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What is the Difference between the Speer Hot-Core
and the Sierra Pro Hunter, as far as jacket thickness?

Thanks,
jr1968.

I think you need to be asking a lot more than just jacket thickness. Sierra uses not only jacket thickness (and taper), but also core alloy in variances in their designs. Some makers even vary the jacket alloys they use. Various jacket tapering and scoring also affect the way they work. Sierra's Pro-Hunters don't all use the same core alloys either. It depends on which specific bullet you have in question. Copper alloys also harden if they are worked - as they are when the jackets are drawn. If and how much they are are annealed can be another factor in how 'thick' a jacket acts. (Speer Hot-Cor jackets are probably affected by the heat of the injected core.)

OK,
the bullet in question is the 6.5 120.gr.
I was wondering which was lighter in construction?

jr1968.

Neither of those is a bullet I have used in my Swede since the 129 Interlock has seemed an ideal match. In slightly lighter weight, I've shot a few caribou with the 120 Nosler BT, and been pleased with performance. More recently I've been loading some older 129 grain "2nds" of the Hornady INterbond. They are shooting very well in my Swede but I haven't pointed one at flesh yet. They certainly seem to open well judging from the water bottles I've "killed" at 50, 100, and 200 yards.

If you keep impact velocities down around 2800 fps I doubt you'll ever be able to tell the difference.

Speer Hot Cores generally have a thicker jacket than Sierras on the few I have sectioned. The exception are some of the hollow point Sierras designed for higher or magnum velocity.
I have not used or sectioned those two though. As MD said both should work fine. I would stock up on the Hot Cores if you find a good deal as it isn't clear which ones will be made in the future.

One family I hunted with in Namibia would fill their suit case up with Hot Cores to the maximum Airline weight when they visited the states. That's all they used for several rifles and components were expensive or unavailable in Namibia at the time. In their guiding and culling operations they went through quite a few.

Tagged

I have shot both those bullets in my 6.5x55 Mauser M12. What surprised me was how accurate the 120gn Speer was compared to the 120gn Sierra. Both shot three shots under an inch. I guess I kind of expected the Sierra to shoot that way but I didn't expect the 120gn Speer to considering the largish groups of the 140gn Speer. As mentioned above when loading cup and cores like these two, I don't hot rod them and am loading them to just under 2800fps with H4350. There is no need to at the ranges I shoot. I have shot a bit of game with the 120gn Sierra and have had a pass through on a side on shot at a 70kg (150lb) pig. Based on other Speer Hotcors I'd rate these two bullets about the same and would be happy to shoot pigs and small deer like fallow and chital (which are about the size of your whitetail).

The finest bullet I have loaded so far is the RWS 127gn Cone Point. This bullet will penetrate pigs up to 80kg (170lb) even on angling shots. I have less than 100 left and was going to try and track down some more but guess I'll try something else when these are gone.

Sorry for rambling on but I've really fallen for the old Swede cartridge and the M12 rifle combo. I'm even hunting with it more than I do with my three .257 Roberts rifles so that must say something.