Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6mm 85 grain Game King for deer

Hmm.... again, the TSX in the x39mm Russian case, AI'd (PPC-USA case, using the LR primers).

Seated to 2.250" COAL, mini-Mauser action, moly'd 85 TSX/BTHP (87 V-Max), about 27.5 grains of '335, 60kPSI, 3000-ish fps via a 20" tube...

It'd be nice...

Thanks for all the replies.

I loaded some up with IMR4350 from 44 to 46 grains, my rifle hated them (3" groups), Re-tried with IMR4064, much better .625 groups. But lower velocity. Overall lenght was not consistant with Sierra. Bullet length varied as much as .057 when inspecting 2 different box's of 85 HPBT #1530.

Jumped ship and loaded 95 grain Hornady SST with 38.0 of IMR4064. Only 2900 fps, and .800 groups, but plenty good for deer and consistant lengths and groups.

I was going to start a thread on this subject but will just add to this one.

I started playing around with these bullets a couple years ago while developing a load for my Ruger 77. These were the most accurate bullets and load I came up with.

Never shot a deer with it until last Wednesday morning.

I shot a 150 lb 8 point on the run quatering at me at 150 yards he is chasing a doe.
I am following this deer for a while in the scope waiting for the right sight alginment. I get his neck extended and in the crosshairs just at the top of his neck line and I tripped the trigger. Deer goes down and starts trying to get up and dragging himself with is left front leg. This lasted for what seems like an enternity to me but was only seconds and then he stops.

The bullet entered the top of the shoulder, calibre sized hole in the skin, the muscle and the shoulder blade. About an inch further back and the bullet hit the top of the ribs and the backbone area. At this point the bullet has expanded and has tore a hole almost the size of a tennis ball into the top of the ribs and backbone, both lungs are pretty much mush no exit.

The bullet did the job it killed the deer. But I am thinking that if the bullet had not hit the ribs and backbone would it have passed through with out expanding? If this were the case how far would this deer run before it bleed out? How big would the exit wound be and would it provide a good blood trail.

I wish you all good hunting this season will check in next week as I am headed out to try and put another one down with above combo.

arky

Got a chance to shoot the new toy.
The Kool Blue 6mm Rem did not care for the 95 gr BT's or the 100 grain PT's .
However with the 85 gr Sierra BTHP Gamekings it did .450" at 100 yards. The load of 46 gr of H4350 yielded 3280 fps. Plenty of speed.



Here is the Kool Blue



The other is the Custom Deluxe 25-06 26" barrel from the custom shop.

The Kool Blue is going to Texas for hogs next month. According to the reviews below should do great!

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=374787

Arky, We were running that at 3000 out of 20" barreled 7. Teenager friend lined up on a nice antelope buck at 220 yards and punched a hole through his lungs. He ran 20 yards, stopped and rolled over. About an inch sized exit hole, with no major bones hit. It is the same story on a nice doe antelope and another buck antelope later for another kid with same rifle.

Keep waiting for one not to kill something and will keep running them when a 243 is in the house.

I am positive an 85 grain bullet would work on Mr. Whitetail Buck but myself wants a heavier bullet plan and simple. I use a load that has been good to go for us the last 35 years. The Nosler Partition in the 100 grain bullet weight is my pick for a deer bullet.

I have used the 75 & 85 grain for both coyotes and other predators/varmints. Hornday and Sierra bullets get my attention and have served us well the last 4 decades.

A now retired TWRA officer I know swore by the Premium 85 BTHP load for his work gun; extreme accuracy. Bought them by the case and shot lots of deer, white turkey and anything else that needed killing until he burned that tube out.

Got a new, custom .243 built for work that didn't like the 85, but doted on the Fed Premium with 70 gr. BT. Killed everything as well as the 85.

Seems like Dober has killed a fair bit with a 70 gr. NBT too. I shot a couple boxes worth of deer with them years ago before someone told me they were for varmints. They worked well before I knew better......lol.

I'm running ALMOST the exact same load as Fotis with about the same results in my Model 7 243. Only difference is I'm running 45 grains of H4350 and getting 3170 out of my 20" tube.

Dave

Seen the 85 HPBT do a lot of nasty things to critters... it's a great bullet for deer on down... I like the big brother 90 grain .257 too.

3170....

I shot probably about 100 woodchucks with them back in the day. They always expanded on every woodchuck with about a 2" exit wound. You don't have to worry about expansion on deer.

Thanks Fotis.

3170 was the number I was shooting for...stupid pun intended.

Dave

Well my "undersized, girly, 243 pea shooter" just happened to take another good size 8 pointer on opening day of the New York deer season using the 85 grain Sierra HPBT. The shot was about 140-150 steps (yards) almost broadside. The bullet broke the left shoulder and left a gaping hole in the chest cavity. The inner's were turned to mush and deer was DRT. I've used the 85 HPBT for a very long time and have always had good results using it. BEN

I did a whole lot of varmint hunting years (70's) ago using that Sierra 85 grain BT bullet. It shot .330 out of a model 700 BDL Remy in those days, same went for the 6mm as well.

Nobody but my brother in law shot deer with a .243 & elk to boot! I later on used the 100 grain bullet for deer and it worked super. I once penetrated 9 inches of various wood off the back porch with a Nosler Partiton 100 grain bullet in the .243 caliber. It is also a very good bullet for longer ranges too.