Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles How tough is the 200 gr Sierra BT?

I am referring to the 0.308 caliber Gameking. Is it good for moose elk etc, or will it come apart like most gamekings? Velocity (MV will be 3100 fps)

Fotis,
Being a Nosler kind of a guy, I am surprised at the diversionary interest?
Why bother. Lol
John

Fotis, they are HARD, with a tapering jacket and 6% antimony core, designed for magnums shooting at big animals. Only caught one, in an elk shot in the ass. Bullet made it though to the inside of the breastbone, weighed 165gr recovered, streamlined mushroom. Impact velocity was about 2600. All other shots on animals were pass-thrus. I switched from 200 partitions because the Sierras shoot better for me, and the price and performance is the same if buying Noslers through SPS.

Just broadening my horizons, collecting data. The 200 Accubond serves me ok but never hurts to listen to others' experiences.

Fotis, I'm also looking at the 200 gr SGK's for my 300 WM. I'm currently using 180 gr. NP protected points and AB's. I'm getting decent accuracy but, would like to see what the SGK's will do. I recently started reloading them in another rifle and accuracy improvements were very good although, I have used them on game yet. HuntnShoot, good info; sounds like they work well for you. Don't want to take over the thread but I hope others opine.

Probably need to mention it will be for deer at longer ranges. Getting too old to climb mountains now and, this past year was probably my last elk hunting trip.

While on the subject of Sierras, how tough is the 180 Pro Hunter? Is it an elk bullet?

I have a pre-'64 Model 70 in .300 H&H that shoots reasonably well with 180 Partitions, but I get somewhat tighter, more consistent groups with the 180 Sierra.

I have shot 180 pro hunters for years. The only one I ever found was in the 2nd deer the bullet killed. It was a picture perfect mushroom. 300 win mag. Killed deer from 10 to close to 500 yards. Ed k

For large sized game yeah... for deer size, regardless of size... NO

definitely not out of a magnum...nailed a large MN Buck on last day of season
as the sun was dropping, at about 100 yds...out of a 300 Win Mag...

blood all over the place, hair all over the place..

buck jumps up, shakes it head and heads 2 feet right into the huge swamp he'd
been heading for...

never did find him...sure it was close to a 250 to 275 lb buck...

Federal factory ammo...called Sierra Customer service..

they told me the bullet was too hard for that application

and probably zipped thru the deer and never opened up before exiting...

said it was meant for elk, moose, big bears...

I have witnessed pretty good performance with Sierra 200 grainers out of 30-06's on elk. I've also shot and witnessed a fair number of 200 NPT's out of various 30 cals. I would still give the nod to the NPT's.

And yes, sometimes Sierras will shoot well when others don't, but I've never ran across a rifle that would shoot Ballistic Tips well and not Sierras, and vica versa.

The 180 gr Sierras are not great elk bullet, lots of other better choices out there.

I agree with this. I like them.

I have the 180gr SGK loaded for my 300WM. Extremely accurate. Sits on top of 72grs of IMR4831. I have taken 3 deer between 65 and 85yds. 1st two were perfect broadside shots. 1had 1.5" exit, vitals were liquified. 2nd deer the same. 3rd deer was shot in the neck. Made her do a complete backwards flip head over ass. Dead when she landed. Took out the carotid artery and broke the neck. All three deer were between 125lbs and 150lbs.

I don't know Fotis, but wouldn't fool with it myself because of it's specialized nature, a 200 gr NPT will open just fine on an 80lb doe deer, even when fired from an '06 at the lowly speed of 2700 fps, the NPT will also handle most any situation near or far when fired from the magnums, if accuracy can be found, the 200 gr NPT is near impossible to beat for a straight hunting bullet imho.

Are we talking 30-378 here? If so I don't imagine it's a high shooting volume plinking toy, so the extra cost of the Partition shouldn't be a big deal.

Don't personally know how tough they are but, a few years ago when everything was in short supply due to the then current un-American regime, a fellow campfire member asked if anyone could sell some because none could be found. I had a full box and sold it to him and a few weeks later, he sends me a picture of a very nice bull elk taken with one. Can't remember the chambering but, thinking a .300 Mag.

I shoot the 200's out of my 300 at about 3000 fps. Have used them on whitetail, mule deer, and elk. All good results.

Ex wife shot the 180's out of a 300 wsm. She killed black bear, whitetail, mule deer, elk, and one big Shiras moose. All good results.

I also shoot the 225's out of my 350 Rem Mag. Elk don't like that combo one bit. Works great on deer too.