That 85gr HPBT has always been an enigma for me. A lot of guys on this forum don't think Sierra can make a decent big game bullet even when they try. And here we have a bullet touted by Sierra as a varmint bullet, and it receives rave reviews for lots of folks as a tough bullet and outstanding for deer. No comprendo...
The SP is their Varminter.
The HPBT is a Gameking.
This is where I got my impression (Sierra 4th Edition Manual):
85gr HPBT GameKing:
"
Designed as a thin-skinned long range varmint bullet, this aerodynamic bullet shoots like a MatchKing and
expands like a Varminter. Probably the best all-around bullet for the 6mm Remington and 243 Win. Shooters using the entire range of 6mm cartridges wil find this to be an excellent bullet. This bullet has also proven to be highly effective on medium game, such as deer and antelope,
as long as the shots re carefully placed.Optimum, range for varmint hunting: 50 to 500 yards."
Guess Sierra may have toughened it up since then...
