Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Match Bullets for Varmints??

I just picked at a great price 100 Shilen & 100 Speer 224 52 gr
hollow point Match bullets.
I want to use them for crow/varmint shooting in my 220 Swift AI and maybe 218 Bee.
Any of you guys have any experience using this type bullet for varmints?

Thanks for any imput.

Don

About the only match bullets that I've had any luck with on varmints is the A-max and Bergers. Have'nt shot Speer or Shilen though............. Sorry!

Go for it.. Give them a try..
I haven't used either of those, but have used several others in a 22-250 over the years. I always got best accuracy with benchrest quality bullets, so I used them, mainly on chucks. I've used Sierra 52's, Detsch's, Remington's and Hart's; all constructed like the ones you mention, with good results at 22-250 velocities.
Don

I haven't used them but - high velocity + PD head = mist

MHO - I don't think you have to worry about "wounding" one and then facing a frontal charge as you track it into the bush <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Being that they are BR bullets I think you will do ok - load development like any other helps too tho!

Have fired thousands of the Sierra 53gr MKs from a 22-250, for woodchucks. Very accurate but sometimes lacking a bit in the "dee-struction" department at ranges over 300yds, in my opinion. Used them starting back in the 70's when they were still called Bench Rest instead of Match Kings.

Switched to the Hornady SXTPs for more whomp, then Nosler Btips in 55gr when they came out, ain't never looked back. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In my experience, the Btips are every bit as accurate as the Sierra MKs, only much more frangible at long ranges.

The only potential problem is that of richochets. I don't want to kill somebodies horse or cattle so I always use bullets that will disintegrate on contact.
JMHO
GWN

I personally feel that explosive/expanding varmint bullets are over rated. I shoot a lot of full metal jacket bullets out of a .22-250. Out to 400 yards, the critters still pop like a mellon when hit with a high stepping bullet. It is the hydrostatic shock resulting from velocity that really pops small critters. Most small varmints are so small that nearly anything will make them "pop". You won't have any trouble at all seeing major red mist with match bullets. More frangible bullets up the red mist factor some, but not a huge amount in high stepping calibers. Flinch

In .243 , I have used both Sierra Match Kings and thier Varmiteers on prarie dogs. Couldn't see a lot of differnce. The varmiteers might have exploded a little more, but not much.

My point exactly, Saddlesoar. Flinch

The Sierra MK's that I have shot out of .224" have not been explosive as soft points. This is in the 222R and a overbore magnum with the 69 gr MK.

The Eastern woodchuck is hard to anchor when the bullet placement is not perfect.

Since you have so many I would try them.

Read my post and comprehend it Donny, it says "HIGH STEPPING" .22's. Not pip squeak .222's with heavy bullets. Heavy bullets in a .222 are kind of a "Duh, why didn't the critter pop" type mentality. Coming from you, it didn't surprise me though. Flinch

Flinch,

You need to calm down. You can do this yourself. Acting like you are at present adds nothing to the discussion and it makes you look bad. Try harder.

The .224 Magnum that I used with the 69 gr MK's was a wildcat that I designed myself. The general idea was to do with the .224" bore what the 243 Win will do. Rifle fun one would say.

The cartridge is the 6.5 RM or 7mm RM formed to a case length of 2.0" with a .300" long neck and the standard 25 degree shoulder and body taper. The cartridge headspaces on the shoulder.

It holds about 57.5 grs of water or 51 grs of powder and pushed the light bullets quite fast from the 26" SS barrel.

Some of the chucks were shot at less than 100 yds and after shooting a thousand of them or more I can tell what should happen. Those bullets did not blow up as much as one would want.

That's my test Flinch and I am quite sure of it.

I am sorry, I thought you meant a .222 magnum, not a specialized wildcat. Still, rock chucks don't fall into the "small varmint" catagory like I stated (prairie dogs on down). Rock chucks are a whole different ball game. Flinch

Killed many hundreds of PA woodchucks over the years with a 22-250 and 53gr Sierra Match Kings. My experience with them was generally good, but at ranges beyond 300 yards they often failed to do much more than punch through 'chucks with minimum damage.

Always happy with the accuracy, wasn't always happy with a wounded rodent heading for his burrow with a piece of gut hanging out. Hornady SXTPs were a bit more punishing but not as accurate. The Nosler 55gr Btip on the other hand, is just as accurate as the Match King and far more lethal, at least in our experience. Just my opinion, doesn't matter to me what folks thump rodents with if it suits them.

Know guys that shoot FMJs for woodchucks, but after killing a few last summer with the 223/55gr FMJs and experiencing a couple of ricochets, ain't doing that again either, even though I did it with a suitable backstop (large hill).

The greatest problem with using ANY �match� bullet for hunting is their �ricochet potential�. Another consideration is the suffering a hunter may cause the animal they shoot with a �match bullet� and only wound.

True sportsmen/hunters ALWAYS want to make �clean� kills, whether it�s on big game, small game or varmints� and bullets designated as �match bullets� are designed to �punch paper�, not open up on live, flesh-and-blood targets.

Yes, at very high velocity and reasonable ranges, a match bullet will �work� on varmints, but just as often, they will �shoot-through� the varmint and ricochet off to �who-knows-where�� NOT a very safe thing to have happen.

Naturally, all good hunters should recognize his or her responsibility for safe shooting at ALL times. Therefore, it is not advisable to use match bullets for varmint hunting due to the danger of their �ricochet potential� and their often poor bullet performance in effectively making instant kills on some varmints.

By the same token, those hunters shooting out in the wide open spaces of our Western States have a different �built-in safety margin� than those of us shooting in the Eastern or well-populated Mid-Western States that often have inhabited dwellings or grazing domestic animals within a half mile or less of our rifle�s muzzle.

Therefore, it is ultimately the hunter�s good judgement that must be the final authority in such matters. Unfortunately, �good judgement�, like �good manners� and �common sense�, are often attributes that some folks don�t seem to have anymore.


Strength & Honor�

Ron T.

Ron, I am going to steal your quotation button <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Flinch

No need...likely already wore out by now, or will be shortly. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Jus' my way of emphasizing or "high-lighting", but it drives some folks NUTZ... (heheheheh) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I've shot prairie dogs, coyotes, and bobcats with the Speer 52 gr match bullets from a 220 Swift. They worked just fine. The other Speer 52 grain varmint bullet with the larger mouth will mist prairie dogs better though.

I've also shot a lot of varmints with Berger and Sierra match bullets. I have no complaints with them.