Guys using Sierra 90gr bthp the jackets were getting the jackets stripped off and never making it to the target. Sierra has since redesigned that bullet. I'm curious to see what hornady tells you..
I did not have that experience, and I probably had some of the first lots put out to the public by Sierra. The problem with the 90gr SMK's were they hit pressure before they hit speed out of the 20" AR's. I didn't shoot a ton of them, but I did shoot them hard looking for velocity with multiple powders and out of two barrels (one was strain equipped). I did not have a single failure out of a full box of 500. I was well stocked with JLK's and those ran faster and definitely held wind better than any 80, so those were my preferred 90's.
What caliber were those guys shooting the 90's out of? It's kinda ironic...Jimmy was making his 90's with 6mm jackets because no one made a 22 cal jacket long enough for the 90gr VLD's. ...but Sandy P was shooting them and blowing them up regularly out of her 6 twist Krieger Match Rifle in those early days. We were chomping for Sierra to join the fray, because their jackets had a reputation for being tougher (than Hornady who had a reputation for poofs and cracker jacks in the match world - a flyer in every box...though I'm pretty sure they've fixed those problems). I never heard of Sierra 90's blowing up out of a 223... then again not many shot that bullet until the bigger AR cases started appearing.
