Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How much difference between GameKing BTSP and BTHP?

Sierra says the BTHP is a tougher bullet. For those with experience with both, how much difference have you noticed on game? Thanks in advance for the replies.

I've shot the 165 BTHP end to end on a deer that was about 140 lbs. This was out of a .308 at about 50 yards.

Never have recovered one, but the vast majority of the shots have been through the lungs and out the other side, not a real challenging task on the smaller deer we gave in VA.

A friend also shot one end-to-end through a deer with an '06 and the 165 grain bullet. His deer was heavier than the one I shot, and MV is a little higher than with my .308.

One bullet that did not make it through was a 40 yard shot using a 300 WinMag, MV of 3150 fps. It blew up on the shoulder. That was an extreme test for the bullet, but the deer died anyway. Right there, like it was struck by lightning. This was also the 165 grain version.

I'm thinking they work good if you keep impact velocity under 2900 fps.

They are very accurate out of any of the rifles I've tried them in, but don't have the best of BC, so if you shoot any distance with them, you're gonna have to be on top of your wind and range estimate. But they work good for me.


I've not tried the Gameking, and have found the Pro-Hunter to be a little on the soft side, too.

I shot a doe in the shoulder with a 165 grain game King. It was shot from a 30-06. The bullet blew up the should but didn't enter the rib cage. The doe was limping off and I had to shoot it again.
If there's a tougher bullet use it. As it is Sierra bullets are now used for prairie dogs and paper targets. I will never use Sierra bullets on game again!

Wife shot a 150 Btsp from her 270 through a nice black bear diagonally a few years back, no signs of breakup and the bear only made it 20yds or so.

Have used the Bthp 165gr version on some caribou and have had satisfactory results out of an 06.

I rather like both of them for soft critters at moderate ranges and velocities.

I have shot both in the 222. The sierra match king has a much tougher jacket than the game king. I shot several deer with the match king that exited deer leaving a very small hole. They simply didn't open up much. I switched to the game king bullet. They have expanded very well. Have shot many deer with them, and they do the damage you would expect a hollow point to do. I really like them. I have a friend who was using 30 cal match kings in a 308 for killing coyotes. He quit using them because he was pin holing the coyotes. The bul!ets wouldnt open up,and the coyote would run a coup!e hundred yds beforepiling up.

I believe the OP is asking about the difference between the HPBT GAMEKINGS and the SPBT GAMEKINGS. Not Matchkings.

I have used the 165gr bthp in 30-06 with great results

Yes, this is correct. I've used the GameKing spitzers with much success but haven't used the hollow point GameKings and was wondering about the difference in how they perform on game.

The 7mm 160gr GKHP work well. I prefer the HP because you get no exposed lead distortion on recoil in the magazine. Consistent BC

I have a friend that absolutely swears by the Sierra BTHP out of his .264 WM

No bullet recoveries, so I can't say what they looked like after traversing deer and hogs from a few different angles and traversing from shoulder to shoulder to nearly end to end. I, or family/friends, have taken a number of deer and hogs with one or the other. Ranges from less than 40 yards to about 80 yards. Quick result each time. No trouble, no failures, no tracking jobs.

In each case the exit was slightly larger than the entry and the internal damage was plenty, but not excessive. Also in each case, velocity was in the mid-high 2000's. Very few of my hunting loads are at or near max. Most are in the middle to just beyond middle of the charge range.

A few examples:
My younger son shot a 153 lb buck with the .243 85 gn BTHP. Entry was high chest by the left shoulder and exit was through the hindmost ribs on the right side. The deer somersaulted backward, rolled back to rubber legs, went 20 yards in a circle, and dropped.
My older son shot an average doe, also quartering, with the .308 BTSP. Similar result. Drunk monkey run for 30+- yards and down.
A hunting partner shot a nasty big boar through the shoulder with the .308 BTSP. Exit was just behind the opposite shoulder. The hog never took a step.

If Sierra says the BTHP is tougher, then so be it. I have no reason to doubt them and I'd use it.

Sierra probably knows what they're talking about but I've used both bullets and haven't noticed any difference in performance on whitetails. I've used both bullets quite a bit from the .308 & .30-06. I have no complaints with either though the supposedly tougher HPBT (165 gr.) left its jacket on the inside of the rib cage of a modest sized doe I shot a few years ago. The lead core exited and punched a 1" exit hole. I've also used the 85 gr. HPBT in the .243 without complaint. Hit deer through the slats and it's a goner.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm considering trying the 7mm 160 in a 7 mag for use on deer and hogs. Obviously it'll kill, but since I usually shoot deer behind the shoulder and hogs on the shoulder I'm looking for somewhat of a compromise bullet without the premium bullet cost.

Hornady Interlock?

Me too.

The 154 and 162 are both on my radar as well

And to show how quirky, a buddy was shooting exact same from his gun, my reloads. Hit a rib going in, a rib going out, through both lungs. And we found a tiny piece of lung on the ground.

Never expanded and never killed the buck.

We know that because it was killed 3 weeks later, shot in the neck so we could see, hole in a rib each side, no expansion, and a bit of scar tissue formed in both lungs already....

although I've never had a bad result from the SMKs, I know others claim to have. I trust the SMKs more than teh game kings.

Now that's just crazy talk

If you can get past the poor bc, the HPBT usually shoot well and hold up

Crazy, but its what I"ve seen.

But mostly the advent of Barnes solved that for me. Between them and Berger, I don't much worry anymore...