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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,229 Likes: 26
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,229 Likes: 26 |
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,645 Likes: 131
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,645 Likes: 131 |
The 168 grain TSX is a direct copy of the Sierra Match King The Hodgdon Data Center lists for both bullets, same components, same COAL; 2.800 and VARGET Barnes TTsx 168 St load 41g 2514 fps....Max load 45C 2737 fps....C=Compressed S HPBT Match 168 42g 2520 fps 46c 2731 fps So 1 grain difference, nearly same results. IMR 4064 gives similar Forgot- 24" barrel MAGA!
Last edited by TreeMutt; 05/09/25.
"an armed society is a polite society"
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,178 Likes: 25
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,178 Likes: 25 |
Okay, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but a solid copper bullet and copper clad lead bullet with the same weight may have similar profiles but not exactly the same measurements due the the weight difference between copper and lead.
Let's say close enough for most purposes but not exactly.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 52,201 Likes: 450
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 52,201 Likes: 450 |
I've used quite a few different match grade .308 bullets.
Knowing your your intended use, range, cartridge etc. will be helpful. Generally medium range target shooting out to about 300 yards, 308, Rem 700 22 inch barrel If only shooting out to 300-400 yards, give the 175 SMK a try. They work very well in the wind and trump the 168. Easy enough to shoot near 1" 5 shot groups with that bullet at 400 yards with my 308. The 168's, not so much.. Run those 175s around 2,700 fps if your rifle can manage that, and they are golden..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 59,565 Likes: 188
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 59,565 Likes: 188 |
I know opinions vary quite a bit on this but...
I am not going to use 168s or any other match type bullet on deer size game. gunner500 mentioned the Lapua Scenar. Many members of this website have reported fine results on game with those bullets. I see you're shooting a 308 with a 22" barrel. That's very similar to a number of my rifles and also a friend I load for. Over a number of years we've had excellent results with the 168 Berger VLD and Hornady AMax on deer and pigs. Neither of us has tried the Match King, and we're not inclined to. I may try the Hornady 168 BTHP on some hogs. I have used the 168 HPBTs on wood chucks with devastating results and these results lead me to believe that the HPBT is not suitable for medium or larger game. How an expanding bullet from a big game rifle wrecks small animals isn't necessarily a good representation of how it does on larger ones. I can't comment about this for the Sierra 168 Match King having not tried it in this way. However I have seen the results a 129 grain Interlock out of a 260 Remington gives on possum and armadillo sized things. Boom. Nevertheless, it has proven to be a fine deer and hog bullet at my camp.
The Hornady 168 A Max may be a different story. Since I posted my question above (OP) I got some of the Hornadys, loaded them up in my .308 using Varget and they appear to be very close to the groups I was getting with the Sierras.
I need to shoot and also chronograph more to come to a conclusion.
MAGA! Agreed, but is the Sierra 168 HPBT actually an expanding bullet? It does appear from the results on ground hogs, most in the 10-12lb weight range, that it is "explosive" but not the controlled type of expansion I would want on deer. In my Sierra manual, there is a footnote stating that they don't recommend this bullet for game. Another concern is the usual short range shots, on deer and bear, that are the rule around here.. I have heard from others that the 168 HPBT might either blow up or not expand at all. Go figure  IOW, probably inconstant on game. Thanks for the advice. MAGA! I would expect a worse wound from the amax than the hornady. yet I've shot a LOT of game with the 168 smk. Deer sized. Never been unhappy. 185 Berger same. I have not shot a 30 cal amax into deer though, but from smaller ones I tend to wonder.... though the old 75 amax was good at 223 speeds on deer. The new ELD whatevers in larger bullets on larger game leave me shaking my head as a guide and praying folks dont' show up with cup and core ELD whatevers...
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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