Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Sierra 6.5mm 130gr HPBT Game King on Deer

What do you all think of the Sierra 130gr HPBT Game King bullet for deer/antelope using a 6.5 CM at about 2850 fps MV.

Took a good-sized Mule Deer with this combo a couple of years ago. While he didn't run more than about 100 yds, I am wondering about the bullet performance. The shot was about 275 yds, and I recovered the bullet under the offside hide. Nice double lung shot, but the bullet broke in two, and the exit holes from the rib cage were about 2" apart, and both half's of the bullet recovered under the hide.

Not sure what to think of the HPBT Game King for deer now. Yes, I recovered the deer with no issues, but I am wondering how it has performed by others on the forum. The tip of the bullet does not show any signs of expansion at all.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Be nice if you had a picture of the deer and the bullet........

You're right what is a post without a deer in it.

Sorry, no pics with the skin off showing the entrance and exit wounds.

I just loaded some of these bullets to try in my 6.5x284. It may be a while till I can take a deer with one.

Pretty interesting stuff. Not the sorta performance I’d want but it did work. Maybe that 130 HPBT is too tough for the Creed? I know the 140’s in the 270 and 160’s in the 7mm are considered tougher bullets.

Not 6.5, but in my 7-08 the 140 Sierra HPBT is slightly more accurate than my previous fav, the 120 NBT, may be more expansive and kills WT’s quickly. Good internal tissue damage, good exits.

It’s my current fav.

DF

Have no complaints about the accuracy of the Sierra 6.5 130 HPBT game king in my creeds, they shoot great. Can easily keep 1/2" 3 shot groups at 100 yds.

Thanks for the replies, looking for more experience on this bullet. Just not sure if this is a one-off case of strange behavior or is the bullet too hard for the Creedmoor's velocity range. I have heard on other forums that these HPBT game kings are a harder bullet but would have expected it to just pencil through if that was the case.

Thanks for any more experiences.

If I saw that kind of bullet performance on a deer it would be one and done for that bullet.

On deer size game that is unusual for a bullet to break in two.

Did it spit out the core also?

What I have seen of a couple Sierra HPBT on deer is they're more fragile than the Sierra Bt or PH. And I would consider the latter two the minimum for muleys. Certainly fine for pronghorns.

I know, I know, Sierras are accurate and they are inexpensive (at least they used to be), and a ton of whitetails back east have been killed with various Sierras.

For me, I load for worst case scenario, which would be a large muley quartering away at shortish range. That is not in most Sierra bullets wheelhouse. Yes, there are a few exceptions in the larger calibers.

Back in the day I killed a number of elk, deer, pronghorns, and a couple bears with Sierras. When I started guiding I quickly found out what premium bullets were about. Based on the reports from a couple friends the Tipped Game King is a much tougher bullet. Maybe too tough for reliable expansion though.

Ya reckon tipped GK’s may be a bit different than HPBT’s.

DF

lol....indeed I do reckon that!

Personally I use them for targets and varmints. Nothing else

alpinecrick - Almost looks like the front half broke off and the bottom portion expanded before losing the lead core.

If I had not found the upper portion, I would have just thought it was soft and expanded down before finally losing the core.

I've been on the hunt for some of the 6.5 130gr to try in my creedmoor but I haven't been able to locate any.

I did load some 7mm 160gr GameKing HPBT for my 280 Ackley Improved this past deer season. AVG Velocity was 2887fps. I was able to harvest 3 whitetails at a variety of distances and angles. Shots ranged from 60 to a shade over 200yds and were taken broadside, full frontal chest, and quartering to me. Entrance and exit wounds were impressive and I never lost a deer not did I recover any bullets.

If you want to trade or sell your 130gr 6.5 HPBT GameKing bullets let me know.

Personally, it seems that Sierra concentrates on accuracy and not terminal performance. Anything will kill a deer, but the ones that I have used have been less than impressive.

Lots of people do not look at bullet performance and only care about dead. I like to know what a bullet does in the process.

Sierra got lucky with one bullet-the 85-grain, .243. Lots of great reports on game. I never used them myself. .

I guess I will have to retire my supply of 130gr HPBT game kings to plinking and varmint hunting. I've used Sierra game kings for years in .30 cal (308 win and 30-06) 165gr SBT with good, controlled expansion and nearly always complete penetration on lung shots. This is my first experience with the BTHP game kings, and I think I will have to look into other bullets for deer and antelope.

Anyone use the Sierra game changer's (tipped game kings) in the 6.5 CM velocity range? 130gr or 140gr?

Up close shots could spell disaster for this bullet. It's jacket is not designed to take game. There are other much better bullets in this weight. Hornady for instance makes a 129gr Interlock, as well as a bonded version.

Where do you get that from?

Ben, send me a PM. I could probably set you up with some of those bullets....

I tried the 85 gr hpbt on two deer at approximately 80 yds, while they both died quickly running only 60 yds the entrance and exit hole were almost the same size.
The 100 gr Sierra game king is impressive in my experience.