Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Match bullets for deer

Howdy folks, sorry if this topic has been covered before.
I have been working with a new rifle, its a Rem 700 in 308. So far I have tried the 168 Amax, 168 Sierra gamekings and the 155 Sierra matchkings.
My rifle shoots them all very well, but shows an obvious preference for the match bullets, which are suposedly not recomended for hunting.
My question is, are these match bullets too hard or too soft for hunting deer sized game? Will they explode, or pass right through with little expansion?
I could just try them on deer but was wanting to hear from anyone who has already tried them first.
I dont plan to hotrod my ammo so impact velocities will probably be around 2500-2000fps. distances under 200 yards, probably closer to 75 or 100. Thanks.

Flinch444: For several years I used MatchKings in a 7mm Rem Mag on elk, and had no complaints. I only recovered one slug from a head on brisket shot. It had scrambled the heart/lung region, and was just in the back surface of the liver. Elk went about 2 steps. Others were pass throughs with couple of neck shots thrown in and the balance being heart/lung passes.

Those slugs would go exactly where I wanted them to, and that brings my confidence to a real high. Then I found out one shouldn't do that. I would suspect that 100 times out of 100, a well placed Matchking from a 308 in the kill zone will more than suffice on deer. I put supreme accuracy, even with a poor slug, well ahead of sloppy shooting with a premimum slug.

What does this mean?

This topic has been hammered before. Strong opinions on both sides. Here is what Sierra, the manufacturer says:

Q: Can I use a MatchKing bullet for deer hunting? They shoot just great in my rifle, so they should be just super for hunting use, right?

A: No, it's not recommended. The MatchKing bullets are designed for pinpoint accuracy; with no consideration given to what might happen after impact. If the bullet has arrived on target accurately, its job is done at that point. Hunting bullets must perform in a certain manner after impact. Penetrating ability, expansion characteristics, and even profile must be considered when designing a hunting bullet. Use MatchKings for matches, and game bullets for hunting.

And on top of that, a lot of folks don't think Sierra can make a decent hunting bullet, even when they try!

This means that the Sierra gamekings shoot around 1" groups @ 100 yrds while the match bullets are well under 1", closer to 1/2" when I do my part. I really dont know why this is, maybe more consistancy in the manufacturing of match bullets?
1/2" may not be worth worrying about in a hunting rifle, but I prefer to shoot what my rifle shoots the best.

"1/2" may not be worth worrying about in a hunting rifle"

Very true, if you have a rifle that shoots 1" off the bench, a 1/2" rifle will make no difference at all in the field.

But consistent terminal performance DOES matter.

In your original post you mentioned shots will be under 200 yards, so a half MOA difference is moot.

I like to chase accuracy too though, so I'd probably want to tinker some more. My belief is that if I had a 308 rifle capable of repeatable 1/2" to 5/8" groups with a 155 MK then I could bring it in reliably under 1" with a 150 grain Interlock that is a sure fire deer getter.

IMO the 1/2" difference in the groupings doesn't equally the risk of using a round not intended for hunting. Its always better to be safe and know you equiped to take you deer then use a bullet that doesn't "always" perform as effecientlly and be sorry and thinking "what if".

I know deer are fairly easy to kill, my dad used to kill them with 22shorts when he was a kid by shootin them in the neck w/ his winchester pump rifle, thats another story though.
Basically I just wanted to know if these match bullets will pass right through, or explode with little penetration? Sounds like "1 minute" has had decent luck with them.
My goal is to settle on one load and stick with it, it would be nice if that load shot the best out of my rifle.
Thanks for the replies.

Try Sierra 165 GK hollowpoints. Excellent accuracy and built for deer size game. A number of members on here will attest to their accuracy and terminal performance. I used them last year with excellent results and will do so again this year.

lets see, a 308 and deer at ranges of sub 200 yds...I'd go with a 150 Horn Sp or a RN at about 2700 and call it a day.

IME if you're really going long then I can see going with the bullets you mentioned (and yeah I have some experience with them) but for the close ranges we're talking I'd go with something a bit more generic.

Dober

If you really want match grade hunting bullets go with Berger. Otherwise I think it's better to stick with hunting bullets for hunting. One thing you can do is is take your match ammo and hunting ammo and shoot them both the same way you hunt. Whether that's setting up targets and shooting out of a treestand or off a backpack or whatever. Chances are you aren't going to see that much difference between the two like you do ff the bench.

"My rifle shoots them all very well, but shows an obvious preference for the match bullets, which are suposedly not recomended for hunting."

So why risk letting a wounded animal get away because your match bullet didnt perform properly on game? It doesnt make any sense to me.

I only have a " sample of one" but it was enough. Against the written advice of Sierra Per Se I loaded up some 168 gr. match kings in a .30-06 and got to use them on a smallish doe mule deer....
three of them...( bullets, not deer...)
from 70 yards....
They did both things you mentioned, and yes, shot placement was good...

If you feel compelled to use a match bullet, try the Barnes 168 BTHP TSX...
it will work, but probably " wayyyyyy overpenetrate"...

Ingwe

there is a reason they design hunting bullets and match bullets. if match bullets performed like hunting bullets, then we would just have "bullets" and no need to differentiate. YMMV