Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Sierra GameKing Question

I asked the lady if she'd pick up a box of bullets for me at the store (mistake). I wrote out what I wanted on a piece of paper that read this: Sierra GameKing, .308 caliber, 165gr, Soft-point boat-tail ONLY.

I get home and find a nice green box ready for me on the coffee table. I read the label: Sierra GameKing. I think,"awesome!" because I was afraid she'd buy MatchKings instead. I then looked at the side of the box and it says: 165gr HPBT Boat Tail 2140. I think, "hollow points?"

I asked her if she got any help and she said an employee found the box for me. I asked her if she gave him the slip of paper and she said she did. I called the store the next day and they say they won't refund or exchange them because I opened the box.

I'm wondering, am I going to have to re-start my load development with the hollow-points? Is there going to be a difference in accuracy? How different will these perform on game compared to soft-point GameKings?

Any help would be appreciated.

The HP GK is a magnum bullet designed for higher velocities than its SP counterpart. Other than being harder (and better suited for heavy game), both bullets may be loaded with the same powder charge, are equally accurate and shoot to the same POI. I currently use them in my .30-06 ( SP on Roedeer and HP for Wild Boar) without having to resight. I also shoot the 2 in my .300 Win Mag's.

Never had a failure with a Sierra Gameking, but the only time I didn't get an exit or bloodtrail was with the hollow point version.The 225# whitetail only went about 40 yards but I was lucky to have shot him in the morning not late afternoon. The 160 gr HPBT out of my 7 Rem Mag fragmented totally. I prefer the SP over the HP. I use them in 7 MM REM MAG, 300 Win Mag and 35 Whelen. If you can't take them back you could sell them here in the classifieds. As far shooting to the same point of aim, I wouldn't trust them to. They might but I doubt it.

I've use both the 165 HPBT and SPBT and far prefer the HPBT. It is tougher, but still works fine on deer and stout enough for elk. You have no worries about point deformation either, but you may not have those worries anyway.

Mostly I shoot them in 308 and 30-06. They shoot just the same with the same loads. Just shoot them and don't worry about any difference, IMHO.

+1, I also use the 165 gr sierra gameking hpbt. They are an extremely accurate bullet and shoot to the same poi as the match grade sierras that I loaded up for my 06'. I wouldn't have any worries about this bullet on deer either, but still prefer the heavier tougher bullet like the partition in my 300 and 338 for elk. Check out Midway and read the reviews that guys post about these bullets. Very good bullet for the money.

I've shot these and they're fantastic. I got 'em on recommendation from a friend whose experience was on whitetails and pigs from an '06. He loved their performance; broad expansion, nearly guaranteed exit.

I've found them to shoot exceptionally accurately through my '06 and wouldn't hesitate to make it my all-around "go to" bullet in that rifle.

Anyone read or heard the minimum opening velocity for the Gamekings (SBT)?

We bought a box of the 165 SGK HPBT's to try in a 300 WSM and they shot so well it made us get out our 06's and they shot better than anything else we've tried in them so we bought some more and they are just about as accurate in my 308 as the 168 SMK's. Then we had to try them in the 30-30's single shot and well we haven't found a 30 caliber we can't make them shoot in. BC on the bullet is not that high but they will shoot very accurately. Wish I could get by with a tube full in the 30-30 was running around 2300 fps with the most accurate load.

The Game Kings ,either with or without the HP are great bullets.Push either at magnum velocities and expect them to come apart. Just another case of not using a bullet in the design paramters it was made for.

AS for same POI for the HP and sdt SP. It may or may not be ok.Just depends on tehe ndividual rifle