Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles SMK performance on Game???

Having seen or shot deer and bear with 107gr 6mm, 142gr 6.5's 175gr 7mm's, 190,200,220 and 240gr 30 cal's and 250gr and 300gr 338's.I feel they work just fine

SMK'S have a lead core with a pretty thin copper jacket.Just like a "HUNTING BULLET"

And that is why Sierra does not recommend them for hunting?
Does Sierra have a secret plot to avoid making money, or do the uses know more than the company which produces them? Just wondering.


Not a personal attck BUT I had to ask because I never ever understood it........

Pop,
Actually the military uses millions of MKs.Its a sweet deal for Sierra.If the word hunting were to be used in anyway with a Match king.Then the new world order UN would most likley tell the U.S. that we cant use them.MKs make great people killers.
Mathman,
The shape may be different.And there very well may be an advantage in the shape of the VLD over the MK.That would be interesting to see proven.Its just that MKs have about a 30 year head start over VLD on game.
But the construction of both bullets is standard cup and core tech.That has not changed in years.
dave

I was aware of the sniper use of SMK's but honestly I never could understand their use on game when there is literally a plethora of excellent bullets specifiacally designed for the task of killing gam as opposed to paper.
I do not get it really. It can not be the accuracy because I am sure if game bullet X does not work in your rifle then Y or Z will. All my guns will shoot around .5-.75" at 100 yards with game bullets. I mean how accurate does a rifle need to be for hunting?

I have talked face to face with a person from Sierra many times about the MK bullet.His answer to your question.The MK was made and marketed with one thing in mind...Accuracy!!!!There was no testing done other than (If it would shoot small groups).The fact that it has been used with great success on game animals all over the world is just a bonus

Pop

Understand this the BC on the 300 MK is .768 the BC on the 250 SXT is .425 that makes a huge difference at long range. Sorry to piss you off but I�m still going to use 300 SMK�

No sweat man use what works for you.

I've heard about Berger making a 338 dia VLD anyone know anything about this.

On a side note, both the 300 SMK and the 250 SMK have been incredibly fine shooters in my 340's.

Dober

The intended use that started this thing was longer range kills with a super .338 at 500 yards plus. From what I understood, the SMK is THE goto bullet in most LR competions. The high BC makes a significant difference at longer ranges. I have heard rumblings for years about this bullets performance on people, game, and metal. Seems the same rings true here as always, the people that like them, like them. The people that don't, don't. Please keep the feedback comming...
R.

How small of game do you plan on hunting with that 338 with 250's? I guess I just don't see the reason to have varmint type accuracy in a big game rifle.

Not saying you belong to this but, I have seen a trend, mostly from people who are newer to hunting an inexperienced that are so obsessed with accuracy that it's not even funny.
they won't take rifles out hunting unless they shoot under a half an inch even though they won't have a bench in their tree stand to shoot off of and probably can't even keep 3 shots in a foot at 100yrds off hand.

i just started to try the SMK on critters this year. two cows and a doe were culled with my 6.5-06 using 142smk's. all three died where they stood.I can't show you the bullet because I did not recover any bullets or peices of bullet. all pass throughs, all at what most would call long range.

This is what Sierra say about hunting with Matchkings in their FAQ's.

Doc

Question:
Can I use a MatchKing bullet for deer hunting? They shoot just great in my rifle, so they should be just super for hunting use, right?

Answer:
No, it's not recommended. The MatchKing bullets are designed for pinpoint accuracy; with no consideration given to what might happen after impact. If the bullet has arrived on target accurately, its job is done at that point. Hunting bullets must perform in a certain manner after impact. Penetrating ability, expansion characteristics, and even profile must be considered when designing a hunting bullet. Use MatchKings for matches, and game bullets for hunting.

doc
Sierra is never gonna hurt there military contracts by recommending MKs for hunting.The minute they say Mks are good for big game hunting the UN will outlaw them for military use.
Now sit back and tell me that a Nosler ballistic tip is made differently than a MK.If anything a BT will open up quicker than a MK with the extra big hole in the front with the plastic plug in place.Cup and lead core bullets when pushed to extremes come apart.Dont matter who makes them.
dave

It may be that Berger has struck gold with this VLD for hunting fad.

As you know they just introduced VLD's in .277" designed for hunting performance. They might do the same for the much less popular .338"?

I think your question was asked on another forum and Berger had not answered yet.

Berger said that they are going to produce a 338 VLD

POP, what do you think of the Widcat bullets on game?

Also how do you explain all of the dead animals with the SMK's?

Mushrooming bullets is what a SMK is with that hole in the front. It actually falls under the group of FMJ and in some provinces it classified in the explosives group. LEO were the only ones that could import them afew years ago, haven't tried buying hollow point pistol ammo, but I don't think it's available to the public, however reloaders can and do produce them.
When flesh or fluid enter this pocket at supersonic speed the front of the bullet becomes a grenade. It is designed to do the most damage with the smallest penetration. Thats why you hear about snipers shooting enemies in the head and the head explodes. The design is not made to whiz through but blow up on contact. However that said -thin skinned animals can fool the bullet. They are illegal for hunting in Canada and I just checked again. Don't come to Canada hunting with them and get caught by a fish cop or you will be in deep doodoo. I'm sure some of the guys that deal with regulations and wildlife management on the forum could give more up to date data on this matter.

Per Eric the .338 will not be done until Summer 2008 and the BC is so high they will not address it until they can confirm it. It was addressed in a little more detail in the ongoing post at AR.

I have never seen or used Wildcats in all honesty so I can not form an opinion. Besides we have awesome bullets right here in the US and they work great for me so I never saw the need to import them from Canada.

As far as the dead animals with SMK that can also be accomplished with FMJ...so what? Does that mean we should use them on game also? I read once in a safari book that a teenager killed a Cape buff with a 22 hornet a stunt that worked so should this be the norm.

I have seen what the SMK look like after they hit gel or wet newspapers or game. Heck look at the picture I posted above.

I have used Barnes X, accubonds, Partitions, Hornady interlocks and others andthey acted like a hunting bullet should. So why should I be a stunt man with Sierra MKs? Heck, it is no secret that I even think their gamekings suck (and they are a game bullet) also let alone their Matchkings.
I called them a long time ago and asked them if they were going to offer a premium bullet. I thought they know accuracy and that coupled with a premium should make an awesome bullet. The "tech" on the phone said no because they make a premium bullet already the Gameking. So I asked him if I push a 165 30 cal at 3400 fps and shoot an elk at 50 yards how will their premium hold up? He said that their premium was designed for longer range....What a tech huh?

Hence the legendary Sierra Stalk. That is when you see an animal and you start stalking backwards so your bullet will not experience the jacket/core separation which is patented (I think)by Sierra. What a company man. Talk about denial!