Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 225-gn Sierra Game King at a MV of 2450 fps... your opinion of terminal performance?

jds,

It's not "just to be different", it's to use what's BEST for me, based on my experiences in the field. That's the .358.

Using the B&C reticle on my .358, I can hit just as consistantly at 375 yards as I can with anything else, which is to say pretty much every time. So it is an equally good tool at that range, compared to a 7-08 (or whatever). I think a .35 caliber, 225-gn bullet at 1800 fps is gonna leave a mark!

As to the Sierra... well... the stubborn person in me just didn't want to think that there could BE a problem with a 225-gn bullet, .35 caliber, on a deer. That's a lot of bullet, and a lightly put-together animal. The core-jacket seperation doesn't really bug me (for deer) but the failure to expand surely does.

Sorry, man!
Maybe it was a fluke!

Kevin, that's GREAT info and much appreciated. I actually usually kill them at more like your 15 yards and a bullet that doesn't expand at that range... is not a bullet I want to use. Fluke or no fluke.

If you aren't absolutely confident in your bullet, even if there isn't a valid technical reason, is reason enough to go with the NPT in my opinion. You can still use the Sierra's for practice, and the number of rounds you send downrange whilst hunting is insignificant.

Which of the two (Sierra or Partition) shoots higher in your long range tests?

I don't understand what you said about it obviously has more to do with how it shoots than the difference in drop. Can you clarify?

It sounds like you've talked yourself into the Partition. I think it's always a good choice.

I don't which one shoots higher... what I was trying to say earlier, and failed at, was that WITH THE SAME ZERO, the Sierra and Partition hit about 8" differently, in the vertical direction, at 100 yards.

So it's not a "drop" issue, it's just... how they shoot. I've seen a couple inches difference with same-weight bullets at 100 yards, especially with TSX's vs. "regular" bullets... but never 8 inches! Just sort of interesting. Makes you wonder how they could be coming out of the barrel so differently as to impact 8" differently at that range.

However, with either one actually zeroed at 100 yards, they impact approximatly the same out to 375 as you'd expect, given their similar BC's.

Did that make sense? It's just the normal thing where bullets from different makers hit a little different spot on the paper, but taken to an EXTREME.

Partition is always a good choice, agreed 100%.

Jeff,
I think you are obsessing a little too much.

Is it hunting season yet?

What Kevin is describing is a fluke occurence. I personally feel this type of stuff happens more that we care to admit about bullets, but normally they aren't recovered for us to obsess about.

Do you want a 225gr in the boiler room or a partition maybe not in the boiler room. This truly is 6 of one and half dozen the other.

On deer this isn't an issue.

Follow your instinct, shoot the crap out of whichever load you choose and go hunting and kill a deer.

CRS

CRS, problem is, I'm sort of changing away from a load I have shot the crap out (and that works really well) and messing with something else... and it's messing with my head <g>.

You are pretty much spot-on.

I won't be able to afford to shoot that Partition load much. But I don't think I need to. 375 yards is not that far, really, and it's hitting very reliably...

You said a mouthful there. Life would be so much easier for all of loonies if we would quit messing with things that work.

I would shoot the Sierra, just don't think you need a partition for deer. If you were going to hunt elk, then I would step up to the partition.

If my rifle shot the Sierra that well, I would not even consider the Partition. The weight of the bullet will more than offset any potential jacket core separation/penetration issues. The accuracy is essential at extended ranges for deer. The caliber diameter makes a decent size hole with even moderate expansion. If you get moderate expansion you will have a sufficient wound channel coupled with deep penetration from any angle. If have have jacket core separation in a deer with that size of a bullet (very unlikely) you will have a massive wound which drop the deer very quickly. The way I see it, with your cartridge for deer hunting an accurate load is the way to go.

Jeff, why not set up some wet newsprint at long distance and see how the bullet does there? My thinking, based on side-by-side comparisons I've done with other 35s at closer distances is that the Sierra GK is a bit hard, probably fine for 200 yard shots when hitting substantive targets (with the 358). At longer distances, I think you'll want a bullet with a softer core which can help get things opened up some. Shooting deer in the rain forests of Oregon with solids seems a bit "iffy" to me, 35 caliber or not.

It seems odd to think of a Sierra that way, Klik, but there's enough reports out there of not-so-good expansion that it does need to be factored in. So I agree. Plus, when I called Sierra, they sort of said the same thing.

I'm just going to use the Partition. It may not have quite the "shock" of the 200-gn Hornady's I've been using (or, maybe it will, I don't know)... but Partitions are soft up front and it should expand reliably. It did put that one deer down fast when I tried one a few years ago and the shot placement was not great, either.

Plus the truth is, most likely I'll be shooting deer at like 40 yards anyway <g>. Or 40 feet. There's just a couple spots that I routinely hunt that used to be beyond the "reach" of my .358, and now they aren't- which was the whole point of this exercise in stretching the legs of this cartridge.

The 200-gn Hornady is, in my opinion, a spectacular bullet for deer from a .358; I love it. However it's not a particularly accurate load in my rifle, and combined with the low BC, it was sucking at longer ranges... I shot a lot of the dang things in the last few months trying to convince myself otherwise, but it's just reality. A switch to 225's and suddenly hitting the 375-yard gong is near-trivial.

That's the trouble with "internet lore." Lots of people assume that a 130 grain 270 - or whatever- which "bombed" on an elk - or whatever, translates to every other Sierra bullet made. The fact is that the GKs made in .338, .358, and .375 are made with thicker jackets and harder cores. And while the cores and jackets sometimes come apart - and perhaps they may disintegrate at 3300 fps impact speeds- the fact is that they still work when used at more moderate speeds - and can penetrate well because those cores are hard. But that same characteristic means that the heavier caliber GKs also may not be ideal at lesser speeds.

Hey Jeff,

Another one you may want to try is the Speer 250. I know it's alot of bullet for deer, but it would have a better BC for longer ranges, and I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Thanks much guys.

Klik, agree 100% and thanks for the info. Just wierd to see the words "Sierra Game King" and "solid" in the same sentence <g>.

I was just up trying out the 200-gn Accubond in my 300 WM Sendero (didn't shoot for [bleep]), so I flung a few more 225 Partitions out into the nether regions from the .358... clank, clank, clank at 325, 375, and 375 yards. I think I'm gonna call it good <g>.

I'll post pics later of the Sierra and Partition that I shot into wet phone books... gotta git to a home inspection now though...

What size deer are we discussing? There are "deer" and then there are "DEER"! Moose are deer and the Northern whitetail is deer. A mature Northern whitetail buck can easily go between 300 to 400 lbs! If we are discussing some Texas whitetail that have heavier racks than body weight, that's another matter entirely!

I'm also a big fan of 35s. I load for my son's 356 Win. Of course, it shoots FPs or RNs only. I've found that AA2015 is far-and-away the best powder for the 250-gr Hornady RN or 240-gr hardcast. My second powder of choice is WW748. 2015 has a lot of energy and 748 gives more powder room. H4895 is a great powder for certain applications but I found it never gave the MV of 2015 or RL-15 in my Whelen or 350 Rems.

Aside from that, I believe the Sierra will work as it should and the Partition MAY expand better at 375 yds but I wouldn't count on it at 1800 fps. I've used Partitions and Sierras and they each will work on "deer" but there are just too many variables to come to exact conclusions. The only way to become an "expert" is to try them. I'd try the Sierra just to discover the variable "truth". Everyone "knows" what a Partition will do. ;)Really???

you could compromise and go with an accubond. I used to shoot the old 225gr BTs in my 358x444 (358JDJ) contender carbine at 2500fps. Only shot one deer with it though. About 100 yards, exited and expansion was obvious.

On that same note the 225gr partion used to be really popular in handgun length barrels as well, velocity around 2200-2250 IIRC. The sierra was claimed to be too tough for reliable expansion at those lower speeds but the part worked great, go figure.

Jeff,

One approach would be to remove the polymer tips frpm 225 accubonds,they are too long at present for some short actions when seated properly. This would let you seat them and get them to feed from your magazine. The bullet would still have a pretty good BC and you could test it for expansion in wet news print .

Just a thought.

Britt

Same here. They are dynamite on deer from a Whelen, and I shot a medium size 5 X 5 elk with them in CO last year. The shot through the shoulder spit the core, but the double lunger did not.

My guess is that they'd be good out to 200yds at least.

But for accuracy, I wish my Ruger .243 shot as good.

I think you are beginning to understand that a hole through the vitails of an animal equals dead. The most dangerous animals on Earth are routinely killed very effectively with solids massive expansion and gargantuan wound diameters are not required for quick kills