Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting ? Regarding the SIERRA 125gr. Pro Hunter in .308 Win.

I loaded some Sierra 125gr Pro Hunter bullets for my Savage .308 Win. Weather Warrior. These bullets shoot clover leaf groups at 100 yards. Is this bullet tough enough for use on white tail deer?
Thanks

Put it where it counts = dead deer....

Yes...

Thanks Gmoney & rooster711

Yup your in good shape.

How fast are they moving out?

Would think somewhere between 3000 to 3200 fps depending on your rifle.

+ 2

I'm just going to tell you what is says in the Sierra Handgun Manual:

Bullet #2120 - 125 gr Spitzer Pro-Hunter

"Sierra's Pro-Hunter design is generally considered too "hard" for all but the most powerful of the .30 cal handgun cartridges. .308 class handguns can use these with satisfaction over maximum hunting loads at short range provided bullet weight is matched to the game. [MM comment - well duh!!!] The LONE EXCEPTION is the 125 gr #2120 which, due to its light weight, can be used for medium game at 30-30 level velocities, but must be kept at or near maximum levels."

They do not give an optimum MV for use on game. I infer that upper end .30-30 velocities to be 2,400-2600 fps out of a handgun. Depends on whether you are talking about the .30 Herrett, .30-30 Win or .308. Shoot these at 3,000-3,200 fps and I think you are asking for trouble. That would be o.k. for varmints.

FWIW, my kid shot his first deer (Sitka blacktail doe) with the 135 gr SSP bullet which I loaded down in his 16.5" bbl Ruger MKII .308 winnie to about 2,200 fps MV.

I've shot the 125 gr Pro-Hunter in my .30 Herrett, but not at game.


MM

Thats a cup and core bullet that might be going fast for such a design if its a full 308 charge. Thus it might not penetrate far enough depending on where it hits.

Otherwise it will kill lots of stuff.

If the hunting is easy and only good shots are taken it will be more than enough for most deer at normal ranges. Guys here use less gun for crop damage but not me.

In theory its best to use the most effective bullet for the circumstances at all times.

That is essentially what I was told when I started shooting the 125gr Hornady spire points in one of my M98s in 8x57. I've not chrono'd the load, but would guess they're poppin' along at least 2800fps or a bit more, from the muzzle. I liked them because they were far more accurate than any of the 150gr bullets previously loaded for deer in that particular rifle.

First buck killed was at about 85 yards. Bullet entered behind the left shoulder and exited the offside shoulder after breaking it. Dead deer on the ground where it had stood, end of story.

Since then I've killed several other deer with it, including one large baldy at slightly over 100yds, that crushed the spine, killing her instantly, (downhill shot in brush at a deer that was facing me. Was aiming at the base of her neck, she turned to depart, just as I pulled the trigger).

Probably never use any other bullet in that rifle.

You can, but why ? Many, many years of experience has shown their are all sorts of 150 gr. bullets which work just fine for all but the fussiest deer hunters.
Not much chance of a surface blowup with that bullet. The Sierra Tech Reps have told me it's not a very light jacketed design like a varmit bullet. It should penetrate fairly well and kill very well simply because it would be pushed plenty fast enough. As to penetration for a certain blood trail, I have some doubts. Even some 150 gr. designs don't always do that.
I much prefer either the Nosler Partition or the Barnes TSX for deer in the 150 gr. weight. That way, I have plenty of penetration for an any angle shot.
Not my cup of tea. E

It has been a few years but I believe I loaded this slug for a midrange load in a .308 for a neighbors kid. Was only doing about 2,600 at the muzzle but nobody told the deer and it worked just fine.

My biggest concern would be excessive meat loss at high speeds.

My wife shoots the 125 gr Sierra #2120 in her 308 at about 2900 fps. She has never had to shoot twice and has never lost a deer in the last 27 years she has used it. Last year she hit a big 8 pt buck in the shoulder and knocked it down instantly. I couldn't find the exit hole or the bullet. But it was a little messy.
It is accurate and the recoil is not bad compared to the heavy bullet loads.
She will use nothing else!
I won't even try to change her mind anymore!
whelennut

I've got a friend who has filled several pick up loads with deer using the 7mm 120 gr Sierra Pro Hunter out of his 7mm-08. He won't use anything else & is sending it out the barrel at 3000+ fps.

Based upon that, I don't know why the 125 gr 30 caliber would not do as well.

If a 130 gr works out of a 270 why is it so hard for people to believe that a 125 wouldn't work out of a 308?
Lots of people have posted that an 85 gr 243 will work just fine right?
whelennut

My sierra manual is quite old.
But it has a picture of a 125 bgrain Prp Hunter fired from I belive a 30,06. It clearly worked quite well.
But sierra states on the same page that the 150 is probably a better choice.
I like 165s real well, but usualy go with a 150 grain hornady.
I don't think Whelen nuts coparison is valid beacuse a 130 grain .270 is designed for deer hunting at 270 velocity.
Does anybody know what the 125 sierra is designed for ?
...tj3006

4th Edition Sierra Manual
"The 125 gr #2120 has a medium weight tapered jacket. It is very destructive at high velocity and is an excellent long range varmint bullet. When loaded to medium velocity it is an excellent low-recoil hunting bullet suited to medium game.
Most effective muzzle velocity for hunting 2700 to 3600 fps.
Most effective muzzle velocity for accuracy 1900 to 3600 fps.
Optimum range for hunting 100 to 300 yards."

whelennut

Awhile back I pickedup several" battle packs" of 308 Military ammo that was Berdan primed. I thought if I replaced the bullet with a lighter soft point I could use it for some hunting. I picked the 125 grain Sierra Pro Hunter. Perched on top of the military powder charge this load shot MOA out of my Mauser and dropped 4 whitetails for me in 1986. All were neck shots or ribcage shots and all exited or blew bone out the other side. I shot some coyotes as well as prairie dogs and everything died quickly. All shots were under 150 yards. I'd use this bullet again for the same use.