Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Sierra 175 Match King for deer?

I'm wonder who has actually used this bullet on deer and what there results were like, if they'd recommend. From the Buffalo Bore ammunition site:

The Sierra 175gr. Match King is a fairly soft bullet that Sierra does not recommend for hunting, however, at our 308 Win. impact velocities, it mushrooms nicely on deer sized animals. Of course it mushrooms more violently at close range than it does at longer ranges. From 100 yards to 500 yards, it performs terminally just like you'd want a deer, black bear, antelope or hog bullet to perform. I would not shoot animals over 350 lbs with it, unless they were over 400 yards away, at which point the bullet will penetrate pretty deep because it is moving too slow to mushroom radically.

I used one when I was young and dumb. It did NOT do well. It didn't open up at all. First shot was straight through behind the shoulder. Deer kept running and I applied a second shot to the back of the head, which also pencil-holed through, but it took out the CNS. There was little to no blood trail from the first shot, not that it mattered.

Why when there are great bullets designed for shooting game. My son in law tried them, lost a couple of bucks

The reason results are inconsistent is that the hollowpoint is very small on that bullet. The largest exit wound I've ever seen was on a deer I shot with a 168gr SMK which hit around 2500 fps (hole was larger than basketball). But after that, I also had one pencil through. If you file the tip of the bullet so the hollowpoint is larger, they'll open every time but you might not like what they do to the meat.

The TMKs on the other hand will open every time. And are also very explosive.

In short, I would find another bullet. You're way better off with a TMK or ELD-M in every way.

A guy in our camp has been using the Federal 308 match ammo with 168 Matchkings. He was enthusiastic about them at first but he’s had some long blood trails has been checking for accuracy of other bullets.

Yeah, I'd be running a lot of other bullets before trying to use a SMK. There are interlocks, powerpoints, corelokts, etc. etc.. You also aren't going to be giving up much at the ranges most deer or elk are taken. Let's say out to 400 yards (I know, we've shot them further out than that), all of those C&C's work damn well.

Used them in the past for deer and elk in a 7mm until I was informed one should not do that. At the time, I subscribed to the placement theory, the rifle was extremely accurate, and I was typically executing neck shots.

No animals complained or escaped, but I subseqnently went to Nosler partitions. Their performance has not been outstanding, as most of my rifles are pushing things out well in excess of 3000fps (Weatherby's). Still though, no complaints, and I've never recovered a slug in either instance.

The voice of reason here.

Gave permission to the husband of my wife's friend. Three consecutive Novembers he hit and lost deer. No blood trails. Found couple following spring. In one case I missed spotting it by less than one yard. Maine cover, such as it is.

After the third year asked the guy what he was using in his .308. Federal GMM 168 gr SMK. Cuz he was in law enforcement, and that's what they were issued.

Inhaled deeply, then encouraged him to try a 165 gr soft point and next couple years he killed......and retrieved......deer without fuss.

Sounds like me when I shot VLD’s. I have on my asbestos underwear so fire away and fall back….

I didn’t like VLD’s on game either

Shhhh. You’re gonna get em stirred up.

i've been wondering the same thing, considering there are plenty of good purpose designed bullets available.

I’ve used them on pigs, some of them decent sized. I was not impressed with their terminal effectiveness compared to many other bullets I’ve used. They are easy to make group well though…

John

Thanks to all for the feedback!

The guy who setup my 308 recommended them, they were his bullet of choice for doing deer eradication for the town he lived in. I have shot a pile of crop damage deer with them. Are their better suited bullets out there sure.

"Inconsistent expansion" is the the phrase that always comes up a lot in the "SMK for deer" threads. Been that way since internet forums were invented. I'd lean toward something else, and I've shot a fair bit of stuff with other match bullets like the the Hornady HPBT and the TMK.

I recall you saying the 6.5mm, 140 grain Hornady HPBT has done well on pigs. Have you also used the 168 HPBT in 308?

I have not. Just the 140gr 6.5mm and the 105gr 6mm. Both gave exits on broadside-ish deer and hogs with wound channels about like a NBT or SST. No sign of any "penciling".

Years ago on long-range-hunting site many people liked the big 300gr. SMK in .338cal. .

The .308cal. 240gr. had fans & non-fans , the .284cal. pretty much went in the 'don't do it folder'.