, I think they are close enough. I want to suggest the Sierra Game King HP because I think it is closer in all regards to his current bullet but thought I'd toss this out to the forum.

Any thoughts ?

And the hollow point is the Game King style HP not the target style HP, so I think expansion will still be fine.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have shot a few. Yrs its a game king so its designed for game/ expansion.

You will likely see it expands violently at hi velocities and will not be same as the sp version.

CW
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Looks like they let me put six boxes in my cart but no seven. I guess six left in stock? Better tell him to buy them all!...
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Well, thanks for leaving five boxes for the next guys but if it were me I'd have bought at least two, ya never know when they will be available again.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
I copy the sierra bullet using their jackets [in 30 cal.]
I do everything I can to stiffen up the bullet to act more like a Hornady interlock.
if the jacket was a little thicker I'd copy the interlock ring, but it ain't, so I just buy and use the 139gr. interlock in 7mm.
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
All my Sierra vs. deer experience has been in 30 caliber. One Game King 165 grain SP, DRT @ 35 yds (308 Win.) 2 with Pro Hunter 170 grain FP from 30/30 WCF, 30 and 45 yards. Both DRT. Knocking on wood here......I have yet to lose a deer I hit with a firearm.

ETA--I shifted away from Sierra Bullets for deer hunting c. 1995, and went all Nosler Partition until that was disallowed in 2008 for that year's deer zone D-8/Kern Plateau. I went with the Barnes TSX/TTSX as I phased out the Noslers as the lead bullet ban moved through the state. In the calibers they are available, I will hunt with Barnes all-coppers henceforth. Many of my calibers are not supported by Barnes, though--those will use the 87/12/1 alloy by Rotometals that has been ruled legal in this carjacker's theme park.
 
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RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
" though--those will use the 87/12/1 alloy by Rotometals that has been ruled legal in this carjacker's theme park."

WHAT!
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Bismuth based alloy. Bi/Sn/Sb

Will be interested in hearing how it casts and shoots for you.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
CZ93X62 said:
All my Sierra vs. deer experience has been in 30 caliber. One Game King 165 grain SP, DRT @ 35 yds (308 Win.) 2 with Pro Hunter 170 grain FP from 30/30 WCF, 30 and 45 yards. Both DRT. Knocking on wood here......I have yet to lose a deer I hit with a firearm.

ETA--I shifted away from Sierra Bullets for deer hunting c. 1995, and went all Nosler Partition until that was disallowed in 2008 for that year's deer zone D-8/Kern Plateau. I went with the Barnes TSX/TTSX as I phased out the Noslers as the lead bullet ban moved through the state. In the calibers they are available, I will hunt with Barnes all-coppers henceforth. Many of my calibers are not supported by Barnes, though--those will use the 87/12/1 alloy by Rotometals that has been ruled legal in this carjacker's theme park.
Click to expand...

I have (and still do mostly) hold Sierra bullets as slightly superior to most others. Opinion started back before there was a Ballistic Tip Nosler and the Solid Base was a competitor.

Dozens of deer and two bear fell to a 175g SGK IN 8mm. 6/8 to the above 140 SGK IN MY 7/08. Pops 30/06 digested at least a half doz boxed of the 165 SGK HP's and This is largely where we discovered its a softer/easier expanding bullet. I have been shooting the lil 90g version in my 25/45 and its marvelously accurate with H335 @ 2900 fps. Two deer taken with it had SHRAPNEL holes on opposite side. But where DRT. In my 280 the 140 SGK HP was also proven explosive at near 3000 on wood chucks one summer.

These HP bullets have always been slightly more accurate for me. But IMHO best reserves for extream ranges where velocities would have dropped. Impacts up close at top velocities have been explosive. Not like a varmint bullet. Penetration has ALWAYS been into vitals. Those of us who believe in "energy dump" and no exits will LOVE THESE. I PREFER HOLES LEAK PROFUSELY.

Thats my first hand experience using these bullets in a few calibers.

I still buy and use these bullets.

CW
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
they did but they approved about 25 other things to take it's place.
they unknowingly approved it all for bird hunting, so the easiest for home use application was crossed over and improved to make rifle bullets as close to lead as possible.

it even got field tested on a live animal.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Ric, I even invited you to write an article for TFS using my lead-free data as posted here on this forum in two dedicated threads. The offer still stands. Folks at CBA forum and CB were up in arms over the ban and no one that I found had successfully alloyed and tested a lead-free cast bullet. Rotometals took my recommendation, sent me some test alloy gratis, and I tested it successfully in two different calibers, and then Rotometals re-blended their whole lead-free casting alloy batch to better serve the lead free market. I'm not sure how many people are in this loop but not many apparently, and the info remains here alone as far as I know.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member

Lead-free bullet casting alloy

I want to continue the "Condor Cuddler" thread here but more to the point of attempting to find a lead-free substitute for cast bullets rather than resorting to the usual Barnes et alia solution for hunting in areas which no longer permit the use of lead bullets. As mentioned on the other...
www.artfulbullet.com www.artfulbullet.com

Not everything is bigger in Texas

Figured I'd stick this here since I didn't put up a photo of the whole deer in the lead-free bullet thread. Rifle was my Mossberg MVP Varmint 24" 5.56 x 45mm, range was 95 yards off my shooting bench, NOE 22-67 FN MX3 @ 58 grains with 88/12/.75 Bismuth/tin/antimony alloy, LBT soft blue lube, 15...
www.artfulbullet.com www.artfulbullet.com
 
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RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Ian, Up to my butt in alligators this summer! Moving mother in law to nursing home, 10 weeks trying to get her on Medicaid (never the right paper with right date) and VA pension. I have been stealing two hours a week to get to the range to shoot a little, but feeling guilty about that. I have not forgotten, but will have to wait awhile longer. Ric
 
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CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I don't know what other states are in the process of adopting lead-free bullets in hunting or other venues, but most jacked-up asinine concepts and ideas tend to emanate from Kalifornistan just like this one did. Sorry about that. I am GRATEFUL that Ian and Rotometals have combined to produce this alloy for those of us in Radio Free Kalifornistan so that we can keep hunting with calibers not catered to by Barnes Bullets.

In fairness, I am generally impressed by Barnes and their commitment to hunters in all states of this nation and other nations. Their hunting bullets are first-rate, and the TSX/TTSX lines are fine game bullets in their own right, above and apart from their non-toxic content. My own rifles have not yet produced the fine accuracy seen from Nosler lead-core j-words, but that may be on account of the rifles rather than the bullets per se. Other folks report superb accuracy with the TSX/TTSX bullet line, so my experience is certainly not universal.

Sierra Game King bullets have a reputation of being "softer" and more-readily-expanding than other makers' offerings. In CA, that works well with our smaller blacktails and muleys. I saw some whitetails on the hook at a meat locker in Alberta in 2005 that ran larger than tule elk do in the Owens Valley--200#+ field dressed. Deer that size deserve NosParts or TSX/TTSX, and had NosParts on board in 9.3 x 62 and 30-06 on that trip. I use Matchking HPs in 22 caliber on varmints with spectacular results to 400+ yards (52 grain MKHP in 223 and 22-250).
 
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