Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Sierra Gamechanger

They have worked well for me with lung shots on deer. 6.5 140s at the Creedmoor’s relatively sedate speeds.

Expat

I had one fail, because I was told its application was like a ballistic tip... but in fact it wasn't.

You push them hard in a 243. 6mm Rem or 240 Weatherby, 6/284, they will work JUST FINE...they are hard and need to be driven hard...although Elk and bear are better applications of game for the bullet, push it hard in the above cartridges and you'll be bringing home venison....

I’m starting a new load development for my daughters 270. Normally I shoot SST in off season and ttsx for deer and elk. SST is Very accurate bullet for me at cheap. But I’m trying to streamline things.
The 130 TGK shoots lights out out my 6.5 so I’m hoping the 140s shoot just as well out of the 270. After talking to sea fire. I filed one down to see the cross section and compare to 150 BT. Both 27 cal. I do like the stream line and thicker copper jacket all the way through of the sierras much better

I have been doing a lot of testing and shooting with a pair of 243's, trying to find a good load for the upcoming deer season. I try something different each year, and was hoping to find a 90 grain load that the 20 inch barrel 243 liked. I tried Hornady 90 ELD-X's, Speer 90 hot cores, Nosler 90 BT's, and Gamechanger 90 TGK's. I tried several different powders, as well as primers. I had some old Nosler BT's loaded up with some W760, and they were the most accurate by far. I just couldn't get the other bullets to group to suit me, and had practically given up on those other bullets.

Then I got to thinking that if the Noslers worked, then why wouldn't the TGK's. So, tried them with the 760 and they were just as accurate, so much so that I'm going to use that combo in that rifle this fall. I've shoot them out to 400 yards, which is my max range at which I'll shoot a deer, and they have been absolutely great.

I'm a huge fan of Sierra bullets, just wish they were out there on the market like they used to be.

Dre - great pics and thanks!

Lou

Yeah they look stout. I was reading up and hearing they are unusually picky with loads for a Sierra. No?

I couldn't find the 85 hpbt's and for a while the 100 Prohunters. I bought some hotcores and that gun just doesn't like ANY flavor of Speers. So after many frustrating session I bought some 95g Berger Hybrids and those are the easiest things to load for. I just don't know if I trust them not to leave a volleyball sized exit as most of my shots are fairly close.

Cant find them here at all. Sierra used to be the most stocked brand in almost every shop here but now they are non existent? What and where are they sending it all to?

Since I've been loading I've found the market
kinda shakey. ( no real internet like today when
I started)
The bullets everybody had were Speers, so that's
what I worked up loads with. Then, the Speers
started getting scarce and the green boxes of
Sierras were in abundance. Now with the local
gun shops about gone here the ones that are
left have mostly Hornady.
One lesson I have learned is to stock up as
much as you think a lifetime supply of whatever
powder and primer and bullet you have perfected
in your loads, because you'll look up and whatever
you need for your pet load will be discontinued.
It's happened to me several times with bullets
and powders

You pretty well nailed that R99.
Mb

Thank you for the info. That is great to see the differences.

Good info guys. I'm going to try the 140 gr Sierra Gamechangers from a 6.5 Creed for Washington mule deer in a few weeks. I'll report the results if I tag a buck.

Regards, Guy

I’ve killed eight coyotes fro 250 to 520 yds all drt. The granddaughter and myself killed a buck each last. Year and hers made it 10 yards and mine was drt with zero bullets recovered.

I thought you were using a Berger Guy?

If you can find some 147 ELDs and I know you have some H4350, they are worth trying.

I've used the Sierra Gamechanger to harvest four whitetails. I've used the 130 gr 6.5mm in a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 6.5 PRC, and two 165 gr .308s in .308 Winchester. Three of the four performed admirably. The 6.5 Creedmoor kill had jacket separation and the bullet broke up without exiting. There was a very poor blood trail, but the animal did expire quickly. I much prefer an exit wound and good weight retention. I don't know if that was a failure of the one bullet or it is common to the design. It certainly isn't unique to non-bonded cup and core bullets. Either way, I wouldn't hesitate to use them for whitetail-sized game.

I've got the 140 gr Bergers on hand, but I've never tried the Sierra Gamechanger/tipped Game King bullets before. Got curious.

We've got 143 & 147 gr Hornady ELD bullets on hand, this year I think it's going to be the Gamechanger. So many choices, only one deer tag!

Guy

I get it loud and clear. I have a few more tags, but not enough to satisfy all the want to tries though.

I have some hard data to share on the 175 gr .270 TGK. Just killed a nice mule deer with it last Sunday in Montana.

Fired in a 1:8 twist 270 WSM. Loaded to a little more than the 6.8 Western (2850 FPS - probably leaving 75 FPS on the table, but it shoots really well in my rifle at that speed). The buck was at 400 yards even, quartering towards me, across a canyon, with a strong direct right crosswind blowing. I held 2 MOA for the wind and should have held 3. The first round was intended for the point of the near shoulder but actually hit aft center of the right ribs, got some of the right lung, penetrated the diaphragm and went through the liver. This bullet happily did not open the stomach or guts and lodged in the left ham, with 2.5 to 3 feet of penetration. The core and the jacket were lying next to each other but had separated when the round came to a stop.

The piece of core fit right into the jacket and you could see how the long chunk of core and jacket were aligned until they separated in the ham.


Retained weight of the jacket and core was 107.7 grains, 61.5% weight retention.
I heard the bullet hit and the buck trotted/walked downhill maybe 20 yards then stopped on the rimrock just short of a thick patch of junipers. He looked pretty wobbly but I'm a "shoot 'till they're down" guy, and I didn't want to lose him in the junipers, so I sent another one - this time broadside and "schooled" a little on the wind. This one fully penetrated and he dropped right there. Here's the exit wound:

Don't reckon I can complain though I would really like it if the core and jacket were bonded, if that could be done without sacrificing accuracy. I have always been a Nosler or Barnes guy so spoiled on bullet integrity.
Overall, I have a nice skull for the wall and meat for the freezer! Hope this review helps somebody.

Cheers,
Rex

Congrats on a great buck and nice shooting! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Jeffrey. I neglected to include that my dope table shows 2295 FPS speed at impact, with the 2850 FPS start, if that helps anyone.

Congrats Rex on a good buck and recovering that bullet. Glad to see I’m not the only one not digging through hide and meat to get my bullet back!